After a long and demanding day at work, I rushed home, cooked a simple yet satisfying dinner, and prepared for the part of my day that both excites and intimidates me the most—swim training. I’ve never considered myself a strong swimmer. In fact, it’s the part of triathlon I struggle with the most. But with Ironman 70.3 Da Nang just weeks away, I’ve made it my mission to get better—stronger, faster, and more confident in the water.
The Start of an Evening Swim Practice
My swim training sessions are in the evenings, as Coach Hung—an incredible coach with a tight schedule—can only support me at night. Today’s session ran from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. We began with a 200-meter freestyle warm-up, easing into the rhythm of the water, loosening up the muscles, and mentally preparing for the hard work ahead.
After the warm-up, we moved into drills—essential swimming exercises that help develop technique, efficiency, and muscle memory. Here’s a quick breakdown of the drills we focused on:
Key Swimming Drills That Improve Technique
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Catch-Up Drill: This helps refine stroke timing. One arm remains extended while the other completes a full stroke before the next one begins. It slows the stroke down, encouraging better form and balance.
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Finger Drag Drill: Aimed at improving the recovery phase of the freestyle stroke, this drill involves lightly dragging your fingertips across the surface of the water during recovery. It encourages high elbow placement and promotes a smooth stroke.
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Kicking Drill with Board: Used to isolate the legs and build a stronger kick, this drill strengthens the core and improves overall propulsion.
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One-Arm Freestyle: Swimming with one arm helps isolate the movement and allows you to focus on body rotation and breathing technique.
These drills aren’t flashy or particularly exciting, but they build the foundation of every strong swimmer. Like with anything worth doing in life, it starts with the basics—and it starts with consistency.
The Arm Burner: 8 x 200 Meters with Hand Fans
After drills, Coach Hung handed me the dreaded hand fans—a resistance training tool designed to strengthen the arms by increasing drag in the water. My next set was a tough one: 8 x 200 meters freestyle with the hand fans on.
From the very first lap, I could feel the strain. My arms screamed. My shoulders burned. With every stroke, thoughts of giving up floated through my mind like waves trying to push me back to shore.
At some point during the set, I attempted to negotiate with Coach Hung. I asked if I could remove the hand fans, hoping it would ease the pain and make the set more bearable. But he was firm, as he always is—stern but kind, serious but supportive.
“I know you’re in pain,” he said, “but I’m not allowing you to give up. Keep going—you’ll get through this.”
And he was right.
Somewhere between the third and fourth round, my body started to adapt. The fans no longer felt like anchors. My arms began to move with more purpose, more rhythm. By the time I reached the final set, I was swimming faster than I had all evening. The struggle that had once felt insurmountable had transformed into a breakthrough.
Swimming, especially when you’re not naturally good at it, has a way of humbling you. It forces you to slow down, to be present, to breathe (literally and metaphorically). Every lap becomes a negotiation with yourself—do I stop or do I keep going?
Over time, I’ve learned to choose the latter.
I’m still not where I want to be in terms of my swimming. I still have days where the water feels more like a wall than a medium for movement. But I’ve learned to embrace the challenge, to find joy not just in the progress, but in the process.
Because, like life, training is never linear. Some days you glide. Some days you sink. But every stroke, every setback, every ache is part of a bigger journey.
Counting Down to Ironman 70.3 Da Nang
With just a few weeks left before the Ironman 70.3 Da Nang, my nerves are real—but so is my excitement. Preparing for this triathlon has been one of the most intense and transformative experiences of my life. It’s about committing to something bigger than yourself. It’s about early mornings, late nights, sore muscles, and small victories. It’s about discovering what you’re made of.
Whether or not I achieve a personal best in Da Nang, I already know I’ve won something far more valuable: the ability to keep going when it’s hard.
Growth doesn’t come when things are easy. It comes when you push through the moments when you want to quit.
In swimming. In work. In life.
So to all the fellow triathletes out there—especially those struggling with swimming—know that you’re not alone. Embrace the challenge. Trust your coach. Trust yourself. And most importantly, enjoy the journey. Because it’s the ups and downs, the victories and the setbacks, that shape who we become.
And as for me, the water no longer feels like the enemy. It feels like a mirror—reflecting not just where I am, but where I’m going.