Squads

Skills include:

• Swimming Drills to improve:
  • Coordination & Breathing timing
  • Head position
  • Posture & Alignment
  • Balance and Rotation
  • Recovery & Entry
  • Catch, Pull through, Acceleration phases, Reach & Distance Per Stroke (D.P.S.), Rhythm & Stroke rate

• Stroke efficiency (minimize drag, maximize propulsion, increase distance per stroke, maintain then increase paces while holding D.P.S.):
  • Ability to hold constant number of strokes at a steady pace throughout swim sets
  • Increase your distance per stroke (D.P.S.)
  • Maintain your D.P.S. while increasing repetitions then distances
  • Swimming faster while maintaining best technique
  • Find the right balance between D.P.S. and stroke rate

• Depending on the season, the session may  include other strokes and open water skills

Equipment:

For your training sessions, you will need a pull buoy and hand paddles (starting with small sizes is preferable if you are new to them). 

For the pull sets, you will often have the choice to use either a pull buoy or paddles or both together.

If you are not used to swimming equipment, I would recommend starting by using a pull buoy only and  then over the longer term, using hand paddles only. Eventually, using both pull buoy and paddles together will give you a stronger workout. Varying equipment reduces the likelihood of repetitive strain injuries and adds interest.

Flippers / Zoomers are also a good tool. They can help you for some technical drills and kick sets.

Skills include:

• Pace awareness (maintain constant & steady pace, descending sets, threshold sets)
• C.S.S (Critical Swim Speed) / Threshold test to find out individual swim paces and base interval for endurance sets (Outpace calculator)
• Measure progress using intervals and stroke counts
• Improve threshold / endurance
• Increase repetitions and distances throughout the year and towards goals
• Other strokes and open water skills depending on the season

Equipment:

For your training sessions, you will need a pull buoy and hand paddles (starting with small sizes is preferable if you are new to them). 

For the pull sets, you will often have the choice to use either a pull buoy or paddles or both together.

If you are not used to swimming equipment, I would recommend starting by using a pull buoy only and then over the longer term, using hand paddles only. Eventually, using both pull buoy and paddles together will give you a stronger workout. Varying equipment reduces the likelihood of repetitive strain injuries and adds interest.

Flippers / Zoomers are also a good tool. They can help you for some technical drills and kick sets.