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Numbering Your Sessions
If you've just started swimming again in the new year, or started a new block of training, a nice way to keep things in perspective is to number your sessions as you do them. A super-simple but really insightful thing to do.If you are coming back after a layoff, here's some things you might find:
Session 1 often goes surprisingly well for a comeback swim.
Sessions 2-5 feel like a bit of a slog - how you used to swim feels like a distant memory!
Session 6 is often a breakthrough, feeling like you've got a bit of fitness back.
Sessions 7-14 by now you should find you can complete full training sessions well. Take advantage of this and get some solid swims under your belt, perhaps adding a red-mist session to your weekly routine.
Session 15-20 Somewhere in here you're going to experience another jump in fitness which is very motivating. You'll also have the odd bad session where you feel flat, that's to be expected.
Sessions 20-40 The improvements will keep coming bit by bit but expect them to be a little smaller than previously. Keep things rolling and remember consistency is everything!
Sessions 2-5 feel like a bit of a slog - how you used to swim feels like a distant memory!
Session 6 is often a breakthrough, feeling like you've got a bit of fitness back.
Sessions 7-14 by now you should find you can complete full training sessions well. Take advantage of this and get some solid swims under your belt, perhaps adding a red-mist session to your weekly routine.
Session 15-20 Somewhere in here you're going to experience another jump in fitness which is very motivating. You'll also have the odd bad session where you feel flat, that's to be expected.
Sessions 20-40 The improvements will keep coming bit by bit but expect them to be a little smaller than previously. Keep things rolling and remember consistency is everything!
You might have 30 sessions planned over the next 10 weeks (perhaps leading up to a challenge or key race) and numbering them tells you exactly how far you have come and how far you have to go.
We recommend you keep a training log which you can look back on to assess your training. Numbering those sessions within a block of training gives you added perspective on how you were doing.
For an elite level example, see Paul Newsome's block of 50 sessions leading up to his win at the mighty 46km Manhattan Island Marathon swim: www.swimsmooth.com/paul-mims-training.html
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Paul with the Gallagher Cup. |