Swimming reference table

SWOLF table — scores by strokes and seconds per length

SWOLF is strokes plus seconds for one length. The tables give the score for every combination in a 25 m and a 50 m pool, then the freestyle level bands with their boundaries stated per pool length, so a 50 m or 25 yd score can be read without normalising it by hand.

SWOLF in a 25 m pool

Seconds per length	10 strokes	12 strokes	14 strokes	16 strokes	18 strokes	20 strokes	22 strokes	24 strokes	26 strokes	28 strokes	30 strokes
16	26	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46
18	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48
20	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50
22	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52
24	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54
26	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56
28	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58
30	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60
32	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62
34	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64
36	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66
38	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68
40	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70
42	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72
44	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74
46	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76
48	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78
50	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80
52	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82
54	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84
56	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86
58	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86	88
60	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86	88	90

SWOLF in a 50 m pool

Seconds per length	20 strokes	24 strokes	28 strokes	32 strokes	36 strokes	40 strokes	44 strokes	48 strokes	52 strokes	56 strokes	60 strokes
32	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92
36	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96
40	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100
44	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104
48	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108
52	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112
56	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116
60	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120
64	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124
68	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128
72	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132
76	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136
80	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140
84	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144
88	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148
92	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152
96	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156
100	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160
104	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164
108	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168
112	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172
116	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172	176
120	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172	176	180

SWOLF levels by pool length — freestyle at a steady effort

Level	25 m pool	50 m pool	25 yd pool
Elite	≤ 32	≤ 64	≤ 29
Advanced	33–40	65–80	30–36
Intermediate	41–48	81–96	37–43
Developing	≥ 49	≥ 97	≥ 44

How to read the SWOLF table

Find the row for your seconds per length and the column for your strokes; the cell is your SWOLF, and the bands table tells you where it lands for your pool. The bands are orientation, not a standard: SWOLF has no governing body and no published norms. They describe freestyle at a steady aerobic effort — breaststroke and butterfly score ten or more points higher than freestyle at the same fitness, backstroke sits a little above freestyle, and every score falls as the effort rises. A raw score only compares against another from the same pool, because both halves of it scale with the length; that is why the 50 m boundaries are double the 25 m ones and the 25 yd ones sit a little lower.

SWOLF calculatorEnter one length — pool, strokes and seconds — to get your score normalised to 25 m, your distance per stroke, stroke rate and pace per 100 m.

The coach turns a target SWOLF into sets that cut strokes without losing pace, and keeps the rest of the week honest around them.

What is a good SWOLF score?

For freestyle at a steady effort in a 25 m pool, most club swimmers land in the high 30s to high 40s, competent age-groupers in the mid 30s, and elite distance swimmers in the low 30s or below. In a 50 m pool double those numbers; in a 25 yd pool they run about 9% lower. The only comparison that means much is against your own score in the same pool, same stroke, same effort.

Why does the 50 m table use different rows and columns?

Because both halves of a SWOLF score grow with the length: a 50 m length takes roughly twice the strokes and twice the seconds of a 25 m one, so the axes are doubled and a 50 m score is read against boundaries twice as high. To compare a 50 m score with a 25 m one, halve it.

Seconds per length	10 strokes	12 strokes	14 strokes	16 strokes	18 strokes	20 strokes	22 strokes	24 strokes	26 strokes	28 strokes	30 strokes
16	26	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46
18	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48
20	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50
22	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52
24	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54
26	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56
28	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58
30	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60
32	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62
34	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64
36	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66
38	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68
40	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70
42	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72
44	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74
46	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76
48	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78
50	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80
52	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82
54	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84
56	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86
58	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86	88
60	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86	88	90

Seconds per length	20 strokes	24 strokes	28 strokes	32 strokes	36 strokes	40 strokes	44 strokes	48 strokes	52 strokes	56 strokes	60 strokes
32	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92
36	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96
40	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100
44	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104
48	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108
52	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112
56	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116
60	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120
64	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124
68	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128
72	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132
76	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136
80	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140
84	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144
88	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148
92	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152
96	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156
100	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160
104	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164
108	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168
112	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172
116	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172	176
120	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172	176	180

Seconds per length	10 strokes	12 strokes	14 strokes	16 strokes	18 strokes	20 strokes	22 strokes	24 strokes	26 strokes	28 strokes	30 strokes
16	26	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46
18	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48
20	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50
22	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52
24	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54
26	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56
28	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58
30	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60
32	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62
34	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64
36	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66
38	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68
40	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70
42	52	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72
44	54	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74
46	56	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76
48	58	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78
50	60	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80
52	62	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82
54	64	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84
56	66	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86
58	68	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86	88
60	70	72	74	76	78	80	82	84	86	88	90

Seconds per length	20 strokes	24 strokes	28 strokes	32 strokes	36 strokes	40 strokes	44 strokes	48 strokes	52 strokes	56 strokes	60 strokes
32	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92
36	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96
40	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100
44	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104
48	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108
52	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112
56	76	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116
60	80	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120
64	84	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124
68	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128
72	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132
76	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136
80	100	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140
84	104	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144
88	108	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148
92	112	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152
96	116	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156
100	120	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160
104	124	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164
108	128	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168
112	132	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172
116	136	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172	176
120	140	144	148	152	156	160	164	168	172	176	180