Weekly pool training guide for swimmers

Posted on by JBryce

Breaking news: You have to train to improve.

You want to get better, fitter, stronger right? You want to swim further, more confidently and not lose your breath after a short distance right?

You need to take your coach with you to the pool, at least once per week …

Sure you can go to the pool and swim 100 laps, good onya – you have done some aerobic exercise – and you will feel great afterwards but you won’t be improving, getting stronger, fitter and more capable of amazing swim achievements.

Even if your goal is simply to be more confident and swim for a couple of easy relaxed kilometres in the open water, the training guide will help you and it is just $5.50/week, no contracts/commitments, no BS, no fine print.

I also cover some pretty D&M swimming issues in this email, so well worth the price of a Regular Soy Macchiato ($5.50). 

WOW Pool Sesh comes in Lane 1 or Lane 2 versions plus an email with the latest deep and meaningful swim issues for you to contemplate.

The real key is to improving and getting stronger in swimming is anaerobic training that uses sugar stored in your muscles because the aerobic system is overwhelmed.

You do that with High Intensity Interval Training only, there’s no other way to do it. You need time limited fast reps, like these WOW Pool sessions. 

Maybe you have seen people at your local pool with a printed training program in a plastic sleeve – and aren’t they just awesome swimmers?! They are probably one of the many smarty pants who subscribe to my weekly WOW Pool Sesh email which arrives in your inbox on Monday afternoon. 

Actually they might not be TOTALLY awesome – yet – because there are two WOW Pool training guides, a Lane 1 version and Lane 2 for developing swimmers.

So whatever level you are at, click on the blue button, send me an email, message me or grab me by the collar and talk to me about subscribing to the WOW Pool Sesh weekly training guide.

Get in touch with me to find out more and subscribe to the WOW Pool Sesh weekly email.

jason@williamstownopenwaterswimcoaching.com.au

Learn to swim easy, relaxed freestyle with coaching and stroke correction

Posted on by JBryce

Anyone can learn to swim, at any age and starting from any level of ability. You can’t do it by yourself however. plenty have tried and this is a sure-fire way to to fail and feel like you can’t do it. You need an experienced teacher or coach to guide you through the steps to easy, relaxed swimming.

Swimmers who can swim freestyle easily and in a relaxed way for many laps, even many kilometres in the ocean or pool, have not achieved this by themselves. They have been taught, probably from a young age, by coaches and teachers. They have trained to achieve a good feel for the water, an high body position and an efficient stroke.

Good swimmers are not necessarily the fittest people in the world, but swimming can make you very fit indeed. A person who has learnt how to swim properly can keep that knowledge and skill for life and swim easy, relaxed freestyle whenever they jump in the water.

Step One is learning to breathe like a swimmer. This is very different to how runners, cyclists or other athletes manage their intake of oxygen. A quick deep breath in, followed by a long slow exhale. You need to practice this skill and be shown how it is done and learnt. Many children learn this skill at children’s swim lessons without even knowing they are learning to breathe like a swimmer.

Step Two is learning how to manage your body position and keep afloat in the water. Not everyone can simply lie on top of the water without effort. It depends on your body, for example, most women find floating easier than most men. You need guidance how to do it and maintain your floating body near or at the top of the water.

Step Three is kicking. Your legs can be like anchors, weighing you down and slowing you down. Good kicking is not exhausting, but some kicking keeps your legs high and behind you as you travel through the water. If you are not doing it properly, you can sink and get tired very quickly.

Step Four is efficient strokes that catch the water and pull through in long straight lines that push you forward easily and allow you to breathe regularly and effectively.

If you are interested in learning to swim, improving your freestyle (and/or other strokes) and achieving an easy, relaxed technique, get in touch with Coach Jason or book in to swim lessons, squads or stroke improvement groups here.

Cold water swim group in Melbourne

Posted on by JBryce

From Saturday 1 May 2021, there is just one supported swim group at Williamstown Beach each week – the 9am Saturday Cool Water Winter Swim Group.

This is not a class or lesson, you set your own distance, pace and time in the water. I set up a 600-700m swim course in the no-boating zone and provide on-water support with a boardy or kayaker keeping an eye on you and the conditions around you.

The course will be a big square or triangle stretching from the shallows to the deep water around the yellow poles at Williamstown. You can swim the entire course any number of times or stick to the shallows.

Cold water winter swimming in Melbourne at Williamstown Beach

When you get out there will be hot tea and watermelon. Please BYO snacks for a picnic. You can’t leave and drive away straight after getting out of the cool water. There are warm showers nearby.

Why would anyone want to swim in the cool water?

Because this is an amazing experience that will make you healthier, happier and smarter! Seriously. The cold water improves your circulation, your immune system, gets blood flowing through your brain and boosts your endorphin production and mood. This thing is addictive.

And it’s particularly good for you if you are at an age where you are saying things like “age doesn’t matter, it’s just a number” and “I’m young at heart.” 

Here is my guide to cold water swimming from last year. There’s plenty of science about cold water swimming and articles to read about how good it is for you but yes there’s risk and you should not try it by yourself.

Also you nbeed to start early – in Autumn before the temperature gets too low and keep it up at least once per week in order to get acclimatised to the cold. Your body will change, your white fat will change to brown fat, you will possibly lose weight and you won’t need a jumper quite so often. You won’t be turning the heater on quite as much.

So this is the need-to-know information for our cold water swimming group:

1) Meet near carpark behind WSLSC by 8.45am
2) You can hire a wetsuit from me for $20 if you need one.
3) I also have booties, swim gloves and thermal caps.
4) Maximum swim time is 60 minutes at the moment because the water is 16 -17C and this time will be reduced to 45 minutes when the water is 12 -13 C.
5) For people not wearing a wetsuit, the maximum swim time is 45 minutes.
6) You can’t leave straight after swimming. You definitely can’t drive a car straight after swimming in cold water.
7) You can share my tea (BYO cup) and watermelon and/or bring some snacks for yourself or our picnic table.
8) Bring a warm towel (or two) or even a blanket, maybe a chair, but standing in the sun, or going for a run is the best way to get your body temp back towards normal.
9) I have thermal blankets if necessary, there are warm council showers if you feel like it.
10) You can tell your friends and family you have found a new healthy drug called cool water swimming, you’re getting addicted and you don’t need rehab…. 

Mid week reset – sunrise swimming

Posted on by JBryce

Paul Benson’s beautiful photo (above) makes me want to run and jump in the water, so I’m starting a Wednesday mid-week reset swim at Williamstown Beach. I’ve been inspired by these oddballs (their description) from Perth who have found something awesome to recharge their personal batteries every Wednesday:

This is NOT a CLASS or a SQUAD.

This is just a simple ‘meet-up’ of like minded oddballs.

There’s no booking or money. People can swim 10 metres or 10,000 metres, it’s all up to you. I’m not providing coaching, a safety team, wetsuits, caps or anything. I’m having a go myself and inviting you to try this midweek reset thing with me.

Cool water is well known to improve your mood, once you get in and out again, and being a in a group makes it all better.

MEET: In carpark behind WSLSC at western end of Williamstown Beach.

TIME: 6.30AM

Invasion Day Swim and Bush Tucker Breakfast 26 January 2021

Posted on by JBryce

What better way to mark the Australia Day holiday (26 January 2021) than an Invasion Day swim and bush tucker breakfast, featuring johnny cakes, pancakes and vegan burgers.

We paid respect to the traditional owners and recognised the elders of country. We held a traditional smoking ceremony and then we jumped in the ocean! This was a great day out for everyone involved.

Summer Solstice Sunset Swim is Magic

Posted on by JBryce

Saturday evening 19 December 2020

Summer sunset swimming with up to 40 friends. This is renewing, refreshing, romantic and magical – everyone who does it says stuff like that.

So bring a friend (or not), swim with all of us, and have the best summer solstice swim you have EVER HAD. This is a LARGE group or we split into smaller groups.

We leave, not from the beach, but from the Crystal Point Steps. then we swim 400 – 500m across to the eastern Red Fishing Club marker and back around the rocks and beach. 1km relaxed swimming at your own pace.

You get a glowing safety marker for your cap, a lighted course with buoys, markers and a team keeping us company.

You also get to swim at sunset on the solstice! This is amazing and you have to do it at least once. Why on earth (sea, tides, sun and moon) haven’t you already done it?

Wear any swimwear you like, get a cap with safety marker, follow the bright flashing markers, and go for it. xxx

BOOK HERE for limited places in the 2020 Summer Solstice Sunset Swim at Williamstown Beach.

Melbourne’s top OWS group is the 9am OWS Skills Group at Williamstown Beach

Posted on by JBryce

Since 2015, Coach Jason Bryce has run the 9am Open Water Swim Skills Group at Williamstown Beach on summer Saturdays.

Swimming about 2km in the no-boating area, with a safety team, the group learns sighting, breathing, swimming straight and group swimming.

These are the distinct open water swimming skills that you can learn and practice to make your swim more enjoyable.

More than 1,000 swimmers have attended the class over seven summers.

Coach Jason teaches textbook AUSTSWIM freestyle technique with open water skills added on. Jason is a qualified Coach of Open Water Swimmers.

Mostly this group is about having safer fun swimming in the sea. Over the years we have got better and better at this group and learning what swimmers want and need from their open water swim group and coach!

9amclass15april17 from Coach Jason on Vimeo.

If you want to transition from the pool to the open water, or if you want a great Saturday swim group with an experienced safety team, come down to Williamstown Beach about 8.45am. We meet in the carpark behind the lifesaving club.

This group typically features a coach, a teacher assisting and a safety team on boards or kayaks. This group swims to the yellow ‘no-boating’ marker poles about 200m offshore from Williamstown Beach, but not beyond.

Challenge Yourself to learn open water freestyle

Posted on by JBryce

Our entry-level swim class is the 8am Challenge Yourself group.

We learn the basics of breathing, good freestyle stroke and kick, sighting, swimming straight, sustainable relaxed swimming for long distances, group swimming and drafting.

All in shallow water you can stand up in.

Coach Jason teaches Australian AUSTSWIM freestyle with open water skills direct from the coaching manual to you.

Challenge Yourself to swim in the sea

“I have no big new ideas,” says Jason.

“You will learn sustainable, relaxed freestyle in the bay, straight from the textbook.”

“I have been teaching kids and adults for decades and here at Williamstown since 2014. I can teach you to love going for a swim in the sea and make freestyle easier for you.”

“If you want to keep improving, many swimmers move up to the 9am Open Water Swim Skills Group.”

Challenge Yourself Group is very popular, has limited spaces and produces unbelievable results.

Go on, Challenge Yourself, come for a swim in the sea with Coach Jason and the team.