Training Sessions

Improve your swimming with outdoor and indoor sessions tailored for all levels. Follow plans to build endurance, speed, and open water skills. Do targeted drills and sets for injury prevention, better technique, and race readiness. Experts share sessions for pool, river, and sea swimming, plus cross-training like yoga and weights.

Learn to sprint on an endurance swim

Simon Griffiths analyses the value of changing pace on long distance swims
How to use the pool to taper before that big event

Swim coach Nicola Butler introduces the tapering phase, which gives your body time to fully recover, repair damaged tissues and…
Boost your speed and power in the water

Our new contributing coach Nicola Butler has passion for the pool and a lifetime of sporting prowess and experience. This…
How to bring open water events and challenges into your training

In May, inland water temperatures in the UK start reaching the point where longer open water swims are possible, if…
Kickstart your swim event fitness

Personal trainer Vivienne Rickman outlines how to dryland train for the upcoming season
Challenge sessions for your swim training

A challenge session is one where you go above and beyond what you normally do in your regular training or…
Basic swim training: a quick guide for beginners

Pool-based training sessions can be confusing and intimidating if you’ve never swum in a club environment. Here’s a short introduction…
Reflect, recover and refocus

Swim Smooth coach Paul Newsome looks at how swimmers can maintain health and fitness in the off-season
What are the best pool drills for improving open water skills?

You can still work on your open water skills when you're training in an indoor pool. Swimming coach Cassie Patten…
Move of the month: arm external rotation

A great move to train for swimming longer distances, this exercise will develop the range of motion of the shoulder…
Move of the month: Standing heel lifts

This move is great for improving ankle flexibility and strength, working the muscles and tendons that support and stabilise the…
“How do I keep up my fitness through winter?”

Swimming coach Cassie Patten recommends a dryland programme for outdoor swimmers to maintain fitness levels through the winter months.
Land exercises to improve your front crawl

This land exercise routine will help front crawl swimmers increase the strength and mobility of their shoulders, boost core strength,…
Create your own winter swimming training plan

If you have the budget and want to progress quickly, a good swimming coach can create a training plan to…
Move of the month: Dead Bug

This exercise is great for swimmers looking to improve their body position in the water, strengthening and stabilising your core…
How to train with other people

While your training buddy won't necessarily be doing the same strokes as you, swimming with other people can be enjoyable…
Move of the month: dumbbell overhead press

This exercise increases the strength of our shoulder by working the deltoids.
Swimming in rivers

Having an understanding of how water moves in rivers and how to use that to your advantage will help you…
How to train for bodysurfing

This pool training session will put you in good stead for catching a wave in the sea.
Training plan for your first open water mile

Take on your first open water mile with this simple 12-week training plan from Olympic open water silver medallist Keri-anne…
A pool training session for the solar equinox

Simon Griffiths shares a threshold pace pool training session designed to be used at any time of year, targeted at…
Understanding pool training sessions

Being able to decipher the most commonly used terms and abbreviations in a pool session will take your training to…
How to do a self analysis of your swimming

Simon Griffiths plans out a training session that finds out more about how you swim and where there are opportunities…
Move of the month: Lateral squats

Vivienne Rickman is your guide to a lower-body exercise that's ideal for breaststrokers.
How can I train for speed when cold water swimming?

Swimming coach Cassie Patten has advice for cold water swimmers who want to continue their sprint training through the winter.