(continued from Week 8, on Youtube)

Happy New Year everyone! Since the beginning of the new year is a good time to review, I decided to look over the blogs and my workouts of this project.

I have come a long way since I began this project with so much more to come. My pace in the pool has gone from 2:00/100 m to 1:30-35 consistently.

And, more importantly–at least to me–I have moved up two lanes in my master’s group.

My 5 min power on the Vasa swim erg has gone from 55 to 80 watts, and my top-end max power is now over 100. But, as I reflect upon these past few months and looked at my workouts, it occurred to me that this progress is nothing special.

It did not come from doing complex workouts with lots of sets or from hours of analysis on TrainingPeaks or pouring over videos.

It came from simplicity.

Everything from the workouts, the progression, my weekly workout schedule, even things like my nutrition, was broken down into the simplest terms and consistently repeated. 

I tuned out everything beyond the simplest components. (Yes, I scratched social media and following threads on Slowtwitch off my list of daily habits.)

I have come to believe that simplicity is the key to swimming success for beginners. Our Tri Swim Success Program is so successful because it is simple and straightforward. Here are 5 ways to to keep it stupidly simple (or KISS) this year:

1. Break down your swim stroke to the simplest components (balance, extension/rotation, catch, pull, finish).
2. Focus on the top 1 or 2 things that you need to improve stroke.  And just focus on those until you nail them.
3. Pick 2 simple drills that will help your form and repeat.
4. Create a simple main set (my favorite is 10×100–how simple is that!?).
5. Find the simplest time to get to the pool that works for your schedule and stick to it.

If you are paralyzed by where to begin, or overwhelmed by all the things that you have to do improve, find solace in simplicity. That is all you need.

My friend sent me this quote the other week and I want to finish with it:

“Simple ideas are easier to understand. Ideas that are easier to understand are repeated. Ideas that are repeated change the world.”  –Simon Sinek

For more on the Vasa Swim Erg, click here.