Swim update as at 18 January 2022:
***Friday 28 Jan will be a CSS timing session. Anyone who wants to know their Critical Swim Speed (CSS) is welcome. Everyone will swim a warm up, 400m best effort (timed), 10 min recovery swim, 200m best effort (timed). The times will be used to calculate your CSS pace over 100m. In future, when coaches talk about doing, for example, 5 x 100m at your CSS pace, you’ll know what your target pace is. We’ll aim to do regular timing sessions every few months for anyone who can’t attend one or wants to see their progression. ***
We still have some restrictions and requirements, so please refresh yourselves on the details below.
Pool swimming – where and when:
We are ramping up back towards our original swim sessions, as the numbers attending make it affordable to reintroduce sessions. Sessions are split between Christleton and City Baths, all mixed ability, with lanes arranged by speed. We will continue to secure more lanes/sessions when there is enough demand.
Christleton:
19.00 – 20.00 Mondays & Fridays, 5 x lanes
City Baths:
06.00 – 07.00 Wednesdays, 5 x lanes
16.00 – 17.00 Saturdays, some lanes technique, some lanes squad swim
Planned to be reintroduced next:
Combined squad swims 1500-1600 Saturdays and 18.00-19.00 Sundays @ City Baths
Important to remember:
Book in advance via Nifty Entries (bookings go live 1 week before each session). Cost £4 + 30p transaction fee.
You can now change at both pools and shower at Christleton, but no showers yet at City Baths.
Read full instructions on the club website restart page.
Open water venues – please check their websites/FB for details (see links on open water swimming page).
If you are going to swim outdoors, we suggest to refresh/prepare yourself with some outdoor swimming tips from sensible sources. You can find various resources about open water swimming here on the club website. We don’t recommend open water swimming alone, particularly in cold weather.
Our next swim sessions
Technique swim sessions
Technique sessions are held at Chester City Baths on Saturdays 16:00 – 17:00.
Our Technique swim session is a front crawl improver session for all abilities – we believe that anyone can improve their technique and enjoy becoming more efficient and confident in the water. We are sorry that we cannot teach you front crawl from scratch, but our experienced coaches can help you improve your technique, whatever ability / speed you already have.
Who are the sessions perfect for?
- Newish to swimming, can swim front crawl, but may find it difficult or may not be confident.
- Limited understanding of technique.
- May lack fitness.
- May include post injury rehab.
Training Focus
- Study and improve your front crawl.
- Develop stroke, using drills.
- Begin swim endurance.
- Develop lane discipline.
- Technique is the priority, no pressure around speed!
Intermediate swim sessions
Temporarily, intermediate swimmers can train:
Mondays 1900-2000 @ Christleton,
Wednesdays 0600-0700 @ City Baths, and
Fridays 1900-2000 @ Christleton.
*****
When we can go back to normal, intermediate sessions are held at Christleton Sports Centre on Mondays 18:00 – 19:00 and Fridays 19:00 – 20:00. Combined squad swims are at Chester City Baths early mornings on Wednesdays 06:00 – 07:00, an afternoon session on Saturdays 15:00 – 16:00 and evenings on Sundays 18:15 – 19:15.
Our Intermediate sessions are squad sessions that cater for a wide variety of abilities. As a basis, swimmers should be able to swim front crawl for at least 200m without stopping. The coaches will help you in terms of which lane you will most benefit from and if this session is suitable for you.
- Reasonably fit.
- Technique: still in need of development.
Training Focus
- Mondays and Fridays – CSS development.
- Wednesdays – Speed work and CSS development.
- Saturdays – Fitness.
- Sundays – Endurance.
Advanced swim sessions
Temporarily, advanced swimmers can train:
Mondays 1900-2000 @ Christleton,
Wednesdays 0600-0700 @ City Baths, and
Fridays 1900-2000 @ Christleton.
*****
When we can go back to normal, advanced sessions are held at Christleton Sports Centre on Mondays 19:00 – 20:00 and Fridays 18:00 – 19:00. Combined squad swims are at Chester City Baths early mornings on Wednesdays 06:00 – 07:00, an afternoon session on Saturdays 15:00 – 16:00 and evenings on Sundays 18:15 – 19:15.
Advanced swim sessions are squad sessions for those who are able to maintain a pace of approximately 1:50 per 100m or quicker over longer distances.
- Fit and competent swimmer.
- Good level of technique.
- Good lane discipline.
Training Focus
- Mondays and Fridays – CSS development.
- Wednesdays – Speed work and CSS development.
- Saturdays – Fitness.
- Sundays – Endurance.