Swim Success Story: How Can I Get Faster?

If you came to one of our Triathlon Swim Squad sessions  and observed a session, you would find it hard to believe that one of our triathletes, Daniel, doesn’t have a swim background.

Averaging 1.24s for a set of 16 x 100s last week, and it felt ‘easy’.

He has current best times of 1.15 for a 100m (set a couple of weeks ago) and a 34 second 50m (set last week).

So … pretty fast!

(And he doesn’t tumble turn)

It wasn’t always this way.

There was a time – not that long ago – when Daniel was averaging 1.50/100m for a similar set. I swam with Daniel in David Lloyd within the last year, and he was struggling to hit 1.40s.

A regular at our triathlon swim coaching sessions – the Monday evening Swim Squad sessions (9-10pm), many of the Sunday two hour sessions at the Aquatics Centre during spring and summer, and more recently some of our 90 minute Wednesday Swim Squad sessions – he has made massive progress.

Even a month or so ago, not satisfied with where he was and how much he’d progressed, Daniel was scratching his head, asking me how he could break 1.20 for a 100m swim. He has since hit 1.15 for his 100m time!

What has he done? How has he improved so much?

Consistent. Whilst time doesn’t allow him to swim very often each week, he never misses the Monday Swim Squad.

Focus. He gives a 100% focus on every single rep, on every single session.

Brave. He is brave. When I ask him to swim fast, he swims fast!

Maintains Technique. He holds his technique well. Even when swimming fast, or under fatigue, he keeps his stroke long and powerful.

Eager. He is ready to go on every rep – just ask his lane mates!

Always Trying To Learn. He chases others. Not in a destructive comparison type of way, but in a ‘what are they doing that I could be doing’ kind of of way.

---

Recognise yourself in any of those traits?

Progressing from 1.50/100m to 1.24/100m over a set of 16 x 100m – and dropping his swim time from 1.40 to 1.15 for a 100m – is quite a success story don’t you think?