Progressing through swim type steps

[Padlin]

Hi There, I have recently purchased the swim types guide and need some advice on structuring my swimming program. The steps are well documented and the 4 training sessions are detailed and perscriptive, however i cannot find information on how to structure these within a complete program. Do I just do step 1 three times a week until I master the elements, then progress to the next stage? Do I do each step once a week? Is it a mixture? Maybe I'm missing some vital piece of info available on the website...

Other that this, it appears a well thought through resource and I'm excited about progressing through the guide.

Thanks

Matt

[SolarEnergy]

Which guide did you purchase?

[Padlin]

Swim smooth's swim types "The Arnie" stroke correction and training guide. Although I would think that the advice on program structure would be very similar across all swim types.

Cheers

Matt

[Padlin]

Hi again, in the original message I referred to "step 1", when technically I should have said Development Session 1. Essentially I'm wanting to know how to structure the 4 development sessions into an overall training program that will best achieve improvement. The guide discusses the development of the stroke through applying the guide as a process (p6), so from that I assume the sequential progression through the 4 development sessions. But how is progression staged to best reinforce the conditioning of the stroke. A 6 week program could look like this..

Week 1
Mon - Session 1
Wed - Session 1
Fri - Session 1
Sat - Session 1

Week 2
Mon - Session 1
Wed -Session 1
Fri - Session 2
Sat - Session 2

Week 3
Mon - Session 1
Wed -Session 2
Fri - Session 2
Sat - Session2

Week 4
Mon - Session 2
Wed - Session2
Fri - Session 3
Sat - Session 3

Week 5
Mon - Session 3
Wed - Session 4
Fri - Session 4
Sat - Session 4

Week 6
Mon - Session 1
Wed - Session 2
Fri - Session 3
Sat - Session 4

Or any other combination of the sessions??????

[Padlin]

Well pretty underwhelming product support. Disappointing really, considering all the effort that has gone into the presentation of Swim Smooth though the website. Was considering the DVD set, but now reconsidering...

[smootharnie]

Dont take your swimming too serious.
Just start with some starting drills untill you feeling a bit comfortable with them. Dont overdo it. Let the effects of the drill mentally en physically sink in. Do some normal swimming.Your swimming should stay a pleasant experience, otherwise you will stop after a few months.
Dont be too strict about the learning curve. Everybody is different, so there is no perfect program for everyone. It has to be a guide, not a bible.
Listen to your body, use your brain and make sensible decisions.

[SolarEnergy]

Well pretty underwhelming product support. Disappointing really, considering all the effort that has gone into the presentation of Swim Smooth though the website. Was considering the DVD set, but now reconsidering...

Hi mate, I'm so sorry to hear this, though not being officially representing SwimSmooth myself.

Still I blame myself for not having answered you before, apologies for this. Paul and Adam are very busy coaching and developing the method. They've started certifying coaches just recently, and so we're probably going to see these coaches showing up here on a more regular basis, which will help moderating the forum quite a lot.

I think I remember why I did not answer your question, in spite of having seen it quite long ago. I just changed computer, moving from a PC environment to a Mac environment. My PDF versions of the 6 swim guides are somewhere on my PC hard drive, and was waiting to boot it, find them, to transfer them here on my iMac. So that's why I left this question unanswered for a whilst then forgot that I had this to do.

Swim smooth's swim types "The Arnie" stroke correction and training guide. Although I would think that the advice on program structure would be very similar across all swim types.

Well, not necessarily. Here, bare with me.

Among the 6 types, there are 2 that are considered ideal already. If a quick SwimType questionnaire test reveals that you're a swinger for example, and that a coach confirms that you're pretty refined, then you just into a training state. And there, the integration of the development sessions should be coupled with a formal training program.

If you're a bambino that fears the water, short breath after 50meter, then you don't need to actually train. You'd need to stick to development sessions repeated in loop, for better results to be achieved.

So it varies a bit from type to type.

As an Arnie. First I understand your rough reaction Arnies will be Arnies

Then yes you probably need a bit of a mixed. But if you are very early into your learning process, then you need to stick to development sessions more than to train, until you've tamed the Arnie in you.

Now let me post this, boot my dusty PC' find me guides, and come back for me.

Sorry again

[SolarEnergy]

K, it's what I thought.

These 4 sessions are, in themselves, more than enough to ensure an all around development, perfectly in line with SwimSmooth's values. Time is shared between learning, working on technique, and developing fitness. This should all be done in parallel.

Now what your aforementioned 6 weeks plan overlooks, is the learning aspect.

If you notice, all dev sessions are separated by a lot of theory. So normally, you'd want to finish the theory (understanding it) associated with Dev Session#1. Until it's done, you stick to Dev Session#1 only. Once you feel comfortable, then you book the theory associated with Session#2. Then perform Session#2. From there, you can already start switching from Session#1 and Session#2.

Then you book the theory associated with Session#3. Then perform Session#3. From there you can now switch between #1#2 and #3. Repeat the same for Session#4. Then you can switch between #1-2-3 and #4.

Then you can be sure you got enough for your money. Purpose of these Guides stop there. They're still meaningful, but from there, you are almost better purchasing a training plan instead. SwimSmooth waterproof training plans. These plans are very detailed, and will work optimally with those having done Dev sessions before.

Here's a discussion taking place on Tritalk at the moment (Oct 2012), and in which most posters there, use the Olympic distance Training plan. The proof is in the pudding. These folks do improve a lot, in fact more than they ever dreamed they could.

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtop ... 48&start=0