E11 - Kathryn Johnstone, Reflections on the path from 2x Commonwealth Games swimmer to becoming a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach

Kathy Johnstone is a former GB swimmer, a 2x Commonwealth Games swimmer for Scotland and a seasoned strength and conditioning coach. She shares her journey from being a competitive swimmer to becoming a strength and conditioning coach, emphasising the importance of simplicity in training, the role of other sports in athlete development, and the challenges faced as a female coach in a male-dominated environment. Kathy also discusses effective engagement strategies for young athletes, the significance of movement patterns, and the necessity of balancing commitments to swimming and other sports. She also highlights the importance of gamification in training, especially during plateaus, the transfer of skills from land to water, and the future of strength and conditioning in swimming. You can connect with Kathryn including her incredible blog via the links below: https://www.instagram.com/coachkathy_swim/ https://hamiltonaquatics.ae/blogdetail/71/sacrifice Don't forget we have a wide range of resources on our coaching website including recommend books, podcasts and links to our CPDs. You can also sign up for our free wellbeing check in there too. ⁠https://aprace.club/pages/coaches-community⁠ For coaches looking to explore AP Race Plus, our club support platform that offers digital access to world class information for swimmers, parents and coaches, please email the team via coaches@aprace.club and we will be able to help support club, big or small, wherever you are located. You can also get a feel for the platform via our website here: ⁠https://plus.aprace.club/⁠