Swim Training Advice: How to Make the Most of Your Summer After Qualifying
The qualifying window for the 2026 summer national meets closed this Sunday, concluding an incredibly intense period of racing and uncertainty. If you qualified to one of the National Summer meets - British, English, Scottish, or Welsh - congratulations! If you just missed out then commiserations. I hope you recognise that you are still within the top few percent of swimmers in the country.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, here is my swim training advice for what the next 3 months should look like going into your summer.
1. Give Yourself Time to Decompress
This is so important to do whether your qualifying period was a success or not. The stress we put on ourselves to race weekend after weekend in that 10 week block, chasing goal times that keep changing, is enormous. I've seen - and been one of - so many swimmers that feel burnt out in the weeks following the qualification window due to the accumulation of fatigue and high emotion.
I feel strongly that a few days break, or some easier training, is needed. Another stressful time period will be coming soon, especially for swimmers that have exams in the coming weeks, so taking the opportunity now for a mental recharge is vital. That goes for the parents and coaches too!
2. Pick a Target Meet for the Summer
We, as swimmers, always need a goal meet for training to be targeted towards. If you qualified for a nationals meet then that is a simple choice. If you didn't, then talk to your coaches about a meet you can target instead.
I have always found that having a meet for non-national qualifiers around the same time as nationals helps the team stay training together, since everyone is working to a similar timeline. Plus it helps get into the habit of racing fast in July and August - which you'll need when you do get that nationals qualification next time!
3. Set Some Goals
Goal setting is a massive component of getting better as swimmers. We don't need to overcomplicate it. Below are several categories with examples based on me as a 100m butterfly swimmer.
My suggestion: pick 1 or 2 things from each category, write them down on paper - it's very important to see your goals in your own handwriting - and put them somewhere you can see every day. The fridge is a great place! Feel free to ask coaches, parents, and mentors for their input too. This is a team sport even though we race individually most of the time.
Race Skills
This covers anything around starts, turns, underwater fly kick counts, and the 5m in and 15m out of your walls. Ask your coach about this one. My goal is to use my arms to get a longer pull off the blocks.
Technique
For technique goals we're looking at how we move during the swimming portion of the race - pull, kick, breathing, and stroke timing. Ask your coaches here too. My goals are to get my hands closer together on entry, and to have my hands entering before my elbows.
Race Strategy
This is about pacing and breathing patterns. Again, your coach's input is invaluable because they can help you work on this in training. My goal is to take the first 50m out faster with the same stroke count, to take advantage of my improvement in top end speed.
Lifestyle
Everything outside the pool. If you're doing gym work, set strength-based goals - for example, completing 5 bodyweight pull-ups. We can also set goals around sleep (a huge one given the early mornings), nutrition, and hydration. We spend far more time outside the pool each day than in it, so these areas often have the most room to improve. Make your lifestyle elite and you'll train better - which helps you achieve everything else. Win-win.
My goals here are to be in bed with the lights off by 9:30 every night, and to drink at least 5 litres of water per day.
Academic
Many swimmers are heading into exams right now. I'm not saying you must achieve top grades, but having an academic goal gives you something to work towards away from the pool - something to feel genuine pride in. Transferring the habit of goal setting from swimming into school or university will set you up to do the same in your working life too. I'm no longer in education, but I'm taking more of an interest in coaching, so my goal is to read something - from a book or article - that helps my coaching knowledge grow.
Final Thought: Remember to Enjoy It
It's far too easy to get wound up with the pressure of competing, or to feel disheartened by the scoreboard. But if we can remember why we started swimming in the first place, we can bounce back from disappointment and thrive under pressure.
Whatever your summer looks like, make it count - and make sure you enjoy it along the way.
About the Author
Jamie Ingram is an English international swimmer, Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and 100m butterfly specialist. When he's not in the water, he coaches and mentors swimmers of all levels. Find out more at jingramswimming.com.
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