If you own a dog and unexpectedly it jumps up at someone, it is not the dog’s fault - it’s yours. This is the analogy we use to get our swimmers to understand that their stroke is their responsibility, not someone else’s (not, for example, the coach’s). Take full responsibility for your stroke in the same way an owner has to take full responsibility of their dog’s behaviour!

Practicing the wrong thing only makes you better at… doing the wrong thing! Don’t undo any progress you are making by allowing yourself to switch off and practice the very thing you are trying to correct. Always maintain that focus.

Whenever you swim there should be an inherit sense of ’forwardness’ that permeates the whole of the stroke. When you do so all your actions will become aligned and purposeful. You should try to avoid simply performing a series of movements without having a clear sense of where you are ultimately going.

Don’t simply accept that the more flexible you are as a swimmer, the better. Developing sport-specific flexibility is exactly that. Want to know more?

• Some often overlooked considerations

• Ankles

• Shoulders

• Spine

• Legs

Ever tried mirror swimming? When you are trying to make a correction to your stroke which is proving to be difficult, sometimes it may prove useful to practice it at home: stand in front of a big mirror and repeat the movements you are trying to achieve whilst watching yourself doing them. Make any necessary adjustments and when you get back in the water try to remember what the correct version felt like.