Tip of the Month - October 2024

Training Guidelines

Train Smarter, Not Harder!

I have always questioned the daily routines of many swim teams, which pride themselves on training endless yards/meters. As a former elite athlete in athletics and swimming, I had the opportunity to compare the two sports physically.

First, I hated the early AM swim practices in an outdoor pool while the snow was falling. Secondly, eating the correct amount of food and at the proper time to be ready for practice was always a problem.

The athletic training was in the late afternoon, and the mood, attitude, and motivation were always superb and FUN! In the meantime, I have discovered during research that the body operating on circadian rhythm is at its best later in the day. As a sprinter and hurdler, I spent most of my time on Starts, technique, and full-effort training once per week.

Suppose a swimmer competes in distances of 50 m/yds, 100m/yds, 200m/yds, and even 400m/yds. What is the reason for training endless meters/miles when the body and physiological systems must be trained to function and respond the way the competition races require? As a sprinter, I never trained for a marathon to prepare for short-distance performances! Think about it!

Train Consistently with Efficiency

Maintaining consistent training is essential, but winter weather, crowded facilities, gyms, pools, and busy schedules make it challenging. The Vasa Trainer Pro and the SwimErg make dryland swim training at home convenient so you can stay consistent whenever possible.