Hi all,

Lots of information here so please read all the way to the end.

Bronze, Junior & Development squads run as normal until 21st Dec and begin 5th Jan 2026

National/State target Squad:
NO TRAINING 13TH - 21ST Dec
*We encourage all our 11 & under's to train with Mitch & Dev through this period

Monday 22nd 6:00-8:00am & 3:00-5:00pm
Tuesday 23rd 6:00-8:00am & 3:00-5:00pm
Wednesday 24th 6:00-8:00am
Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th OFF
Monday 29th 6:00-8:00am & 3:00-5:00pm
Tuesday 30th 6:00-8:00am & 3:00-5:00pm
Wednesday 31st 6:00-8:00am
Thursday 1 - Sunday 4th OFF

These sessions are optional and if you are around please consider coming to a few. I have attached an email that was sent out by Ivan Hooper the lead physiotherapist at the QAS & Swimming Aus about maintaining tendon health through a break period. Those that are going to states I will discuss individually with you about your break.

I haven't released the January timetable yet as the pool hasn't finalised the changes. As you know Svet is going to Chile on holidays to catch up with Felipe and do some travelling. As such it is just Mitch and I holding down the fort so there WILL be changes to the normal schedule as well as the groups so that we can deliver an athlete relevant program to everyone through the summer period. Enjoy the break!

Email from Ivan Hooper around tendon load:
Dear Coaches,

Many of our athletes will be approaching a break after their international events, while others may have already had some time off. I’m sure this is well deserved and of course athletes need some time to physically and mentally recover.

However, Rohan and I would like you to consider the following:
Our most common injury is to the shoulder, and most of the time involves the rotator cuff tendons.
One of the next most common injuries is groin pain in a breaststroker, and this also involves tendons.
Most other injuries (or sometimes illness) are due to a too quick increase in training load as well.
Tendons need load to maintain their strength and health. A major risk to a tendon, and thus for injury, is to unload it with a complete break from training and then rapidly reload it when they begin training again. Tendon strength is quickly lost and slow to return. At the same time breaks from swimming and intense training are required, thus the need for a balanced return to training is required as well.

Based on this we asked a group of world leading tendon researchers to consider what we should recommend to swimmers intending to take a break from swimming. The following was the consensus:

1. Tendons get very conditioned to very specific loading patterns, and there is nothing like swimming to replicate swimming.
2. This means that S&C or dry-land exercises alone cannot maintain those swimming specific adaptations.
3. The tendon (probably) needs to be loaded twice per week in the pool to maintain strength.
And intensity is more important than volume, as it is the tensile load that matters.
4. Long slow distance does not create the high tendon tension needed to preserve the tendon strength.
So, we’re recommending the following for those swimmers having a break, especially if it is more than 2 weeks, and especially if they have had previous shoulder or groin pain.

1. Maintain some S&C load on the key areas, ideally twice per week.
2. Swim at least twice per week during any down time to maintain tendon health.
3. Maintain speed / intensity in those sessions. It (probably) doesn't need to be much, but it does need to be hard / fast in short sprints (20-30m’s).
*It’s similar to maintaining gym strength, drop the reps and sets but maintain the weight
In the pool, drop the pool volume, but maintain some speed
That will send the message to the tissues to preserve conditioning.

Please consider these factors when thinking about your summer break AND your return to training especially if you are having most of summer off.