AllThingsTri at Myodetox Park Royal: Swimming Smarter, Not Harder
Hummingbird Elite Team Athlete Trent Thorpe demonstrating head position
We brought AllThingsTri back to Myodetox, this time at Park Royal, with a focus on the part of triathlon that gives most athletes cold sweats: the swim.
Guiding the session were Hummingbird Racing Team athletes Trent Thorpe and Luke Tasker, and Myo’s own physio Jimmy Chen. Together, they broke down the stroke, shared practical training tips, and kept the evening grounded in one message: you don’t need to be a fish to swim like a triathlete, you just need the right fundamentals.
Trent Thorpe
Stroke Fundamentals with Trent Thorpe
Trent kicked things off with the basics, though, as everyone quickly realized, “the basics” are where most swimmers go wrong. His three pillars:
The Catch: if you miss it, you’re already behind.
Breathing & Rotation: smooth timing means no head-lifting, no extra drag.
Efficiency: link the pieces together so you’re moving forward, not just moving water.
One of his sharper reminders: in triathlon, don’t torch your legs in the swim. Save them for when you actually need them, on the bike and run. Use the kick for balance, not for showing off in lane three.
And, of course, there’s the open-water factor: sighting so you don’t zig-zag your way to T1, and drafting to save free watts.
Hummingbird Elite Team Manager Luke Tasker and Hummingbird Founder Jamie Parker
Swim Training Blocks with Luke Tasker
Luke, who’s collected multiple 70.3 wins and still somehow finds time to lead the Hummingbird Racing Team, laid out a no-nonsense way to structure swim training:
Base Phase: long swims + drills. Fix your form.
Build Phase: intervals + speed. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Taper Phase: sharpen up, arrive fresh, don’t overthink it.
He also plugged in a few real-world tips: open-water practice matters more than you think, underwater headphones can make long sets less soul-crushing, and swimming with others is the best rehearsal for race chaos.
His line of the night: “The swim sets the tone. Nail it, and everything after feels easier.”
The right equipment
Swimming can get quite tiresome and dare we say… Boring. Equipping yourself with the right equipment can make this discipline your favourite in no time. How does our elite team do it?
They start by using H20 Audio Products. Everything from underwater earphones to headsets for your pre-race pump up tracks. If you weren’t lucky enough to win a pair at or All Things Tri Night, you can save 15% when you use code Hummingbird15 at Checkout.
Secondly, wetsuits. Check out our full review of the Synergy Hybrid EFX4, worn by both Luke and Trent. Use code Hummingbird30 at checkout to save 30% on your next suit at Synergy!
Staying in One Piece: Where Physio Comes into Play
To round things out, Jimmy Chen from Myodetox talked about the shoulder, the weak link for many triathletes. His fix? Keep it simple:
Banded external rotations
Scapular control drills
Thoracic mobility work
Nothing fancy, just small moves that keep the big moves possible. Jimmy’s reminder: don’t wait until you’re injured to see a physio. Prevention keeps you training, and consistent training is the real performance hack.
All Things Tri
Like every AllThingsTri event, the real highlight wasn’t just the tips, it was the community. Seeing athletes of all levels swap stories, ask the “dumb” questions (that everyone was secretly thinking), and leave with a few practical tweaks to their training is exactly why we run these nights.
Swimming might be the shortest leg of a triathlon, but it sets the tone for the rest of the race. Confidence in the water = control on the bike and run.
Big thanks to Myodetox Park Royal for hosting, Trent, Luke, and Jimmy for bringing the goods, and Nonny Beer for keeping things social without slowing anyone’s recovery.
See you at the next one. Stay tuned for dates.
Want more tips and guidance?
If you missed our last All Things Tri Night, do not fear! As a Hummingbird Community Team member, you’ll have access to monthly online calls with our Elite Team athletes where you can as many questions as you like! Still not enough? Become part of a strong, growing community of like minded individuals like yourself.
Meet those with similar questions and struggles in their triathlon journey, as a Hummingbird member, you’ll have access to training plans, coaching connections and even training sessions shared by our Elite Athletes!
Learn more, here.
