The healthy development of the whole person benefits from the ability to move with competence and confidence in a wide variety of physical activities. As a fitness professional I firmly believe that physical strength is the basis of all the things we want to do with our body in life: work, play, hike or catching the bus from the station, for example.

The concept of sport performance is at high stake in the swimming department programme of my school, led by Gil Levy, an elite swim coach at the national, international and olympic performance level. Gil came up with a comprehensive plan and he leaves no stone unturned on his way to achieve excellence, and this is one of the reasons that inspired and motivated me to get involved. The swimming performance training approach in our swimming team is centered on the following components: athletes’ neuromuscular factors, the psychological factors, environmental conditions and coaching and external support for the swimmers.

In leading the FitSwim strength and conditioning program I am ensuring that the neuromuscular  components are being magnified through a systemic stress and a systemic response from the muscles during the strength sessions.  We focus on the whole body as a unit, a system, instead of an isolated component. The system gets stronger and the components, too. It is an utilitarian adaption of simple biological principles of stress, recovery, and adaptation that we practice in our progressions.

The strength and conditioning program has a frequency of two sessions a week, with swimmers starting  to train ar 7.00 am. Additionally, short technique sessions are performed during the holiday sessions or swimming camps. This tops up an intesive swimming training  with some of the most commited athletes attending the sessions during school holidays.

In the upcoming posts I will share insights of our strength programme featuring the top swimmers in our school and Singapore. Until then, our swimmers are flying really high!

 

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