High performance swimmers normally practice many times per week, even triple sessions within a day. Thus, an accelerated recovery can allow an increase in performance within training sessions and in subsequent competitions. PURPOSE: to determine an effective cool-down protocol in swimmers to improve recovery after an all-out 100-m bout. METHODS: 10 male swimmers (16.9±3.1 years) performed 3 100-m all-out bouts in 3 different days with 48-hour rest between bouts. After the 100-m all-out bout, subjects performed one of the three following cool-down protocols: Own pace continuum swimming (CONT: 1,500 m), low-intensity interval training (INT1: 12 x 100 m, with 40-second rest between reps), and low-volume interval training (INT2: 3 x 10 x 25 m, with 20- and 60-second rest between reps and sets, respectively). All 3 cool-down protocols were performed using freestyle and within 22 minutes post all-out bout. Blood lactate levels (La), heart rate (HR), and sit and reach test (S&R) were measured within 3 minutes after each 100-m all-out bout and 3 minutes within the end of each cool-down protocol. A two-way repeated measurement ANOVA (Time*Protocol) was performed to determine statistical difference at alpha=0.05 RESULTS: There was a significant Time*Protocol interaction for La and S&R (p=0.044 and 0.018, respectively). HR showed only a Protocol main effect (p=0.02), where INT2 showed a lower HR when compared to CONT and INT1 (159±3 bpm vs. 170±3 bpm and 175±3 bpm, respectively, both p<0.05). La after cool-down was reduced with all 3 protocol (CONT: 14.9±2.1 mmol/L vs. 4.1±1.9 mmol/L, p<0.001; INT1: 13.2±2.8 vs. 5.4±2.1 mmol/L, p<0.001; INT2: 12.3±4.2 mmol/L vs. 1.9±1.2 mmol/L, p<0.001). However, S&R after cool-down was improved only with CONT and INT2 (11.5±7.5 cm vs. 13.9±7.1 cm, p<0.001 and 15.2±7.2 cm vs.17.1±6.4 cm, p<0.01, respectively). There were no significant differences on La after the 100-m all-out bout; however, La after cool-down was lower after INT2 than CONT and INT1 (1.9±1.2 mmol/L vs. 4.1±1.9 mmol/L and 5.4±2.1 mmol/L, respectively, both p<0.02). CONCLUSION: The main conclusions of the present study are two-fold: 1) HR might not be a good recovery marker in swimmers and 2) it appears that low-volume rather than low-intensity interval training induces better cool-down effects in swimmers after a 100-m all-out bout.