In at the Deep End!

How to get the most out of your pool sessions this season.

Whether you’re a seasoned triathlete, hardcore runner, or simply trying to stay in shape, pool based swimming can be a great way to improve your health and fitness, avoid injury, and see those PBs come crashing down!

 

Why Swim?

Swimming is a great option when it comes to an all over body cardiovascular workout, which tones muscles, builds strength, and improves endurance and all without the impact on the bones and joints that comes from other forms of high intensity workout. This makes swimming an excellent choice, not just for swimmers and triathletes, but for  people of any age and ability level looking to stay fit.

An average person can burn anything from 450 to a whopping 700 calories in just 1 hour of swimming, and that is not the only reason to don the goggles! Swimming has been found to:

• Lower blood pressure
• Improve mood
• Reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Lower stress levels & improve quality of sleep

Swimming is a truly all inclusive form of exercise, which is not only suitable for people of all ages, but is also a great option for people recovering from injury and can be a beneficial and rewarding form of exercise during pregnancy (although be sure to consult with a doctor before engaging in any new forms of activity while expecting).

Where to Start. 

Most pools will offer, both group and individual, lessons for total beginners. These sessions will tend to focus on water confidence and basic technique. However for more advanced swimmers more suitable options may include:

• Masters Club Swimming/ Triathlon clubs
• Improvement and advanced lessons.
• 1:1 coaching or instruction
• Swimfit (a widely available Swim England initiative) cards or activator lead sessions
• Lane swimming

 

Mix it Up a Bit.

Much like with running or cycling, the best way to get the best results is to keep your training varied. Remember train the same, stay the same. Mixing up your distances, speeds and even stroke work can help to improve technique and speed, reduce injury risk, and keep those consistent results coming. You can also break down your stroke into separate components (i.e kick or pull) to help you focus parts of your session or work on your weakness.

Kit to help you with this may include:

• Kick Board
• Pull Buoy
• Pull Band (more advanced swimmers)
• Hand paddles
• Training Fins/ Flippers
• Swim Snorkel

Be aware, rules surrounding the use of addition kit can vary from pool to pool, and dependent on the nature of the session you are participating in.

 

 

 3 Training Sets to Get You Going.

 

Beginner. 950 m – 1350 m Total

• 200 m Easy Warm Up (rest between lengths if needed) – For injury prevention avoid using Butterfly or vigorous Breaststroke as part of your warm up .
• 8 x 50 m  Alternating between fast front crawl and easy swimming on a stroke of your choice. 30 seconds rest between each 50 m. Reduce to 4 x 50 m as required.
• 4 x 100 m Gradually increasing speed every 25 m – try to keep maintain technique throughout the 100 m, to assist with this you may wish to count your stroke rate per length. Up to 1 min rest per 100 m. Reduce to 2 x 100 m as required.
• 10 x 25 m  SPRINT 30 Seconds rest per length.
• 100 m Easy/ Cool Down Swim (back stroke can help to recover breathing and relax muscles.)

 

Intermediate. 1500 m – 2200 m Total

• 200 m Steady Warm Up Swim (Continual).
• 6 x 100 m – Tumble Turns as able, try to avoid breathing in first and last 5 m of each length. 30 Second rest per 100 m Reduce to 3 x 100 m as required.
• 6 x 75 m – 25 m Kick SPRINT, 50 m steady recovery swim. 15 Seconds rest per 75 m  Reduce to 4 x 75 m as required.
• 3 x 200 m – increasing speed every 50 m. Try to make each 200 m faster than the previous one. 30 seconds – 1 min rest per 200 m. Reduce to 2 x 200 m as required.
• 8 x 25 m – NO BREATH (or breath hold as far as possible) 30 Seconds – 1 min rest per 25 m
• 100 m Easy/ Cool Down Swim (back stroke can help to recover breathing and relax muscles.)

Advanced. 2850 m Total.

 

• 400 m Steady Warm Up – Continual Swim utilising at least 3 different strokes
• 5 x 100 m  IM (1 Length Butterfly, 1 Length Backstroke, 1 Length Breaststroke, 1 Length Front crawl). Focus on a final length sprint, adapt strokes as required (i.e fly kick rather than full stroke) 30 Seconds rest per 100 m.
• 10 x 50 m Front Crawl SPRINT. Setting off every minute (extend or reduce interval as required).
• 400 m Steady recovery swim focus on turns.
• 10 x 25 m Front Crawl SPRINT. Setting off every 30 seconds (extend or reduce interval as required).
• 400 m Steady recovery swim focus on turns.
• 12 x 25 NO BREATH (or breath hold as far as possible) 30 Seconds rest per 25 m
• 100 m Easy/ Cool Down Swim (back stroke can help to recover breathing and relax muscles.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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