Julie's Update 23rd November

Hi swimmers, how are you?

Well at least you are all still at school so keeping busy.... not like some of us who have to stay at home and just

1. Mountain bike most days

2. Baking which I love

3. Gardening

4. Watching Christmas movies lol

I could get used to not having to get up at 5.30am for morning training hahahaha......

Anyway.......

Have you been following the land training programme that I set last week, I hope so

Right let's add ...

5 dry land exercises to give you more power in the pool Don’t panic if the exercises seem awkward or challenging at first – it’s normal, and you’ll adapt quickly. Ideally, aim to practice 1-3 sets of these drills during weekly workouts to take your swimming to the next level. Working on your form is crucial. Focus on your landing for each drill to reduce impact on your joints. Aim to land softly with knees bent, shoulders up and forward with your spine in a neutral position. Think about your landing. To reduce the risk of injury, perform these drills somewhere that will cushion your landing (think: non-slip mat, sprung floor, artificial running surface, grass or playing field). A small trampoline can be useful for swimmers with ankle, knee or hip issues. 5 Strength Exercises 1. Squat jumps Start from a standing position with your feet just slightly wider than shoulder-width. Bend your elbows and bring your arms up so your fists are level with your chin. Drop into a squat and take your elbows back so your fists are beside your hips. Jump for height, thrusting hands overhead above your shoulders to streamline position, and land softly back into your squat position. Hold the squat for 2-5 seconds, keeping your chest up and back flat throughout. Check your knees remain forward over your feet, not collapsing in. Repeat 3-10 times for one set. 2. Bench or box jumps Squat jump onto a low step. Ensure that the knee, hip and ankle angles are the same on landing as on take off. Maintain good form with your chest and shoulders raised and back straight. 5-10 jumps Step off (don’t jump) and ensure you’re maintaining soft landings, holding for 1-3 seconds. 3. Advanced burpees Start from a standing position, then drop to a horizontal plank position. Complete 1 press up, then jump your feet up behind your hands from the plank position. Perform a second jump to lift the body into a vertical position. Stretch your arms overhead on the vertical leap to help gain extra height, and to develop shoulder flexibility for optimal streamlining off wall turns. Land softly, absorbing the pressure into your knees, hips and ankles. Perform 10-20 repeats for one set. 4. Forward hops You’ll need a long straight area for this set of exercises. Start from a standing position, feet positioned wider than your shoulders. Drop into a wide-leg squat, with arms behind you. Release your arms in front with a throw as you jump forward. Land softly, and stabilise briefly. Use your arms to balance you by bringing them behind you again. From a wide squat, repeat this forward leap. Aim to jump for distance on each forward hop as you develop power. Work through 5-10 repeats for one set. 5. Frog hops Start from a standing position, dropping into a squat with hands touching the floor. Leap forward with arms hanging straight down in front of your body. As you land, touch the floor with both hands and drop into a wide squat. Keep chest and shoulders high from hop to hop. Build more rhythm in consecutive hops and aim to complete 5-10 repeats for one set