Hi all,

As we start to enter into our final phase of training towards Gay Games in Paris, I wanted to share with you some key training information so you are all aware what the coaches are trying to achieve with you, the swimmers. 

Below is the next cycle:

May - Cycle 2
Quality Work
Week 1: Adaptation (28/5)

June
Quality work to start build to competition prep
Week 2 - 4/6 Quality turns
Week 3 - 11/6 Quality Starts
Week 4 18/6 Comp prep
Week 5 25/6 Comp prep

July
Comp prep. 5 weeks. 2 weeks taper
Week 6. 2/7 Comp prep
Week 7. 9/7 Comp prep
Week 8. 16/7 Comp prep
Week 9. 23/7
Week 10. 30/7

August
Endurance
Week 2. 5/8 Competition
Week 1. Cycle 3. Recovery
Week 2. Maintenance
Week 4. Endurance

What does this mean for the swimmers?

Next week is adaptation week, a week where we will spend more time on allowing the body to rest a little and work on skills and drills with a bit more rest time. We will then head into 2 weeks of quality work. This is when you get to swim more no. 1 stroke, you start to train for your specific event and lots of drills and skills with intense work.

After that, we head into 5 weeks of competition prep, during this phase you will slowly start to feel like you are getting a bit more rest in some of the sets, but there will also be a bit more intensive swimming to sharpen you up (makes you swim faster) lots of No. 1 stroke and a lot of work and emphasis on starts and turns! There will even be some simulation of racing and then lastly we will taper from the 23 June onwards. 

What is taper and what do you the swimmers need to know?

This will include less distance swimming, more rest and some intense work, but not as much as what you have done. Most swimmers feel really heavy and tired the first few days of taper, but then it slowly comes together and you will start to feel great!

Some do's and don'ts as we head into this last 11 weeks

- Do continue to swim on different nights of the week so you get a varied number of sets and working on a number of energy systems.

Monday's and Thursday's at Oasis are intense workouts. 
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (LB) are more aerobic or distance sets.
Fridays are more about pacing and distance.
Saturdays are about speed work.
Sunday's are based on technical development.

So knowing this weekly plan should help you plan your week accordingly.

- Do speak to coaches if you want to know anything

- Do listen to what the coach is saying and asking of you

- Do vary what strokes you swim

- Don't try and swim everyday, plan some rest

- Don't try at this late stage to start doing a heavy weight programme, this will affect your swimming.

- Don't panic if you think you haven't done enough swimming, there is still time. Keep it consistent, don't try and swim hard for a week and not swim for a few weeks. 

As we get closer to the Gay Games, more info will follow about what you should be doing.

Michelle Weltman
Head Coach