How to make the most of your swim training

Swimming training can often be gruelling and unforgiving.

The early mornings and the late nights spent in the pool mean hours upon hours are dedicated to the sport.

Here are a few quick tips to help you start training smarter not harder!

1. Train with purpose

Coming to training with the right attitude can make a world of difference in how you will train.

Training with the intent to improve will make training easier and more enjoyable.

• Know your weaknesses. Know the flaws in your technique and focus on them when training (especially during easy laps).
• Focus on skills. Underwaters and turns can make a huge difference in a race so working on them during training is imperative.
• Stretch before and after each session to make sure you can recover effectively for the next session.
• Record data from sets week to week to know if you’re improving and help you hit the times you want to hit.

2. Set some goals

Setting Goals at the start of each swimming season can be invaluable when it comes to motivation and improvement.

Often goals are helpful when you’re feeling down or unmotivated, they can you keep focused and committed.

• Make sure the goals are specific to you, realistic and measurable so you can track your progress.
• Separate your goals into categories based on time (short-term, medium-term, long-term).
• Goals don’t have to be performance-based (ie. achieving a time), often process goals can be more helpful (i.e. attending more training sessions or doing 6 fly kicks of each wall, etc.)

3. Manage your time

Time management is integral in a swimmer’s busy lifestyle.

Juggling school, swimming and relaxation can be hard, so setting up a schedule to mange them all is a key part in succeeding.

• Planning out your week on a timetable, with designated times for training, homework, and relaxation can help you manage everything and avoid needing to unnecessarily miss any sessions.
• Make sure you set regular sleep times to ensure you are getting enough time to rest and recover.

By following these simple steps, you can be assured that you’ve made the most of your training sessions, which will not only give you an edge over your competition but also the confidence needed to perform come race day.

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