Knowing how to use the visual markers in a pool is a real asset when it comes to improving your technique and structuring your training. When should you start your turn? When should you flip? How do you time your efforts and recovery? Every swimmer has asked these questions. What many don’t realize is that the pool is full of visual cues designed to help you orient yourself and progress.
The Pool Clock
Mounted on both sides of the pool, the wall-mounted pace clock is the perfect tool for becoming fully autonomous (or for saving you when you forget your watch 🤫 ). Its four colored hands – red, yellow, green, and blue – divide the minute into four 15-second intervals.
With it, swimmers can:
- start on their own without external assistance
- measure recovery times
- test different paces
- learn to swim with rhythm and consistency
Pro tip: Choose the colored hand you’re starting on, then leave every minute or every 45 seconds depending on your goal.
Lane Lines and Their Colored Floats
Lane lines mark out the swimming area. During your workout, they help organize traffic in the pool and give structure to each lane. But have you ever noticed the different colors on them? These color changes are valuable reference points:
- the floats marking the last 5 meters before the wall are red
- other colored floats indicate the 15-meter mark and the middle of the pool
These markers help swimmers calibrate distances during training or competition. They’re especially useful for pacing work — for example, swimming 8 × 25 meters with the first 15 meters at maximum speed. In competition, they also help swimmers avoid disqualification, since the underwater phase is limited to 15 meters in freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly.
Backstroke Flags: An Essential Marker
You’ve seen them — the small flags stretched across the pool on two poles, hanging above every lane. Like many swimmers, you’ve probably wondered: “What are they for?”. These flags are placed 5 meters from the wall. They are crucial in competition, especially for backstroke swimmers, as they indicate how far they are from the wall and help them anticipate their turn without looking.
The Pool Floor
Just like the lane lines on the surface, black lines are painted on the bottom of the pool. These lines stop 2 meters before the wall, giving swimmers another useful visual cue. Used in freestyle, butterfly, and breaststroke, these floor lines help swimmers know exactly when to begin their turn and prepare their movement correctly.