Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast with Martin Bennell - How Targeted Training, Racing Practice and Heavy Lifts Turned Into World Titles in Singapore

Gold medals at the World Masters Championships don’t happen by accident. UK based Martin Bennell, a Masters world champion in his late 40s, joins Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast walks us through the exact blueprint that turned a six-month promise—break 30 in the 50 breaststroke—into British records, lifetime bests, and three golds. We get into the gritty details: how he trains solo three times a week, why visualisation cues beat complicated routines, and the strength program that pushed power without sacrificing streamline.

We talk race craft for real-world conditions—heat, humidity, jet lag—and how to keep your head quiet in top heats. Martin breaks down his best and toughest swims in Singapore, from an unexpected 100 free record to a hard-fought 100 breast with a blazing first 50. He shares the practical checklist he used in the call room, the technique tweaks that paid off and the smarter ways to travel, rest, and say no when the schedule gets noisy.

The conversation widens to the booming UK Masters scene: deep fields, packed nationals, and relay rivalries that raise everyone’s game. Martin sets public targets for next season, including mixed 200 relays and a stronger second 50 in the 100 breast, and even throws a friendly challenge toward former world champion James Gibson. Along the way, we explore how discipline beats motivation, why marginal gains compound—nutrition, sleep, video feedback, cycling commutes—and how to balance family, work, and the grind without losing joy.

If you’re chasing faster times on limited hours, this one’s a playbook. Hit follow, share it with your lane mates, and leave a quick review so more swimmers can find the show. What’s the one change you’ll commit to this week?

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Chapters

• 0:08 Welcome And Martin’s Singapore Results
• 2:44 Event Choices And Record-Breaking Day One
• 4:20 Racing Olympians And Sprint Lessons
• 5:50 Pressure Of The 50 Breast And Conditions
• 7:25 Mindset, Nerves, And Visualization
• 9:51 Training Solo And Using AI Plans
• 12:06 Balancing Family, Work, And Consistency
• 14:22 Strength Training, Cycling, And Marginal Gains
• 18:30 UK Masters Scene And Record Chases
• 21:11 Calling Out James Gibson And Future Races
• 23:00 Purpose, Inspiration, And Aging Up
• 26:15 Deep Dive Five: Pools, Routines, And Sets
• 31:12 Role Models, Comebacks, And Closing

Transcript

Danielle Spurling: 0:08

Hello, swimmers, and welcome to Torpedo Swim talk, the podcast celebrating swimmers at every stage, from Masters legends to Olympic champions. I'm your host, Danielle Spurling. And each week we dive into inspiring conversations from around the world about performance, resilience, and the pure love of swimming. Masters World Champion Martin Bennell is our guest on the podcast today. We talked about swimming, lifetime PBs, his preparation for big competitions like the recent worlds in Singapore, and his passion for continuing to challenge himself. I loved this chat. Let's hear from Martin now. Hi Martin, welcome to the podcast.

Martin Bennell: 0:54

Good. Well, good morning for me. Hi, hi Danielle. And really thanks for having me. Um great to have you back. I'm uh I'm a listener, I'm an avid listener, normally on my uh commutes in the car. And so it's great to actually be on here with you. And yeah, thanks for restarting.

Danielle Spurling: 1:09

I'm really pleased, and thanks for joining us. It's been great. I wanted to start the chat with um a bit about your performance in Singapore. You had a phenomenal campaign, multiple British records, lifetime bests, and gold medals. When you think back on it now, what stands out to you the most about that competition?

Martin Bennell: 1:27

Yeah, the whole thing for me was it became pretty surreal. Um, I put more focus on an event than I normally would as a master swimmer. Um, and I guess everything came good at the right time. So I I trained, and you may have seen on my social media a few people had in February, I was in Singapore, so I had an office over there, and I decided it happened exactly six months prior to the meet, and I decided to put it out there in public and really give it a focus and set myself a goal of breaking 30 seconds for 50 breaststroke uh in my 45-year-old age group. Um, and then I put six months of hard training in. I really focused on it uh along the way, lots of twists and turns and the usual breaststroke injuries. But overall, you know, when when and we can go into more detail, but Singapore for me was a fantastic uh 10 days. Obviously, I've been working there, so I knew a lot of people there, so it's quite social for me as well. Um, and I think maybe because I was relaxed, I knew the environment, I knew the pool. I trained, well, not the new pool, but I I I trained in the old pool uh quite a few times, and uh yeah, it really did come good with yeah, as you say, lifetime best British records and three gold medals.

Danielle Spurling: 2:40

Yes. Did you end did you do five individual events?

Martin Bennell: 2:43

I did, yeah. I did um yeah, day one, um, and I actually changed just two days before the the deadline. I changed what I was going to do. So day one for me was the hundred freestyle and the hundred breaststroke. Now, my freestyle's never been actually as good as it as it as has been. And in June, things felt good in training. And um, I've done a bit of work on my technique, and and long and short of it, I broke the British record in the 100 freestyle, which most people know me as a breaststroker. So it was a bit of a shocker. Um, and it was an old record, it was it was a supersuit record for from many, many years ago. So so lots of people have tried and failed, and then I I broke it in the UK nationals. So then I thought I've really got to do that. I've really got to do that in Singapore, but I've got to do the two 100s. So yeah, day one was the 100 freestyle. Um, and as as you now know, I broke the record again, went even quicker, quicker and won. And so then I was buzzing. So then the Hunter breaststroke became um almost for fun. And I was I was top of the world, and uh no one was gonna beat me. I went out so fast. Uh, I went out almost a PB for the first 50, which is which is a mistake potentially, but I held on. I held on and I actually won the race. They were coming at me on the second 50, and it was a massive PB and a massive British record. So I have no regrets, even though I swam it in a really tough way. Uh, I wouldn't mind trying it again and going out a little bit steadier and you know, bringing it home. So, so yeah, that was day one. Uh, and then I put the the 50 breaststroke was the last day, so and that was my main event. So I just filled the two in the middle with a hundred butterfly and the 50 butterfly, uh, and got two fourths. Um yeah, and actually good swims. And and my highlight, and one of the highlights of the week uh outside of winning was the 50 fly, because I got to race uh Jeff Hugel, um, one of your countrymen, and and there was two, maybe three Olympians in the race, and plus me. And actually, I messed up my start and finish on a 50 and came fourth and PB'd. Uh and so it's oh, if only I'd have got that right. I was so close on that one to uh being on the podium with them. But I yeah, and I really enjoyed it. For me, that was my fun race, and uh it was good to swim with those guys, even though it was only 20, 25, 26 seconds.

Danielle Spurling: 5:02

Yes, I mean yeah, I saw I saw the the sort of the last 15 metres of that race, and I thought, um, yeah, it was it was pretty close, but Jeff looked pretty good, didn't he?

Martin Bennell: 5:12

Yeah, outside lane, and and we'd been in the in the call room together, and I'm sure I don't know if he listens, but yeah, he was funny because he he was gonna wear speedos and wait, and then someone lent him a race suit. No, I think he you know he ripped his race suit beforehand, so then he was gonna do it in his warm-up suit. So then someone lent him, so then he was late and he was rushing around and squeezing into his race suit, and he was over on the outside. So I knew he was there, and uh, as I say, I I didn't execute the right race. Unfortunately, I didn't execute it right. And um, I wouldn't mind another crack at that one. But uh, but but yeah, no complaints.

Danielle Spurling: 5:46

Still got time to do it again next time.

Martin Bennell: 5:48

I have, I have, and then we ended obviously, yeah. Then the final day, I had a day off, and then the final day was the 50 breaststroke. Uh, and as happy as I was going in and relaxed because I'd already won two gold medals. Um, that was the one I'd put out there. That's the one I'd told people, you know. Luckily, I'd broken the British record. So I did it in June. I'd done the 29-7, you know, I'd broken 30 seconds. Uh, and so I went in quite relaxed, but you still, you know, you're you're in Singapore, you know what it was like. It's still a big deal, top heats. And um, yeah, I I did win it, but it was very tight again. And and I actually went 30.00 on the day. So I I am glad I beat the record before I went. Um, but yeah, job done and got the three goals.

Danielle Spurling: 6:30

Yeah. Look, I think what what you what you sort of outlined there is what we all need to think about is that when you get to a you know something like the worlds, it's all about the racing. It's great that you did the times before you got there. But as you know, things can happen. The heat, the humidity, all of those kind of things sort of go into the race and and nerves as well. So it's great that you came out with that gold medal after the 50 breasts.

Martin Bennell: 6:55

Yes, yeah, and it was great. You know, and a lot of people, especially from our side of the world, you know, we it was a long way to go. And you you've got to deal with jet lag, you've got the humidity. Uh, I think there was an awful lot of people wanting to see the city or the country. Um, and luckily I can I've been many times. So when they, oh, do you want to come sightseeing? And I was able, you know, actually, no, I'm good, I'm gonna rest up today, you know. So uh, and I could see, yeah, it is hot and it is different, and and yeah, the call room, all those, all those factors come into play. And it's not always the best time to swim your best times, is it?

Danielle Spurling: 7:28

No, exactly. But I think it makes you, you know, it's it's you you race, you race hard and you you sort of race ready. So I think that that's that's the the joy of it.

Martin Bennell: 7:37

Yeah, and I love it. And I I know a lot of people over here, especially in the UK, who know me well. I I love racing, and and I don't really do nerves, particularly, you know, I don't really get nervous about it. Uh enjoy competition, enjoy being pushed along. And uh so for me, yes, you know, there's always that that anticipation for it, but uh no, I loved it. Yeah, I loved it.

Danielle Spurling: 7:57

Do you do much visual visualization before you race?

Martin Bennell: 8:01

Um I guess I I certainly think, yes, and and I've been through, yeah, I I do consider what I'm going to do, and I think about um I try and think about the technique because you've done the training, you know, and and I do try and you know, if it's the breaststroke, you know, make sure I finish my armpole here, make sure I'm doing this bit right, make sure my hands are high. I had um and actually a shout out for um uh Ian Holm, who you may know. Ian uh Ian was the head coach at Loughborough, and then he's just taken a job over in Perth. And I made a note. Yeah, he's the head coach of the Western Australian Institute of Sport in Perth. Uh just started. But anyway, Ian was doing some coaching work here, so I took a few hours with him, and he just gave me a few tidbits, and and I wrote them down on my phone and I read them in the call room. And it's just those, oh yeah, must do this, must, you know, the breasttra arm position must be here. And and so visualizing, yeah, just trying to get it all right and uh thinking about the actual swim without visualising the finish and the training and everything that goes with it. You know, just try and think about each each bit, hit the start right, hit the turn right. You know.

Danielle Spurling: 9:10

Do you count strokes when you swim a 50 breast?

Martin Bennell: 9:13

I don't. No, I don't. Now I'm good friends with two breaststrokers who would kill me for this. So uh, and you I think you know them both. So Chris Jones and Jeff Wells. Um, I think they've both been on. So we had a free-way chat for the last few years. They can't believe that I don't count strokes. You know, that they are absolute advocates. So I I can see both sides. Um, but no, to this, and I've not watched the races back. I couldn't tell you how many strokes I did, and uh, I guess I should. Don't know. No, no, just swim.

Danielle Spurling: 9:44

Just swim. So tell us a little bit about your training because I I read that you use um My Swim Pro AI training plans. So you do you do that by yourself or are you still with the squad? How does that all work?

Martin Bennell: 9:56

No, I'm uh I guess, and a lot of people have have been amazed. I guess I have more discipline than most. And and and at work, I I do talk about motivation versus discipline a lot. And um my discipline is probably off the scale because I literally train solo. Um I yeah, I I hey, I was a swimmer most of my life. I had many years off um in my 20s, but I've been doing masters and I trained with a few clubs, but up to COVID, our in COVID, I was with Joe Corbyn, who you'll know, uh for Ferrum. And we broke a world relay world record um 2017. But in 2020, the club um pretty much came to an end from a master's point of view, and I had to make a few decisions. And I had teenage children myself, uh, one was swimming, uh, had a job which includes a lot of travel, and I just didn't fit any other sessions. There was there was no club that that almost fitted around my life and would work for me. So joined a local leisure um facility with a 25-meter pool, and I've trained on my own now for five years. Um yeah, mentally it's sometimes hard. I uh um and that discipline to keep going. And now I don't train an awful lot, you know. I I I'm a three times a week, you know, so I'm a three hours a week swimmer, and I've had a few sessions set for me and I've tried different ways. But last year I was using the MySwim Pro for free. I was just using the the app just to track. And then um I actually met Farris and and and yeah, yeah, he upsold uh the owner of of MySwim Pro. Uh and actually, fair play, they they have um an AI tool now, which is it writes the sessions for you. So you can put the sessions in there, but actually, uh and I and I did, I used it. I I I put it six months out and I put when the race was, what the race was I was focusing, you know, 50 breaststroke on this date. Um, this is how many times a week I swim. It knows my PVs, it knows what what times I should be doing, and it and it churned out a three times a week uh program for me. And when you're solo, it made such a good difference. And and I actually wanted to do it. You know, it's like a tick list, and and and I wanted to get it done. And um, some of the sessions were really quite hard, you know. But um, and then there's doubts, you know, is AI working? What am I trusting here? You know, this is all very modern, but but hey, I I I'm now an advocate and um I yeah, I think uh I've I've PB'd in everything. The last two years I've done PBs in every event, so I am an advocate this summer, especially. Yeah, no complaints at all.

Danielle Spurling: 12:27

Absolutely. And I think what you say is really interesting because it it's the discipline, because we all lose motivation. We all lose motivation, even if you're swimming with a squad, but it's having the routine and the discipline to go and do it, which is really the cornerstone of success, isn't it?

Martin Bennell: 12:43

Yes, yeah. And as I say, I I I well, it's another story, but I actually lost my job on the build-up to Singapore. But I I was with a business for a long, long time and in a senior role, so hiring lots of juniors, lots of trainees, um, and I've done a lot of training and mentoring and coaching. So yeah, discipline, discipline is really important. And uh I I do I do harp on a bit a bit about that. Um, but yeah, and I have to lead the way myself.

Danielle Spurling: 13:09

Yes, yes. Well, I'm sorry to hear about your job, and uh you're just having a bit of an enforced rest at the moment, are you?

Martin Bennell: 13:15

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, maybe maybe that helped. So uh the people in Singapore who who knew were quite uh it's the least you could do, Martin. You're you're a professional swimmer right now, you're you're not working. Um, and it was nice to go to Singapore this time, and I did meet my old colleagues, so we we went out for a Guinness during the week, but it was nice to go and not have to work, and I think that really helped my jet lag. Uh, I had a good friend who, uh a British guy who's actually living on Sentoso Island. So I went a week early and I stayed with him. So it was absolutely lovely. You know, it was a millionaires' row, and it was a fantastic, you know, I was in his spare room, but but still I got to deal with my jet lag um over in a lovely place and not have to get up for work in the morning, which I would normally do on my travels. So um it was, yeah, it there's still, you know, I I do need a job. I I am still in my 40s, and I'm certainly not in a position to retire. And uh there's always that niggle, but yes, I was more relaxed, probably physically than normal, and and I was able to give it a bit more focus, you know. And as as they all said, yeah, no excuse. Yeah, it's the least I could do.

Danielle Spurling: 14:18

So and when when you are working and training and fitting everything else in with your life and your family, how do you make it work?

Martin Bennell: 14:28

Oh, again, I guess we don't want to go on too much about the discipline, but you you have to, you know, and there's different times in life. I I'm not really your your your um pro swimmer that you you would often talk to, I don't think. I'm I'm a pretty rounded guy, and I've never really regarded myself as a swimmer. As I say, two, three times a week, one hour swims. That's that's really my what I've done all of my swimming career. Um, you have different focuses. So, so you you there are times when you have to focus on work. Like at the moment, I am focused on on getting a job or making money and setting up a consultancy business. So, you know, right now swimming is probably number two again. Um, but but what happened over the last few years is um I guess my my kids are now teenagers, my eldest have just gone to university, so big changes, and and and you you you get more time. So in your 30s and early 40s, you're taking them to dance class and and and ballet and and swimming, and and you're a bullside dad, and and you're coaching, and so you can't focus so much on yourself. And over time, the the kids have got a bit older, you you get more time. Um, maybe like the dance sessions now, they're maybe two and a half hours of an evening. So I can now take the youngest to dance, and then I can go for my swim and then collect her, and it actually all fits. Um, and then the elder one, and well, even last night, the younger one, they come to the gym with me. So I go for a swim and they go in the gym. So now you know you're being a good dad, and actually you're achieving your swim. So whilst whilst being a good dad. So I've definitely in the last few years upped, you know, up the focus. Um, and you're right though, when they when you travel, it's hard. And again, I've just tried to make sure, you know, hotel with a gym, hotel with a pool if I can, find a local pool. You know, when I was in Singapore a lot, we had an office there, so I was there two, three, four times a year, and and I would just use a pool. I would go of an evening and and and and and you have to find that window, you know, you have to prioritize it. And it is hard, but um, sometimes you know, I'd go for a swim and then go out for a client meal, you know, just fit it in. Yeah, yeah, get it done, and um or get up early and go to the gym before work, you know, all those good things in hotels. Um but yeah, and and so it does come back to discipline again, doesn't it?

Danielle Spurling: 16:45

So yeah, oh absolutely.

Martin Bennell: 16:47

And it makes a difference.

Danielle Spurling: 16:48

Oh, I it definitely does, yeah. And what about your strength program? How often do you hit the gym each week and what kind of things do you do?

Martin Bennell: 16:57

Yes, so that's you know, we talk about the things I've done differently with the swimming and the MySwim Pro. The gym side of things is probably the biggest change. Um, I'm branded today, we can't quite see. Um, so my wife is um a PT. And so I think I'm her best and worst client because she always says I don't listen to her. And I've currently got a bad back, and I definitely she was with me when I did it in the gym and was telling me not to lift such a heavy weight. She actually she was right there saying, Why are you doing that? And then I did it, and then I hurt my back. So you can imagine. Um, but no, so she we sat down and and I've always been gym in one or two times a week, you know, just just enough, you know, and again with this buildup and the focus, I've always been an all-rounder. I can do all distances and all strokes, but we say, hang on, I'm focused on 50 breaststroke. You know, let's focus on 50 breaststroke, let's actually put six months in. So we she set me a six-month program which was really, really strength focused. Um, so I upped it to three times a week. And so I was doing something nearly every day, swim or or gym. And yeah, that instead of uh, you know, yeah, three sets of 10 reps or whatever, I went to really heavy and quite good fun. You know, it was um one rep max or two or three rep max, and and then a lot of sitting around. I think they say it's two to three minutes for your muscles to recover. So I'm that guy in the gym now who sits around and you know, one or two reps and uh um yeah, I do that. So I was worried about the fitness side, but the swimming has has done well there. I was cycling to work, so I was cycling the whole year, even in the winter here. I was cycling to work, and that's about half an hour each way. So I was putting an hour of aerobic in on the bike. I was swimming three or four times to keep that going, and then I was doing the heavy weights in the gym, and I definitely got stronger, and that definitely made a difference. And I know there's a few strength coaches around, and yeah, I'm a huge advocate of uh, you know, I endorse you know the weight training side of things now, and again, I think it's um it's uh marginal gains, isn't it? It's not my own, you know, it's the cycling analogy, but I I think this year, you know, I've done the swimming's improved, the gym has improved, the fitness improved, um, nutrition improved, all sorts of things have you know, and I've just done little things along the way to get those marginal gains.

Danielle Spurling: 19:19

I mean, I think it's been a big revolution across master swimming. You know, when I when I started master swimming maybe 12, 13 years ago, not many people did gym. Now everyone's doing it. And I think the sort of mindset around it is that you know, you're starting to lift a lot heavier.

Martin Bennell: 19:35

Yeah, I think it's strength. You know, I've read a few bits and bobs, and and and you ultimately you're trying to pull through the water, aren't you? And and and um if you're strong, the logic is you're stronger. Now there's definitely a you know, we won't go into the enhanced games conversations, but that was a good, you know, it it was something to watch on the YouTube. I did watch it, and and and my my my opinion's pretty strong on it, but not in a good way. But um, but you can see if you're too big. It was a good example of being too big, and that didn't work. So so it's those in swimming, I think you've got to find you've got to find that fine line that fine line strength. Yeah, yeah, and keep your streamline and keep the the technique. And again, I think I didn't mention it on the on the marginal gains, but that technique improvement this year. You know, I'm 48 years old this year, and I finally got some coaching on my own technique. And um, it actually didn't take long, it was a few hours of work and some underwater camera, and there were some really obvious tweaks. Oh, oh, that's how I swim. Oh, I thought I thought it looked like this, and and and so I made those tweaks. Um and yeah, when you add the strength to it, you've got that power in the water, and uh yeah, it's all it's all working. Yeah, I'm I'm endorsing everything right now, aren't I? I'm positive.

Danielle Spurling: 20:53

You're the poster boy for master swimming.

Martin Bennell: 20:56

Oh, well, I had um, it was tough in the core room. We had uh Stefan uh was uh fly swimmer, a Romanian, um two or three Olympics. Sorry, I should know the other um and on by the final fly swimming, he's even taking the Mickey at me. And I'm trying to focus on the swim. You know, I'm in the call room and he said, Martin, what on earth is going on? I've got slower every year for 17 years, and you're getting quicker every year. So yeah, um, I'm a I'm a very, very late developer. So I I I definitely yeah, miss the window, I'm afraid. Yeah, I missed the I missed it at the right moment, but yeah, 48, 47, 48 is a good time to peak.

Danielle Spurling: 21:36

Yeah. How long have you been master swimming?

Martin Bennell: 21:40

Um got back uh early 30s. So uh I had hip surgery, so I'd I'd quit at 23. So I was as a junior, I I went to Olympic trials in the UK. Um and I stopped at 23, which back then I was quite old, you know, and and I was um yeah, I was ready to stop. And I and I top 10 in the UK, you know, I was never I was never amazing. I was good and um and then yeah, did a marathon, did a lot of running events, played a lot of squash, and actually that was worse for my body than swimming. So um had my first hip surgery, I think I was 29, and then um had my second hip surgery in 2019, so just before COVID. So both hips have now uh been been repaired for me. Uh they're both my own hips still, but I have been warned if I if I carry on too much breaststroke, they they they won't be my hips, but right now they are my hips. Um, but they're not good, they're not great, and they're the first thing to go. And I uh you know, groin strains are regular for me and hip problems and lower back problems. But yeah, so I've been doing it now, yeah, it's probably nearly 20 years, 15 years, just never quite at this level. You know, I've got better literally every every year, I'll put more focus in to now.

Danielle Spurling: 22:54

Yeah, I was I was so um amazed and and happy for all the British swimmers in Singapore because there was a huge amount there and they were all so successful. What's happening on the British scene that's making you all so fast?

Martin Bennell: 23:07

Well, I don't know, yeah. I can't talk about everyone. Uh the South Coast, I'm uh I'm on the south coast of the UK, central south, so about an hour and a half uh south of London. But yeah, up the road is Joe Corbyn, who you know, and the Trojan team. Um, and then I swim for Basing Stoke Bluefins, uh, who I joined after COVID when I had no club, and and they were really good to me. Um, and I think I think they appreciate me in the relays. And we have, we know it's been five years now, so it's been great. Um, lots of lots of relay records, but they push each other. So I can talk, you know, from the Hampshire region where we are, you know, we really do push each other up, you know, and it it's it's such a positive environment. We're all pushing each other to greater things. As you say, a lot more people are doing the land work now, a lot more people are putting focus in. Um, you know, the British Nationals for us is next week. And again, it's I think it's almost a sellout. Um, there will be records galore, you know, and short course. Um, we've got a guy in the UK, Ben, who who's beating me um on the 100 breath. So so we were like we were ranked one and two in the 50 and the 100, I think, in the world last year. Um, but we're you know, we get we go head to head in the British champs, you know. So we've got some of the best in the world uh um racing each other. So no, we're we're pushing each other up, and um, and that's a good thing. But yeah, master swimming in the UK is is is really hot.

Danielle Spurling: 24:26

Yeah, yeah, it's really vibrant, like there's a lot happening there, and a lot of people racing, not obviously not all those people that are in your top 10 have gone to the worlds, but obviously it's a very strong competition. And when I see people saying that they haven't been able to enter your nationals, that's amazing to me.

Martin Bennell: 24:44

Yeah, and it happens, and there's always a big fallout. There's a there's always and now they do a first tier and a second tier, and and there's that they're trying to work it out. And the organizers, and I know them well, and and and good luck, and I'll always support them. And I know they're trying their best, but there's always a lot of moaning and there's always a lot of issues. Um, and in fact, this week um they've been good. It's it's fair to say I I've always supported them. And this week I've just pulled out of my individual races because of my lower back issue. Um, I don't think I I it's gonna be just too soon, and I'm hoping to get back for the relays. And I think I'm in five or six relays, and they're I think that's five or six record attempts. So I think that's more than enough uh for me this time. But they were good as gold with it, and I know there's so much to do and there's so much going on, but um Hey Swim Talkers.

Danielle Spurling: 25:31

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Martin Bennell: 25:47

And one of the things I wanted to mention was um uh we we've had some uh there's been a little we we push each other up, and it's good bravado, but um I met James Gibson um at the Adam Petey meet earlier this summer, and uh he wasn't in great shape. And ever since then he he's been in the gym and he's posting a lot, and and there's been some other people mentioning that he might get back in. Now, he was the last person I ever raced. So my last the Olympic trial semi-final when they used to do them, he was in the lane next to me. And I and he won't remember and he doesn't, but it didn't matter to him. But I always said, Oh, that was my last race. Yeah, I raced uh a future world world champ, and uh yeah, he looks good in the gym, he's working out, so I figured I'd call him out in public. I think I figured you you know, you have a lot of uh listeners and viewers, and uh yeah, so next June we have the UK long course uh nationals, which will be in Scotland, up in Aberdeen, which is a great pool. And uh yeah, I'd love to call him out and uh I'd love to race him again. And and how you know how good is he all those years later, 20 years later, and and uh yeah, I love I love the challenge, I love the competition. So I I'd love him to actually come back in and do a 50 breast.

Danielle Spurling: 26:54

Yes, yeah, that'd be good. Is he your age?

Martin Bennell: 26:56

He is, yeah. But I'm 49 next year, and then he's a bit younger, so uh it has to be next year, or we'd have to wait. I I think he's two or three years younger. So yeah, uh yeah, I'm calling him out for 2026. And and he's now traveling the world. I keep saying his posts, you know, he's working for World Aquatics, so he's all around the world right now. Um, so yeah, whether he is even interested, who knows? But uh, but it's been quite good fun. And my teammates have been taking the Mickey that I'll be losing my records. So and maybe, but that's fine, you know. Yeah, yeah, maybe.

Danielle Spurling: 27:29

But that's that's what records are for to be broken.

Martin Bennell: 27:32

Yeah, no, no, yeah, no problem with that. I I lost one uh a while ago and I lost it within a week. In fact, the first record I ever got was a relay record in the uh now uh very famous European 2016 uh event in London, which was oversubscribed and has a lot of bad press. But we broke uh our so it was my first ever British record. We did it in a relay, and uh the heat afterwards broke it again. And uh they still sent the certificate and I thought that's nice because we did actually break it. And we so yeah, I held my first record for about two minutes.

Danielle Spurling: 28:07

I love the fact that you have a short course and a long course nationals. Uh we don't have that in Australia, we just have one nationals a year, and it rotates between short course and long course. So next year is short course, but this year we had long course, but it gives you such an opportunity to race.

Martin Bennell: 28:24

Uh yes, and and what and I guess that's where we're now. So the short course has always been the big one, over subscribed. That's always in Sheffield, and it's always the last full weekend of October. So you know, you know, I can tell you when it is now. You can book hotels, you can book my time off work, you know. There's almost no excuses, you know exactly when that's going to be. And they always change the order of events, but you know, it's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday in October. And then last year they've just agreed to do a very similar thing with the long course, and it's the second weekend of June. So again, now you you know you'll you'll know exactly when, and yeah, second weekend of whenever that is next year, but it's second weekend of June in Aberdeen, uh, and it will be in future years. And they split the venue, they they move it between Scotland, England, Wales, England, Scotland, you know, so they move the venue uh for the long course. But now, yeah, now you can focus and you know when it is, you know, and you can build your holiday, you can build your holidays around it, and it's depending on how keen you are. So that's really good. I can't believe you only have the one.

Danielle Spurling: 29:24

We just have the one.

Martin Bennell: 29:26

And you will have to travel so far, I guess.

Danielle Spurling: 29:29

Yeah, that's right. But we have a lot of there's a lot of state meets, so there's ones close by, and then every two years we have a um the Pan Pack Masters Games on the Gold Coast. That's always on the Gold Coast in November, I think it is. Um, so that's always something. But yeah, it's a pity that we don't have a short course and a long course every year, 'cause like you and the US as well do.

Martin Bennell: 29:54

Yes, yeah, they do. And some of my team. So this year well, we found it it was disappointing on the the The diary clash, but we had um clash the American, yeah. The American was the same. So so some of my Bluefin's team couldn't make the Singapore trip, but they could quit a shorter trip to America was possible. So actually, uh whilst I was the only uh representative this time in in Singapore, they were over in America breaking records and and and winning some American uh titles. Amazing. Actually, I don't know if that counted. Actually, I'm not sure if are British people allowed American titles. I'm sure someone will correct me, but uh they certainly won their races races. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They won their races and they they enjoyed that trip. So but it was a shame it was the same time.

Danielle Spurling: 30:35

Yeah, yeah. I I I don't know why they said it at the same time because those world aquatics dates are uh set miles out.

Martin Bennell: 30:43

Yeah, yeah. And still, hey, we hit we still, I think most of the the top Americans I got to race, obviously Jeff Wells, who you know, and and I had the Jeff so there was uh various Jeffs and uh Jeff Cummings uh who I I'd never raced Jeff Cummings, but I knew who he was, and uh he's the age above, so he's 50. And um yeah, he yeah, it was an honor, really. I had a photo with him, and it was great to you know warm downpour with him. I think he had just broken the was the 50 record or the 100 record. Um yeah, no, the 58. Marco won the 100 in the 50. And actually that the the 50 plus is now harder than the 45. Yeah, when I when I age up, it's gonna be tougher racing those guys.

Danielle Spurling: 31:23

Yeah.

unknown: 31:24

Yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 31:25

Yeah. I mean, look, it's it's just getting stronger and stronger all the time. I mean, more people are coming back. Susie O'Neal, obviously, our one of our golden smithers from Australia, she came back and made a bit of a um an appearance. You probably know. I think she was against um oh gosh, I've forgotten her name. Michelle. She raced Michelle Ware. Yeah, she raised Michelle Ware, that's right. Just beat her. But she just came back for that 50 fly. Now she's stopped again. But yeah, she's still so fit and so strong, and it'd be lovely to have that technique behind you.

Martin Bennell: 31:57

Yeah. And again, we're all smiling about it because it's great for the sport.

Danielle Spurling: 32:00

Yeah, great for the sport.

Martin Bennell: 32:02

Which is what yeah, which is why, you know, if James Gibson wants to return, you know, a former World 50 breaststroke champion, we're all in, aren't we?

Danielle Spurling: 32:09

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that's why I thought it was great that Jeff Hugel and Bobby Hurley both raced in um Singapore. And um, you you obviously mentioned the guy from Romania. I wasn't sure of him, but yeah, there was a lot of people across the board who are past Olympians.

Martin Bennell: 32:27

Yes, yeah. And I think maybe in their 40s, that's the time, you know, you you get the itch again, or you know, you're intrigued, maybe, or or again, like me, maybe you've got a bit more time and you you can refocus. Not too many Olympians, I think, need to return. You know, I think they've achieved it. They've achieved it at the right time. As I say, I I am doing amazingly well, but I admit I am well 30 years late, don't I? So yeah, I think I'd have rather peek then.

Danielle Spurling: 32:53

Well, you're probably I'm putting words in your mouth, but you're probably really able to enjoy it more at this stage in your life because it means so much to you.

Martin Bennell: 33:02

Yeah, it's yeah, and it's it's fine lines, isn't it? Because I I also know and I'm I'm grounded enough to know it's just master sport. So it's it's this is not professional, you know, and it's it's not paying the bills, as I've learned this year. But um, but it does, I think, I think the the number of messages I've received about how inspiring I'm being is amazing, you know. And I was that's not why I did it, you know, in a way I was a bit selfish. Yeah, I was a bit selfish. You know, I want to break 30 seconds, I want to break the record. You know, I had my own goals, but then on the build-up, that the yeah, I've had so many nice messages um on social media, and then people you haven't seen for 20, 30 years or so, and their messaging and what an inspiration I've been. And and yeah, I guess I hope I'm showing people it's possible in your 40s to keep getting quicker. And you know, yeah, however good or you know, whatever effort you're putting in, you you can still get quicker and you can still be faster. And and who knows, at some point I will obviously slow down. There they will have to that will happen, but um, I'm not sure how I'll take it.

Danielle Spurling: 34:05

So yeah, well, someone said to me, You it's a good way of thinking about it to have a PB in that then the age group that you're in. Try not to compare it to the age group before. So obviously we're in five-year blocks, but it is hard when you start aging up and you know you're 10 years down the track to be back at that PB that you did in your early 40s.

Martin Bennell: 34:30

I know, and so I don't know why I'm you know the Benjamin button of the sport right now, but but for some reason it's working. The the funny one was I was uh a shout out to James Wardle, who who became my wingman over in Singapore, because he was there on his own too, another British swimmer. But I hadn't realized he he did a great 100 freestyle the same day as me. And uh I think it was a 55-0. And he he said, Oh, I've just missed the British record. And I said, Oh, you know, and I'd just done my record, but we realized that I'm swimming faster than I did in my 40s to 44. So I've just my record in the 45 to 49 is now quicker than the 40 to 44. So so I've yeah, I I'm now yeah, I I couldn't go that fast eight years ago. So it is a yeah, my my my times are very strange. So the British record is now uh yeah, quicker in the 45s, so they're not gonna like aging up.

Danielle Spurling: 35:23

No, exactly. And do you ever like after Singapore, did you um sort of feel any sort of like let down or or sort of burnout after that sort of big high?

Martin Bennell: 35:37

Yeah, you definitely I don't as I say I'm pretty rounded and so no, no major uh burnout as such, but um it was a I always describe it as the bubble, and and and and all my friends listening will go, yeah, the swimming bubble. And and when you're away for a long weekend or you're away especially for a week, you are in this bubble. You and it's not real life because you're talking about swimming, you're having dinner with swimmers, you're talking, you know, you're training, you're swimming, it's not real. And all of a sudden, when you especially Singapore, you've really, you know, you've really got in there, and then you come home and ooh, real life, you know, oh bills to pay, you know, houses to clean, you know, you've still got to do the hoovering, you've still got to do the dishwasher, you know. Oh yeah. You know, so um no, definitely um, but no, I I'm good. I did I took a few weeks um out. I I hardly swam and and and took a bit of a break and then got back in in September. Um, and actually it was going really well until uh until I put my back out, which is uh fool foolish of me. And I will recover. I've had some physio and osteopath. I I'm on the road to recovery, but it was foolish of me.

Danielle Spurling: 36:43

But yeah, well, when you get over this back injury and you're back in and you're taking care of your back, what's what's sort of your next goal on the horizon, like your big goal?

Martin Bennell: 36:54

Oh, next goal is, and it really wasn't this year anyway, now, so it is next year. I've still got a few niggles, things I think I can do better. So the hundred breaststroke, as I said, I I did a um uh a one and a half second PB. So that's pretty amazing, but it was still a 107.5, and and then I've been a 105.0 short course, and I just think I can go a bit quicker if I if I get the first, if I get the the timing right. And maybe so 100 breaststroke long, and I know the second length, I need to be stronger on the second length, so I need to work on the second length. Um, but next year for us the big goal, and I'm gonna and again, I like to do these things in public. Let's go let's go uh let's put it this one out there, but it's all about the relays for me next year, and we've done a lot of records this year, but next year we've got a mixed team at Basing Stoke Bluefins that ages to 200. We were unfortunately we were 199 this year, and Woking, which is Michelle Ware and Mike Hodgson and my you know very, very good friend Dean Blackman, have had a team which is 200 this year, and they've broken nearly every record, they've done nearly every relay, and they broke the world record two weeks ago in the 4x100, but they're also doing the four by 50s and all of the events. And and our team, we believe our team is stronger. We do it in a different order for the medleys, and so we'll we'll we'll find out. And they've now set us all these times, and so yeah, I I we're gonna have a big relay focus, and and they've yeah, we we know what we need to do, and uh gonna try and get as many records uh from a good friend as I can.

Danielle Spurling: 38:31

So that's a that's really good.

Martin Bennell: 38:35

Yeah, it includes the four by 200 as well, which as everyone, you know, if you think of me as a 50 breaststroker, that 200 freestyle long course is that's a challenge, and and I do need to adapt my training somewhat for that.

Danielle Spurling: 38:46

So that's the British, they're the British records, are they?

Martin Bennell: 38:51

Um they broke a they broke a world record. I think it was the first one, I think they've got one world, and definitely a few Europeans, uh, and mostly British. So yeah, yeah, and and my team, yeah. So shout out to uh Lizzie, Fleur, and Spencer and I. Yeah, next year we'll we'll be trying to uh to break them. But we'll see.

Danielle Spurling: 39:15

So, Martin, every time I get someone on the pod, I love to ask them the deep dive five. So I just gonna ask you five quick questions. Tell me the first thing that pops into your mind. Favorite pool that you've ever swum at?

Martin Bennell: 39:29

Singapore.

Danielle Spurling: 39:32

Singapore, the the portable one or the OCBC?

Martin Bennell: 39:36

Oh, I've got such good memories now. It it's gonna be the portable. It used to be the OCBC because I loved it, but uh and I love the outdoor feel, but no, I I did my best swims and I got yeah, no, I I I got the three golds in the other pool. Yeah, it was it was the temporary one, which I guess will never be there again. That's a shame.

Danielle Spurling: 39:55

No, that's it was a beautiful pool. It was just so deep and so non-turbulent and oh so blue. I love it.

Martin Bennell: 40:03

Yeah, yeah, so blue. I'll have great memories. I love the setup with the warm down pool nearby, and that was amazing as well. It was amazing, wasn't it? Yeah, no, that that yeah, and you hesitate because I've obviously I've got London, which I get to swim in a fair bit, two or three times a year, and that's amazing too. That was the hesitation, but no, Singapore will have will definitely have the best memories.

Danielle Spurling: 40:25

Yes, yes. And you are AM or PM trainer? What do you prefer? I'm a PM. PM.

Martin Bennell: 40:32

Yeah, yeah. I I went through the AM life and and then with the kids, but actually now they they like to come to the gym with me, don't they? So uh we do it after college or or it was after, yeah, in the evening. So I've become an evening, and obviously I also train solo, so you have to find a lane without public. So I'm now I I'm a 9 p.m. I'm quite late on my own, making sure everyone's gone. Yeah, so I have a lane to myself, so 9 till 10 p.m. quite regularly.

Danielle Spurling: 40:57

Oh, how do you get to sleep after that?

Martin Bennell: 41:00

Yeah, you then come home and you eat too much, and yeah, it does, yeah, yeah. It's you it's it's a routine and a habit you get better at, but no, you're you're you're wired for a while.

Danielle Spurling: 41:10

For a little while, of course. What's your favorite breaststroke drill?

Martin Bennell: 41:14

Oh, um, I don't do much breaststroke because of my gories. I literally just race it. But when I do, uh my favorite draw is probably the three kicks one pull. It used to be two kicks to one pull, and that's what I did. And then it was only maybe a year or two ago someone recommended it because you're having to hold that that that streamline longer and hold your breath, which um is really important. And so, yeah, the three kicks to one pull, probably.

Danielle Spurling: 41:40

Nice. And how about your favorite uh main training set?

Martin Bennell: 41:44

Now I remember you doing these before, so I I did give this one some thought, and um I and because of the AI, the last six months, it's been a different session every time. There's no repeats, but when I look back, and the one the one I go back to is I used to love it as a as in my 20s when I was uh on it, and it was a lactate tolerance, I think they called it, and it was the 3050s off 90. So you've got a minute 30, and it was so in my 20s, I remember they were all max, 30 max from a dive, you know. And actually, I if I recall, I think I did pretty well, and and I quite like the pain of it, you know. The uh and and try and, you know, it now these days I have tried to do it as a master swimmer. Now I can't dive, so again, my pool, there's no blocks, you're not allowed to dive in, so there's no diving, which is probably a good thing. And I definitely break it into tens and sometimes fives, and and and and they maybe not all max. Yeah, I see. But but the the principle of it I still love. I love that trying to hang in there as long as you can. But I think at our age 30 is is is a few too many. But but yeah, 10 freestyle, 10 breaststroke, 10 freestyle, something like that. Or you do build up five, you know. But yeah, those that's a fine one. It's 3050s. But yeah, I wouldn't necessarily highly recommend it, but it's it certainly sorts the lactate out.

Danielle Spurling: 43:08

Yes. How how much rest are you taking?

Martin Bennell: 43:11

Well, yeah, so swimming on 30 seconds, so you're getting a minute. Um, so it's off yeah, off the 90. I know, and as a sprinter, the the uh the enjoyable ones are the 50s or five minutes, you know. They're the they're the they're the really, you know, they're the nicer, different kind of pain, isn't it? But uh very much, yeah. But yeah, and I've always I guess I came I I I I don't do the too uh short a session. So actually a lot of my sessions are 3k ish. So and I know a lot of sprinters are only doing one to two K and really focused on on the short stuff, but I still like to be able to do a 200 freestyle. I still like to be able to help the relays out, and I still like to mix up my races. I actually did an 800 this year for the first time ever. Oh, really? It wasn't it wasn't great, but um, I do like to mix it up, so I do like to keep the training distance in there and um so yeah, 3050s off 90 seconds as hard as you can.

Danielle Spurling: 44:05

Yes, that's a good one. I like that. And how about the the the swimmer that you admire the most?

Martin Bennell: 44:12

Um hey, it might and it's gonna sound uh potentially a bit cheesy right now, but Adam Petey's um who I've met now many times, and I've done his meets and we've raced each other, um, and he's now making his comeback. So I guess in in a few years' time, ask me again, but right now the fact he's making the comeback is good. Adam ultimately is the world record holder on the breast. I've now set British records and I'm 20 years older, exactly 20 years older than him. So when I have seen him, it's like, there you go, I've set you your mark for 20 years' time. So these are the times you need to keep doing. So whether he carries on, but but ultimately he's he's he has more world records in one stroke than anyone else. You know, he's he's still got his hundred breaststroke, no one, no one's no one's got close. And so yeah, it has yeah, it has to be the British breaststroker, doesn't it? I have to back my man. And I was racing in his hat. I had a I had an AP hat, so I did the AP meeting and I had a AP race hat. So uh I'm all in AP.

Danielle Spurling: 45:12

Yeah, I saw I saw his racing over at the World Cups in uh in the US. So yeah, on the on the comeback trail. Of course, yeah, yeah.

Martin Bennell: 45:20

So I think it'll be next year for him, it'll be really, really exciting. And we've got a young lad who's from Hampshire, one of the Jersey, an island near us, Philippe, who won the World Juniors, uh, who's also a breaststroker. So watch out. I think because Philippe will be in the Commonwealth for Jersey, he'll be representing Jersey. Um and then Adam will be there for England, and plus the odd he's never went out. So I think yeah, he's he's got his work cut out, Adam. Just you know, just stay in the British number one, let alone world. So uh yeah, it should be a good year next year.

Danielle Spurling: 45:50

Yeah, because we've got a breaststroker from Melbourne, Sam Williamson. He won the worlds last year, but then um hurt his knee, so he was out this current year. But yeah, um I think he's on the comeback trail as well. So that'll be interesting if he makes it back in time for the Common Off Games next year.

Martin Bennell: 46:07

Yeah, I hope so. Yeah, I love it. We all love just watching good competition, don't we? So yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 46:14

Well, Martin, thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today. It's been lovely getting to hear all about your swimming and um wishing you every success heading forward. And I hope that back heals up for you quickly.

Martin Bennell: 46:24

Yes, I hope I can do the relays. I guess I'll post about it you know uh on the social media if if I can if I can even be in the relay team. I might get dropped. But yeah, thanks. And and yeah, yeah, keep up the podcast, and I look forward to listening on my commutes when I start working again. Yes.

Danielle Spurling: 46:45

Okay, take care. Bye. Thanks for tuning in to Torpedo Swim Talk, the podcast celebrating swimmers at every stage from Masters Legends to Olympic champions. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to help more swimmers find the show. You can also catch past episodes, guest highlights, and swimming stories from around the world at Torpedoswimtalk.com. Until next time, happy swimming and bye for now.