What's best....squad or solo swimming?

I may be biased but a well-run squad environment is hard to beat.

The motivation, camaraderie, and shared energy lift your performance in a way that’s difficult to replicate alone. Time passes quickly, there’s a real sense of connection, and quite simply, it’s more fun.

From a coaching perspective, my structured sessions can comfortably accommodate 8 to 10 swimmers per lane when speeds are grouped sensibly. Using shared CSS or Red Mist Cycle pacing, swimmers work together, rotate leaders, and “share the love.”

Yes, there’s a compromise in specificity and the occasional bit of drafting, but the overall experience is highly effective and enjoyable.

Another major advantage is the environment itself. Dedicated lanes, clear etiquette, and swimmers of similar ability make for a smooth, purposeful session.

The Reality of Solo Swimming

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Contrast that with many public sessions. Swimmers ranging from 1:15 to 3:00 per 100m in the same lane, inconsistent etiquette, and restrictions on equipment can make structured training difficult.

We all experience that in our local leisure centre 25m pools....The result? Chaos. Half the time, you are making it up as you go because trying to hit set intervals or drills are totally impractical. Motivation dips, procrastination creeps in, and sessions feel long.

That said, solo swimming does offer precision. When you have a clear lane, your CSS, and a tempo trainer, you can execute highly specific sessions with exact pacing and send-offs. This is invaluable when preparing for key events.

A Middle Ground

Interestingly, smaller group environments, like training camps, can present their own challenges. With a wide spread of abilities and individual tempo trainers, even 5 to 6 swimmers per lane can feel more chaotic than a larger, well-grouped squad.

Our camp, however had 5 swimmers per lane, or very similiar abilities, and were able to ensure everyone had a targetted, challenging workout.

So, What’s Best?

In truth, the ideal approach is a blend, and our Friday night session offers the facility to both provide you with a top-notch Squad environment (in not too busy lanes of similar abilities) as well as being able to provide guided access to the Swim Smooth GURU’s vast library of sessions and training plans when a little extra focus is needed. If you haven't accessed the latter yet, get in touch so I can set you up!