Kit Requirements for Competitive Squad

Oswestry Otters swimming kit requirements 

Competitive squad 1+2

Our Competitive members will be learning to develop the training habits required to succeed as a competitive swimmer. Emphasis is primarily placed on stroke technique, while new training aims are introduced and previously learned skills
enhanced. These include the further development of basic swimming endurance through long continuous swims or linked swims with short rests, and the development of basic swimming speed over short distances.

Members in the Competitive group will not only require the same equipment at those in the Academy squad but will need extra equipment which will aid their swimming development. Listed below are the fundamental kit requirement which this squad will need for training.

Mesh bag/ kit bag

There are many styles of kit bags but something very simple like this does the job of storing your kit and drying it out for the next session.

 

Kick boards

There are lots of kick board available, the main thing is to remember that it doesn’t need to be a huge one, Something that is streamlined is a good place to start .

 

Goggles.

Have a read on our goggles advise here [Click Here].  You don’t need to pay top mark for your swimmer goggles just find one which do the job and progress from there.

 

Fins.

Fins come in array of different designs, but watch out as some fins might not be suited for your swimmer. The simply rule of thumb is keep them short and light (like the one in this picture). Long and heavy fins have a habit to cause incorrect kick motion cause long term problem in the future.

 

Snorkel 

Snorkel are used to allow swimmers to focus on getting correct body position plus other things with out the interference of the head moving for a breath. Snorkels come with different size mouth pieces so ensure you are choosing the right one for your child (speak with our club shop officer or member of the coaching team if you are unsure). *Some swimmers do find the first initial use of this equipment difficult, due to sensation not using the nose. We advise to practice using this equipment at home in a bowl or sink of water.

 

Pull Buoy 

There are lots of pull buoys available in different forms. The larger they are the more buoyant they will be, this may sound like a good thing but it isn’t. Pull Buoys are mainly used in-between the legs (to focus on arm action), a swimmer needs to be able to push the pull buoy underwater and hold within the legs; the more buoyant the pull buoy the harder it is for younger swimmers to perform this. Keep to a simple design, like the picture above.

 

 

Additional Item.

Hand Paddles are use to help with catch and feel of the water. These aren’t often used in the Competitive squad 1 however used in the Competitive squad 2. Often swimmers mistaken the paddle moving in the hand when swimming as a item program when in fact highlight a catch issue which they need to resolve. The bigger paddles gives you a more feel of the water but also require more power to pull through which aren’t ideal for developing members