Let’s Make Sure Everybody Can Do…

Most coaches seem to have a formula; you know, a way to get everyone into shape so that each swimmer can do the work required to be great…or at least some version of great.

The question still remains, what if everyone is different? How do we then approach our developmental paradigms? Take breaststroke for instance. It has so many various ways that it is nearly impossible to have everyone swim it the same way. Certainly there are some basic “musts” but beyond that the wise coach figures out how to take what the swimmer has and work with that.

Same with conditioning; if your race takes 2 minutes then you need to get in good enough “shape” to be able to deliver the goods for the entire 2 minutes, without a smidgen of let up. Then you need to get control over your brain’s desire to keep you from killing yourself. It wants you to ease up a bit, here and there. You need to control those very real, very natural responses…for the last parts (different amount of time for each swimmer) of those 2 minutes.

When we saw the image below it resonated with us. Perhaps it will for you as well. Have a great workout, a bunch of them, this week!

Bono & Ali

“It’s almost impossible to be great. That’s why we call it great. And that’s our drug of choice. Very good is the enemy of great — there’s lots of that. But who wants to be in a very good band at this point? Whatever you think of our oeuvre, or whatever you think of the U2 group, we’re still attempting to get beyond ourselves.”

You pick the specifics but you get the idea…

Making Winter Juniors is really very good. What’s great is getting a nighttime swim…even greater is making Summer Juniors at the meet.

I’m a pretty good kicker, maybe even very good since I can kick on the 1:30 interval. Great would be going on the 1:20 and even greater would be on the 1:15.

But when I kick on the 1:30 I am so much better than those who are on the 1:40; so all is good…but not actually great.

Go back to the first sentence and look at the use of the word “impossible”. Now go to the link below and see what you think about “impossible”.

Muhammad Ali: Impossible Is Nothing

Thanks to Madeline for the Bono quote and to Theo for the Ali quote.

WHAT KIND OF INVESTOR ARE YOU??

A.   Art----goes to the bank sporadically...deposits some $$ here and there....things always seem to come up to keep Art from going to the bank as often as he would like.

Vacation--- one week at the Raisin Festival in Fresno. Wishes he had a better vacation and vows next year to do a better job of investing.

B.    Betty---always goes to the bank, but when there won't deposit much as it is not worth it to her to give up that $$. Sometimes she will go to the bank and just sit in the lobby because they have a nice flat screen TV to watch.

Vacation----attends rodeo in Vacaville while staying at the Embassy Suites because they have a good breakfast. She can't understand why she can't have a better vacation because after all, she did go to the bank all the time.

C.    Carney---banks somewhat sporadically, but when he does go to the bank, he really puts a whole lot of $$ away. He tends to put more away as vacation time looms.

Vacation---weekend splitting time at Disneyland and California Adventure . . . He really digs the fact that they are now playing Red Hot Chili Peppers music when going on Space Mountain. He wonders what  his vacation would be like if he went to the bank more often as he sure has a pretty nice vacation for the amount of time he puts into it.

D.   Donna---always goes to the bank and when there, is willing to deposit some hard earned cash into her account. Because of her great abilities and thoughtfulness of planning her life, she has enough left over to still live a great and balanced life throughout the year. There are some sacrifices that have to be made, but not as much as you would think and the payoff is worth it.

Vacation---a week at a fancy resort in the Hawaiian Islands. She is able to sit on the beach while being served pupus and having tropical drinks served in glasses with teeny umbrellas in them. She is living the dream.

E.    Ebenezer---spends way too much time at the bank. Invests most of his $$ while denying himself the day to day fun that life can bring. Eats Saltines and peanut butter everyday to save money and then wonders why his cholesterol is so darn high.

Vacation---doesn't go on vacation because he has no friends and needs the money to visit a therapist. Eventually he stars in a Christmas story where 3 ghosts visit him, sending him back the therapist once again.

SO WHAT KIND OF INVESTOR DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN (With one being dangerous to being in a pool unassisted and ten being Phelpsian in your talent), WHERE WOULD YOU RANK YOURSELF IN TALENT?

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN (With one sending your teammates screaming at the site of you to ten being Miguel Mattox), WHERE WOULD YOU RANK YOURSELF AS A TEAMMATE?

Note: Ken told Miguel before his freshman year in college that he could go a 1:47 200 back. Miguelwas skeptical to say the least. In Miguel’s final conference meet he won the 200 back going away, blowing the field off on the last 2 walls and went a 1:47…

"EXCELLENCE IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT"

Aristotle

It’s Been A While

We’ve been on sabbatical…poolside of course and missing the opportunity to share what’s on our mind so here goes…

We have had 6 workouts of a pre-season style, getting wet and looking around to see who is missing (the graduated seniors) and who is going to take their places (and it is fun to watch them look around and see who it will be that takes up leaderships roles).

Anyway, tomorrow we begin again in earnest, chasing some more dreams. It is a momentous time of year and we look forward to it annually. Here is our first workout, the first real one in nearly a month or so…way back in taper time J

9-5-17 youth             Goals: work works

Short team meeting…1 – hand out blue print for our fall training block  2 – discuss having training partners for accountability purposes

Wmp 4x50/.45 then 900 IM set [4x25/.30 fly back br fr then 8x25/27.5 then 12x25/.25 then 8 x 25/.22.5 then 4x25/.20……20 mins 1100 [ have someone good at math lead ]

15x200 all negative split with # 5, 10, and 15 at RACE point (like a race where it counts)

1-5 swim/2:45  6-10 pull/3  11-15 swim w fins/2:30

15x150 progressive (many of you say descend) 1-5 all on 2:10       1-5 swim, 6-10 pull, 11-15 swim w fins

In each 150 make the 50’s get faster within the 150………..110 mins/ 6350

10x50/1 choice, fast as you can……….120 mins/ 6850