FAST (Fitness and Stroke Technique)

FAST 1 - Swim for Triathlon

£30.50 a month

Fast 1 is a coached swim session for advanced swimmers who are swimming regularly for a minimum of 1 hour each week. These sessions are aimed at triathletes at all levels or those wishing to develop their skills for future swimming competitions.

Fast 1 sessions combine technique and fitness and will include:

• Expert coaching by our fully qualified and trained coaches
• Poolside video analysis of stroke technique identifying key areas for improvement.
• Test sets/drills including learning to manoeuvre around a buoy and swimming in close contact with other swimmers in a safe environment

All skills / techniques will fully prepare swimmers for triathlons / swim competitions

FAST 2 – Swim for Fitness

£30.50 a month

Fast 2 is a coached swim session for those who are already good swimmers but are looking to master their swim technique further to improve speed, endurance and efficiency in the water.

Swimmers in Fast 2 will receive;

• Expert coaching by our fully trained coaches
• Poolside video analysis of stroke technique identifying key areas for improvement
• Test sets/drills to monitor stroke efficiency and technical improvement

By the end of this stage swimmers will be able to swim 1500m-2000m.

FAST 3 – Swim for Improvement

£30.50 a month

Fast 3 is a coached swim session for anyone that’s completed our adult learn to swim lessons and is looking to continue their swimming journey. Fast 3 will introduce swimmers to lane swimming, lane etiquette and help swimmers further develop their swimming techniques.

Swimmers in Fast 3 will receive;

• Expert coaching by our fully trained coaches
• Poolside video analysis of stroke technique identifying key areas for improvement
• Test sets/drills to monitor stroke efficiency and technical improvement

By the end of this stage swimmers will be able to swim 400m without stopping.

Junior FAST

£27.90 a month

• The Junior FAST (Fitness and Stroke Technique) sessions are suitable for those who have completed Wave 7 of the Learn to Swim pathway and wish to continue swimming.
• The Junior FAST sessions aim to extend and enhance the endurance and stamina of swimmers whilst maintaining effective techniques in all four strokes.
• Participants will learn additional advanced skills such as efficient turns and lane etiquette.

Leisure Centres

The FAST sessions are available at:

• Llanelli Leisure Centre
• Carmarthen Leisure Centre

You can join today by calling in Llanelli or Carmarthen Leisure centres to find out more.

FAST has been reviewed and developed to include a range of features. The cost has been reviewed in line with this to ensure excellent value when compared to comparable programmes elsewhere, consistency & alignment with some of our other products and our ability to sustain the programme. You will now be able to access 9 FAST sessions a month and you are not restricted to use all 9 sessions in one leisure centre only; instead you are able to access FAST sessions across all our Swimming pools.

You will receive all the following as part of your FAST membership;

• Up to 60 min session structured for all abilities
• Technique development
• Speed and fitness work
• Progress recorded and analysed by the coach
• Regular feedback from the coach
• The use of video to provide technical advice and improvements
• possible sessions in North Dock, Llanelli - summer only and dates to be agreed
• open water techniques
• sessions aligned to seasonal training requirements
• individualised sessions for those competing in specific events
• Test sets:  Opportunity to complete timed swims (e.g. three/four times per year a timed 400m or similar and data collected and compared with previous timed swim)
• Test sets:  Stroke length/stroke rate data collected

The FAST sessions are coached sessions.  We don’t offer any coached sessions as part of our membership offers. Our all-inclusive memberships give you the chance to participate in activity whether that be attend the gym, fitness class or go for a swim.  None of these activities give you the level of coaching you would receive in a FAST session which makes it a unique service and one that is similar to the Learn to swim programme.  FAST sessions led by experienced coaches aim to help you improve your fitness, technique and skills associated with swimming for Tri in a coached environment. 

Due to decreased capacity across the pool programme sessions due to current restrictions, we have scheduled the most popular sessions (Tuesday and Thursday evenings) and will continuously review demand and increase sessions if/when the need arises.

We are currently restarting the FAST programme so no sessions are fully booked, and it is unclear if/when sessions will be fully booked but we will seek to avoid this situation wherever possible. In parallel, we are constantly seeking to increase capacity safely and in line with regulations and guidance, and we will continue to do this to seek to meet the demand of FAST members and participants. This includes the number of people per lane, the number of lanes and the number of sessions.

Also, the membership allows you to use more than one centre meaning if you are unable to attend a session in Llanelli you can book yourself into a FAST session at Carmarthen or Amman Valley instead.

If you are only interested in attending FAST in one of our centres then please be aware that we have to adhere by law to maximum capacity numbers.  We are following advice from industry experts UK Active on the number of swimmers we are allowed to have per lane as well as taking into account the room available in our changing rooms to ensure swimmers have a safe visit.  We continue to review our operations so that we can accommodate more and more swimmers safely each week.  The same will apply for our FAST sessions. Once we are able to increase capacity numbers per session we will do so.

We have introduced three FAST stages to reflect the fact that people will have different starting points and their needs will be different. This approach will help ensure a pathway for continued participation for swimming exists whatever the starting point might be.

FAST 3 for example provides an exit route from the adult learn to swim programme; introduction to lane swimming; improve techniques, increase stamina/endurance along with swimming for fitness and well-being in a structured session.

FAST 2 aims to build on FAST 3 with increasing distances being swum with less rest so fitness, speed, technique and stamina will improve along with the skills associated with swimming for your first tri (if that is your aim) or swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle, if that is your aim.

FAST 1 aims to improve fitness whilst maintaining technique throughout the session, swimming longer distances whilst holding a consistent pace, stroke rate and stroke count – in other words being as efficient in the water as possible.

These sessions will be aligned to the tri competition calendar so event specific preparation will be part of the overall aim.

FAST is suitable for everyone who wish to develop their health, fitness and well-being aims in the aquatic environment. Swimming is a good all-round activity as it keeps the heart rate up but because it is in water and we gain the benefit of the buoyancy offered by the water it reduces the impact stress off the body. 

Swimming will build endurance, muscular strength and cardio fitness so helps to maintain a healthy weight, a healthy heart and lungs.  It also tones muscles and builds strength. 

Swimming as an activity can be enjoyed from the age of two weeks all the way through to your 90’s and can be a wonderful family activity for several generations to enjoy together.  Swimming is great for general well-being – it de-stresses and relaxes.  Swimming regularly can lower stress levels, reduce anxiety and depression.

Being able to swim with confidence and competence opens up other opportunities to develop the habits associated with a healthy lifestyle.  Swimming acts as an entry point to other water based activities – canoeing; sailing; surfing; coasteering; paddle-boarding; kayaking and so on.