The swimming squad will be based in Osaka as they familiarise themselves with the Asian environment and recover from a journey across eight time zones before they leave for Beijing on August 5.

 

While in Japan's second city, the team will use the Osaka Pool, which has indoor 25 metre and 50m facilities, as well as an open-air 25m pool.

 

These are supplemented by an extensive strength and conditioning area.

 

The team arrived at their base on Saturday but many of the team already had experiences of Osaka and it's venues after attending a pre-competition camp there last summer.

 

One of those who is familiar with the facilities after visiting to train in 2007 is Olympic bronze medallist David Davies.

 

He said: "The facilities we've managed to secure for the holding camp in Japan are fantastic and it's such a warm and welcoming place which helps everyone to relax and focus on things.

 

"It's a great place to relax and chill out before the hustle and bustle of the Games.

 

"There is still work to be done but it's about growing that team unity as well as finishing off your own preparations."

 

The athletes are supported by a core team around them offering coaching, sports science and sports medicine, nutrition, psychology and the experiences of others who have been to Games of the past.

 

For Davies this vital support network enables him to concentrate on the weeks ahead while making sure he remains relaxed in readiness for the Games.

 

The Welshman said: "My events are at the back end of the programme so for me the holding camp is slightly different.

 

"I've still got quite a bit of training left to do but everything is falling into place.

 

"It's a really exciting time at the moment, the Olympics are nearly here and we're all desperate to race.

 

"This camp helps to keep all that emotion and urgency in check while defining how we will function and perform as a team."

 

Team GB head men's coach Fred Vergnoux has been impressed with the opening days of the camp and the warm welcome extended to the British squad by their Japanese hosts.

 

He said: "The facilities are excellent and are just a short distance from the hotel.

 

"We have three quality pools that we can access twice a day and it gives the coaches and swimmers a lot of flexibility to do what is required as they finalise their preparations.

 

"Since we've arrived the amount of support and hospitality that has been shown to us has been quite extraordinary.

 

"We've been made to feel very welcome and upon arrival people have gone out of their way to make sure the team have everything they need."

 

A key element of the holding camp is finishing off a swimmers taper phase, where they begin to lower the intensity of their work prior to a major event, and will continue to lessen as the Games draw nearer while athletes and coaches will also focus on tightening up key skills.

 

Vergnoux said: "As coaches we've all started to reduce the work for our athletes now.

 

"The volumes they are doing compared to other times in the season are quite low but there is a still a requirement for quality and for many they will still have important training sets before the Olympics begin."