BritSwim

What makes BritSwim different?

We had a lady message to ask about female-only swimming lessons with us, and she asked if she could speak to us on the phone. On the call, she said she felt much better having spoken to our team: she had been worried that we would be aggressive and loud, like her last swim teacher, who used to scream at her to go faster without telling her what she was doing to slow herself down.

Every BritSwim teacher goes through rigorous in-house training as soon as they join our team. That’s not because they’re not qualified or experienced - it’s because we have very specific ways of operating. And that’s not just about how best to troubleshoot a slow kick or a screw-kick; it’s about empathy, communication, and emotion. We ask ourselves, how can we help our students improve their swimming, but also make them feel good in the process?

Part of this is just basic human politeness and respect for others. We don’t like being shouted at; so we don’t shout at our students. We understand that people respond best when they’re happy and relaxed. And you make people a lot more happy and relaxed with positive feedback than you do with rude aggression.

Hey you, you’re reading this wrong.

See? Negative criticism, without any constructive purpose. It’s the same in swim class. Compare it to this: “You’re reading this blog post much better than you read the last one. Let’s see if we can read even more carefully next post! You’re making progress each time you read, well done!”

Don’t settle for a poor performance - or even dangerous - swim school. Your choice of swim school can have a huge impact on your child’s experience in the water, during lessons and for the rest of their lives. A swimming teacher who distresses your child, who forces them to do things they’re not comfortable with, or who fails to keep them safe - that’s going to result in trauma, fear, or an outright phobia. A swimming teacher who is unengaged, unfocused, or just plain boring - you’ll end up having to drag your child to class, and worry over whether they’re being kept safe. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s not that way at BritSwim.

What makes BritSwim different?

We were once invited into a school to discuss taking over after-school swimming there. The headteacher told us they had asked the previous swim school to leave, after he had come to watch a class and found students in the pool, with the teacher gone. Gone, as in, gone home. Got in his car and left CHILDREN WHO CANNOT SWIM in the POOL. We’ve seen swim teachers lying on sun loungers scrolling their phone during lessons - again, with non-swimming kids in the pool. To be clear: there is no excuse for such behaviour. It is not normal. It is not OK. It is beyond unprofessional, and it is potentially lethal.

The vast majority of BritSwim lessons take place with the teacher in the pool alongside their students - that only changes when students reach a high level of skill, safety awareness, and fitness. And when a BritSwim teacher is in the lesson, they are really in the lesson. We’re 100% focused on our students. Where are they, how are they moving, are they listening, did they understand that instruction fully, are they progressing, what could be improved, are we ready to move to the next skill, are they happy, are they comfortable, what are the potential risks in this drill, is the equipment being used right, are they being respectful of each other…and on and on, a constant assessment and re-assessment of the class itself and each individual in it.

We keep our students as fully engaged as we are. All eyes on the teacher, all ears above the water, and every skill taught multiple ways to make sure that every student finds a reason to give their best.

Get in touch for details and bookings for our Autumn term: WhatsApp message on +968 99 101 603

#swimforlife

Don’t settle for a poor performance - or even dangerous - swim school. Your choice of swim school can have a huge impact on your child’s experience in the water, during lessons and for the rest of their lives. A swimming teacher who distresses your child, who forces them to do things they’re not comfortable with, or who fails to keep them safe - that’s going to result in trauma, fear, or an outright phobia. A swimming teacher who is unengaged, unfocused, or just plain boring - you’ll end up having to drag your child to class, and worry over whether they’re being kept safe. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s not that way at BritSwim.

What makes BritSwim different?

We once had a potential new teacher who wanted to show us how he taught, and arranged for a lesson for the BritSwim management team to watch. He met the students he would be teaching for the first time, and when he was told their names, he said, “Oh, I never remember names. I’ll just call them One, Two, and Three.” And that was the end of his hiring journey with us. A teacher who feels so little connection, so little care towards his students that he can’t even bother to remember their names? Not a BritSwim teacher.

At BritSwim, we don’t just teach our students. We get to know them.

We know their names. We know their parents’ and siblings’ names. We know what they like and don’t like (from swim skills to ice cream flavours and pizza toppings), we know their favourite superhero and their favourite animal. We know which colour pool noodle they want. We know how they learn best, and what songs, phrases, or drills will work best for them. We know what inspires them, what they fear, what makes them laugh.

How and why do we do this? The ‘how’ is easy - we listen. Our students are individuals, and we hear what they say, read their body language, and remember what they tell us. And why is building this connection so important? Because connection builds trust. And trust is key to successful, effective, enjoyable swimming lessons. Aside from that - it makes lessons much more fun for everyone when it’s among friends.

Get in touch for details and bookings for our Autumn term: WhatsApp message on +968 99 101 603 #swimforlife

BritSwim's quality is driven and definted by our outstanding teaching team. Learn more about them here!

Your child should NEVER be upset, or cry, at lessons or at the thought of them. We can’t emphasise this enough: it is NOT normal, it is NOT to be expected. Please, for your child’s sake, do not accept this kind of reaction as usual. It’s not. Swimming lessons should be fun. They can be fun. We know this at BritSwim, because every day we deliver fun lessons to hundreds of students.

Fun is one of our three pillars - every lesson should be fun, safe, and effective. Fun is essential to learning. Everyone learns better when they are enjoying themselves. Having fun means being engaged. Being engaged means you are focused on the lesson. BritSwim teachers use toys, games, and stories during lessons, not just to make our students happy, but to make what they are teaching more accessible to kids. “Let’s pretend we have frog feet!” is always going to be more effective than “Perform a dorsiflexion!”

Having fun puts students at ease, opens up their minds for learning, and guarantee you a child not only willing, but looking forward to coming to their next BritSwim swimming class.

Get in touch for details and bookings for our Autumn term: WhatsApp message on +968 99 101 603 #swimforlife

We're back with the Unique Sports Summer Camp 2022!

For PDO members, all through July and August at Ras Al Hamra Club.

Meet new friends, play games and learn invaluable skills.

What are you waiting for, get in touch to book your kids in today BritSwim Oman Summer Camp.

HAPPY SUMMER 🌞

DO YOUR RESEARCH - Find out what your child can expect on their first session with this swim school. Who is the teacher? What will they be asked to do? Will they be allowed their armbands? What will happen before and after class? Kids will be happier to come to class if they understand what will be happening.

SPEND TIME IN THE POOL - The more time you spend with your child in the pool, the better the position you will be in to understand what skills need work, what fears may need conquering, and what your child really loves about the water. All this info can be passed to the swim teacher, who will work it into lessons plans.

Ultimate guide to swimming in Muscat Oman

TAKE LESSONS YOURSELF - If you're not already a swimmer, there's no better time to learn than while your child does! Spending bonding time together in the pool, comparing what you both learned that week, is a really special experience. Plus, your child will feel more confident, and be inspired to do even better in lessons.

Best swimming lessons for your kids in Muscat

GET THE RIGHT KIT - Proper swimwear designed for the purpose, a good pair of goggles (we love the split strap ones!), and a fluffy towel for post-swim shower - all essentials for a comfortable swim lesson. Don't forget that shower, either - it warms the kids back up once they exit the water, and washes away pool chemicals too.

COME TO THE CLASS - Your presence by the pool, and your attention when there, will boost your child's confidence and their performance. So much of your child's learning takes place in school - swim lessons are a fantastic opportunity to see you child progress and gain confidence right before your eyes.

And don't forget to check our guide 'Learn to Swim Levels' for more tips.

Want to book your class already instead?

Safe, fun, effective lessons - that's what we've always promised our customers. And now we're extending that to the outside of the pool. Partnering with respected global training and qualification centre Highfield International, BritSwim provides full pool lifeguard certification courses, for individuals and institutions.

We're 100% committed to getting participants in our lifeguarding programme equipped with the skills and knowledge to identify, prevent, and respond to pool incidents. Our friendly and professional trainers are expert in getting across their message, and ensuring that those on our courses don't simply pass their tests - they retain what they have learned, and truly understand the importance of their work, and how best to keep swimmers safe.

Courses are suitable for swimmers over the age of 16 who fulfil the criteria listed above - and for those who don't, we provide additional pre-course training to get you to a level where you can join a BritSwim lifeguarding course. We currently provide courses and certification for the Highfield HABC Level 2 International Pool Lifeguarding qualification, which includes within in it the Highfield Level 3 International Award in First Aid at Work and the Safe Use of an Automated External Defibrillator.

Get in touch on +968 9475 6911 or at hello@britswim.com for details!

Welcome to the BritSwim Learn-To-Swim Levels! This is where we let you know exactly what our students are working towards, with what objective, and how our teachers grade their skills.

BritSwim's Learn-To-Swim Levels run from Level One - where we foster trust and confidence, and get students comfortable with safety rules and submersion - all the way to Level Seven, in which students are refining their stroke foundations, ready to move to BritSwim Stroke Development.

In each of the BritSwim Levels, you can see a set of skills, several benchmarks, and a grading system.

Skills are what students will be working towards achieving during their time in that level - although what they learn in lessons is not limited to these skills: BritSwim teachers understand that our students are individuals, and will tailor every class to make it relevant, fun, and effective. Sometimes that means teaching a sitting dive earlier than codified, and we're fine with that.

The skills students learn in each level feed into the Level Benchmarks. These are the criteria students MUST be able to demonstrate consistently and comfortably, before passing onto the next BritSwim Level. This is crucial in making sure that our students are getting a proper, solid foundation in the skills, and also in keeping up the standards in teaching and groups. And note the 'consistently and comfortably': one good performance of a skill is not enough for BritSwim teachers to consider it done. The student must be able to repeat the same skill when requested, so we know that the appropriate depth of knowledge has been achieved.

The grading system - bronze, silver, and gold - helps us provide the most suitable groups for every student; for example, if a group is working on skills in a level mostly at the bronze stage, we would know only to add students of that experience into it, rather than those who are towards the gold end of the grading spectrum.

Lastly, we'd like to share the system BritSwim teachers use to keep track of, and report on, students' progress after each lesson. During any BritSwim class, teachers will be focusing on one core skill, introducing another complementary skill, plus giving warm up drills - usually a skill the students are familiar with - and a fun activity before ending. So, in each class there are opportunities for our teachers to grade maybe three or four skills, which they do on our custom software, using the bronze/silver/gold options. An algorithm then calculates the percentage of the whole level that student has now completed, and this is sent out on a weekly email report.

It's important to note here that student progress percentages may not move from week to week, every week. There is a big difference between a bronze grading and a silver one on any one level - the different between learning a skill and being able to demonstrate it well in repeated instances. Once students reach a high silver overall mark, they can move up to the next level - it's not necessary to reach 100% to progress to new skills.

And of course we don't teach all the skills of each level every single class - our students, and our teachers, are only human. So particularly in higher levels, where the skills are more numerous, and in the first classes, while we are working diligently to ensure that foundation is set for future swimming success, students will be working on just a few key skills out of many - so progress as a number may not show up for a few weeks.

At the end of a season, students will be graded on how they performed within their given level, achieving for example a Level Three Bronze certificate. Because bronze denotes a lack of comfort or consistency in the skills of that level - perhaps they just started swimming independently, or have trouble with deep water still - the student would need to continue to work on Level Three until at least a silver grade.

We hope that gives you a better idea of the way we monitor and grade our students' progress - and we're always happy to answer questions about your progress, and let you know exactly how we're working to reach your swimming goals.

By their nature, triathletes are determined, resilient - pretty much unstoppable.

Like everyone else this year, they've been hurting from the shutdown of their past times, practices, and events. But, also like everyone else, they've found ways to keep on competing.

This last weekend, eight athletes represented BritSwim Triathlon at the Ironman Virtual Club VR 32, in either the triathlon or duathlon format. Set in a virtual world, it was the athlete's decision to race on a real world course or virtually on a platform such as Rouvy or Zwift. Athletes could repeat a distance to see if they could improve their time over the weekend. A handful of athletes chose to do the course in a real world environment - socially distanced, but still able to support each other along the way.

The triathletes swum 1500m whilst the duathletes ran the same distance, with both races then following the same 20km bike and 5km run to finish. There were some outstanding personal best times achieved throughout - of note was the improvement made by Steve. When Steve first met Coach Karl, he couldn't swim 25m. Now, after three months on the BritSwim Tri Personal Programme, he completed his first ever non-stop 1500m swim, and achieved an astonishing nearly 6 minute improvement in his 5km time. Amazing job Steve!

Special mention also to Arlene, a relatively new addition to the squad, having joined the Tri programme only a month ago, with very little swim or bike experience. Arlene set a new 5km personal best and a new power best on the bike, recording a whopping average speed of nearly 37km/h, on her way to taking 2nd place in her gender age group in her very first multisport event.

With many of the athletes completing their first ever race, some are enjoying a well-deserved easier few days - and some are turning their minds to this coming weekend's replacement virtual race: what would have been the 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand, which will serve as the first ever Global TriClub Championships. Good luck to all those competing and representing Coach Karl and BritSwim Triathlon!!!

Triathlon (Gender Age Group, Gender Overall): Anna Brockman (4th/63, 19th/207), Steve Cowgill (14th/57, 186th/539), Alison Bell (36th/40, 188th/207)

Duathlon (Gender Age Group, Gender Overall): Mike Brennan (11th/321, 52nd/1610), Karl Egleton (17th/321, 96th/1610), Arlene Cowgill (2nd/75, 12th/513), Elizabeth Derbyshire-Willcox (16th/102, 89th/513), Sharee Hendry (51st/102, 224th/513)

Months of being home, hours a day with zero activity, and for most of us, a host of aches and a few extra inches on the waistband: there's never been a better time than the post-lockdown era for re-evaluating our health and fitness, and how we treat our bodies.

BritSwim's new programme, BritSwim Body, is our comprehensive, holistic, and highly effective solution not just for getting fitter and looking better, but for changing the very way we look at how our bodies function, what they need - how we can work with our bodies to create a foundation for dynamic health, every day and forever.

Our resident Queen of Fitness, Zohreh Hashemi, is certified by CALA - the world leader in aquatic fitness - to teach the CALA system of Vertical Water Training to create custom programmes for each course participant.

So, what is BritSwim Body? How does it work, and how does it help?

It's a four-week programme, and we start you off with an Introductory Session. This is where Coach Zohreh gets to know all about you, your aims, any issues you may have. We assess where you are now, so we can help you get to where you want to be in terms of your health, and properly measure your progress.

Each BritSwim Body session has an update component, where Coach Zohreh gets your feedback and offers individualised advice to help you get the best from the programme. Then to the pool, where you'll work body alignment, power postures, and isokinetic drills. And every four weeks, you'll receive information on our Muscle of the Month - this is where you get specific in understanding the different sets of muscles.

It's this understanding, achieved through your physical sessions and through continuous two-way feedback, that will give you the tools you need to make lifelong changes to your physicality. BritSwim Body is a lifestyle, not a workout - vertical water training and the learnings you get from it can be used anywhere, any time. You don't need complex equipment to understand what your body can do, and what you can do for your body. And while you'll work on key body areas, this system has benefits for your whole body, your whole life.

Performing in water helps us explore and understand the body's movements and capabilities. It's resistance without impact, totally effort dependent, creating a foundation for good health - fitness, circulation, balance and posture, core engagement, strength; you'll see improvement in all these areas, you'll understand why, and be able to sustain it. It's really a journey, and BritSwim's Coach Zohreh is ready to start it with you! Give us a call today for details and bookings: +968 9475 6911

BritSwim Body ladies fitness swim lessons

Get fit and strong in the water with BritSwim

If you know any triathletes, you're probably well aware that they are not only highly unlikely to let any obstacles slow them down, they actively embrace challenge. Nothing - no, not even a pandemic - stops these guys training, setting goals, and achieving them. BritSwim's Coach Karl introduced our remote tri training programme in response to the new rules and lockdowns, to ensure our triathletes kept up with what they love in total safety, and kept those new personal bests coming.

Over the weekend, three of BritSwim's triathletes who took advantage of enrolling on the BritSwim Triathlon Coaching Programme over the past few months joined Coach Karl in competing in Ironman's Virtual Reality 18 Sprint Distance Triathlon, in the Challenger and Classic Divisions. In the Classic Division, Shrikant and Shayan finished 1902nd and 1119th overall in their first race at this distance, out of 3446 finishers. In the Challenger Division, Steve finished 436 overall of the 1322 finishers, whilst Coach Karl finished 1st British athlete in his age group and 98th overall.

All athletes showed the great gains they have made since enrolling on the programme and being directed by Karl in their swim, bike, run, and strength and conditioning training, with all of them achieving multiple personal bests. We look forward to seeing how their next block of training progresses and pays off, once real life racing returns. If you'd like more details on the triathlon coaching options available, or are interested in joining the BritSwim Triathlon Coaching Programme, get in touch for more information, or check out our post on the programme.

February 2021 update -

BritSwim lessons have re-started! We're so happy to see all our students and their families again. We know you have concerns about how things work, and we've been in consultation with our teachers, safety experts, the authorities, and our students and parents, to create a set of guidelines that aim to keep all of us safe during lessons.

First and foremost, please know that our venue partners are keeping to extremely stringent cleanliness and maintenance regulations, both in the pools and the surrounding areas; and BritSwim coaches are absolutely committed to the safety first, socially-distanced lesson plans we have specially designed for teaching in these extraordinary times.

As we're all aware, the situation, and the information available to us, does change frequently; so our guidelines are flexible and dynamic, making adjustments as and when we need to. And we'll be fitting our guidelines and policies around any official advice or regulations we get from the Supreme Committee, Ministry of Sports, and any and all government bodies working to make Oman COVID-secure. We'll update our customers on these, and how they will work, as and when we receive them. For now, please do read these through - they are designed to meet your needs and ours, to ensure a safe and happy start to Unique Sports classes.

And as always, if you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to get in touch!

#staysafewithus

BritSwim Triathlon presents our new private and remote tri training programme, with Coach Karl Egleton, an Ironman Certified Coach whose many qualifications include British Triathlon Level Two, ASA, and Open Water Swimming. He's got the experience, drive, and passion to help you succeed, and this is your opportunity to benefit one-on-one from his expertise and energy.

Looking for more from your training? Boost your results with skill-specific, one-on-one monthly training with an individualised structure to maximise your sessions and make sure you achieve what you're aiming for, whether that's a 70.3, an Ironman, or even the World Championships.

New to triathlon training, and don't know where to start? We cut through the noise, working with you to create a plan that works for you, giving you the tools you need to train in the best and most effective way you can.

Can't commit to our regular sessions? Benefit from qualified and experienced private coaching in your own time, on your own terms.

Get in touch for bookings and details!

Free infection prevention course BritSwim Unique Sports Muscat Oman Highfield

Despite the current shutdown, BritSwim has had a busy year. One of our 2020 highlights was partnering up with Highfield International, an award-winning UK-based organisation that develops globally-renowned qualifications and training courses. They focus on certifications that develop skills, change attitudes, and improve safety, all of which are at the heart of our own vision. BritSwim's Highfield-certified lifeguard training courses have been running since January with fantastic uptake and results, and we're very excited to be delivering pediatric first aid courses as soon as we re-open.

Now we're partnering with Highfield to offer all our followers - and anyone you want to share with - a completely free online course in Infection Prevention and Control. It will help you understand this process of infection and implement changes at home or in the workplace. We're encouraging all readers to take this short course, which comes with a certification, so we can all be better equipped to keep ourselves and our communities safe, now and in the future.

So sign up, learn something new and valuable, and share with your friends, colleagues, and family!

Click here to sign up, and you'll get an email with a link to get started on the course. Our UK partners open on Monday 30th so expect your emails then.

Coach Karl tri training tips Muscat Oman BritSwim triathlon

Here we go, part three of triathlon training tips straight from BritSwim’s Coach Karl. Check out the others in the series here and here – we know you like it when things come in threes.

Injuries - Prevention is better than cure

Rest enough, get that diet sorted, and keep hydrated, and you'll have made great strides to preventing injury. in triathlon training. What else can you do? "Definitely invest in a foam roller and stretch bands, and in flexibility work. If you want to be more social - or find it hard to get motivated - then join a yoga class, to help work through all those key areas," advises Coach Karl. For any existing injuries, or any that do come up in your training, Karl urges you to keep on top of them, and address any further problems before they develop further with regular visits to a sports physio, osteopath or chiropractor.

Don't neglect the gym

Yes, triathlon involves swim, bike, and run - but the strength side is critical to improving your performance, for preventing injury. Coach Karl says, "Remember: strength training, especially of the core, will assist in all three sports, so make sure to add it to your training if you haven't already."

Brick runs

Pure run training is an absolute necessity. But you'll also have to race with tired legs when you get off the bike, so don't neglect to practice that in training. "Brick runs are back-to-back sessions with little to no rest in between, to simulate the feeling of performing to the two disciplines back-to-back in a race. Initially, it will come as a shock - expect rubber or jelly legs, and looking rather strange as you struggle to put one foot in front of the other when you know you can do a huge amount better when running fresh." Coach Karl says these feelings will subside when you become more accustomed to it; and better have it happen in training than on race day. And you only need to run a short distance to get the training effect. "Try and run 1-2km after your next ride and see how it feels."

Yes, we are all individuals
Everyone's different, mentally and physically, and Coach Karl says this is why personalised - but not necessarily personal - training is the way to go with tri. "Get the most individualised coaching you can. It's not always possible or practical to get specialised individual coaching or plans, but try and seek these out where you can. Too many triathletes (mainly during swim sessions) attach themselves to a group for social or motivational reasons, but many times at the expense of faster improvements in the discipline."

How will you be able to tell if your group is suited to you, if you're getting all you should be from attending? Karl explains: "If all of the swimmers in your lane are working to the same training cycle with the same focused races, and are all of equal or very similar pace, then this can work and is great for morale and motivation, especially on longer sets and many sessions focusing on CSS - provided you all have a similar Critical Swim Speed. But while these sessions may incorporate some drill work, it's unlikely that the drills are the most important to you, and will be the ones which will benefit your stroke the most. For example, the drill set could be focused on the catch phase of the stroke. If you're still unable to keep your feet at the surface and continually hold your breath, working on body position and breathing drills would be more beneficial."

Just one or two private sessions, or an online video analysis session, with a qualified tri coach will reap great rewards. But if that's not something you can manage, a good coach will advise you on what you are doing wrong currently, and, crucially, provide you with sets of specific drills that are custom-picked to progress these points. How do you pick a good triathlon coach? "For group sessions, try and find a coach that gets to know you, your particular history and experience, and knows what you are working towards. A good coach is tailoring the session to your needs while keeping the group all still working as a cohesive unit, even if they're focusing on different technical areas through the session. Our BritSwim swim sessions are limited on numbers for exactly that reason; lanes are split depending on who attends, to give everyone the optimum opportunity for progress towards their individual goals." Individually tailored training programmes are also definitely worth the investment. "It may take a few sessions of testing individually to collect data from the members of the group and make sure you have the correct training zones," says Coach Karl, "but then you have the knowledge that every session has been individually designed within the relevant cycle of a periodisation plan, to ensure you achieve your personal potential in the given timeframe."

That's it for this tri-part series. We hope you found some useful information and motivation to apply to your sessions over the upcoming months and beyond. And we have more posts on triathlon coming up! If you want to get in touch, or ask any questions, please feel free! Whether you're already training with BritSwim Triathlon or not, we're happy to give advice and help any way we can.

And for all those of you already training with Coach Karl -
Karl is super excited to see everyone’s efforts and workouts on Strava and Training Peaks during this difficult time, and cannot wait to see you all back in person once conditions allow. In the meantime - as always - he will continue to offer all of you advice and suggestions. You all know he's committed and dedicated to making sure his athletes get the very best out of not only themselves but also the sport in general. If you'd like more specific information on a certain aspect of triathlon training, Coach Karl will be taking requests for a more comprehensive set of articles, individualised to the needs of you the athlete, so please feel free to contact us if you have anything you'd like Karl to cover.

Triathlon training with BritSwim Coach Karl Muscat Oman

Welcome back! If you haven’t checked out the first installment of Coach Karl’s triathlon tips, go have a read and come back here for more awesome advice on how to get the most out of your tri training.

The 10% rule

The training principles of overload and progression are key to developing in triathlon. But what’s often overlooked, says Coach Karl, is that fact that “this must be achieved within the timeframe the body will allow, to adapt to these changes safely.” Too many people increase their volume of training a little, and see great results instantly. The thought process is then to increase massively, to achieve a massive amount of improvement. “It seems like a logical leap, but unfortunately, the body can only do this for a very short time before it will break down and suffer injuries and illness. A good rule is to increase your total volume of training for a week by 10% at a time. Additionally, every third or fourth week should be an adaptive week, where you reduce the training to allow your body to adapt to the training load. You can return to overloading the following week, and the week when you return to your hard training should be roughly that of what you did prior to the adaptation week.”

Go long when you need to go long; go easy when you need to go easy. Too many people work in the 'grey zone' when training: you’re working hard, getting out of breath, and giving yourself a good workout, but you know you couldn't manage it for more than an hour or 90 mins. That’s not necessarily going to help you improve, advises Karl. “Yes, there are times for this zone of training, particularly leading into racing. But the effort is too low to provide the necessary adaptations for your high end top speed, and too high to be able to sustain long enough to provide any major endurance gains.” You’re giving yourself fatigue, which will have a negative effect on the effectiveness of the next day’s training. And that’s going to lead to frustration.

Karl recommends sticking to the 80/20 rule. “80% of your training should be done in Zones 1 and 2, which are characterized by an easy recovery pace and aerobic base building. You’ll know you’re in these zones when you can keep a conversation going when training, and feel you can keep it going for hours. 20% should be in the form of higher-end work, where you are pushing yourself superhard and to the point of exhaustion at times. Given the high levels of effort, only short repetitions are needed for this kind of work, with appropriate recovery time.”

Technique is key in the swim

No matter how fit an athlete you are, if you do not have good technique in the water then you will not move efficiently through it – you’ll just tire yourself out quickly. Coach Karl says, “Once you can complete your race distance comfortably, then place more emphasis on the training nature of the swim. But until then, really concentrate on improving your technique.” A good initial aim is to try and swim 25m taking 10-12 stroke cycles each time. Using drills and focusing on key areas with a swim coach, you can then try and increase the distance for which you can hold the stroke count. “The speed will come automatically as your stroke specific fitness and efficiency improve,” add Karl.

Running isn't just putting one foot in front of the other and repeat

Of the three triathlon sports, swimming is the most technically orientated. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also be focusing on your running technique and cadence. Paying attention to these, says Karl, “will help you improve your efficiency, enabling you to run faster for longer and with less effort. It can also play a dramatic part in reducing injuries caused by improper technique.” It makes sense that there’s a misconception about running – surely everyone can do it, surely it comes naturally? Not so, says Coach Karl. Running needs learning, like any sporting endeavor. “The two most common faults I identify are athletes landing with their weight behind the landing leg causing a braking effect, and having too long a stride, which slows cadence and leaves the runner stuck on the ground rather than floating over it.”

Good news, though; there are many drills and techniques to help these faults. Karl recommends a simple one you can try. “Find a song of around 85-90 bpm and listen to it as you run, trying to co-ordinate your feet hitting the ground with the beat of the music. You will almost certainly have to initially shorten your stride to do so, but this will make a more efficient action without you even realising it. And joining the weekly BritSwim running sessions will give you a supportive, driven group to practice and swap tips with.”

You can't out-train a bad diet

No matter how great your training, if your diet isn't adequate, then your body won't perform at its best and will likely result in injury or illness. “There is a reason Formula One cars don’t get fueled by the cheapest petrol from your local petrol station. Your body is an engine and needs the correct fuel to work optimally”.

There is immeasurable research (and a whole internet full of opinions) on which diet is best. What does Coach Karl recommend? “I’m going to keep off contentious ground, but will say that I have switched to a certain type of diet and found the results were almost instantaneous. Whichever way you go - LCHF, vegan, vegetarian, high carb - make sure it covers all essential nutrients and energy requirements. Your diet should give your body the best chance to perform at its optimal level, and provide what’s needed for recovery and rebuilding energy levels and tissue damage from training.”

Stay safe, keep active, and join us soon for more triathlon training tips from BritSwim's Coach Karl.

Triathlon training Muscat Oman Coach Karl Egleton

BritSwim launched its triathlon training programme last summer, under the fantastic Coach Karl Egleton. We've loved watching it grow and the athletes involved achieving personal bests and breaking their own boundaries when it comes to the sport, and we've also come to realise that tri is truly an addiction. All you alpha athletes out are no doubt keeping up with your training, but Coach Karl has some tips, insights, and inspiration to boost your spirits at a time when you can't necessarily be out doing the activities you love and need.

Whether you're still working up to completing your first race, or are looking ahead to September's Salalah 70.3, you'll find advice that will help you get where you want to be. And remember, with regard to the current crisis: follow advice, train responsibly, and stay safe.

So, over to Coach Karl!

Train smarter, not harder

"When taking on new athletes for personal coaching, one of the first things I do is introduce a recovery week" says Karl. "So often, their fatigue levels are too high, and they're burned out and stagnant from just doing the same training again and again. They've been adding more training volume week on week, as they don't know how else to improve."

That's misguided, advises Coach Karl. "Your training should be varied and focused. With some expert advice, you'll be able to reduce the time you train and still maintain or improve your condition." You also need to work to build that variety in, and stick to it. "Every session you do should have a focus to it; don't get caught in the trap of doing whatever training exercise you happen to feel like."

Make sure you can cover your race distance in training

It sounds obvious, but Coach Karl says it's often missed. "If you want to enjoy your race, make sure you can do the distance in training first. Whilst you may complete the race having not covered the distance, you will find it a lot more enjoyable and want to repeat the experience if you have done it previously in training." Karl suggests "aiming for 120% of your race distance in training - so, for 70.3 90km ride, try and get a few 100-110km rides in before the race."

Specificity

If there aren't going to be traffic lights or roadworks in your race, then try to avoid them in training. If your race is hilly, you need to do some hill work. If it is an open water swim, get in the open water to practice, and if wetsuits will be legal, practice in one. Too many triathletes fail to be specific enough to gain an edge, according to Coach Karl. "Try and train at the same time of day as the race will be, especially closer to the event. You'll help prepare your body for the relevant conditions, and also to work at a time when it may not normally want to."

Train your weaknesses not your strengths

"Everyone is guilty of this one, no matter their level of ability or even the sport in which they train" says Coach Karl. It's instinctive to train your strongest discipline, as you find it easiest and probably have the most experience in it. But don't neglect your weaknesses, warns Karl. "You may gain very slight improvements training your strengths, but if you had spent that same time on your weakest discipline, you'd see greater gains, as there's more room for improvement."

It may be an individual sport but that doesn't mean you have to train alone

Whilst many find great solace in training alone, for others it can be an inhibitor to getting out and getting the miles in. "Join up with a friend or group to help motivate you more, or join BritSwim Triathlon's Strava group, where you can gain inspiration from seeing what others are doing, and get motivational feedback on your efforts to keep you going - we're a supportive bunch." Coach Karl adds, "Remember to still keep focus when training with others - if you're planning an easy recovery ride, make sure your friend doesn't think you're out to do max hill efforts."

The great indoors

Many triathletes begin the sport to be able to take in nature and everything the outside has to offer. But training inside, on a treadmill or bike trainer, has a host of benefits. This is of course particularly true during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing restrictions on groups and gatherings. Plus, it's much safer inside. At the time of publishing, Coach Karl is still recovering from four fractures to his pelvis, after a car hit him while he was training on his bike. "Not only is it safer," says Karl, "indoor training helps you to control the environment. Especially with the upcoming summer, there is nothing better than being inside feeling cold air whilst everyone else is out sweltering. It also gives you a fantastic ability to train specific to your needs. If you find you get bored or lose motivation easily, Zwift has been an absolute game changer for me and I thoroughly recommend it for both biking and running."

Stay safe, keep active, and join us soon for more triathlon training tips from BritSwim's Coach Karl.

We're going to be doing what we can at BritSwim to keep your kids (and you) active and healthy while at home this month. This is a brand new situation, and everyone around the world is facing a brand new set of challenges. For most of you parents, having your school-age kids at home all day is one of these. Luckily for us, one BritSwim parent, Nuzha of the popular Instagram page @thehomeschoolchronicles, has loads of experience of this, and has kindly put together a set of tips to help you get through this smoothly (and while maintaining your sanity).

On her page, Nuzha has some extra tips. "I know how daunting and scary it can be when your children's education is in your hands." We should remember, she adds, that "no two families or two days are the same. Always choose what works for your family."

As Nuzha signs off: stay safe, and happy home-schooling!