Swimming

Swimming specific training

The following Sports Coach pages provide information specific to the sport of Swimming:

• Critical Swim Speed
• Effective breathing, whilst swimming, is all in the balance
• Find a Coach
• How to prepare a swimming training program
• How to get into shape for swimming
• Strength Training for swimmers
• Stroke your way to faster times
• Swimming Technique - Backstroke
• Swimming Technique - Breaststroke
• Swimming Technique - Butterfly
• Swimming Technique - Freestyle (Crawl)
• Swimming - Why high-intensity training is a better than high-volume training

Developing a training programme

You will find the following pages useful in developing your Swimming fitness training program.

Planning the training

• How to prepare your training program
• Example training program
• Performance Profiling - how to identify weaknesses in your skills

General strength development

• Circuit Training - develops strength and endurance
• Weight Training program using dumbbells
• Weight Training program using free weights and machines
• Weight Training program for sprinters - uses Olympic lifts

Developing elastic strength

• Plyometrics
• Plyometric Exercises - Arms
• Plyometric Exercises - Legs
• Plyometrics High Intensity Exercises - Legs
• Complex Training - using weights and plyometrics exercises

General conditioning

• Developing your Core Stability - Abdominals and lower back
• Conditioning exercises for the legs
• Conditioning exercises for the lower legs
• Conditioning exercises for the upper body

Agility training

Some of these pages contain evaluation performance tests but they also make good training sessions.

• 'T' Drill Test
• Agility Ladder Exercises
• 505 Agility Test
• Illinois Agility Run Test
• Zig-Zag Test

Agility Ladders	Agility Hurdles	Medicine Balls	Reaction Ball
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Speed development

• Speed Training
• Speed Reaction Drills
• Running Economy

Endurance training - cardiovascular development

• Developing your VO2max
• Interval and continuous training
• Hill training
• Training with a heart rate monitor - Training Zones

Nutrition

• Nutrition - determining your daily requirements
• What to eat when training and competing
• Nutritional tips
• Sports Drinks

Psychology

• Sports psychology
• Relaxation techniques
• Overview of mental imagery
• Mental imagery - developing the skill

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Strength Training for Swimmers Most swimmers believe the number of hours spent in the pool is the main ingredient of swimming success. Distances of between 6 km and 10 km per day are not uncommon in elite swimming circles. However, a groundbreaking new book reveals the key to success is not the traditional high-volume model of training, but a much shorter, race-pace-specific programme of exercises performed away from the pool. Click here for more information on "Strength training for Swimmers"

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:

• Find a Coach
• How to prepare a swimming training program
• Planning the Training - 6 stages of development
• Strength Training for swimmers
• Swimming Technique - Backstroke
• Swimming Technique - Breaststroke
• Swimming Technique - Butterfly
• Swimming - Why high-intensity training is a better than high-volume training
• Sport/Event specific articles