Why Is Open Water Swimming Slower Than Pool Swimming?
Open water swimming is typically slower than pool swimming due to the lack of controlled conditions. In open water, factors like waves, currents, cold temperatures, and the need for constant sighting disrupt your rhythm. Additionally, there are no walls to push off, and visibility is often limited, making it harder to maintain speed compared to […]
4 Ways to Build Swimming Endurance, Fast!
Here are 4 ways to build your swimming endurance fast: 1. Swim Consistently If there’s one thing I can’t stress enough, it’s consistency. You’ve probably heard me say it a hundred times! Aim to swim at least three times a week. In each session, focus on swimming a bit farther or staying in the pool […]
The 5 Key Things to Improve Your Front Crawl Technique
Improving your front crawl technique is essential for becoming a more efficient swimmer, whether you’re training for an event, a triathlon, or simply looking to enhance your swimming skills. In this article, we will explore the best practices to elevate your front crawl technique, including key techniques and additional considerations to help you become a […]
Essential Equipment for Swim Training
Key Items: Swimming is an excellent full-body workout that improves cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility. However, having the right equipment is crucial for maximising the benefits of your training as well as increasing variety. I am going to explore the essential equipment for swim training that can help swimmers of all levels enhance their performance […]
Why Strength Training for Open Water Swimming is Essential
In open water, you’re not just racing against the clock—you’re battling waves, currents, environmental factors and other swimmers that make maintaining technique more challenging. Adding strength training can help you by: If you would like my best advice on how to best tackle the start of an open water event, check out our post on […]
How to Plan A Swim Workout
Key Points: Planning an exciting swim session that keeps you motivated while improving your technique and stamina can be challenging, especially if you’re new to swimming or have been following the same routine for a while. In this guide, I’ll share how I plan a swim workout to help athletes of all levels enhance their […]
Effective Strategies for Mass Swim Starts
Key Takeaways: Having participated in many open-water swim starts and coached numerous athletes through them, I know that for most, the biggest fear isn’t the swim itself but the chaotic start—being crammed among others, all vying for the same space in the water. I’ve had my fair share of rough mass swim starts that ruined […]
How to Swim Faster Front Crawl
Having coached swimming professionally for over a decade and worked with swimmers at the highest domestic level in Great Britain. I developed programs focused on creating well-rounded swimmers. I was often limited on contact time with my athletes compared to other clubs, so I had to make the most of the time I had. There […]
Should you focus on Technique or Endurance when Swim Training?
Having coached swimming over many years, I know that the sport requires both cardiovascular fitness and refined technique. Swimmers at the highest levels of competition demonstrate incredible technique alongside fitness levels that most of us can only dream of. So is it best to focus on technique or endurance when swim training? You don’t need […]
Why are shallow swimming pools slow compared to deeper pools?
Why are shallow swimming pools slow? Having been a professional swimming coach for 12 years, I would regularly hear kids and adults say that a pool is slow or fast. In my personal experience I set a lot of my best times in a pool that had a minimum depth of 2m, far deeper than […]