Swimming: The Best Session Isn’t Always The One You Had Planned

Last Wednesday evening, I arrived at Swim Squad with a session already written, but as the swimmers gathered on the poolside, I found myself changing my mind.

Listening to the conversations before we got in, watching the warm-up unfold, you could sense it. It wasn’t a lack of fitness or motivation. It was just one of those evenings where people looked mentally a little flat. Work had been busy. Training had been relentless. Life had been life.

The original session asked for repeated fast efforts. It would have demanded freshness, concentration and a willingness to keep attacking each repetition.

Instead, we went in a different direction.

The pace became more moderate, but the recoveries became much shorter. The challenge wasn’t any single repetition. It was the cumulative effect of swimming well with very little opportunity to recover.

In many ways, it was the harder session physically.

But mentally, it asked something different. Rather than having to switch on and attack every rep, the swimmers could settle into a rhythm, keep moving well and simply embrace the growing fatigue.

They executed it brilliantly.

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that coaching isn’t just about writing good sessions. It’s about recognising when the right session for today isn’t the one you planned yesterday.

The programme matters – but the people standing in front of you matter more.

Sometimes the best coaching decision you make all evening is the one you hadn’t planned to make at all.

Coach’s Corner

If you train on your own, the message from this email is don’t be afraid to change the session you’ve planned.

We all have days where we’re physically tired, mentally drained or simply lacking that extra spark. That doesn’t mean you should skip the session, but it might mean you need to change how you approach it.

If you’re feeling fresh, perhaps today is the day to attack those hard intervals.

If you’re feeling a little flat, keep the quality but adjust the challenge. Swim a steadier pace, reduce the rest, focus on great technique and accumulate good work.

The goal isn’t to complete the session exactly as it was written. The goal is to complete the session that gives you the best training response today.