Episode Title: The More You Do, The More You Need To Do – How Many Swim Sessions Do You Really Need?
In this episode, I reflect on a surprising life lesson from our family dog, Sandy—a spirited Border Collie who joined us back in 2016. Everyone said, “The more you walk and run him, the more he’ll want to be walked and run!” And they were right. As Sandy got fitter, his appetite for movement only grew. It got me thinking… isn’t that true for us swimmers too?
We often get asked, “How many sessions do I need to improve?” And while there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, I’ll unpack how to think about this question based on your current routine, goals, and time available.
I’ll also share how I’ve personally structured my own training at age 46, still swimming not far off where I was in my British Triathlon days—thanks to a couple of short, purposeful sessions each week that have made a real difference.
We’ll dive into the Swim Smooth GURU’s Fitness Curve—a powerful tool that helps you visualise the balance between fitness, fatigue, and form, and why timing your training cycles is key to real, sustainable gains.
Plus, I’ll give you a look at my “two magic swims” that take less than 30 minutes and still keep me moving the needle forward—one in the pool, one in the ocean, both easy to adapt to your own routine.
If you’ve ever felt stuck on a plateau or wondered whether you're doing enough, this episode is for you.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
blog.swimsmooth.com/subscribe