heidi earp
Following on from the first part, here's the second part of our interview with Heidi Earp, the pullbuoy female swimmer of 2000.
What sort of cycle programme do you stick to?
It really depends on how the major swimming competitions lie in the year and which ones I see as the most important to me.
Does your coach tell you all about it at the beginning of the season?
Yes, Bill Furniss, gives us all the cycles for the year with what work each week contains.
Do you like to know what the session is before you get in the water?
Yes, it gives me time to prepare throughout the day, giving me time to set goals for each set and what I think I can achieve at that time in the cycle.
How many land training sessions do you do per week and what do they consist of?
I do two medicine ball circuits each week, core strength before every morning session, and some land work each day; could be 20mins skipping, Swiss ball exercises or just a small land work circuit.
How many visualisation sessions do you have per week and what does that consist of?
It depends, on how I feel really. Mainly I just focus and aim for something I feel is important, whether it is a hard set or a gala at the weekend, or aiming for my perfect race.
Do you keep a log book?
Yes I do.
Who do you allow to see your log book?
Bill Furniss, but no one really asks to see it!!!
Does Bill Sweetenham see your log book?
No, but he knows from my coach Bill what I do anyway.
Has he come to watch you train and give help?
Yes, quite a few times.
How often do you stretch? before, after training, or both?
I stretch a lot. I was a dancer for nearly 15 years so it is important to me to feel loose.
How many other swimmers train with you?
About twenty. I train at Nova which is a county squad, so everyone trains at more or less the same level.
Do you have lots of fun and laughs with them?
Sometimes. I do not have a lot of laughs when I am really tired!
Do you 'hate' your coach sometimes?
No.
Do you also laugh with your coach?
Yes, he is always coming up with some funny stories.
What do you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Depends how hungry I am. I do not have a specific diet that I stick to, just make sure I eat lots of carbohydrates, fresh fruit and vegetables etc.
What nutritional supplements do you take, if any?
Vitamin C and that's about it unless I feel exceptionally tired or fatigued.
What do you drink from your sports bottle?
Orange squash or water.
What 'pool tools' do you use?
Just the normal, pullbuoy, float, paddles, fins and an ankle band.
What percentage of your session is 'legs only'?
Depends, some sessions up to 50% others about 5%.
What are your favourite drills?
Right left both arms on Breaststroke or fists.
What are your least favourite drills?
Underwater stuff. It feels like your lungs are going to explode!!
How much of each training session do you swim on breastroke?
A lot!!
What's your favourite pool and why?
It used to be Crystal Palace, as there was my first national age groups and I was number one on the programme and I made the final! Now it is Sheffield as the British records I have were set there!
Pullbuoy would like to thank Heidi for her time in preparing this article.