By Andy Jacobs

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.” – Walter Elliot

Swimming enthusiasts often seek the holy grail of endurance – the ability to swim faster and longer without fatigue. A recent study sheds light on exactly this, providing valuable insights for competitive swimmers. Involving 20 dedicated swimmers, this research focused on an endurance training program that not only challenged the athletes but also provided structured, measurable improvements.

The essence of the study lies in its practical approach, blending endurance training with competition-specific demands. This dual focus ensures that the training is not just about clocking miles in the pool, but about swimming those miles as they would be swum in a race. The results were telling – swimmers showed significant enhancements in their lower body strength, a crucial factor for maintaining speed and technique in water.

As a swim coach and an avid swimmer myself, I see these findings as a reinforcement of what many in the swimming community have always believed – endurance is a multifaceted beast. It’s not just about the ability to swim for a long time; it’s about maintaining effective, efficient strokes for the duration of your swim. This means that a well-rounded training program should incorporate endurance training that closely mirrors the specific conditions and challenges of competitive swimming.

To me, one of the most surprising outcomes of the study was the emphasis on lower body strength. It’s a well-known fact that powerful legs and a strong core are essential for explosive starts and turns. However, this research highlights their role in sustaining technique over longer distances. This is a crucial insight for swimmers who specialise in longer races where technique consistency is as important as speed.

Incorporating these findings into your training regimen could involve a few strategic changes. Working with your coach to develop a personalized training plan that includes endurance sessions designed to mimic race conditions is a start. Additionally, integrating lower body strength workouts into your routine could be a game-changer, enhancing your overall swimming performance.

The relationship between technique and endurance is also a vital consideration. As swimmers, we often focus on clocking more laps, but if those laps compromise our technique, we might be doing more harm than good. Maintaining proper form throughout endurance training sessions is key to ensuring that the benefits of endurance translate effectively into improved swimming performance.

This study offers more than just a set of results; it provides a roadmap for swimmers looking to elevate their endurance in a way that’s aligned with competitive swimming demands. Remember, in the world of swimming, endurance, strength, and technique are deeply interconnected, and focusing on one can lead to improvements in all.