Are you a swimmer or triathlete looking to up your game? Training in a 50-meter pool, also known as an Olympic-sized pool, can seriously boost your performance. Whether you’re prepping for a race or just want to swim faster and more efficiently, this is a game-changer. In these tips, I’m sharing the top reasons you should train in a 50-meter pool. Stick around, because these tips could make all the difference on your next race day!
Improve Your Endurance Like Never Before
In a 50-meter pool, you swim longer without stopping, which means you’re building real endurance. It’s the perfect way to simulate open water swims where there are no walls to push off from. Swimming longer distances without a break forces your body to adapt to working harder for extended periods, which translates to better endurance on race day. This kind of endurance isn’t just physical—it’s mental too. You’ll get used to pushing through fatigue, and your body will learn how to sustain effort for longer. As a bonus, this endurance training will improve your overall fitness, so you’re not just getting better at swimming, but becoming a stronger athlete all around.
Perfect Your Stroke Technique
Less time flipping at the wall means more time focusing on your stroke. With 50 meters of continuous swimming, you can really dial in your form. In a shorter pool, frequent turns can interrupt your rhythm, which makes it harder to focus on consistency. In a 50-meter pool, you get more uninterrupted swim time, which helps you settle into a steady pace and fine-tune your technique. You can focus on things like your hand entry, pull, and breathing pattern without having to reset every few seconds. The longer distance also lets you test out different stroke rates and see what works best for maintaining speed and efficiency over longer distances.
Train for Open Water Conditions
Let’s face it: open water swimming can be intimidating, but training in a 50-meter pool can help. Fewer breaks and longer swims make it feel a lot more like an open water race. In open water, there are no walls to rely on for rest, so getting used to the extended distances in a 50-meter pool is great practice. You’ll also have a chance to work on sighting and adjusting your breathing pattern to mimic open water conditions, where waves or currents might make your usual breathing rhythm tricky. Plus, it’s a great way to practice pacing yourself over a longer stretch, which is key in open water swimming, where it’s easy to go out too fast. The more you swim in a 50-meter pool, the more confident you’ll feel when you hit the open water.
Boost Your Mental Toughness
Swimming long distances without taking breaks isn’t just good for your body—it’s a huge mental workout too. Training in a 50-meter pool forces you to keep going when you’re tired, which builds the mental toughness you’ll need in a triathlon. This mental endurance is crucial because triathlons aren’t just about physical stamina; they test your ability to stay focused and motivated when the going gets tough. You’ll learn how to push through those moments when you want to stop but know you have to keep going. This kind of training helps you stay calm and focused, even when you’re uncomfortable, which is exactly the mindset you need to perform well in races. Over time, you’ll notice that these mental gains translate into stronger performances across all three triathlon disciplines.
Get More Swim Time, Less Turning
In smaller pools, you spend a lot of time flipping and pushing off walls, which means less actual swimming. In a 50-meter pool, there are fewer turns, so you maximize your time swimming. More time spent swimming without interruption means you’re training more efficiently. Each lap gives you the opportunity to settle into your stroke, find your rhythm, and cover more distance in one go. For triathletes, this kind of continuous swimming is essential for preparing your body and mind for the nonstop swim leg of a race. The extra distance also gives you more time to test your pacing and figure out how to conserve energy while still swimming fast, a key skill in both training and racing.
Train to Swim Faster Over Time
Training in a 50-meter pool teaches your body to handle longer stretches of swimming without rest. Over time, you’ll find that this boosts your overall speed and stamina. When you swim in a smaller pool, the constant stops and turns break up the workout, making it harder to build sustained speed. In a 50-meter pool, you can work on maintaining a faster pace over longer distances, which is exactly what you need for triathlons. The more you swim in these longer intervals, the better your body gets at managing its energy and maintaining speed. This means that when you switch back to a shorter pool or hit open water, you’ll feel faster and more efficient, with the ability to hold a higher pace for longer.
So, there you have it—the top 6 reasons why training in a 50-meter pool can take your swimming and triathlon game to the next level. Whether you’re aiming to build endurance, improve technique, or get mentally tough, a 50-meter pool is your secret weapon. It’s the perfect training ground for prepping your body and mind for the demands of race day. If you found these tips helpful, don’t forget to hit that like button and subscribe for more content to help you reach your triathlon goals. See you in the next video!
