How can we train effectively and what can we do to improve our speed without compromising our technique and overall performance? Nicola Butler has your guide

In this issue we are focusing on swimming careers and a range of shorter distance goals within swimming. So how does this link with swimming in the pool? Most events this summer will be host a specific distance in open water, either through a triathlon, or a single open water swim. Some sprint triathlons still use an indoor pool or outdoor lido for their swim section, with a distance goal of around the 400m mark. Many single open water events will offer a series of shorter distance swims ranging from 250m – 1k through a series of loops or a long section.

You may also be training to become a Beach or Open Water Lifeguard, which requires you to swim 400m in a set time. With such a range of distances and goals, how can we train effectively and what can we do to improve our speed without compromising our technique and overall performance?

Speed: a simple formula that explains a lot

Swimming performance in both the pool and open water really does boil down to a simple formula:

Propulsive Force – Resistance = Acceleration

Propulsive force is the forward momentum you create with your arms and legs. Ideally, you need to generate more forward force or reduce resistance to go faster. Most swimmers focus on more power excessive pull and greater effort. Smarter swimming starts with minimising drag. The objective is to create less resistance to achieve more speed from the same amount of effort.

To swim faster and at speed, reducing drag is more effective than trying to increase power.

Now, to improve overall speed, let’s look at how drag occurs in the water and what drills, solutions and sets we can do in the pool to reduce this for shorter distance swims:

Friction drag: This is the water sliding across your skin or suit. It’s minimal, but at high speeds it matters. Solution – shaving key limbs, removing jewellery, wearing tight suits/swimwear and bullet hats.

Form drag: This is the shape of your body in the water. If your head is lifted and hips are dropped, then you’re pushing more water than needed. A long, narrow body moves faster in the water. Drill – practice tight pencil like positions in the water from pencil dives through to simple push and glides off the wall.

Wave Drag: This occurs at the surface. When you push water, you displace it and this results in waves. When you swim at speed, more waves are created. To minimise surface disruption, you must remain more streamlined in the water.

Set & top tips: Short distance sprint training

W/up – 200-400m: Easy as 50fc / 50bk

10-20 x 25m FC power sprints / rest 30 secs: Start from the wall and push off as hard as you can. Aligning the body into a narrow, pencil-like shape, extending arms overhead with hands stacked and locked, head tucked down, and core engaged to maintain a straight line. DO NOT KICK until you resurface (this is a drill). Then sprint as fast as you can with leg kick until you reach the wall. Try not to breath a lot over a 25m sprint. This drill set also helps you to practice sprinting from standstill or in deep water, which replicates many 400m swims/mass starts.

C/dwn – 200-400m: Easy choice stroke

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How to keep your cool at the start of a race

The start of an open water race or a triathlon can be overwhelming. Here’s how to cope with it.

I received an email from a reader this week explaining how she panicked during the swim of a triathlon, and it took twice as long as she expected.

It’s not uncommon to panic, especially near the start. Event organisers will tell you that most withdrawals and rescues take place within the first few minutes.

Forewarned is forearmed, so here are some of the factors that might contribute to panic:

• Cold water shock: If you’re not used to natural water temperatures or the temperature in your event is much less than you’re used to, you may get cold water shock, even if you wear a wetsuit. This can create a sense of panic.
• Solution: learn about cold water shock and try to practise in water of a similar temperature to your event.
• Starting too fast: It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the day and go off like a rocket. You feel great until oxygen debt catches up with you. You then struggle to get enough air in, which triggers panic.
• Solution: Start slower! Or, if you realise you’ve made a mistake, slow down until you get your breathing under control.
• Tight wetsuit: A wetsuit needs to be tight for optimum performance but if you’re not familiar with the additional constriction around your chest or pressure on your neck, it can make you feel as if you can’t breathe properly, especially if you’ve started too fast!
• Solution: Practise swimming in your wetsuit. Don’t start too fast. Remember that it’s meant to be tight.
• General mayhem: The start of an event can be chaotic, possibly more so in triathlon than in straight open water swims. People bumping into you or swimming over you can make you feel panicky.
• Solution: Swim with Zen-like calm. Try to find your own space at the sides or the back (or even out in front if you’re super fast). Don’t react to any physical contact. Stay focused on your own swim.

The fear of panic may make you apprehensive about events. It’s a real thing, fairly common, and may sometimes strike unexpectedly. But don’t panic about panic. Knowing what causes panic will help rationalise and reduce it. The more experience you have in open water, the easier it is to stay calm.

And, if despite knowing the cause, you still feel it coming on, remember that help is never far away in an event. Try slowing down, focusing on your breathing and controlling your thoughts. A mantra may help (e.g. “keep calm and carry on”). If none of that works, roll onto your back and signal and call for help. A brief pause and a few reassuring words from the safety team may be enough to enable you to carry on. If not, they will help you leave the water safely.

Almost every swimmer will have a panic story. Most of mine involve dark shapes in the water that turn out to be shadows. Being prepared will help you respond calmly and quickly get you back to worry-free swimming.

Further reading:

Get the free guide from Renaissance Swimmer on boosting your open water competence

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Coach Paul Eaglestone has put his winning formula into print. His new book Free Speed is out now – we find out why readers will love it

Tell us about your new book and why we will love it?

It’s written with triathletes in mind, but there is something for everyone. I wrote the book mainly for self-trained athletes. I tend to see, especially older athletes, go to a pool and focus on distance rather than quality. I always feel that one of my jobs as a coach is to make swimmers think about what they are doing and why. It covers technique and efficiency, but also how to train. Open water swimmers can learn and use tools and techniques in a pool environment which are transferable to outdoors, like how to use stroke count as a metric and how to reach a goal or target time by breaking it down into small chunks and adapting to pace over shorter intervals.

What is your relationship with swimming?

I started swimming as a kid when doctors recommended it for my asthma and did my first competition as an eightyear- old at Saxon Crown Swimming Club in South East London. I progressed to bigger clubs such as Orpington and Beckenham and had a go at Modern Pentathlon as well. I was a reasonable county level swimmer, then with the help of international coach, Doug Campbell, won a few Kent medals. In my 30s and 40s, I did masters swimming and got the 50m and 100m backstroke Kent records, but always felt my skill was as a coach. At the same time, I started doing triathlons, which is when I started open water swimming.

What are the most common issues with speed in the water?

The classic answer would be dropped elbow, slipping the water and not having a firm hold on it in the underwater propulsive phase. My advice to all swimmers is to focus on your catch and applying pressure on the water when your forearm is roughly vertical so you can almost feel the water as a solid object and that you are pushing yourself forward over it. Always try to keep your body in a streamlined position and keep non propulsion actions relaxed.

What has been your toughest swim and why?

A London triathlon in the Docklands, where I really pushed it. I came out of the water in second place only to find that the inner tube on my bike had exploded. Or a 100m backstroke race at the National Masters Championships where I completely emptied the tank. After, I said to my friends, “I would rather do Olympic distance triathlons rather than another 100m backstroke race.” It was so painful!

How does swimming inspire your writing?

Lockdown was a period where we couldn’t swim or coach at all, but it gave me the time and head space to translate years of experience, training and passion into words for Free Speed. I really wanted to simplify the science of swimming and make it accessible to all levels of athlete, especially those who often train without a coach. The book shows how training in a pool can help your open water swimming, assisting athletes to achieve their goals of becoming faster and more efficient swimmers.

Where is your favourite place to swim?

Tooting Bec Lido as you get the open water feel in a pool environment.

Can you tell us about the next project or event?

I’m currently working with my friend who was a British junior record holder on 400IM. After more than 30 years out of the water he made a comeback, aiming for open water masters events. I’m using the methods in the book, and we are working towards holding a sub 1:15/100m pace, ready for this year’s Nationals.

‘Free Speed: A Winning Formula For Swim Efficiency and Faster Triathlons’ (Meyer & Meyer Sport) is available now through all good bookstores and online retailers.

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Swim coach Cassie Patten has great advice for a busy paramedic who has signed up for a 15km swim

“I am a shift worker and have no idea how to make a training plan work around my shift patterns. I work in the Emergency Services as a paramedic. My shifts run over 15 weeks and are a mix of 12-hour days, nights and late start shifts. Trying to follow a training plan is really hard.

This year I have entered the Dock2Dock 15k. Other than being ‘sensible’ and having a decent amount of months before the event, is there a recommended approach to training when your mind and body may very well be fatigued from shift work? I did the Oceanman 10k in Cyprus last November and just had to be as forgiving to myself as possible. If I was fatigued, then I’d change my swim to suit. It did make me really understand my body and how to treat it. Thanks.” Carl

Cassie’s answer

Firstly, massive respect for the work you do as a paramedic! That’s no small feat, and juggling that with training for a 15k open water swim is tough. I understand how tricky it must be to weave structured training into a demanding schedule.

Training for events when already tired from work is hard so it’s about being as proactive as possible in structuring sessions around your working week plus listening to your body and adapting accordingly.

Here are a few tips and ideas that might help:

1. Ditch the rigid weekly plan. Instead, think in training blocks. For example, over a two-week span you may aim to swim six sessions. Aim to swim a mixture of: two endurance, two technique/recovery and two interval/ threshold workouts. That way, if a brutal night shift wipes you out, you’ve still got a flexible framework to fall back on.
2. Train by feel, not just schedule. If you’re exhausted, it’s okay to swap a tough session for a gentle recovery swim – or even a nap. Fatigue + training = injury waiting to happen. Be kind to yourself and don’t play catch up. If you’ve missed a session it has gone, don’t try and squeeze it back in the next week.
3. Use shorter sessions when needed. Even 20–30mins of focused work (drills, tempo efforts, or technique) can be effective, especially if you’re tight on time or energy. Plus, you will feel better for doing something rather than nothing.
4. Prioritise quality sleep and hydration. It’s easy to forget but good sleep = better recovery = better swims.
5. Speak to a coach. I write training plans for people like yourself. What my swimmers do is tell me what their goal is and I fit it into their schedule for them.

Training for 15k is a great goal, remember what matters most is consistency over time, not perfection every week. You’ve got this!

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Fitness coach Liz Lowe advises three exercises that can improve both shoulder mobility and posture

If you swim regularly, chances are you’ve heard of the rotator cuff muscles – and may have felt them too. These muscles connect the scapula (shoulder blade) to the (humerus) upper arm and work together to stabilise the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint and enable a wide range of movement patterns.

The rotator cuff comprises four muscles :

Supraspinatus – the smallest muscle and generally the most prone to injury. Initiates arm abduction (raising the arm away from the body).
Subscapularis – the largest and only front-facing rotator cuff muscle. Responsible for internal rotation.
Infraspinatus – triangular muscle on the back of the shoulder blade. Together with teres minor, mostly responsible for external rotation and key for swimmers as it plays an important role in overhead arm movements.
Teres Minor – works alongside infraspinatus to produce external rotation.

The rotator cuff is important to swimmers, as strength and mobility around the shoulder joint supports good swim technique and stroke efficiency, as well as reducing the likelihood of shoulder injuries. Conversely, good technique in the water helps keep shoulders healthy and pain free.

Here are three exercises that can improve both shoulder mobility and posture. If you have any current or past shoulder issues, please seek professional advice before trying any new exercises.

Three exercises to improve rotator cuff mobility

Wall Angels

1. Stand with back of head, upper back and bottom resting against a wall, spine in neutral position.
2. Bring arms to shoulder height and bend elbows to 90° (like a cactus), aiming to keep wrists, elbows, and hands in contact with the wall.
3. Extend arms overhead and then slide them back down the wall to the starting position. Repeat approximately 10 times.

External Rotation

1. Standing upright, keep elbows close to sides and bend to 90 degrees, palms facing up. 2. Keeping elbows tucked in, open forearms outwards then return to start position.

Repeat approximately 10 times.

This can be progressed by tethering a long resistance band at waist height or under the opposite foot and taking one arm outwards at a time (palms facing in) against the tension of the band.

Internal rotation

As before, tether a long resistance band at waist height, or under the foot of the working side. With elbow tucked in, hold the band with tension and take the forearm across the body.

Halos

Stand upright, hands clasped or holding a rolled towel. Circle hands up behind the head, coming back down on the opposite side to starting position. Repeat approximately ten times, alternating the direction. This can be progressed by using a light weight or kettlebell.

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Positive Psychology Practitioner Lexi Tinkler is your guide to how to transform your mindset for event day success

As you stand on the precipice of your next open-water swim challenge, it’s easy to focus on the physical demands ahead—the cold, the unpredictability of the water, the mental endurance required. But positive psychology shows us there are practical, evidence-based ways to shape a mindset that helps you not just survive the challenge, but thrive in it.

Here’s how to get your head in the right place for event season—so you can swim with strength, spirit, and maybe even a smile.

Authentic motivation matters : Know your why

Before the start horn sounds, before you zip up your wetsuit, ask yourself: Why am I here?

Positive psychology shows that aligning with intrinsic motivations—goals that come from within, like honouring someone, personal growth, connection, or a love of the water—builds resilience and enhances performance. These goals are stable and nourishing, especially when things get tough.

Extrinsic goals like medals, social media praise, or impressing others might feel motivating at first, but they’re fragile under pressure. When setbacks happen, they can fuel stress and self-doubt.

Intrinsic goals, however, give you something deeper to hold onto. They remind you why this challenge matters—and that helps you push through when conditions aren’t ideal.

I’m not a swimmer, but I’ve stood backstage, palms sweating, about to deliver a keynote. It wasn’t life-threatening, but my body thought otherwise. My heart raced, my hands shook, and my brain screamed, Run.

What got me through wasn’t imagining applause. It was remembering why I cared about the message, and who I hoped to help. I focused on purpose—not performance. That mindset didn’t erase the nerves, but it gave them a job: fuel, not fear. That same shift works whether you’re stepping into open water or into something that scares you.

Hope vs. Fear: Same storm, different boat

Feeling nervous on event day is normal. A bit of adrenaline? That’s your body preparing for action. But when worry spirals into fear, it drains energy and narrows focus.

Fear of not finishing, getting too cold, or falling behind can feel overwhelming. But fear and hope aren’t just opposites—they work differently in the brain. Fear tenses muscles, narrows thinking, and primes you to escape. Hope, on the other hand, energises. It broadens perspective, fuels problemsolving, and releases dopamine—your brain’s way of saying, Keep going.

Hope is about believing in positive possibilities and giving yourself mental space to thrive—even in unpredictable conditions.

Try this: For every “what if” fear, create a “what if” hope:

• What if I get too cold? → What if I find my rhythm and feel strong the whole way?
• What if I let people down? → What if I inspire someone—just by showing up?
• What if I can’t find my way in the water? → What if I trust my navigation skills and stay focused on my strokes?

This isn’t about blind optimism. It’s about mental agility—being able to see beyond the worst-case scenario and tap into the mindset that helps you perform at your best.

Gratitude & self-compassion: Your mental reset

Gratitude and self-compassion aren’t just feel-good habits—they’re powerful performance tools. Research shows that gratitude not only boosts optimism and improves sleep but also enhances physical endurance. Before your swim, take one minute—just one—to silently thank your body, the water, your supporters, the safety team, and your past self for signing up.

Gratitude helps shift your nervous system from stress to calm, allowing you to notice beauty around you: sunlight on the water, the sound of waves, cheers from the crowd, and the quiet strength in your own stroke. This positive shift can elevate your performance, as a calm mind and body function more effectively.

When things get tough, ask yourself: do you treat yourself like a friend—or do you beat yourself up? It may seem like harsh self-criticism will push you harder, but research suggests the opposite. In endurance events, self-compassion—being kind to yourself—boosts resilience, reduces stress, and helps you stay focused. It allows you to stay motivated, even when things don’t go as planned.

A few years ago, I joined a local 14k relay with a notoriously steep hill. I was managing a painful meniscus tear but signed up anyway. I made it up the hill—but the descent broke me. Every step sent pain through my knee, and I felt like I was letting my team down.

At my lowest point, I forced myself to slow down and take in the moment. There was birdsong, sunlight filtering through the trees, and a familiar face cheering from the sidelines. My knee still hurt, but my mind unclenched. I made it to my teammate and passed the baton—relieved, but still aware of the pain. The moment didn’t erase the discomfort, but it reminded me that the day was still meaningful. I wasn’t failing. I was human, doing my best. And that was enough.

Recognise brilliance in others

One of the fastest ways to boost your own performance is to appreciate the excellence in others. Watch a fellow swimmer’s powerful stroke and admire it. Cheer for someone faster than you. Congratulate a friend who crushed their time. Why? Because admiration activates the part of your brain associated with learning and growth. It doesn’t diminish you—it expands you.

Let brilliance around you be a mirror, not a measure. You’re not behind; you’re surrounded by possibility.

Use the word “yet”

If you’re tempted to think, “I’m not good at sighting” or “I can’t swim that far,” try this: add the word yet.

• “I’m not good at sighting… yet.”
• “I can’t swim that far… yet.”

This is the essence of a growth mindset— the belief that abilities are built, not born. It’s one of the strongest predictors of long-term success in any field, including endurance sports.

The swim isn’t a test of who you are. It’s a moment in the story of who you’re becoming.

The foundation for success

Before diving into the mental game, remember that basic physiological needs must be met. Things like sleep, nutrition, and hydration are the foundation for everything else. Without them, your body and mind struggle to perform at their best.

Sleep is essential for focus, mood, and recovery, while proper nutrition fuels both physical endurance and mental resilience. Hydration, too, plays a key role—without it, fatigue sets in faster, and focus wanes.

So, as you prepare for your challenge, don’t forget the basics. Prioritise rest, eat well, and stay hydrated – this creates a stable foundation for your mindset and helps you thrive under pressure.

Finally: stay safe

A growth mindset doesn’t mean pushing through danger. It means growing wise enough to know your limits and brave enough to honour them. If you’re swimming in open water, conditions can change rapidly—currents, temperature, visibility, and fatigue all play a role in your safety. Acknowledge when you need a break or support.

Swim smart. Listen to your body. Respect the conditions. There’s no shame in stepping out or saying no. Safety isn’t the opposite of courage—it’s part of it.

So go out there and do your swim. Your way. With hope, gratitude, and a mindset that reflects the very best of you.

What to say – what not to say – before the swim

Supportive language is powerful. If you’re with a friend, partner, or child about to do an event, here are some evidence-based dos and don’ts:

Say this:

+ “You’ve trained for this—you’re ready.” (Builds confidence)
+ “Whatever happens, I’ll be proud of you.” (Creates emotional safety)
+ “You’ve done tough things before.” (Reminds them of resilience)

Avoid saying:

x “Don’t be nervous.” (Dismisses a normal emotion)
x “Just think positive!” (Oversimplifies complex feelings)
x “You’d better smash it!” (Adds unnecessary pressure)

Sometimes, the best support is just being there. A calm smile. A hand on the shoulder. Let them know it’s safe to feel whatever they’re feeling.

Lexi Tinkler (BSc (Hons), PPGDip) is an experienced Media Professional, Positive Psychology Practitioner, and Leadership & Well-being Coach, sharing evidence-based strategies to help people thrive in life and work. lexitinkler.com

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Simon Griffiths analyses the value of changing pace on long distance swims

In an open water swimming event, there are moments when it is advantageous to speed up.

Most obviously, if you race, your ability to sprint at the end may determine if you get to the finish line before your rivals. That’s true whether you’re aiming for a podium finish or trying to beat your friends and training partners.

But there are other scenarios too. If you’re using drafting* as a strategy, the person or people you are following may change pace suddenly. You will need to respond in kind if you want to hold your energy-efficient position in their wake.

Alternatively, if someone is drafting you, you may want to accelerate and break away from them.

At the start of races – this is perhaps more prevalent in triathlon than swimming – many people start out fast to try to establish a strong position in the pack. If you want to go with them, you need to be confident that you can sprint without completely exhausting yourself.

On long distance solo swims, you may think you could continue at a steady speed until you reach the end. But what if the tide is going to change and you need to reach a certain point before it does so or be swept away? Or what if you only have a short time window to cross a shipping channel? Given that there are multiple scenarios where you may need to change speed during a swim, it would make sense to practise it. Here are some suggestions.

Change of pace training sessions

1. Small group speed-play in open water

For this, you’ll need at least one other person of a similar speed to you. It’s better still in a group of four or five. If necessary, use some kind of handicap system to even out speeds. For instance, a slower swimmer could use fins or a wetsuit, while faster swimmers could wear drag shorts.

Take turns to be the ‘leader’. Swim together at a strong but comfortable pace for five minutes or so. The leader then changes speed for a few minutes and attempts to drop the other swimmers, who need to respond as best they can. As leader, you get to decide whether you want to gradually crank up the pace and break the will of your followers or go for a sudden sprint and catch them by surprise.

Regroup, change leader and repeat.

2. Pool training change of pace

Pick a training set with multiple repeats that you typically swim at an even pace: for example, 15 x 100m or 10 x 200m. Instead of doing these at a consistent speed, do the first one fast, pick a random one in the middle to do fast, and accelerate through the final three. Try to swim the others at a steady speed.

Notice how changing pace makes you feel and what impact it has on subsequent intervals. You need to pay attention to the clock on this one. Get to know yourself. Repeat this session several times to observe differences. If you start with an all-out sprint, how much does it affect your later swims? If you push hard in the middle, can you still accelerate at the end?

Getting a feel for these things will help you gauge your efforts in a race or challenge.

The matchbox analogy

I can’t remember where I came across this. It may have been from swimming and triathlon coach Fiona Ford in a cycling context. But it works for swimming (except that wet matches don’t light!).

Imagine your total energy potential for a swim is like a box of matches that you steadily burn through. If you speed up, you burn through them faster. For a sprint, you may burn three or four at the same time. When your box is empty, it’s game over.

Your energy is finite. Through practice, learn how its consumption varies with effort. Use your resources wisely.

Know yourself

Are you a swimmer who can sustain an effort close to maximum speed for long distances or one whose sprint speed is much faster than their steady pace? While this is trainable to an extent, you probably find you have a natural tendency one way or another. Make use of this in races. If, like me, you are relatively slow over long distances but can muster a decent sprint, try to conserve energy until the end. Draft as much as possible and unleash your speed over the final few metres. On the other hand, if you can sustain a high speed, your optimum tactic may be to grind the sprint out of the sprinters.

For those who are new to open water swimming or unfamiliar with the term, drafting is swimming in the slipstream of another swimmer, usually behind or close to their hip, and saving a significant amount of energy.

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Swim coach Nicola Butler introduces the tapering phase, which gives your body time to fully recover, repair damaged tissues and adapt to the demands of training before event day

Following on from last issue where we focused on training hard, fast and more powerfully in the build-up phase, now it’s time to reflect, visualise and change the dynamic of training before we head into the main event. This is where the pool can help you to successfully focus on more specific technique, injury prevention and into a productive taper phase

What does ‘taper’ mean?

Tapering refers to the gradual reduction in training volume and intensity, particularly in mileage, in the weeks before event day (depending on your plan and type of event). It gives your body time to fully recover, repair damaged tissues and adapt to the demands of training. The goal is to allow the body to recover from accumulated fatigue and prepare for peak performance, leading to faster swim times and increased power.

To effectively taper, you’ll need to ramp up your training in the 6-8 weeks before your event or specific race. This means longer workouts, shorter intervals, dynamic hypoxic drills, and heavier strength training out of the pool.

Key points to tapering effectively with the pool in mind

• Reduce training volume by decreasing the amount of time and distance you swim in open water and swap for a controlled session in the pool
• Use the warmth of a heated pool or naturally warm lido to stop, slow down and focus on race specific drills, which can be replicated in your upcoming event
• Fine tune your technique and race-day strategies
• Increase the amount of rest to allow your body to repair and rebuild
• Keep well hydrated at all times and allow for quality sleep patterns
• Prepare mentally by practicing race visualisation and focus on your personal goals

Sample workout (4 weeks out)

Aim: Refine stroke and specificity, decrease strength training load
W/up: 1 x 300m easy as 100m free / 100m choice / 100m kick
Main set: Repeat x 2-3 (aim for at least 15 secs rest after each exercise)

• 6 x 100m pull and hand paddles – focus on catch – descend speed 1-6
• 100m choice kick with fins
• 4 x 25m choice drill (catch up, zip up or finger trail)
• Cool down: 1 x 300m steady pull focusing on bilateral breathing techniques

Sample workout (2 weeks out)

Aim: Adjusting volume, frequency and intensity
W/up: 1 x 200m easy as 100m free / 100m choice
Main set: Aim for at least 15 secs rest after each exercise:

• 2 x 200m pull as 50m easy / 50m faster
• 4 x 50m choice kick as 1-4 increasing speed
• 8 x 100m free: Fins only focusing on core strength, body position and long stroke
• 4 x 25m freestyle sighting drills: Sight once every length as you head towards the last set of flags and sprint finish each
• Cool down: 1 x 300m steady pull focusing on bilateral breathing techniques

Kit corner: ’tis the season for allergies

Do you suffer withhay fever whenswimming in open water or congestion after tumble turning in chlorine? Unfortunately, many people suffer with both! The most useful piece of kit to help reduce the symptoms of allergies when swimming is a quality nose clip. The best ones tend to be in the competition Speedo range and are priced around £7 in a choice of grey or flesh colour. Not only are these reasonably priced but they also last a long time, save hours of discomfort and are so small that they can fit in any small bag pocket.

On the flipside, wearing a nose clip can be less efficient because the nose is shut down and the overall physical efficiency in the water decreases. So, it’s a decision to make during the correct time in your training cycle and consider whether the pros outweigh the cons.

Top tip: Barbie Arms!

A great coach named Stuart Hacker once used the term ‘Barbie arms’ when teaching freestyle and it’s a phrase that is now commonly used amongst many swimming coaches. Imagine you have barbie arms… swimmers often try to pull water with their hands and drop the wrist in the process. This often leads to losing grip and slipping the water. So next time you are in the pool working on your technique, you have good reason to pretend to have barbie arms for the session!

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There are benefits to warming up before any swim, even a wild or recreational swim, says Simon Griffiths

In last week’s newsletter, I mentioned that I was cold before I got into the Thames, and that contributed to me having to stop my swim sooner than planned. One of our readers, Graham, wrote in to remind me of the importance of warming up pre-swim.

It was a timely reminder. And it got me pondering the importance of a good warm-up.

Traditionally, a warm-up is some light exercise you do before a harder training session or a race. It’s a way of getting your body and mind ready. It’s a gradual transition from resting to working that helps improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.

When you swim in a heated pool, you can do much of this warming up in the water, although it’s beneficial to do some on land first too.

With outdoor swimming, a pre-swim warm-up serves an additional purpose. If you do some exercise before your swim, your muscles start working and producing metabolic heat. This can help you stay comfortable in cool water for longer.

As we move towards summer, you may think this is less important. Water at 20 degrees feels much more comfortable than the icy 5-degree swims of winter. Yet it’s still much cooler than your blood and core body temperature.

In fact, for many of us, 20 degrees without a wetsuit is still too cold for an in-water warm-up. We will be getting colder from the minute we get in. A pre-swim land-based warm up will help us swim more effectively and stay comfortable for longer.

Any form of light exercise will serve for your warm-up: cycling, walking, jogging, skipping, squats etc. Try to include some arm swings and back and shoulder mobility exercises. You don’t need to get out of breath. Just get to the point where you can feel yourself warming up from the inside.

Try it out and let us know if it makes a difference on your next swim.

The post Remember to warm up, even when it’s not ‘cold’ appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

Fuelling your workouts, balancing your hormones and getting good quality sleep with all improve your performance, says personal trainer Vivienne Rickman

We all know how important our training in the water is. But more and more, we’re realising that our swim training isn’t just about recording times and distances. To really make the most of our time in the water, we’ve got to take a more wellrounded approach to fitness and recovery. We want to swim faster or with better technique, or be able to swim further with greater ease, but we also want to be able to do that without injury. Good sleep, balanced hormones, eating well, and staying strong and mobile outside the water are the building blocks of training. Work on each of these consistently will see progression, not just in your swimming, but in everyday life too.

Sleep: our secret recovery superpower!

While we sleep our bodies recover from the previous day, the repair and reset. Our muscles rebuild during deep sleep and our brains consolidate things they have learnt during the day (hard swim training session trying to nail that front crawl breathing? It’ll be processing it here!).

Lack of sleep leaves us sluggish, and more likely to pick up bugs and injuries. Poor sleep messes with hunger hormones, making it harder to fuel properly (and easier to say yes to that extra slice of cake!). Think of sleep as part of our training – who doesn’t love an excuse for an early night? – aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.

Hormonal balance: the quiet performance hero

Hormones sit quietly in our bodies controlling everything from how we feel in the water to how we recover between sessions. When they’re balanced, we feel great, full of energy, focused, and strong. When they’re unbalanced, everything – from endurance, how hot or cold we feel, how we digest our food, our mood, to name just a few – can feel off too.

If you are swim training, the stress hormone, cortisol can be an issue. It can rise from overtraining, poor sleep, or not enough recovery, and leads to fatigue, muscle breakdown, and performance plateaus.

However, on the other side, healthy levels of testosterone, estrogen, and thyroid hormones support energy, metabolism, and muscle repair.

To support hormonal health, focus on consistent sleep, balanced nutrition, and managing stress levels.

Nutrition: fuel and recovery for your workouts

Giving your body the nutrition it needs to be able to function is super important. You can’t expect it to perform at its best if you don’t give it enough of the kind of food that it needs.

Carbs are the body’s primary energy source – it’s beneficial to eat these around training sessions.

Protein supports recovery and muscle repair – especially straight after training sessions.

Healthy fats for mental focus, reducing inflammation and aiding recovery.

Hydration is often overlooked by swimmers, especially when swimming outdoors in cold water, stay hydrated to help keep fatigue, and muscle cramps away and maintain your speed and focus.

Strength training: our power behind the stroke

Swimming builds our cardiovascular fitness and technical skill, and strength training builds our power. It gives us strong joints and muscles capable of the repetitive movement needed in swimming, improving our stroke efficiency and protecting us from injuries.

A strength training program will include full-body exercises such as squats, pull-ups, rows, and core moves, performed 2-3 times per week. Be consistent and focus on good form, being strong will help you move through the water with more control, speed and efficiency.

Mobility training: the essential element for swimmers

Better mobility is what allows you to move more efficiently – not just move more. Mobility exercises are controlled movement through your full range of motion. Spending just 10-15 minutes a day on dynamic stretches (legs swings, arm circles, hip circles), mobility exercises (yoga), and active rangeof- motion movements (flexing and extending ankles, shoulders – lift arms forwards, sidewards, overhead) can help improve your swimming, reduce the risk of injury, and make your strokes feel smoother and more efficient.

The post Live well, swim well – a holistic approach appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.