Mike discusses the concept of sprinting as a skill.
Sprinting is a skill
Articles
400m Pace Session
A challenging session to help practice your 400m race pace.
Mid-Season Speed & Aerobic
This mid-season session has a little bit of speed and aerobic work with all parts nice and short.
Arena Air Speed Goggles – Review
Mike reviews the Arena Air Speed Goggles
Speed/Taper Set
A nice little speed set that is useful for injecting speed during the season or as a taper session.
Arena Cobra Ultra Goggles – Review
Mike reviews the Arena Cobra Ultra goggles
General Aerobic Session 5
This session is mostly IM focused with some freestyle and even some speed mixed in. I like sessions like these sometimes as changing every 500m or so keeps things interesting. As usual I must point out that these are my sessions that I swim, people are free to try them and adapt them, but do... Continue Reading →
Mad Wave Record Breaker Goggles – Review
Mike reviews the Mad Wave Record Breaker goggles
Wrapping up 2021
Summing up the second half of 2021, when I finally got to return to the pool
Anaerobic Wave (Anaerobic LP)
A "fun" little anaerobic set I found among my pile of documents from coaching workshops and courses.
ARENA Python Goggles – Review
Mike reviews the Arena Python goggles
A Strange Year
A Strange Year - A recap on the year just gone and why I haven't been writing.
Mad Wave Pro Snorkel Breathe Trainer – Review
There are a lot of generic looking snorkels on the market and they all look similar to the FINIS snorkel I bought and reviewed previously, so I expected the Mad Wave Pro Snorkel Breathe Trainer to be much the same. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are some distinct differences between the two.... Continue Reading →
The Gothenburg Pyramid (IM Aerobic)
A challenging IM aerobic session written by my fellow Gothenburg Sim coach
How to improve your Freestyle kick
Tips and instructions on how to improve your freestyle kick
Zoggs Nitrogen Optic Prescription Goggles – Review
A review of the Zoggs Nitrogen Optic Prescriptions Goggles
First Swim Back Session
An easy session for the start of the season
My Irish Masters Open 2020
Mike reviews his Irish Masters Open 2020
Speedo LZR Element Jammer – Review
A review of the Speedo LZR Element Jammer
FINIS Freestyler Paddles – Review
Mike reviews the FINIS Freestyler Paddles
Closing out 2019
As 2019 comes to a close, Mike reflects on the season so far
Arena Carbon Flex XV Jammer – Review
Mike reviews the Arena Carbon Flex XV Jammer
How to improve your body position when swimming
Mikes advice on how to improve your body position in the water.
Tips for the start of your season
Mike gives his tips to remember when starting a new season
FINIS ISO Paddles – Review
A review of the FINIS ISO Paddles
Zoggs Bluefinz Fins – Review
A review of Zoggs' Bluefinz
End of Season 2019
Mike sums up the 2019 season
My Irish Masters Open 2019
Choosing the events This year, for the first time since 2016, I didn’t need to use the Irish Masters Open to prepare for a larger international gala. This meant I had a little bit more freedom in the events I wanted to do. So, in January when I sat down to do my entries, I... Continue Reading →
Short but Sweet
This session came about last weekend when myself and my sister Claire went for a swim. The pool was unexpectedly busy so we had to figure out how to get an aerobic workout in, while also trying to navigate around the odd swimmer or two that wandered into our lane for a few laps. Claire... Continue Reading →
Three Lessons on Rest
Three important lessons on rest for masters swimmers Mike learned
FINIS Swimmer’s Snorkel – Review
Mike reviews the FINIS Swimmer's Snorkel
Arena Carbon Flex Jammer – Review
Mike reviews the Arena Carbon Flex Jammers
Mixing it up
A challenging session that keeps things interesting.
Summer 2018 + New Season – The Rome Challenge
Its been a while since I gave an update on Jia's Rome Challenge, it was a very busy summer. Summer 2018 Things went a little off the rails in the beginning of the summer. I took a two week break from swimming after the Irish open and afterwards I insisted Jia take something similar... Continue Reading →
European Masters Diary – Second Race Day
I was lucky to have a day off after my first day of racing, an unusual thing for me in multi-day competitions. We took the opportunity to go to see lake Bled using one of the competitions shuttles. As soon as we saw the amazing water I started to regret not entering the open water... Continue Reading →
European Masters Diary – First Race Day
I mentioned in the previous article that I was wary of making the same mistake a I did for my first race in the Worlds. It’s something that niggled at me in the run up to the competition, I was determined to leave nothing to chance. I would get to the pool early to make... Continue Reading →
European Masters Diary – Before Race Day
Arrival The Worlds in Budapest were so much fun last year, we decided to take the kids to the Europeans in Slovenia this year. The only downside was that getting to Slovenia is a little tricky. Our journey started with an 11pm trip to Dublin for a 5 am flight to Amsterdam, and from there... Continue Reading →
Nearly There
After writing this I realize some of it is a bit grim, but I'm going to go with it anyway as it captures the grind that goes with training for a big competition. My last hard week of training is now done and it certainly was the toughest. Over the last two months there were... Continue Reading →
Basic Anaerobic Threshold Set
This is my go-to Anaerobic Threshold set. For anybody unfamiliar with this term: Anaerobic Threshold isn't actually using the anaerobic energy system, it's aerobic but just under where lactate is produced. So typically 85% effort and above, but under 90% effort. This kind of session will help increase your aerobic training speed and should help... Continue Reading →
Arena Training Swim Snorkel – Review
As I mentioned in my powerbreather review, until recently the last time I wore a snorkel was as a child heading off for a day of exploring a local beach. Of course, back then we didn’t have ones made specifically for swimmers. I have seen more and more swimmers start to use them in the... Continue Reading →
The Slog to Slovenia
The counter in the sidebar of this website shows how many days to go until the European Masters in Slovenia. While I am a little bit behind where I would like to be, I am still on track and I have started to increase my number of training sessions per week. This post will give... Continue Reading →
Ameo Powerbreather (Snorkel) – Review
Until three weeks ago the last time I had used a snorkel was when I was 12 and back then I was wearing one to boldly explore the majestic waters of Tralee bay, as long as those majestic waters were within my depth, or slightly out of them if I thought I could get away... Continue Reading →
Nine Month Update – The Rome Challenge
We are now 9 months into the Rome challenge and as we are only competing in Munster galas, Jia’s competitive season is over, but her training continues. The Irish Masters Open  The Irish Masters Open was Jia’s third competition and her first long course competition. We went up the day before to get used... Continue Reading →
Finis Z2 Gold Zoomers (fins) – review
I’ve read about people online liking these fins, but I knew nothing about them before I tried them. From looking at them I imagined they would be quite rigid like the TYR Crossblades. This changed as soon as I pushed off the wall and started to swim with them. They were surprisingly flexible and this,... Continue Reading →
Relays are Awesome
Swimming is an individual sport, you might train and travel with others in your club, but when it comes to competing you are all on your own. In your own lane with your own black line down the middle of it, unless of course you are in an open water race, in which case you... Continue Reading →
Second Gala – The Rome Challenge
Jia’s second competition was supposed to be the Irish Masters gala in Limerick, but a freak cold weather front caused days of snow and the gala ended up being cancelled. This meant that our home gala was her second competition, and what a competition it was. Tralee Gala Now that Jia has actual entry times... Continue Reading →
Break Out or Break Apart
So hopefully you have read my articles on starts, turns and streamlining, and you’re working on improving yours. If you’ve done things right, you will be moving faster streamlining from the wall or the blocks than at any other time of your race. Unfortunately, physics means that you will start to slow down unless you... Continue Reading →
Mad Wave Pro Finger Paddles – Review
These are the first finger paddles I’ve ever used, and when I was putting them on I realised they are the first paddles with straps that I’ve used in over 19 years. Which meant I had to do a double take putting them on because I had forgotten how tight I like them and how... Continue Reading →
Maru Pro T Jammer – Review
This was the first racing suit I’d bought since my time as a club swimmer, I’ll be honest not a lot of thought went into picking it. I had decided to enter the European Masters and needed a FINA approved suit, but didn’t want to break the bank. Boy did I luck out, this turned... Continue Reading →
General Aerobic Session 4 (IM and Freestyle)
This session has a mixture of speed, short IM work, and some distance aerobic work.
Speedo Aquapure Prescription Goggles – Review
A review of Speedo's Aquapure prescription goggles
General Aerobic Session 3 (Individual Medley)
An aerobic IM training session.
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