Pool Swim Workout Enhancements

This page explains the improvements made to the Swim Workout creator feature in the Garmin Connect™ platform. The following watches are fully compatible with the improvements. 

IMPORTANT: These features are only available if you have downloaded the latest public beta. For information on joining the public beta see, Enrolling in and Learning About Garmin Beta Software Program

• Forerunner® 255 | Forerunner® 255S | Forerunner® 255 Music | Forerunner® 255S Music

• Forerunner® 265 | Forerunner® 265S

• Forerunner® 955 | Forerunner® 955 Solar

• Forerunner® 965 

New Features

Select from the following list to navigate to details about each feature.

• “Unspecified” Pool Size Option in the Workout Creator

• Handling Pool Size Mismatches on a Device  

• Time-Based Swim Steps and Open Swim Steps

• Intensity Targets in the Workout Creator

• New Drill Types

• Option to Skip or Use the Last Rest Step in a Repeat Block

• New Rest Type: Send-off Time

• Send-off Times and Pace Targets Defined Relative to CSS

• New Stroke Types and Step Types 

• 100 Workout Steps

“Unspecified” Pool Size Option in the Workout Creator

Workouts created with unspecified pool size can be completed in any size of pool. This feature is partially compatible will all watches with pool swim activities and will function differently based on the compatibility. 

Fully Compatible Devices

Compatible watches will show each steps distance as specified in the workout creator without conversion based on the current pool size.

Partially Compatible Devices

Devices not fully compatible will show the workout distance without conversion for a meter based pool size, but will convert the distance for yard based pools.

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Handling Pool Size Mismatches on a Device 

Compatible devices will give you the option to convert a workout that was designed for a specific pool size that differs from your current pool. 

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Time-Based Swim Steps and Open Swim Steps

An alert will sound when the target time has elapsed. Continue swimming to the wall and press Lap to advance to next step.

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Intensity Targets in the Workout Creator

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New Drill Types

Compatible watches will show the new drill types (“Kick”, “Pull”, and “Drill”) are shown separately from the stroke type on your device. E.g. “Free Pull” or “Butterfly Kick”. 

Non-compatible devices will show all drill types as Drill.

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Option to Skip or Use the Last Rest Step in a Repeat Block

The option now exists in the workout creator to choose to skip or use the last rest step in a repeat block. 

Non-compatible devices do not respect this option and will always skip the last rest in a repeat block.

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New Rest Type: Send-off Time

Formerly called “fixed repetition time” and limited to repeat blocks, you can now create workouts with this rest type after any distance-based swim step. If used after time-based steps, open steps, or other rest steps, these rests will be converted to open rests by the device. This feature is compatible with all devices that are compatible with swim workouts.

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Send-off Times and Pace Targets Defined Relative to CSS

New Stroke Types and Step Types

Supports new stroke types: 

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100 Workout Steps

Previously swim workouts were limited to 50 steps. We have raised that cap to 100 steps. 

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