December 2017

So as a little xmas thing I have been trying to get to all our fitness sessions to film. Thanks to Maria for helping at Kings X while I was at a funeral.  You can find your footage on dropbox. Click on the link to see your swims in real time then slow motion.

Walthamstow – Thurs AM

Putney Sunday

London Bridge Group 1   Group 2

Kensington Thurs PM

St Pancras – Monday PM

From the submerged head on view – key points
Head still unless breathing, a few mm gap between the fingers. Symmetry of arm movements will keep you straighter.
Minimal exposure of the leg kick, keep them hidden behind the body. Not leaning on a straight arm to support breathing which will push you up, not pull you forward.
We should never see the palm of the hand from this angle. High elbow <I prefer wide elbow> but as long is it stays above the hand you are on the right track after an early pivot at the elbow <not the shoulder.>
Relaxed exhale through the stroke until the sharp intake of breath as you turn to breathe. We should not see the face from this angle! top of head, a little of the forehead. Look forwards but do not face forwards.

Happy Holidays

Dan

So this was pretty popular last year in the run up to Xmas so I am going to progress it slightly so it has an added twist. Thanks to Mr Trew for the original concept. Join us in Italy in May if you fancy more of this kind of fun, challenging swimming. Try one of these each week through to mid January to keep you focused and heading back to the pool frequently.

There is nothing quite like having some goals and targets to get you motivated and back to the pool frequently. Try these simple mainsets after a choice 400m warm and some build 25m to elevate HR <8×25 build each length slow to fast to get nicely warmed>

200m easy relaxed FC with good tech to swim down post mainsets as follows

“Am I fit enough to enter a long distance swim? I want to do the Thames Marathon, The Dart, Coniston, maybe an Ironman.” I get asked this all the time and my usual response, if a little cheeky is ‘the only way to find out is to enter it.”

But…..races for 2018 are opening and people are entering….

This then usually kickstarts 2months of frantic training from a 6month plan and by week 12 we are fed up, tired and overtrained. The gloss of the event has started to fade and the summer months are still ages away. Enter by all means but then do not panic. Set things out and manage them with regard to sleep, work and family.

6months to a key event should comfortably be 50-60 swim training sessions, maybe 70 if looking to perform well rather than just complete. 60swims could easily be over 200km of blackline torment! Don’t try to get them all done in the first couple of months. Build the volume. You are asking your body to adapt to an overload of exercise and it needs to heal and rest to absorb this and then progress. Maybe limit month one to 9 swims maximum if you are starting from an unfit base.

Make use of your rest days, aid the recuperation with massage and stretching, work on your weaknesses, improve your flexibility. If injured do not add more sessions to your next weeks total to catch them up. Let it go. You do not want to further reduce rest time between sessions hindering the bodies ability to return to health. If you do not feel like it on a certain day due to a late night, sick child, work project then don’t go. If this happens for a week then you may need to re evaluate your goal, step back or divert to a different activity for a while as you recover from some overtraining and find your mojo again.