Swimmer Thilda Häll Opens Her Training Bag: 'No Need to Buy Expensive Gear'

Swedish long-distance swimmer Thilda Häll, 21, is leveraging a specialized training bag filled with equipment to enhance her performance, even as the European Championships in Paris have just begun. Häll, who has made significant strides in her swimming career over the past year, finds these tools essential for refining her technique.

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There is quite a lot of stuff in this bag.

Among her favorite items is a snorkel, which allows her to concentrate on specific aspects of her stroke, such as leg kicks or arm pulls, without the distraction of managing her breathing. She notes that her snorkel has been a long-time companion, though she humorously advises regular cleaning.

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My absolute favorite is the snorkel. It is a good tool if you want to focus on technique. You do not have to think about breathing but can focus on other things, like the leg kick, the grip, and so on.

Her bag also contains a kickboard, a staple for leg-focused training, which she has owned for eight years and expects to last many more. For sessions targeting arm strength, core stability, and breathing patterns, Häll uses a pull buoy, a foam flotation device placed between the legs. She admits to borrowing hers from a friend years ago and keeping it ever since.

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My snorkel has been with me for many years. But I recommend washing it regularly because it can get quite grimy.

Häll also incorporates pink fins into her training, often purchasing them when she finds them in her preferred color. These fins aid in isolating arm movements by reducing the load on the legs. Standard training gear, she explains, often includes fins and paddles, which increase resistance to strengthen arm muscles. Additionally, her bag holds a water parachute, designed to create significant drag during swimming, used in specific weekly training sessions at college.

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I think I have had it for eight years, and it will last at least as many years more.