From talented young swimmer to elite performer, and the role of training camps

From talented young swimmer to elite performer, and the role of training camps

Specific differences in training techniques should be introduced for youngsters who have a chance of pursuing an elite career in the pool from as early as the age of 10, according to John Leonard, Executive Director of the American Swimming Coaches Association.

Moreover Leonard, who has also served as Executive Director of the World Swimming Coaches Association since 1989, believes that certain skills can be identified and nurtured by trainers at an even younger age.

“History tells us that the vast majority of athletes who later, in maturity, become world-class athletes begin in the sport in a limited way between the ages of six and 10,” Leonard said.

“While some have started as late as their mid to late teen years, the skill development at an early age confers substantial advantages later in life.

“The critical question for the sport itself is to differentiate between the developmental programme that is best for the majority of participants – the growth of the sport – and that which is required for elite performance.

“They are not the same. There exist minor differences in programming at the youngest ages, then increasing disparity of needs as the athletes reach the ages of 10 to 14, and ever-increasing divergence between the ages of 14 to 20.

“The older an athlete becomes, the more radically different their training and life itself must be compared to their non-elite peers.”

Indications of special talent can be identified in a number of ways, according to Leonard.

Natural technique is important, of course, but a psychological drive to learn, improve and succeed is also crucial in developing promising Aquatics athletes.

“Talent often does not reveal itself until significant amounts of stimulus or work are put into the athlete, so the emergence of world-class talent can occur at any age,” he added.

“In terms of raw skills and abilities, most professional developmental coaches look for good flotation, a skilled kick and the ability to focus, follow directions and be ‘coachable’, which is not a physical trait, but one that all coaches recognise as a substantial psychological ‘skill’.

“The teen years are crucial to the development of world-class athletes. In women in particular, this is a time of high strength to weight ratios.

“The teenage male is a constantly growing, strengthening entity, who will not reach mature strength until mid-20s.

“Females, once in the later stages of puberty and early adulthood, will have a challenge maintaining the strength to weight ratios of their teen years. Those who are successful will be world-class female athletes well into their 20s or 30s.”

To assist in the development of swimmers, the right training camps need to be utilised. However, as explained by Leonard, the purpose of a training camp can differ.

“I don’t believe the facilities or technology make the success of a camp,” he added.

“Rather, the attitude of the coach and athletes and the ability to focus on the task at hand are the critical elements. Many of the most successful camps are conducted in very Spartan environments.

“Camps designed primarily for technical improvements require technology. Camps for relaxation require some degree of luxury. Camps for hard training demand very little, except the aforementioned attitudinal excellence.”

Leonard also said that camps that provide “competitive rehearsals” for major competitions are particularly useful.

In terms of high-performance training, Leonard recognises an increasing focus on video analysis as one of the key trends moving forward, as well as increasingly sophisticated approaches to physical recovery.

“For race review and technical improvement… athletes today learn best visually,” he said.

“Recovery from high intensity training also continues to be the critical issue in training and then successful competition.

“Recovery therapies ranging from physical manipulation, ice baths and multiple other modalities, coupled with quality nutritional supplementation without the dangers of illegal substances, continue – as they have been for the past 40 years – to be the most important aspect besides the actual training.

“Quality recovery allows for more quality training efforts in any given period of time. The speed of physiological recovery is vital to the next stage of training.”