Category: Reflections
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And is swimming like teaching? We asked Renaissance Swimmer Club members to map out their swimming intentions for our October challenge. We also made the distinction between swimming intentions and goals. And this really got me to pause and think. I have Masters Nationals coming up, but the best thing I can do in preparation…
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One or two poor performances are not necessarily indicative of permanent decline. Here’s how to move past them. At a recent masters competition, I signed up for five races. The first two went badly. I felt uncoordinated, sluggish and unable to move my arms fast enough. There were good reasons for this. I had done…
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Including tips for glasses wearers and keeping your goggles fog-free I once did a race with goggles filled with water. It was worse than swimming without. I could barely see anything. It was a 100m individual medley, so there was no way to empty the goggles without breaking stroke and being disqualified. I finished but…
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Your swimming technique may improve when you sprint, and this may be a way to help you improve your overall swimming
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They’re not the same thing, and what works best for you may change over time In simple terms, a training plan works like this: It’s simple to conceptualise and can be very effective, especially if your goal requires a significant change in your current abilities. But there are trade-offs too. A plan like this will…
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Or are you better off resting? I’m shamelessly borrowing an idea from another coach this week because the timing couldn’t have been better. After returning from the Hellespont Swim in Türkiye, I was exhausted from travel, and I had picked up a bug. That made my decision about training easy: I was ill, so I…
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Trying to find the best line across the Dardanelles Strait is tricky. Best not to overthink it.
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A few extra kilos may keep you warmer in cool water, but could also slow you down. Over the past few years, I’ve put on about 5kg. A common occurrence in mid-life, perhaps, but I attribute mine to running less, swimming more and starting resistance training rather than age or change in diet. I’m not…
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Your critical swim speed (CSS) is useful to know and track but it’s not a magic number.
