Post-Swimming Log: Importance of Tuning into your Perceived Effort

Created by Kanon Uchiyama, Modified on Thu, 29 Aug at 9:55 PM by Kanon Uchiyama

What is a post-swimming log? Why should I enter it?

Your post training log is a simple quick question that you answer after your swim that ensures you tune into your perception of effort during that workout. This is adds another layer of information for your coaches in regards to your internal training load [1]. While it may seem unnecessary, simple logs have shown to play a crucial role in performance as it enables swimmers to attend to their conscious sensation of how heavy and strenuous their swim was [1].

More importantly, the information from your post-swimming log, coupled with your heart rate can bridges the gap between coach and athlete on the intensity and/or effort that was put into the swim workout [1][2]. It may prompt coach-athlete conversation to adjust on-deck and/or off-deck aspects of your training to minimise overreaching, enabling more recovery to optimise training adaptations. Especially for swims that have been prescribed to you by a coach, but you complete it at your own time by yourself, a post-training swimming will enable coaches more insight into your swim, other than just your pace and HR metrics [1][3].

For beginners starting out in swimming without a coach, tuning into your post-swimming log may assist you in developing a pace that works right for you.

Sometimes, an elevated perception of effort that misaligns with intended prescription of effort can be a symptom that you may be overreaching and under-recovered.

Ignorance to overreaching symptoms coupled with inadequate recovery can result in overtraining syndrome; a consequence that can negatively influence mood, motivation, central fatigue and performance [1][4]. Without understanding internal training load from measures such as your post-training swimming log and/or heart rate, the continuation of your swimming plan, without adjustment to training or recovery may be deleterious to your passion of swimming!!

How to enter my post swimming log?

In Simma Web: By clicking into your "Activities", you can select your most recent swim, and scroll all the way down to the bottom. Click on how you felt, out of the five emojis available and add a comment if you feel necessary.

In Simma App: Click on "Activities" and select your most recent swim. Click on the "Stats" tab and click "Add post swimming log".

STEP 1: Select activity.

STEP 2: Click on "Stats" tab.

STEP 3: Add post swimming log.