Swimming Training Checklist

by admin, posted in Swimming Training

Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by admin

A swimming training checklist can help you to be consistently at your best over a sustained period.

In this article, we have produced a swimming training checklist to help you get the best from each training session.

Contents

The key is to train consistently at your best

  • Training consistently at your best over a sustained period is the key to the ongoing development of your swimming technique, physical conditioning and mental toughness.
  • Are you consistently performing at your best during training?
  • Please use the checklist below to identify areas that could help improve your training performance.

A Training Plan

Having a training plan can help you ensure that you get the most out of each training session and keep your goals on track.

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Pre-Swimming Training Checklist

  • A successful training session requires a lot of kit & equipment.
    • Ensure you have all of your training kit & equipment packed in your kit bag.
      • Ideally, pack the night before if you are training early in the morning.
      • Don’t forget to include your training drink.
    • Organise and if necessary, prepare your post-training hydration and nutrition.

We have produced related articles, on swimming nutrition and swimming hydration. You can view them by clicking these links: swimming nutrition | swimming hydration.

  • Ensure that you get a good night’s sleep, especially before morning training.

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  • Set an alarm to ensure you wake up in good time for morning training.
    • Better still set two alarms just in case one fails.
  • Set a training goal for each session, to help you improve one session at a time.

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We have produced a related article on morning swimming training. You can view it by clicking this link: on morning swimming training

Swimming Training Checklist

  • Ensure you arrive in plenty of time to enable you to prepare for your training correctly.
  • Perform your pre-pool warm-up routine correctly
  • Ensure you perform a correct pool warm-up

Related article on a competitive swimming warm-up

We have produced a related article on competitive swimming warm-up. You can view this by clicking on this link: a competitive swimming warm-up.

  • Undertake each training session with a positive mindset
  • Always give your best effort throughout the training session.
  • Pay full attention to your coach when they are giving advice or instructions.

Related article on developing a positive swimming mindset

We have produced a related article on developing a positive swimming mindset. Which you can view by clicking this link: developing a positive swimming mindset

  • When given the opportunity, start all training sets, with a proper race start.
  • Focus on your stroke technique throughout the training session.
  • Start each repetition at the correct time.

Related article on how to use a swimming pace clock.

We have produced an article on how to use a swimming pace clock. . You can view this by clicking on this link: how to use a swimming pace clock.

 Always perform technically correct and legal turns.

  • With tight streamlining and good underwater technique

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  • Finish correctly on a full stroke at the end of each repetition.
  • Regularly count your strokes, to ensure that you are swimming consistently and effectively.
  • Always perform drills and skills to the best of your ability.
  • When the opportunity presents itself, work on your weaker stroke/s, skills and drills.

Related article on how to use: stroke count & stroke rate

We have produced an article on how to use: stroke count & stroke rate. You can view it by clicking this link: how to use: stroke count & stroke rate

 Ensure that you swim at the correct pace and intensity.

  • Don’t miss any part of the main training set
    • It’s amazing how often swimmers’ goggles leak, their hats tear or they need to go to the bathroom, as soon as the main set appears on the whiteboard.
    • The main set is designed to be the main focus of the whole training session.
    • Missing out on the main set can seriously inhibit your development.
  • Ensure that you observe good lane etiquette and safety guidelines while training. This includes,
    • Make sure that you are always respectful of the other swimmers in your lane.
    • Allow faster swimmers to start the set ahead of you and allow them to overtake if necessary and when it is safe to do so.

We have produced a related article, on swimming lane safety & etiquette. You can view it by clicking this link: swimming lane safety & etiquette

  • Ask your coach for regular feedback.
    • To make sure your swimming development stays on track.
  • Hydrate sufficiently during the training session.
    • When training in the water, swimmers can lose a great deal of their body fluid through physical exertion.
    • This lost fluid must be replaced, as dehydration is one of the most common causes of poor performance.
    • Drink throughout the training session.
    • Ideally at the end of each set.
    • Try not to drink between reps, as this could disrupt your rhythm and momentum during the set.

We have produced a related article, on swimming hydration for optimum performance. You can view this by clicking this link: swimming hydration.

  • Perform a proper pool cooldown

We have produced a related article, an effective competitive swimming cool-down. You can view it by clicking this link: an effective competitive swimming cool-down.

Post-swimming training checklist

  • Perform a correct post-training (post pool) stretching routine.
  • Record your training session in a logbook

We have produced a related article, a swimming logbook: the benefits of keeping one. You can view it by clicking this link: a swimming logbook: the benefits of keeping one.

  • Thank your coach after every session
    • Swimming can often be a grueling sport.
    • Those who spend time creating tough training sessions and motivating you to help you develop as a swimmer deserve your thanks.
    • A simple ‘thank you’ is a great way of showing your appreciation and motivating your coach.
  • Ensure that you undertake invisible swimming training during the time between training sessions.
    • This is a series of disciplines to help ensure that swimmers receive the correct levels of nutrition and hydration, in combination with rest, recovery, relaxation and sleep.

We have produced a related article on invisible swimming training. You can view it by clicking this link: invisible swimming training.

We have produced a related article on swimming: dryland relaxation techniques. You can view it by clicking this link: swimming: dryland relaxation techniques.

 Takeaways

In this article, we have produced a swimming training checklist to help you get the best from each training session.

The key is to train consistently at your best

  • Training consistently at your best over a sustained period is the key to the ongoing development of your swimming technique, physical conditioning and mental toughness.
  • Are you consistently performing at your best during training?
  • Please use the checklist above to identify areas that could help improve your training performance.

Swimming resource library

We have provided a swimming resource library.

  • This contains links to all of our publications and blog articles.
  • Now with an easy-to-use index.
  • To access any article simply click on the attached page link: Swimming Resource Library

Swimming Publications

We produce a growing range of publications on a wide range of swimming subjects.

  • These include competitive swimming drill publications for backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
  • Which are now available in both Amazon Kindle and paperback formats.
  • For information regarding our portfolio please follow our link: Swimming publications. 

We have provided a recommended swimming equipment page.

  • It contains the swimming equipment that we and our swimmers use and recommend.
  • You can access this page by clicking on the following link: recommended swimming equipment.

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

We are members of the Competitive Swimming Exchange.

  • This is a competitive swimming Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.
  • It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents. In fact, it’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water

For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange