Swim Pace Training Tool for Coaches and Competitive Swimmers 🏆
Lapin Swim Pacer is a swim training pacing device designed to help swimmers maintain a consistent pace without relying on the wall clock.
It is built for swim coaches, clubs, and performance-driven swimmers who want repeatable, pace-based training. Works for solo swimmers or entire lane.
Look how it works:
Short overview of the Lapin Swim Pacer concept and its use in structured swim training 🎥
Why swimming still relies on wall clocks ⏱️
Traditional swim training depends heavily on visual time checks at the wall.
This disrupts rhythm, increases cognitive load, and makes it harder to maintain a stable pace—especially in group settings.
Lapin Swim Pacer provides a lane-level visual pacing reference, allowing swimmers to focus on technique while coaches manage pace more efficiently across multiple lanes.
Who this is for 🏊
- Swim coaches managing multiple lanes or pace groups
- Masters swimming programs
- Competitive swimmers and triathletes
- Clubs looking to standardize pace-based training
- Facilities exploring smarter training infrastructure
Key benefits ✅
- Train by pace, not by wall clock
- Improve pacing consistency during intervals
- Reduce coaching overhead during sets
- Enable larger, more autonomous training groups
- Better alignment with modern endurance training principles
No infrastructure required ✨
- Ready to use — No installation. No wiring. No technical setup.
- Fully portable — Fits in a standard swim bag, like fins or a pull buoy.
- Accessible by design — No facility upgrade or capital investment.
Backed by emerging research 🔬
- Visual LED pacing and training load — A 2025 peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology examined visual LED pacing systems in competitive freestyle swimming. While pacing accuracy improvements were modest, researchers found that LED-guided swimmers showed significantly lower blood lactate accumulation and more stable heart rate patterns compared to self-paced swimming — suggesting visual pacing feedback may help manage training load and reduce physiological strain. (This study evaluated a different LED pacing system, not Lapin Swim Pacer, but reflects growing scientific interest in visual pacing technology for swim training.) Read the study →
- CSS: the swimming equivalent of FTP — Most triathletes already know their cycling FTP, and increasingly their running VMA or Critical Speed — but far fewer know their Critical Swim Speed (CSS), the closest swim equivalent, introduced by sport scientists Costill, Maglischo and Richardson and calculated from two time trials (400 m and 200 m). All three — FTP, VMA/Critical Speed, and CSS — describe the same underlying idea: the highest intensity an athlete can sustain in a steady state, specific to each sport. Unlike cycling and running, though, CSS can't be reliably estimated from land-based numbers: a 2024 paper in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living proposes swim training zones built from both physiological markers (oxygen uptake, lactate, heart rate) and biomechanical ones (stroke length, frequency, coordination), since technical proficiency shapes swim performance as much as aerobic fitness does. (This research describes the physiology and biomechanics behind swim training zones in general — it was not conducted using Lapin Swim Pacer.) Read the study →
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ❓
How does the Swim Pacer know my desired pace?
Pace is defined during the configuration phase by setting a target swim speed (for example, a target pace per 100 m).
The system then provides a consistent visual pacing reference based on that configuration.
No physiological sensors are required.
Is it meant to be used in all parts of training?
The concept is especially relevant for structured training sets such as long main sets, repetitions (e.g. 100–400 m), pyramids, or series like 25×100 m.
The goal is to reduce mental load related to pace calculations, lap counting, and timing breaks, so swimmers and coaches can stay focused on training quality.
Does it work with groups?
Yes. The concept is designed with group training in mind.
A lead swimmer can start on the visual pacing reference, while others follow with a controlled offset—similar to traditional wall-clock–based starts, but without losing the pacing reference during the swim.
Does it work in different pool lengths (25 m / 50 m)?
The system concept supports different pool lengths, including 25 m and 50 m pools.
Pacing behavior is derived from the selected pool configuration and target pace.
How is it programmed and powered?
The device is configured wirelessly via Bluetooth using a mobile device.
It is powered by an internal rechargeable battery and recharged through a USB port.
Both programming and charging methods are already implemented and functional in the current prototype.
How is Lapin Swim Pacer different from a traditional pace clock?
Unlike a wall clock or a portable pace clock, Lapin Swim Pacer provides a visual pacing reference directly in the lane, removing the need for mental calculations or wall checks during the effort.
What is pace-based swim training?
Pace-based training means swimming at a consistent target speed rather than reacting to a clock. It's an approach widely used in running and cycling, which Lapin Swim Pacer brings to swimming.
Why pace instead of heart rate?
Unlike cycling or running, heart rate in swimming is a delayed and less reliable signal — cold-water immersion triggers a dive reflex that can lag heart rate response by several minutes, and the horizontal body position changes venous return compared to land-based sports. This is why elite swimmers and national swim federations structure training around pace rather than heart rate. Lapin Swim Pacer is built around that same principle.
Can I use the LSP to test my CSS?
Yes — since pace is reconfigured wirelessly between reps, the Swim Pacer can guide a step test: a series of 200 m efforts, resetting the target pace a little faster before each rep, with a short rest in between, until the pace can no longer be held. This mirrors an established incremental step-test structure used in swim science to locate an athlete's threshold, without needing a stopwatch or lactate meter. The last pace held cleanly gives a solid starting point for training zones.
Does the Swim Pacer replace the coach or the training whistle?
No. The Swim Pacer is a complementary tool — it manages the pacing reference during sets, freeing up the coach to focus on technique and feedback rather than watching the clock.
Is it available for purchase?
No. Lapin Swim Pacer is currently in a pilot and validation phase.
The focus is on understanding real-world use cases, demand, and certification pathways prior to any commercial or OEM deployment.
If you are interested in participating in pilot programs or following the project, you can register your interest on this page.
From the founder
Dear swimmers, coaches, and club directors,Lapin Digital Swim Pacer is the result of what I’ve seen happening across endurance sports over the last decade.
In running and cycling, electronic pacing, real-time feedback, and athlete-centric tools have fundamentally changed how athletes train. Swimming, however, still relies largely on wall clocks and mental calculations.
As both an engineer and an endurance athlete, I felt it was time to bring the same level of precision, clarity, and focus to swim training. Lapin Digital Swim Pacer was designed to move pacing into the lane, adapt it to the swimmer, and remove unnecessary distractions—for swimmers and coaches alike.
Our goal is simple: help swimmers train with better focus and consistency, and give coaches tools that reflect how modern endurance training actually works.
If this resonates with how you train or coach, I invite you to register your interest below.
Marc Perron, ing., Ph.D. Founder — Lapin Digital Swim Pacer · Lévis, Québec, Canada
Current status
Lapin Swim Pacer is not a commercial product yet. We are looking to do pilot projects.
Join the interest list
Lapin Digital Swim Pacer is being developed in close collaboration with coaches and swimmers.
If you would like to: • be considered for pilot programs • share feedback from real training environments • stay informed as the project evolves
Register your interest below to participate or stay informed.
No product for sale. This form is used to gauge interest and pilot participation.
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