POWerful Training In Warsaw, Poland
Tom Pąchalski, BCT head Coach and manager, and Andrzej Skorykow, head coach of the Warsaw Masters Team in Poland, conduct POW (Pool Open Water) sessions and seminars in Warsaw, Poland.
Skorykow, a former member of the Polish national water polo team, has rough water experience that comes in handy to help instruct and assure newcomers to the sport. For those who get nervous in situations where there is deep ocean water or crowded conditions around a turn buoy, Skoryhow is an outstanding teacher.
“During the sessions, Skorykow jumps in to the pool to show all the different moves around the turn buoys using high elbows, and doing shallow water starts as well as demonstrating sighting and navigation techniques,” explains Roman Karbownik. “The video shows the POW session in Warsaw at the Inflancka swimming pool conducted by Andrzej.”
What we like about the POW sessions conducted by Pąchalski and Skorykow is the following:
1. They conduct the instruction in a shallow (and therefore turbulent) pool. A shallow, narrow pool that generates waves not only allows a rough water simulation in a pool, but it also enable swimmers and triathletes to practice dolphining.
2. The coaches use a 180º buoy turn which is often the most difficult type of turn in open water swimming because a swimmer or triathlete must completely change directions and occasionally feet, knees, and elbows are thrown by other swimmers so the athletes must learn to protect themselves.
3. The swimmers practice together like in a real open water swimming competition so they can better replicate the real-world environment and conditions that they will face on race day.
Copyright © 2013 by World Open Water Swimming Association
