It is the most optimal time in the swimming calendar to focus on gym and dryland. A phase where gym can become the priority.

If you encountered consistency issues in your training, battled injuries, or pinpointed weaknesses in your skills last season, now is the time to address them!

Consistency struggles in training? Focus on building your capacity in the gym. This happens to be my preferred coaching style but was once my Achilles' heel as an athlete. Aim for high repetitions and sets to ramp up volume in your sessions. Don't fixate on weight; you can even adjust the difficulty and complexity of exercises. Let the sets and reps be the challenging part. Keep rest times short and brace yourself for some muscle soreness (not pain!).

Dealt with injuries last season? Now's your opportunity to establish a consistent activation routine. My new go-to question when an athlete reports a niggle: How's your activation going? If the answer is "not well," then it's time to prioritize it. Activation is like your daily serving of veggies—it keeps your body healthy. Neglect it, and you're more susceptible to niggling injuries.

Identified skill weaknesses? How's your athleticism? Use this time to expose your body to various movement patterns. Feeling uncoordinated during an athleticism session? That's actually a good sign; it means we're building more motor pathways in your body. Ensuring you can hop, jump, skip, cartwheel, and crawl will improve your ability to execute skills correctly.

And if you find yourself returning from the break without the same burning passion but still love swimming? Redirect your focus to gym and dryland training. Your passion will reignite eventually; for now, build your capacity. You'll thank yourself later in the season.

Need ideas?

Coaches, we've got you covered with our gold membership athleticism training programs, suitable for junior squads right up to National level athletes. Currently, I have National, State, and Junior squads all benefiting from the same line drills program.

Swimmers, join us on Zoom as we zero in on building capacity (get ready to sweat!) or access our recorded sessions tailored to enhance athleticism. Still unsure? Let's work together to find the perfect fit for you.