In this topic, information on:
The aim of each swim session to achieve your goals
Finding the right Session Level for you by using the Session Selection Set
Session frequency and effort (intensity) to achieve your aims
Choose your Sessions from your personalised Session Level
1. Aim of your Sessions
To provide variety there are several sessions in each level.
Each time you are at the pool, you can choose a session and/or mix the sets from one session with another.
Using a different session, each session, will provide variation to which your body will adapt more readily i.e., gain in Fitness.
Using the same session each session will not maximise the benefits available as your body will get used to the session, and fitness gains will be slower.
The aim of each session is to:
Attain an Exercise Heart Rate (EHR) of 70% of your maximum predicted exercise heart rate
To maintain this 70% EHR as an average for most of the Session
The Session duration depends on how many sessions you do a week and the benefits you want to achieve i.e., Health, Wellness or Fitness and is discussed below
Remember, following the same guidelines as presented here, you can use your aquatic sessions in combination with your other fitness-based activities.
When you get going, there are a range of session levels for you to use, each personalised to your fitness levels.
The sessions numbered and presented on laminated cards, at the pool on colour coded paper.
The sessions you see online have a colour strip, denoting the paper colour at the pool
2. Session Selection Table
Finding the right session level for you.
To assist, I will be at the pool at a scheduled time each week to help out.
I will publish the time on the Home page of this site each week.
The time will vary from week to week to hopefully provide availability to most.
I have a long an practical experience over many decades in this type of fitness conditioning.
For more details click here (title My Coaching)
In Table 1, set out below, there is listed 6 different Session Selection Sets.
A Set here being the indicated number of 25m laps
In the beginning choose an activity Set that you think might be right for you.
If it's not, and you do not achieve the planned outcome (70% EHR) you can try another set.
The aim is to complete the set:
Using the same Activity (noted as 1 in the table) each lap e.g., Swimming the same stroke or perhaps swimming with flippers or combining a walk and swim
Using the same lap interval (noted as 2)
See this topic (Pace Clock) for more information
The reason to target a pace is so that the indicated approximate rest period is achieved as there is a relationship between pace / rest / EHR
Completing each lap in approximately the same time (Pace) (noted as 3)
The aim is for your Exercise Heart Rate, at the end of the set, to be around your 70% (EHR) level
Table1 | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Session Lvl | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Swim or other (1) | 12 x 25 | 12 x 25 | 8 x 25 | 8 x 25 | 8 x 25 | 6 x 25 |
1 Lap sec. interval (2) | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 |
Lap pace sec. (3) | 18 | 23 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 |
Rest sec. | 12 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 |
Set duration | 6 min | 7 min | 7 min | 8 min | 7min | 8 min |
To help your selection/s you could do multiple Session Selection sets.
For example, if you use flippers to do your set you will likely swim faster, so you could use a shorter interval; Swimming without flippers you will likely swim comparatively slower
The result is you will create 2 Session selections, which will give you twice the session options.
As your fitness improves
• You can do another Session Selection Set
• Using this information you can progress to the next level of Sessions, which means you will experience even more of the Health, Wellness or Fitness benefits
3. When you have done your Session Selection set
At this point you are ready to start using the Sessions that have been designed for your level.
You can get these sessions in two places:
At the Pool: NOTE: We are awaiting the installation of the Program Displays. The Session cards are in the held in the Session Display rack on the wall adjacent to Lane 1. The sessions are laminated, so you can keep them for reference poolside
Please return them to the Display, for others to use when you have finished your Session
Download them from this site in the Swim Session section
To provide variety there are several sessions in each level.
Each time you are in you can choose a session and/or mix the sets from the same level session with another.
4. Session Duration and Frequency
The Australian National Health Guideline recommendation, is that Adults should be active most days, preferably every day.
The goal each week is 1 to 3 hours of moderate intensity i.e., each session should aim to be at 70% of your Exercise Heart Rate, depending on your selected benefit:
Health Related Fitness: 1 hour per week in 3 x 20 min sessions
Wellness: 2 hours per week in 4 x 30min sessions
Fitness: 3 hours per week in 5 x 40 min sessions
These concepts are explained more fully in the topic Plan Your Fitness Aim
Remember you can use your aquatic sessions in combination with your other fitness-based activities to achieve these duration targets.
5. Calculate your Exercise Heart Rate target
Exercising at the correct intensity as indicated by your heart rate when exercising, called Exercise Heart Rate (EHR) is important.
Exercise with too much effort and you may not have the stamina to get the right duration of exercise.
Exercise with not enough effort and you will not achieve the targeted benefits.
Exercising with a moderate intensity means exercising at 70% of your predicted maximum heart rate.
This is calculated by using this formula: 220 – your age then take 70% of the answer
E.g., For a 50-year-old: 220 – 50 = 170 x 70% = 119 beats per minute
Here is a guide a guide by age.
The 6 second count column is explained below.
Age | 70% EHR traget | Count for 6 seconds |
30 | 133 | 13 |
35 | 130 | 13 |
40 | 126 | 13 |
45 | 123 | 12 |
50 | 119 | 12 |
55 | 116 | 12 |
60 | 112 | 11 |
65 | 109 | 11 |
70 | 105 | 10 |
6. How to take your Exercise Heart Rate (EHR)
Smart watches that provide your EHR in real time are great for this.
It is accurate enough simply to count your pulse, using the pace clock at the pool.
IMPORTANT: Start to count your EHR within 10 seconds of finishing the Set
Use 6 seconds on the pace clock, count your pulse; add a ‘0’ for your EHR
E.g., Your count is 13 for 6 seconds, add a ‘0’ which makes it 130
Monitoring your Heart Rate
The exercise heart rate is easy to find as the stroke volume of the heart is greater when exercising, than at rest which means the pulse is 'stronger'
The image shows the best place to locate the pulse for the count.
As noted, monitoring your Exercise Heart Rate is made easy by wearing a Smart Watch.
Some watch brands are more sensitive than others for in-water operation, so please check that out if you want to get one.
In the Swim Club Swim Squad Session we use the Garmin Swim 2 which is very accurate, and you can view the EHR at a glance. These watches can be purchase from various vendors - the link to the Garmin site lists the watch features.
See the topic Exercise Intensity and Benefits for more information.
Recommended Reading: Fitness Conditioning - My experience: Graham Windeatt
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