Hi! I'm a semi-active swimmer who still enjoys competitive swimming and training. There are some links to some pages that have a few bits of advice and tips for any swimmer, whether you're a competitive swimmer or a "swim-to-keep-fit" swimmer or even a "swim-for-fun" swimmer, these links should be of interest and help to you. Later on, I will add my own opinions on training techniques and other related topics. Until then, enjoy and "Swim or Sink"! - Gin Thian, Peh.

Here are some links to pages associated with swimming:

The Speedo Shop
Webswim
The Yellow Pages of Swimming
US Swimming
FINA - The International Governing body for swimming.

By the way, if you are new to swimming or if you want to improve your technique or just want to find out how to swim more efficiently, come along and visit TotalSwim! I feel that it's interesting and pretty helpful too for both novices and advanced swimmers.

My Swimming Journal

Okay... I am now using this as a little journal for my swimming activities and progress... So anyone interested can come back often and check it out! By the way, for those who don't know who I am, or what i am doing, I am in my first year of university and I used to swim and train for competitive swimming and I stopped for a long period of time. Now I am trying to get back in shape again and I am training an average of 4 times a week... about 3000 to 4000 per session (due to limited pool-time) So, I have just got back from Xmas holidays during which I didn't touch the pool at all for 5 weeks! And now I have resumed my training and it is not easy! =D

So far I have been working on getting up my endurance again by doing middle distance swims such as 200m and 400m at a 80% pace... I have also been trying to work on building up my leg strength as I have realised that I am lacking in that department... So, I've been doing quite a few kicking sets as well as some treading water... I think (or rather would like to think) it has been helping but I have not been able to see the results yet, but hopefully soon... More to come.. - GT

I am now a bit fitter... the training sessions have been a lot of help... besides that I am now doing my own land exercises on the days I don't swim. That is helping me regain fitness too. I normally do about 3x50 situps and 3x20 push ups with squats and other leg exercises thrown in to balance out. I really needed to regain my fitness level because recently in an inter-university swimming match I found out the hard way that I was seriously unfit! I had cramps (in both legs!) and I also felt like vomiting after the swim. Both signs of a serious need to get fit SOON! So, I started training in earnest and now I think I have a reasonable level of fitness but I could still do with more work. I have also been working on my speed and stroke technique so that I do not fall behind in those areas. I will be having a major meet (Scottish Universities Short Course) in about 2 weeks and so I hope to see the fruits of my labour! More soon! - GT

Hey! Guess what? Scottish Unis are over and it was just GREAT! I performed well enough to satisfy myself and I managed to improve on some of my times. I also learnt the importance of trying out your swim in training before the actual race to get the feel of how to pace and also to judge your fitness level so as to know how hard to push at various stages of the race. Well, it looks like some of the training techniques I used worked but I do not know to what extent! But I now have a month of relaxation to look forward to, and then back to training again! Until then, Study Hard, Swim Hard and Play Hard! - GT

Wow! I can't believe it's been 1 month already... Well, it's back to the pool again after a month of almost NO exercise at all! I just had my first training session yesterday, and BOY! was it hard to get back again! Once again I've got to build up my endurance levels before even thinking of working on speed or power... But since I do not have that much time... I'll be doing more of a combination right from the beginning... Hopefully this will save time and still be effective! More to come next time! - GT

Hey! Long time no entries, eh? Well, I am really sorry about that. Hope you all can forgive me. It's been a few months now and a lot has been happening in my swimming life. After that last entry, I didn't get to train at all for about 2 months. Exams and stuff. Then, I went back to Malaysia and took part in my Club Swimming Gala. I managed some pretty respectable times (for me anyway!) and I am quite pleased with that. But sad to say I haven't been training at all throughout the whole summer and now I am back in Uni for my second year and I can assure you that it isn't easy getting back into the pool again! I really felt like lead the first time I went back for training! Anyway, it took me about 3 weeks before I felt that I had regained some of my stamina! I maintained my 3 to 4 times a week schedule and managed to show some progress in the Stirling Sprints this past weekend. Now I'm going to be training extra hard for the British Universities Short Course Meet at the end of this month! Wish me luck! - GT

British Short Course was fun! But there is one message I would like to pass to all budding swimmers - try not to sleep at 4am and get drunk the night before a race; it tends to ruin your swim COMPLETELY! Take this from someone who has witnessed it. Well, it's back to the pool again and training for Scottish Universities Short Couse Meet early in 1998! Until then, MERRY CHRISTMAS! -GT

Back again after Christmas and I am sitting in the water like a... ummm... well, I'm just sitting pretty deep in the water and it isn't a very nice feeling... probably too much turkey and roast potatos! Anyway, I'm back in the pool but was temporarily incapacitated by a weekend of fever and general "not-feeling-too-up-to-it" type of feeling... =)But now I should be getting back to training in full force! Unfortunately I won't be going for the Scottish Unis Short Course this year due to financial limitations. Oh well, there's always next year! -GT

GREAT news! My team was kind enough to let me bunk with them so I could go for the Scottish Unis Short Course! And it was GREAT! Lots of surprises including for me - I won a silver for an event I hadn't even been entered for! Basically, they needed another swimmer for the 50m Frontcrawl and so they asked me if I'd do it. I said, "What the heck..." since I thought I wouldn't even make it past the heats. But to my surprise, I didn't JUST get through the heats, I got into the finals too and I actually won a silver! *grin* Well, that silver got me nominated to represent Scotland in the Celtic Nations Swimming Meet in Swansea after Easter! And to think I almost couldn't go for the meet in the first place! -GT

Click here to contact me by e-mail!

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This page was last updated on the 7th of January 2003

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