Hidden Swim Training (Sleep, Diet, and Hydration)

Swimming is an intense sport that includes hours and hours of training and skill development to be successful. A large portion of a swimmer’s success is built in the pool; however, the training does not stop there. What some coaches refer to as “hidden training” plays an equal role in the success of a swimmer. Hidden training encompasses sleep hygiene, diet, and hydration.

Sleep:

  • Adequate sleep plays a proven role in success in swimming

    • The American Academy of Sleep Medicine conducted a small study that yielded staggering improvements from proper sleep:

      • They recommend 10 hours of sleep per night for swimmers

      • During the study, Athletes slept 10 hours per night over a six week period

        • On average, these athletes swam a 15 meter sprint .51 seconds faster after this period

        • On average, these athletes reacted .15 seconds faster off the blocks

        • On average, these swimmers flip turn times were improved by .1 seconds

      • In a sport where hundredths of a second can be the difference between achieving time cuts and not achieving time cuts, these small improvements can yield exceptional outcomes.

Diet:

  • According to Sports Dieticians Australia, swimmers should comsume the following to adequately prepare for training and repare their bodies in between sessions:

    • lean proteins (fish, chicken, etc.)

    • carbohydrates (timed 90 minutes-2 hours before practice or competition for improved performance)

    • Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds, and Wholegrains (minerals and healthy fats)

Hydration:

  • Dehydration’s effect on swimming performance (According to swimmingscience.net)

    • Swimmers sweat as much as on land athletes during training

    • Increased resting heart rate leading to an increase in the rate of percieved exertion during practice and meets

    • Increase in core body temperature perpetuating water loss over time through increased sweating

    • Increase in blood plasma osmolality - less fluid in the blood plasma causing cells to dehydrate.

    • More viscous blood and narrow blood vessels leading to worse circulation and blood oxygen transport.

  • How much should my swimmer drink per day?

    • Body weight divided by 2 = total oz of hydration per day for non athletes

    • Swimmers need to drink more to compensate for fluid loss during training and competition.

Laura Mitchell