A four-month guided programme to help you become a more confident, competent and complete swimmer
With Simon Griffiths and Lucy Young
Where should you go next with your swimming? Should you work on your technique or focus on your fitness? Can cold water dipping help the rest of your swimming? How can swimming help support a healthier and more adventurous life? What’s the best way to prepare for my next challenge?
We get asked all these questions and more. With so much to do in swimming and so much to learn, it’s easy to drift from swim to swim without a clear sense of direction or plan to improve.
This programme is designed to help you take ownership of your swimming.
Over four months, you’ll assess where you are now, what matters most to you, and develop a clear plan for becoming the swimmer you want to be.
This programme isn’t promising any quick fixes. Instead, it’s about deepening your understanding of swimming to enable you to make long-term, self-directed progress.
Lasting progress comes from understanding your own swimming. Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, and when you have a clearer picture of your motivations and opportunities, you will make better decisions for long-term improvements.
The programme is based on the ideas in the Renaissance Swimmer book, but goes beyond the text with live discussions, community support, practical exercises and direct access to Simon.
Who is this for?
This programme is for anyone who wants more from their swimming.
You don’t need to be fast or willing to swim long distances. You don’t need to have swum with a club as a child. You just need to be curious about how swimming could play a bigger and more rewarding role in your life, and you should be willing to experiment with new things in swimming.
What you get
- Immediate access to the Renaissance Swimmer book (online), which we will use as our guide and reference throughout the programme.
- A dedicated WhatsApp group to ask questions, share experiences and learn from other swimmers on the programme.
- Membership of the Renaissance Swimmer Club until 1 March 2027
- Monthly challenges and reflection exercises
- Four live Zoom workshops between November and February, as follows:
- November: Understanding your swimming and where to focus next.
- December: Training with purpose and creating a plan that works for you.
- January: Building confidence, competence and resilience in the water.
- February: Creating a sustainable swimming lifestyle and planning your next steps.
- Four additional live Zoom events for you to ask your questions directly
By the end of the programme, you will:
- Have a clearer understanding of your strengths and weaknesses as a swimmer
- Know what to focus on and work on next
- Understand how to balance technique, fitness and speed in your training
- Feel more confident making decisions about your own swimming
- Have a broader appreciation of everything swimming can offer
- Be part of a supportive community of like-minded swimmers
- Have a practical plan for your continued development
Programme Dates
The official programme runs from 1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 but you will have access to the book and other resources from when you join. Membership of the Renaissance Swimmer Club ends on 1 March 2027, but you will be offered the opportunity to extend that as long as you like. The book is yours to keep.
Fee: £119.95*
*If you already have the Renaissance Swimmer book (or System as it was previously called) and wish to join the programme, please email me at simon@renaissanceswimmmer.com.
Sounds good? Take ownership of your swimming.
Join us for four months of learning, discussion and development and set yourself up for a lifetime of swimming adventures.
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About us
Simon is the founder and publisher of Outdoor Swimmer magazine, head coach at and creator of Renaissance Swimmer, and author of Swim Wild and Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 Days a Year. He was part of the team that created the STA Open Water Coaching Award and regularly takes part in open water events and masters swimming competitions.
Lucy is a lifelong swimmer and regularly competes in masters events, open water swims and swimruns. She recently won a National Masters age-group medal in the 400m individual medley. She helped develop the core ideas in Renaissance Swimmer and runs the Renaissance Swimmer Club alongside Simon.