There are 15 swimmers attending this gala which is in the University of Limerick Pool between the 22 and 24 June 2012. A full schedule of events is available and there are approximately 450 swimmers entered from all around the country.  Club swimmers have put in the hours preparing for this gala.  Training was mainly in the morning but we also had a few evening sessions.  The training consisted of gym and water based work.  While one can never know how a sporting event will go, and as a famous military commander once said, ‘when you cross the start line to go into battle, the plan will probably go out the window, but the skill and training done in preparation will come to the fore, and those who adapt best will eventually win the day.’ (von Clausewitz).  It is evident that hard work, good commitment and a desire to perform technically well is the modus operandi of this group of swimmers.   They are trying to be the best they can be.  Elements important to performance apart from swimming technique and pool time are rest (sleep), diet, stretching, fun and relaxation.

David Joyce, writing in Peak Performance Bulletin recently talked about Sport Specificity and sport relevancy. He said” The problem is that it is not specific at all.  Just because a drill looks like the skill does not make it the same as the skill.” An example he give is pull ups to improve swimming performance.  In swimming you are constantly grabbing hold of the water over your head or out in front of you.  You aim to get a good grip on the water in order to propel yourself forward.  The pull up or chin up is the same. You grab the bar and pull yourself up over the bar.  Ideally you would continue and eventually end up holding the bar and it at your thighs.

So for swim training on land, the chin up, combined with the parallel bars tricep dip is where the swim action and land exercise is relevant and specific.  David Joyce is Sports Medicine and Performance Consultant for Team China.

TRIATHLON SUCCESS

Over the last two weekends Patrick McKenna and Damien Murray have been competing in the Athy and Newry Triathlons.  Both men have performed very well finishing with times that see them at the front of the field on each occasion.  Well done lads and good luck and stay injury free during the summer.