Two factors combine for swimming speed; they are distance per stroke and tempo (often referred to as stroke rate or turnover). When considering how to swim faster we sometimes focus on one at the expense of the other.
If you have very low stroke counts and therefore excellent stroke efficiency are you better off than the swimmer next to you who resembles a high speed turbine? Well, maybe not. If your stroke count is low because you glide a lot at the beginning of your stroke you may not be grabbing hold of the water very well. You may look pretty but you may not be very efficient in that your mechanics are not helping you propel yourself efficiently.
Conversely, if you move your arms (and legs) very fast but are not grabbing much water your high tempo is only that – a high tempo. Fast tempo in and of itself is no guarantee for speed. If you aren’t efficient, that is holding onto lots of water, it really doesn’t matter how fast you move your arms.
So, in your opinion, which is more important, distance per stroke or tempo? For a quick lesson Google “Nathan Adrian 50 Free”. We hope you have a great week at the pool!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Oh, Those T-Shirts...
Recently we were in Orlando, Florida at the Junior National Championships. We saw the following on the back of a T-shirt.
"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize"... Mohammed Ali
This man and his body of work bear studying. Along with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods he is today, some 40 years later, recognized as one of the most influential athletes ever. The statement above would seem arrogant coming from almost anyone other than Ali. He was an athlete of exceptional skill; a person of extraordinary principle. He went to jail, foregoing several years of his career - at his prime - rather than serve in Vietnam, because he didn't believe in killing people.
He is the same man who is quoted as saying, "The fight is won far from the witnesses." (It is what you do in the moments in training which no one else sees, that makes the difference when you compete). As we continue to perfect our craft, let us remember these ideas.
Study and surround yourself with successful people, no matter the field of endeavor. You will learn enormous amounts of precious and valuable qualities which will serve you well all the years of your life.
Have a great week. Let us know how we can help!
"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize"... Mohammed Ali
This man and his body of work bear studying. Along with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods he is today, some 40 years later, recognized as one of the most influential athletes ever. The statement above would seem arrogant coming from almost anyone other than Ali. He was an athlete of exceptional skill; a person of extraordinary principle. He went to jail, foregoing several years of his career - at his prime - rather than serve in Vietnam, because he didn't believe in killing people.
He is the same man who is quoted as saying, "The fight is won far from the witnesses." (It is what you do in the moments in training which no one else sees, that makes the difference when you compete). As we continue to perfect our craft, let us remember these ideas.
Study and surround yourself with successful people, no matter the field of endeavor. You will learn enormous amounts of precious and valuable qualities which will serve you well all the years of your life.
Have a great week. Let us know how we can help!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Which 50 Is IT?
When swimming a 200 free we often ponder the question "Which 50 is the most important one?" When you look at the swims below you can "see" the race unfolding.
These are the top three finishers and their splits from the recently concluded Men's and Women's NCAA Swimming Championships. While each split is significant in that it is part of the swim, which 50 do you think made the difference? Then the next question is "What are you doing in your training program to make that split available to you when it counts the most?
Let us know what you think. We are here to help!
These are the top three finishers and their splits from the recently concluded Men's and Women's NCAA Swimming Championships. While each split is significant in that it is part of the swim, which 50 do you think made the difference? Then the next question is "What are you doing in your training program to make that split available to you when it counts the most?
Let us know what you think. We are here to help!
1 Fraser, Shaune FLOR 1:31.70 20
r:+0.75 21.57 45.24 (23.67)
1:08.49 (23.25) 1:31.70 (23.21)
2 Walters, Dave TEX 1:32.59 17
r:+0.75 21.66 45.39 (23.73)
1:09.46 (24.07) 1:32.59 (23.13)
3 Berens, Ricky TEX 1:32.74 16
r:+0.77 21.70 45.55 (23.85)
1:09.45 (23.90) 1:32.74 (23.29)
1 Vollmer, Dana CAL 1:42.01M"A" 20
r:+0.78 24.38 50.52 (26.14)
1:16.47 (25.95) 1:42.01 (25.54)
2 Scroggy, Morgan UGA 1:42.90 "A" 17
r:+0.74 24.54 50.93 (26.39)
1:16.89 (25.96) 1:42.90 (26.01)
3 Schmitt, Allison UGA 1:43.09 "A" 16
r:+0.73 24.50 50.47 (25.97)
1:16.84 (26.37) 1:43.09 (26.25)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Preparation – A Key to Success
That preparation is vital to ongoing and ultimate success is not a revelation to any of you. At swimcoachdirect we are always looking for new ways to communicate lifelong maxims. We have been rereading “How Life Imitates Chess” by World Champion Garry Kasparov.
On page 70 he writes Preparation Pays Off in Many Ways:
“We can’t all have the single-minded dedication of an Alekhine. Few lives and few endeavors permit such devotion. But in truth it’s not the amount of time that really counts – it’s the quality of your study and how you use your time. Becoming a 24/7 fanatic who counts every minute and second isn’t going to make you a success. The keys to great preparation are self-awareness and consistency. Steady effort pays off, even if not always in an immediate, tangible way.”
He continues, “We cannot doubt the brainpower of Thomas Edison, but his true genius lay in his capacity for endless experimentation. In creating the electric light bulb, he tested thousands of substances to find a filament that wouldn’t burn out…”Opportunity,” Edison said, “is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” This was an echo of another great thinker and worker, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote, “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
So, as we go about our week, let’s all pledge to find an appreciation for the preparation we already know we need to move forward toward our goals. We are going to wear our overalls to the pool this week. Join us and tell us how it goes for you!
On page 70 he writes Preparation Pays Off in Many Ways:
“We can’t all have the single-minded dedication of an Alekhine. Few lives and few endeavors permit such devotion. But in truth it’s not the amount of time that really counts – it’s the quality of your study and how you use your time. Becoming a 24/7 fanatic who counts every minute and second isn’t going to make you a success. The keys to great preparation are self-awareness and consistency. Steady effort pays off, even if not always in an immediate, tangible way.”
He continues, “We cannot doubt the brainpower of Thomas Edison, but his true genius lay in his capacity for endless experimentation. In creating the electric light bulb, he tested thousands of substances to find a filament that wouldn’t burn out…”Opportunity,” Edison said, “is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” This was an echo of another great thinker and worker, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote, “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
So, as we go about our week, let’s all pledge to find an appreciation for the preparation we already know we need to move forward toward our goals. We are going to wear our overalls to the pool this week. Join us and tell us how it goes for you!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Who Needs a Stop Watch?
Swimmers and coaches alike often place a lot of value on the time swum as reflected on the stop watch, pace clock or scoreboard. We learn the value of time in swimming at an early age. First you get your "B" time, then your "A" time, then your...the list goes on until some are getting their "Olympic Trials" time. It's all about the time...or is it?
Even if you are fortunate enough to set a World Record, at some point in time, probably sooner than later, someone will break it. So what the swimmer is left with is a recollection of their swim, or career and whether or not they can reflect positively on that recollection.
We have found recently that our swimmers do a better job of reaching their potential at any given moment in time by working on doing their best and swimming their race the way they know they can; the way they have trained to do. If they will focus on this, rather than getting a time, then more often than not they will swim a fast time.
Few other than Phelps himself and his coach will ever remember his times from Beijing but he will always remember how well he swam, how he constructed those races and used his training for success. Jason Lezak will remember his split on the 400 Free Relay but most will never forget the exciting finish and first place touch.
So keep using the stopwatch and pace clock as training aids. At the same time use your inner sense of how well you are doing based upon the effort you are giving. Let others do the timing; you do the swimming.
One way to start this process is to do an entire workout without a clock, measuring your rate of success based upon how well you are swimming and how fatigued you are at the end (or how fast you feel if you are in that stage of your training). You will discover a few new things about yourself in the process. These discoveries will go a long way toward your eventual success. Let us know how it goes!
Even if you are fortunate enough to set a World Record, at some point in time, probably sooner than later, someone will break it. So what the swimmer is left with is a recollection of their swim, or career and whether or not they can reflect positively on that recollection.
We have found recently that our swimmers do a better job of reaching their potential at any given moment in time by working on doing their best and swimming their race the way they know they can; the way they have trained to do. If they will focus on this, rather than getting a time, then more often than not they will swim a fast time.
Few other than Phelps himself and his coach will ever remember his times from Beijing but he will always remember how well he swam, how he constructed those races and used his training for success. Jason Lezak will remember his split on the 400 Free Relay but most will never forget the exciting finish and first place touch.
So keep using the stopwatch and pace clock as training aids. At the same time use your inner sense of how well you are doing based upon the effort you are giving. Let others do the timing; you do the swimming.
One way to start this process is to do an entire workout without a clock, measuring your rate of success based upon how well you are swimming and how fatigued you are at the end (or how fast you feel if you are in that stage of your training). You will discover a few new things about yourself in the process. These discoveries will go a long way toward your eventual success. Let us know how it goes!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Choosing the Correct Word
As coaches we often see our primary role as teachers. As such, we strive to use precise words when describing what we want our swimmers to do. The clearer the picture we create with our words the better chance we have of getting the desired result.
With this in mind consider the two words "bold" and "reckless" as they appply to competing. When we consult our trusty dictionary the word "bold" is defined as, "not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring: a bold hero; necessitating courage and daring; challenging: a bold adventure; beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative: Einstein was a bold mathematician. a difficult problem needing a bold answer."
"Reckless" on the other hand is defined as, "utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action; without caution; careless."
When we have a big meet approaching we ask our swimmers to consider the difference between being bold and being reckless as it pertains to their upcoming race. We all have seen swimmers who want something to badly that they will do almost anything to achieve it. They go out so fast, swimming furiously in hopes that they will swim the time they are after. Or if racing a certain individual they throw all caution to the wind and swim like a "madman (woman)" in a desperate attempt to finish in front of their competition.
At some point all of us need to consider being bold, whether a coach or a swimmer. This is much different than being reckless. Reckless is "without caution; careless". Careless swimming doesn't get what you want. Bold swimming will often push you into a new arena opening up opportunities which you may have only dreamed were possible.
The same goes for training. Train boldly and you will reap magnificent rewards. Train recklessly and you will get injured. So, give this a go and let us know how it works for you!
With this in mind consider the two words "bold" and "reckless" as they appply to competing. When we consult our trusty dictionary the word "bold" is defined as, "not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring: a bold hero; necessitating courage and daring; challenging: a bold adventure; beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative: Einstein was a bold mathematician. a difficult problem needing a bold answer."
"Reckless" on the other hand is defined as, "utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action; without caution; careless."
When we have a big meet approaching we ask our swimmers to consider the difference between being bold and being reckless as it pertains to their upcoming race. We all have seen swimmers who want something to badly that they will do almost anything to achieve it. They go out so fast, swimming furiously in hopes that they will swim the time they are after. Or if racing a certain individual they throw all caution to the wind and swim like a "madman (woman)" in a desperate attempt to finish in front of their competition.
At some point all of us need to consider being bold, whether a coach or a swimmer. This is much different than being reckless. Reckless is "without caution; careless". Careless swimming doesn't get what you want. Bold swimming will often push you into a new arena opening up opportunities which you may have only dreamed were possible.
The same goes for training. Train boldly and you will reap magnificent rewards. Train recklessly and you will get injured. So, give this a go and let us know how it works for you!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Psyche Sheets
The publishing of a meet psyche sheet is a time honored tradition in swimming circles. As we prepare our team for the winter shave and taper meet all swimmers eagerly await the dissemination of this information. It gives them a chance to see how they compare to other swimmers who enter the meet.
And yet, the psyche sheets themselves are often as accurate as the winter weather forecast! We don’t know about your town, but here it seems as if the weather people could stand a closer look out their windows before hitting the airwaves.
The number one seed in an event is no different than the number 50 seed going into an event. Those are their seeded times; that’s it. In most cases no one swims their seeded times; they swim faster or slower. Indeed it is a rare event where the final results look similar to the psyche sheet. Unless you have one swimmer who is so dominant most often all spots are up for grabs.
As coaches, one of our most prominent missions in sport is to get the athlete to ignore past performance. The goal of pre-meet strategy is to get each swimmer to realize the upcoming race is an opportunity to do something they have trained for but not yet accomplished. The swim is in them and our job and their task is to let it come out.
So, the next time one of your swimmers grabs the program saying, “I want to see where I am seeded” you might encourage them to focus on what the result sheet will look like, reminding them that the psyche sheet is actually ancient history…and they are here today to write their own chapter!
See how that works for them and you and let us know. Have a great meet!
And yet, the psyche sheets themselves are often as accurate as the winter weather forecast! We don’t know about your town, but here it seems as if the weather people could stand a closer look out their windows before hitting the airwaves.
The number one seed in an event is no different than the number 50 seed going into an event. Those are their seeded times; that’s it. In most cases no one swims their seeded times; they swim faster or slower. Indeed it is a rare event where the final results look similar to the psyche sheet. Unless you have one swimmer who is so dominant most often all spots are up for grabs.
As coaches, one of our most prominent missions in sport is to get the athlete to ignore past performance. The goal of pre-meet strategy is to get each swimmer to realize the upcoming race is an opportunity to do something they have trained for but not yet accomplished. The swim is in them and our job and their task is to let it come out.
So, the next time one of your swimmers grabs the program saying, “I want to see where I am seeded” you might encourage them to focus on what the result sheet will look like, reminding them that the psyche sheet is actually ancient history…and they are here today to write their own chapter!
See how that works for them and you and let us know. Have a great meet!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Set Ideas
We were thinking about some simple sets, tossing around ideas...that's what we do a lot of here at Swim Coach Direct - we toss around ideas. Some are better than others, some work very well, some OK and some need a lot of refinement. This process mirrors a lot of life's general experiences.
Swim coaching is amazing in that there are so many ways to get the job done. What works for one swimmer or one coach simply won't do the trick for another. Finding the proper fit is what it is all about, seems to us anyway!
With that in mind here is a set that worked for us recently and why. Give it a try or perhaps it will spark some good ideas and cause a light to go on for you. Let us know what you think; we are all in this game together.
Learning to swim a 100 free correctly is a matter of putting together 4 laps (we're talking yards here) properly. We learn how this is done by watching the fastest swimmers in the world to see how they construct their swims. In general the delta (the difference between the first 50 and the second 50) is 1.8 seconds. The speed of the 1st 50 is no more than 1 second slower than your fastest 50 flat start time. So, if you swim a 35.0 for the 50 free when you race a 100 free you would go out in 36.0 and come home on the 2nd 50 in 37.8. This would give you a time of 1:13.8 for your 100 free.
To train for this here is a set that works well for our swimmers.
After a 30-40 minute warm-up:
Main set
Swim 4x50 at 80%. All the times are the same. The interval is such that you get about 10 seconds rest. Then swim an easy 100 recovery swim. Then swim 4x50 at 85% on the same interval. You will get a little more rest because you are swimming faster. Swim an easy 100. Then swim 4x50 at 90% on the same interval which means that you are now getting a little more rest.
Swim a couple or three hundred easy.
Now swim 2x50 on the same interval you were using above. Make certain the second 50 is faster than the first. Do this set of 2 at 80%. The times will be very close but the 2nd 50 is a tad faster than the 1st one. Swim an easy 100. Follow the progression below using the same interval all the way through to conclusion.
2x50/ 85% 2nd one faster than the 1st. Easy 100.
2x50/80% 2nd faster than the 1st. Easy 100.
2x50/90% as above. Easy 100.
2x50/80% as above. Easy 100.
2x50/95% as above. Easy 100.
Loosen well...let us know what you think. Remember the value of sharing ideas!
Swim coaching is amazing in that there are so many ways to get the job done. What works for one swimmer or one coach simply won't do the trick for another. Finding the proper fit is what it is all about, seems to us anyway!
With that in mind here is a set that worked for us recently and why. Give it a try or perhaps it will spark some good ideas and cause a light to go on for you. Let us know what you think; we are all in this game together.
Learning to swim a 100 free correctly is a matter of putting together 4 laps (we're talking yards here) properly. We learn how this is done by watching the fastest swimmers in the world to see how they construct their swims. In general the delta (the difference between the first 50 and the second 50) is 1.8 seconds. The speed of the 1st 50 is no more than 1 second slower than your fastest 50 flat start time. So, if you swim a 35.0 for the 50 free when you race a 100 free you would go out in 36.0 and come home on the 2nd 50 in 37.8. This would give you a time of 1:13.8 for your 100 free.
To train for this here is a set that works well for our swimmers.
After a 30-40 minute warm-up:
Main set
Swim 4x50 at 80%. All the times are the same. The interval is such that you get about 10 seconds rest. Then swim an easy 100 recovery swim. Then swim 4x50 at 85% on the same interval. You will get a little more rest because you are swimming faster. Swim an easy 100. Then swim 4x50 at 90% on the same interval which means that you are now getting a little more rest.
Swim a couple or three hundred easy.
Now swim 2x50 on the same interval you were using above. Make certain the second 50 is faster than the first. Do this set of 2 at 80%. The times will be very close but the 2nd 50 is a tad faster than the 1st one. Swim an easy 100. Follow the progression below using the same interval all the way through to conclusion.
2x50/ 85% 2nd one faster than the 1st. Easy 100.
2x50/80% 2nd faster than the 1st. Easy 100.
2x50/90% as above. Easy 100.
2x50/80% as above. Easy 100.
2x50/95% as above. Easy 100.
Loosen well...let us know what you think. Remember the value of sharing ideas!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Swim a Faster 100 in 6 Weeks
If you wanted to improve your 100 time 2 seconds - doesn't matter which stroke - and you had six days a week to train with say 2 hours per day and the meet was in 6 weeks, how would you use the time?
Let's throw into the mix the following items (you can add in any that you feel are relevant and discard any of ours):
Remember you have 6 days per week for 6 weeks at 2 hours per day for a total of 72 hours. Out of this resource you want a 2 second improvement, or about .03 improvement per hour of training.
We suggest you prioritize the list of items. This will require you to make decisions about what you think is more important. Is kicking more important than pulling? Is anaerobic more important than aerobic? Once you have sorted out your priorities you can begin devising your training system. And since most of us have other obligations and workouts get missed you can constantly reshuffle so you are using your time wisely as opposed to using it up.
The variables as we see it are the amount of time available to train and the goal of the training. The process is simple and fairly constant.
Any comments? Let us know how it goes for you!
Let's throw into the mix the following items (you can add in any that you feel are relevant and discard any of ours):
- Dry land
- Stroke technique
- Aerobic training
- Anaerobic training
- Pulling
- Kicking
- Start work
- Turn work
- Nutrition
- Visualization
Remember you have 6 days per week for 6 weeks at 2 hours per day for a total of 72 hours. Out of this resource you want a 2 second improvement, or about .03 improvement per hour of training.
We suggest you prioritize the list of items. This will require you to make decisions about what you think is more important. Is kicking more important than pulling? Is anaerobic more important than aerobic? Once you have sorted out your priorities you can begin devising your training system. And since most of us have other obligations and workouts get missed you can constantly reshuffle so you are using your time wisely as opposed to using it up.
The variables as we see it are the amount of time available to train and the goal of the training. The process is simple and fairly constant.
Any comments? Let us know how it goes for you!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
What's the Answer?
As swimming coaches we have been asked all week about our reaction to the Michael Phelps story and his subsequent disciplinary action handed down by USA Swimming.
We have been asked; "Do you think it is fair?" "Do you think he made a mistake?" "Do you think the discipline is just a slap on the wrist, or is it meaningful?" The list goes on but you get the drift.
While we have answers to those questions what we would really rather know is the answers to these questions?
Does the new suit technology really make swimmers that much faster?
If the answer is yes, so what? So did goggles; fancy lane lines; deeper pools. So long as everyone has access then what's the difference?
How does CoreControl really work?
If a swimmer's event takes 2 minutes why does that swimmer need to swim for 2 hours per day, let alone 3 or 4 hours per day?
Is it more important to have 12 and unders learning to swim their strokes correctly before they begin training?
If a swimmer simply does not connect during workouts is it better to have him/her leave or stay and do things improperly?
Is Matt Fitzgerald (Brain Training for Runners) right about his science? If so, how do we in swimming adapt the principles to our training?
As a coach, would you rather have a team of racehorses or sled dogs? Do you train your team accordingly?
Have you looked at training schedules for racehorses or sled dogs?
If you have starting blocks at your pool do you go off them every day? If not, why not since the fastest part of the swim is from the blocks or at least it ought to be - correct?
What is the most important part of a coaching clinic...the prepared speeches or the chatter at lunch?
And finally...if you have read this far, what question would you like to ask us? Let us know. We will answer all of them!
We have been asked; "Do you think it is fair?" "Do you think he made a mistake?" "Do you think the discipline is just a slap on the wrist, or is it meaningful?" The list goes on but you get the drift.
While we have answers to those questions what we would really rather know is the answers to these questions?
Does the new suit technology really make swimmers that much faster?
If the answer is yes, so what? So did goggles; fancy lane lines; deeper pools. So long as everyone has access then what's the difference?
How does CoreControl really work?
If a swimmer's event takes 2 minutes why does that swimmer need to swim for 2 hours per day, let alone 3 or 4 hours per day?
Is it more important to have 12 and unders learning to swim their strokes correctly before they begin training?
If a swimmer simply does not connect during workouts is it better to have him/her leave or stay and do things improperly?
Is Matt Fitzgerald (Brain Training for Runners) right about his science? If so, how do we in swimming adapt the principles to our training?
As a coach, would you rather have a team of racehorses or sled dogs? Do you train your team accordingly?
Have you looked at training schedules for racehorses or sled dogs?
If you have starting blocks at your pool do you go off them every day? If not, why not since the fastest part of the swim is from the blocks or at least it ought to be - correct?
What is the most important part of a coaching clinic...the prepared speeches or the chatter at lunch?
And finally...if you have read this far, what question would you like to ask us? Let us know. We will answer all of them!
Making Adjustments
The Pessimist complains about the wind...The Optimist expects it to change...
The Realist adjusts the sails...
We are not certain when we first saw this William Arthur Ward quote but we liked it then and it floated to the top of a pile of papers in the office this week and we still like it.
In swimming (indeed all sports and life in general) we see all kinds of folks - both as swimmers and as coaches. When we look at those who seem to be having all the fun, you know, the ones who are having success on a fairly regular and consistent basis...well, we see the realists.
We all have to deal with "wind", usually on a daily basis. The trick is what we do with it. The above pretty much outlines the three responses: 1 - complain, 2 - hope for things to get better, 3 - figure out a way to deal with the situation and then act on your plan.
So this week, when you get tossed a "curve ball" figure out what you are going to do with it. Complaining doesn't fix anything, nor does hope. What is needed is a plan and then implementation. And if your plan goes awry, make a new one. Keep working on the solution. Get help if you need it but keep working toward a better course of action...adjust your sails!
Have fun and let us know how it goes for you...
The Realist adjusts the sails...
We are not certain when we first saw this William Arthur Ward quote but we liked it then and it floated to the top of a pile of papers in the office this week and we still like it.
In swimming (indeed all sports and life in general) we see all kinds of folks - both as swimmers and as coaches. When we look at those who seem to be having all the fun, you know, the ones who are having success on a fairly regular and consistent basis...well, we see the realists.
We all have to deal with "wind", usually on a daily basis. The trick is what we do with it. The above pretty much outlines the three responses: 1 - complain, 2 - hope for things to get better, 3 - figure out a way to deal with the situation and then act on your plan.
So this week, when you get tossed a "curve ball" figure out what you are going to do with it. Complaining doesn't fix anything, nor does hope. What is needed is a plan and then implementation. And if your plan goes awry, make a new one. Keep working on the solution. Get help if you need it but keep working toward a better course of action...adjust your sails!
Have fun and let us know how it goes for you...
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Bounce
One of the things we have been doing with a lot of success lately is working "The Bounce". We define the bounce as the lift we get after an exceptional performance.
It is really very simple. When a swimmer has a good swim at a meet we talk about what went right and how that made the difference. It could be something that led to a fast time or the execution of a skill we have been working on in training that produced the desired positive result, regardless of the time. Either way, we identify the result as a bounce in performance level. By acknowledging it we validate the entire process.
We talk about what the swim used to look like, how we have worked on the skill to make the change we want and then recognize the desired result as proof positive of the progress being made.
We even take it so far as to recognize a good repeat during a set and then encourage the swimmer to put another one right behind it. This builds their confidence during the set and gets them to expect more from themselves. Intrinsic motivation is the best kind, believe us on this one!
Frank Busch, Coach at Arizona, talks about how if you put a few good repeats together you have a good set. Put a few sets together you have a good workout; a few workouts gets you a good week; a few weeks gets you a month...you can see where this goes.
We just had a really clear example of this. We finished our fall training block with some excellent results in our December shave meet. We bounced off that into a fine 4-5 week training block with a local meet in mid January. We swam very well at that meet with many of our swimmers showing better technique and more accurate splitting. We then talked about why they were able to do these things. This further empowered them for the last two weeks. We had a workout on Saturday that was spectacular. They knew it was coming and then they delivered. We will talk about the process again at our team meeting to raise everyone's awareness of just how well they are doing.
Tiger Woods is famous for his "Long Term Success Cycle". Picture a circle and at 12 is "You Feel Confident". At 4 is "You Take Inspired Action" and at 8 is "You Achieve Success". It is a process that feeds on itself. The key is the part where you need to take inspired action.
That action can be the smallest thing, like a short set on an interval you have never done before...as short as 2x100. When you achieve it, you acknowledge it and bounce of it to the next step. Give this a whirl in your training and you will see the results for yourself.
All comments and feedback are welcome. Have a great week!
It is really very simple. When a swimmer has a good swim at a meet we talk about what went right and how that made the difference. It could be something that led to a fast time or the execution of a skill we have been working on in training that produced the desired positive result, regardless of the time. Either way, we identify the result as a bounce in performance level. By acknowledging it we validate the entire process.
We talk about what the swim used to look like, how we have worked on the skill to make the change we want and then recognize the desired result as proof positive of the progress being made.
We even take it so far as to recognize a good repeat during a set and then encourage the swimmer to put another one right behind it. This builds their confidence during the set and gets them to expect more from themselves. Intrinsic motivation is the best kind, believe us on this one!
Frank Busch, Coach at Arizona, talks about how if you put a few good repeats together you have a good set. Put a few sets together you have a good workout; a few workouts gets you a good week; a few weeks gets you a month...you can see where this goes.
We just had a really clear example of this. We finished our fall training block with some excellent results in our December shave meet. We bounced off that into a fine 4-5 week training block with a local meet in mid January. We swam very well at that meet with many of our swimmers showing better technique and more accurate splitting. We then talked about why they were able to do these things. This further empowered them for the last two weeks. We had a workout on Saturday that was spectacular. They knew it was coming and then they delivered. We will talk about the process again at our team meeting to raise everyone's awareness of just how well they are doing.
Tiger Woods is famous for his "Long Term Success Cycle". Picture a circle and at 12 is "You Feel Confident". At 4 is "You Take Inspired Action" and at 8 is "You Achieve Success". It is a process that feeds on itself. The key is the part where you need to take inspired action.
That action can be the smallest thing, like a short set on an interval you have never done before...as short as 2x100. When you achieve it, you acknowledge it and bounce of it to the next step. Give this a whirl in your training and you will see the results for yourself.
All comments and feedback are welcome. Have a great week!
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