Improve your swimming technique with Olympian Bas van Velthoven

This month, a great series of technique videos is scheduled once again on the LED screen at the Hoornse Vaart swimming pool. Olympian Bas van Velthoven has chosen exercises that are good to do, but also enjoyable—especially at this time of year. We asked Bas why these exercises are so good to do right now:

Relaxed and calm endurance training

“During the summer weeks, relaxed and easy endurance training sessions are good to do,”, so says Bas. “And an endurance session can also be a swimming session, where you swim relaxed laps for 20 minutes.” Perhaps you have just been on holiday or are still going away. Your ’new’ swimming season is just around the corner, or these are the final preparations for your triathlon or open-water event. This month's exercises will fit in very well then. They are not very difficult in terms of level and are easy to apply in swimming training. During this period, you specifically do not want to do overly difficult exercises. You want to avoid suddenly having to get very used to a new point for improvement. That is not the case with this month's exercises. They provide the necessary improvements to your swim strokes and maintain that great feeling of swimming. 

Another tip

When you are going to do the exercises, ensure some extra focus and calm around the exercises. Swim the exercises in a kind of slow motion, from a good base with extra ‘core’ tension. This ensures a much better effect from the exercise. Try to combine the technique exercise with a bit of relaxed swimming, in order to apply the focus points in the stroke in this way. That way, your technique and swimming stroke will improve. Because there is always room for improvement, in order to swim with more enjoyment.

Curious about this month's exercises? Come to the Hoornse Vaart, check out the exercises with explanations on the big screen and get started! Good luck!