Log Books

Written by Janet Warrington FISTC (SCC, P&B) MISTC (D)

 Every swimmer should keep a log of their training.

As I appreciate we are all different, I have tried to put together a simple list of things you should be logging and how you can start recording your training from just a few numbers to an essay!

• The most important thing you want to record is how many metres you have swum. The coaches will be able to tell you at the end of a session. This number should then be recorded.
• Make a record of any land training or other sports that are important to you which are helping with your fitness. If you run you can record how many miles you have run.
• State Monitor – this is apparently the first sign of over training. It is a simple smiley face symbol alongside a number from 1-10. 10 for feeling fantastic. You should rate the State Monitor at the end of a training session.
• Fluid and Nutrition. In your log book you should write what you have drunk and eaten throughout the day and the rough times you took them.
• Lifestyle. Make a note of what is going on in your life, do you have exams, have you just changed schools, any personal highlights or problems, have you just passed all your exams, started driving lessons or just passed your driving test. The highs and lows of life affect our moods and ultimately the psychological side of our training.
• Some of you will be able to record all the above, some of you will struggle to remember to ask how many metres you have just swum.

Bearing that in mind, I feel it is best to leave the task to you whether you want to just do points 1, 2 and 3 or whether you want to do all 5.

You can record the information in a diary or book, or on the computer, it needs to be easy to do so that you keep it up.

When you have recorded the metres you can add them up and see how many you have done in each month, cycle and then each year. This will give you a good idea of how you are progressing.

If you have a particularly bad period with no pb's you can look at your log book and the answer may very well be there. For example, you may see you are not drinking enough fluid or you ate just before a gala. You may be going through a bad time at school and things are playing on your mind. On the other hand if you get a fantastic pb again look at your log book and see what you were doing right, and keep doing it!