Planning an advanced swim session
We all know the benefits of swimming, and the feel good feeling it gives us. It's suitable for all abilities.
Sarah is sharing her ultimate tips and helpful hints to help you plan and prep for a swim session, and a simple plan you can follow. if you want tips on starting to swim click here to read Sarahs previous blog about how to plan your swim session.
Following on from the beginner swimming post earlier, we dive into the Intermediate and advanced swimmers.
What is an intermediate or advanced swimmer?
As an Intermediate swimmer you are often competent at freestyle have the ability to control breathe work and can do backstroke fairly well, you may be learning breaststroke and butterfly and have the basic skills and fundamentals.
As an Intermediate swimmer you can generally swim 1km-2km and use tools like a pool buoy, paddles, kickboard and fins. Start to use time cycles or set work. Underwater work along with a relatively good aerobic base.
Where as advance swimmers are competent in all 4 strokes, if they wish to be, they use time cycles to improve speed, efficiency and effort. Various sets and distances.
As an advance swimmer you may generally swim 2km-5km and have an increased knowledge of tools like, pool buoy, paddles, kickboards, fins, snorkel and most likely do tumble turns, underwater work and good endurance base.
3 non-negotiables when at the pool
Etiquette goes a long way and will not only make your swim enjoyable but those around you!
1. Choosing the right lane
Be fair and respectful, most pools have placards at the ends stating the average time in seconds a lap would possibly take. Don’t pick the fast lane if you are unable to consistently within reason make the lane time, Same with the medium or slow, its not nice to be lapped consistently it breaks the other swimmers confidence.
Do ask the person that may be occupying the lane how they would like to swim, up one side down the other, stick to one side each. Do ask of its OK to share and only get in the lane when safe to do so.
2. Poolside Ettiqute
Unless you have an entire lane to yourself you will often be sharing. Keep everything you need on one side, of your lane and be open to moving tools should you need to or asked to make room. It avoids confusion and the possibility of items being stolen. Name everything just like school with a phone number, you have invested in your swim kit and replacing can be timely and costly.
When leaving or exiting the pool try to remove your belongings as soon as possible, even if it’s to another place while you dry off.
3. Your Essential Kit
These should be your minimum pack. Appropriate chlorine proof swimwear is essential for both men and women. For women a one peice or training swimsuit is generally preferred with respect to fellow swimmers. The same with men, jammers or briefs are preferred styles. Board shorts are not as ideal as they create drag, become heavy.
Caps are a must! Caps assist in protecting your hair and head from chemicals, stops your hair getting in your face and holds the googles in place, whilst preserving the comfort of others by not having your hair floating around, or in the filters.
Goggles are essential for every swim. Goggles protect your eyes, from chemicals and a good pair of quality googles that have both outdoors and indoors UV protection and anti-fog will last you a long time.
Be sure to rinse your goggles, cap and swimwear under tap water to prolong their lifespan. The sooner you get the chlorine or salt water out of your swim kit the longer it will last.
Be the swimmer that people know and like while on deck and in the lanes. We are all there to reach our own goals, use pool etiquette and lead others to do the same. Swimming is for everyone and every ability.
Sarahs go to kit!
- Zoggs Ultima Air Titanium and Fusion Air Titanium goggles
- Zoggs Matrix Hand Paddles, Pool buoy, Snorkel in the black and orange combinations.
- Zoggs Medium kickboard
- Zoggs Eco Fins
- Swimwear of choice, Y back or the new neon sparkle strike back
- Wonder Woman cap
- Towel & water bottle.
And it fits comfortably with my Zoggs planet backpack, easily stored on deck and helps save the planet.
Example swim session!
For all the intermediate to advanced swimmers out there, here is one of my favourite sessions and plans to do. It’s a small snippet of my summer Christmas swim either over the 12 days or in one! it has a bit of everything, aerobic, strength and breaks up the t-junction chasing!
If you are considering intermediate then do the half the warm up, finish at Set 6 then go to the cool down and half it.
Warm up (600m)
8 x 50m SKPS
(50m swim,50m kick,50m pull,50m drill)
100m swim choice
100m kick choice
Main (1350m -2200m)
This session is swum as individual sets, complete the set take a 1min rest between sets. Use appropriate rest breaks within sets where allocated if no rest break is advised then you go straight to next drill.
Set 1.
1x 100m Swim Free with Fins @45s rest
Set 2.
1x 50m Pull
1x 100m Swim free with Fins
Set 3.
1x 50m Pull (optional paddles)
1x 50m Kick (fins optional)
1x 100m Swim free with fins
Set 4.
1x 100m Kick with fins
1x 50m Pull (optional paddles)
1x 100m Swim free with fins
Set 5.
1 x 50m Sprint @30s rest
1x 100m Kick
1x 50m Pull (optional paddles)
1 x 100m Swim free with fins.
Set 6.
1 x 50m as Single arm aeroplane drill.
1x 50m Sprint @30s rest
1x 100m Kick with fins
1x 50m Pull and paddles (optional paddles)
1x 100m Swim free with fins
Set 7.
1x 100m Single arm aeroplane drill
1x 50m Sprint @30s rest
1x 100m Kick with fins
1x 50m Pull (optional paddles)
1x 100m Swim free with fins
Set 8.
1x 50m Fist Drill as 25m closed fist, 25 swim
1x 100m Single arm aeroplane drill
1x 50m Sprint @30s rest
1x 100m Kick with fins
1x 50m Pull (optional paddles)
1x 100m Swim free with fins
Cool Down (400m)
1x 100m Swim choice, easy and slow
1x 100m Kick easy 50m back 50m front casual kicking can hold a conversation.
Repeat again.
Have fun, know your limits and capabilities. Swimming is low impact full body workout, that can be enjoyed by all.
I hope these planning and preparation tips and tricks help you, enjoy the benefits of swimming
You can find Sarah on Instagram @the.chlorified.mermaid
Happy swimming!
