Taking things to a higher level

Yesterday, I went to the new World Trade Center in New York to see the high level view of the city. It was impressive to say the least!

Anyone up for swimming in that river? Taking a high level view of your training means it goes beyond the numbers. We’ve talked a lot about the basics, all the drills you need to do, the sets to get faster, the open water training, and the mental side of getting a better swim. What are some of the non-tangibles of swimming that may not be so obvious or discussed? A few things you will need to take on for swimming success are: 1. The ability to breathe. This may seem a bit obvious, but it’s not limited to just “learning to breathe in freestyle”. It goes deeper. To get a better swim, you need to learn to breathe properly on land. This means belly breathing vs chest breathing. This means being able to do without oxygen at times. And it means being able to hold your breath for a bit. 2. The proper fuel. If you are currently eating lots of sugar and carbs, your swim will suffer. You will quickly lose the energy & patience it takes to make the little changes you need to make to your stroke, or properly execute a drill- unless you give yourself more carbs, seeting yourself up for a roller coaster ride. Getting fat-adapted is one of the most important “non-essentials” for swim training. 3. The proper rest. Same as above, patience and perseverence will be lost if you’re not sleeping and resting enough between workouts. Good sleep is like your silver bullet for life, even more important than exercise and nutrition! Make sure you are sleeping in a dark room, and you’re not checking email or looking at screens right before you go to bed. Also trust your intuittion- or, when in doubt, get out. Just keep swimming!

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