A Monday Night Pool Session with Tri-Logic

Monday, April 28th

The end of the pool season for Tri-Logic is nearly here. Soon, they transition not just in training terrain, but in stimulus, adaptation, and challenge. It’s the start of open water season — a different beast entirely. But before the wetsuits come out, we're here, poolside.

Two Groups, One Goal

The pool was divided into two — one side housed more advanced swimmers, led by Matt Trewhella; the other, coached by Mark King, a group who, not long ago, found 50 metres of freestyle a serious stretch. Though, you’d never guess it now.

Mark, a runner boasting a 2-hr 20-minute marathon and a 65-minute half, may not come from a traditional swim background, but his coaching eye is sharp. He’s guided this group through the biomechanical basics — bodyline control, propulsion, streamlining.

Introducing Coach Matt

Matt Trewhella heads up the advanced lanes with the kind of instinct that only comes from years in the water. A Truro native and former competitive swimmer under Emily Dart, he clocked a 55-second 100m freestyle and reached regional finals in backstroke before a back injury cut his career short. Not that he’s slowed down — in 2024, he claimed a European Aquabike bronze in the middle-distance category at the Multisport Championships in Coimbra, Portugal.

Matt’s session last night was all about controlled variation — alternating between effort and ease; 150m reps: 50m strong, 50m easy, 50m strong. This type of set falls under a category known in exercise physiology as variable-intensity training (VIT), or more colloquially, fartlek-style swimming. By toggling between intensities, athletes improve not just aerobic capacity but also develop better pacing awareness, lactate clearance efficiency, and neuromuscular control.

On To Technique

We asked Matt for his top correction. A classic: preventing swimmers from crossing the midline during freestyle.

Why Crossing the Centre Line Is a Stroke Saboteur

When a swimmer’s hand crosses the sagittal midline on entry or catch phase, it disrupts the natural chain of kinetic energy through the torso and increases rotational instability. This common fault often leads to excessive yaw (lateral body roll) and sculling inefficiencies, compromising both stroke rhythm and forward propulsion (USMS, 2021).

Biomechanically, this misalignment can place undue stress on the anterior shoulder capsule and rotator cuff complex, increasing injury risk while reducing velocity per stroke. The solution? A consistent, shoulder-width hand entry, driven from a stable core and high elbow catch, enabling optimal “grip” on the water.

Corrective drills like the "zipper drill," fingertip drag, and single-arm freestyle can re-pattern neuromuscular control and reinforce symmetry across the stroke cycle. Or, as Matt put it more simply: “Point your fingers where you want your body to go.”

Elite to Entry-Level — and Everyone in Between

Tri-Logic isn’t just technique-focused — it’s people-focused. The club is known for its inclusive culture and range of athletes. Here, you’ll find GBR age-group athletes training alongside newcomers learning how to sight in open water. It’s a melting pot of experience and enthusiasm.

Swim, Bike, Run — and Repeat

We polled the squad on their favourite discipline. The winner?

The bike.
Followed by the run.
And swimming? Dead last.

Look, we’re not offended, those aren't tears — that's just chlorinated pool water in our eyes.

Swimming is often the hardest nut to crack for late-entry triathletes. It’s high-skill, high-reward, and often low-patience. It demands precision and grace in equal measure, and the marginal gains are hard-earned. 

Still, we’ll hold out hope. Maybe next season, swim makes a comeback.

Where They Go From Here

With the lake season just around the corner, Tri-Logic is shifting gears. Training will become more wild, more adaptive. Wind, temperature, and terrain will enter the equation. But if one thing remains constant, it’s the club’s commitment to progression — not just in watts, splits, or strokes per length — but in confidence, camaraderie, and the quiet thrill of getting better.