Emma Brunning - Active Blu

Thursday Nights - 3 weeks to go... Active Blu Open Water Thursday Training Nights have been a great success this year. With only  3 more exciting weeks planned before the light fades - It is time to make the most of the beautiful natural settings that Active Blu can be proud to have as their training venue.  Swimmers and Safety Team ready to rock. The Team at Active Blu have been lucky enough to meet such wonderful people this year, with such inspiring stories and reasons for training with us.  We would love to hear what you have been up to this year, whether you have been training for a challenge, event or for fitness...If you have a story to share that can help people get involved with the sport or help motivate we would love to hear from you. Please email your story: emma@activeblu.co.uk Thursday Night Training Briefing.  However with 3 more weeks of fun to come, make sure you sign up for the following.  Aug 21st 2014 - 1...

Swimming The English Channel.  Sue Oldham - 68 years young attempts to break her own world record.  Lets get the UK behind Sue - give her the support she deserves.  Check out last years Blog. http://activeblu.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/sue-oldham-getting-better-with-age.html I last wrote about the Ripple effect and again I am suddenly compelled to write about this amazing women.  Sue Oldham is a modest women with so much talent - Next week she attempts to Break her own World record and be the oldest women to swim the English Channel.  The Channel was regarded as the most difficult open water swim in the world, Sue says. "You just don't know what you are going to get because you've got currents and tides that could take you anywhere" I am lucky enough to be supporting Sue to swim the channel and I am hoping to try and get the Nation behind her for the swim.  Last time Sue swam, she was asked what had kept her go...

The ripple effect.... The Great North Swim.  It is Tuesday Morning on the 17th June 2014 and I feel absolutely inspired, proud and amazed at what I witness over this weekend. Great North Swim - Sat Morning After a weekend commentating at the Great North Swim, I am compelled to write and congratulate everyone that took part. 10,000 swimmers took to Windermere over a 3 day period, all challenging themselves in different events from the half mile swim up to a 5km elite event on the Sunday.  The red wave heads out into Windermere.  Standing at the finish, I got to see people cross the line and witness first hand the amazing smiles and sense of achievement on peoples faces. Most people had never actually swam the distance in the open water before and others were swimming for a cause close to their hearts.  Finish Line commentary. What ever the reason you took to the water, the Ripple effect is enormous. So keep celebrating your achievements, ...

What difference - 10 Weeks of Squad Training !!  10 weeks ago 20 people joined me in starting up my New Swim squad. This training is designed for Triathletes and Open Water Swimmers alike. The prerequisite for the group was that people could swim a continuous 200m of freestyle. As people signed up, I had many conversations with them, a few concerned about their fitness, swimming style or general enjoyment for the water. It was clear at this point my job was to help create the right training environment to allow these Triathletes and Swimmers to flourish, achieve their goals, whilst monitoring their progress.  On the first week, we put everyone through their CSS, which basically means: The time you can sustain every 100m for a 1500m swim. An example of this being Triathlete 'James', who's CSS on the first week was: 1 mins 55 sec per 100m for 1500m, which gives him a 28min 45sec 1500m time.  More information on CSS and how we do the test...

A few easy steps to improve your swimming! If you have hit a plateau, just looking to improve your swimming, or you are a Tri Coach looking to develop your skills, here is a brief and simple guide to get that motivation and passion back into your sport. Active Blu - Open Water Squad Training. 1 - Swim Fitness - Try something new - If you train by yourself or in fact do the same sessions every time you hit the pool, maybe you are lacking motivation or need to get creative. Try joining a squad near you, the motivation a squad can give you is fantastic, your coach will come up with the sessions to develop your Swim fitness, technique, endurance and OW skills. If you can not get to a squad, remember to try and have a different focus for each of your sessions. Check out this blog for a few ideas: Keep It Simple. Squad Night - Post Session. If you live in the North West and want to join a developing squad - I run sessions on Thursday Mornings and Sunday Evenings. ...

Aquatic Functional Strength Training  About a month ago I started on a functional Strength Training Programme at 315 Health Club - Lancaster. The sessions are run by Glen Robinson a Great Britain Water Polo player, who represented   GB at London 2012 Olympics. As well as being a full time athlete, Glen also works at 315 and has designed strength training for those wanting to develop their aquatic ability. There are many reasons for people to embark on such a programme, anything from weight loss, strength, endurance to performance. The sessions comprise of pool based swims and strengthening work, utilising your own body weight.  I decided to give the programme a go, as a way of re-hab. I approched Glen with "I may be a little Broken"  he was very professional in his approach and although limited to what I am able to do, has designed a programme that suits me, which is both progressive and achieveable. A difference a few weeks makes!!! After a sma...

Dream Big. Well it has been a while now since arriving back in the UK after my second visit to Perth, working with the coaches and squads, in Sunny Australia.  I had a fantastic welcome home, not only from friends and family, but also squad members and swimmers excited to tell me about their next challenge. As I plan the year ahead, I can not help but look back over the last 12 months and celebrate what I have witnessed from the people around me. I am definitely humbled most days by the stories and achievements people have accomplished, and delighted to be part of their journey. I am lucky enough to work on a day to day basis with Swimmers and Coaches alike. So I get to see their progression, development and passion they have for the sport we are involved in. Often we over look our achievements, so I decided to reflect back on the year past and do it for you.  12 Months of Mind Blowing Achievements. January 2013. I met Sue Oldham - She is th...