THE FINISH

 As I was watching you all on Monday and Tuesday doing your finishes on are fast repeats I noticed one glaring thing and that was how lackadaisical ( I know big word for me 🤪) you were with your last couple of strokes.  It’s not trying to be negative.  The finishes just don’t pass the old eye test tat coaches have and yes I can see the finishes.

 I was reading through a book and was reminded how important your mindset is in the sport of swimming.  If you go back and watch the 100 fly men's final in the 2008 Olympics when Phelps was trailing coming into the wall you will see how in a split second a decision Phelps made secured his place in history.  

Sure he was a talented swimmer with a great feel for the water but he also had the mindset to never give up, trust his instincts and finish what he started, something that I think a lot of swimmers overlook during their training.  They take the little things for granted such as the starts, turns, breathing and finishes which brings us to our topic today.

You had a great start and swimming the race of your life but in a a split second decision you pull back and coast into that finish,  Why would you do that?  Making a decision that will cost you hundreds or tenths of a second in a sport that could cost you a cut, a spot at finials, a place on the podium or at the very least a PB.

My take on this part of your race is that it comes down to your mindset, a will to never give up and trust your instincts.  Its not like your devices where you can ask it a question and instant results follow.  Swimming is not your phone.  You actually have to "CHOP WOOD" (do the work)

if you want results and your mindset is no different than any other part of your swimming.  So what are the critical things to focus on for a "championship mako" finish.

• First thing is to lock your mind into that finish.  See it.  Feel it.  Train your finish in workout that's where it starts. Every finish is another opportunity for you to master your finish.
• Your finish begins anywhere from 5-10 meters out.  Maintain your speed  all the way in.  Do not let up and coast in.
• Use your legs.  Your lungs are burning, arms are heavy, use the legs to drive you into that wall.
• Finish with your head down and at full extension. We are not breathing into that wall.  It's a MINDSET. a DECISION made by you.  Regardless of the event your focus is to get your hand or hands on the pad faster than your competition.  It starts with your head down and not trying to look at the scoreboard.
• Don't just touch the wall.  Accelerate through the wall.  Punch a hole in that wall.

"THE RACE SET"

As many rounds as possible  at end of workout

• 1x15 choice from a start on whistle
• 1x30 choice (same stroke)with turn
• 1x15 choice (same stroke) fast finish

HOG the lane stay in the middle.  After start stay at 15 until everyone is done than we go into the next part one at a time and so on.  Everything is done at race speed.

Why do it you ask?  It puts your whole race out there.  The start, the turn, and the finish.  It's an opportunity for you to improve those parts of your races.

You too can have the mindset of a champion if you work at it.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP FOR YOUNG SWIMMERS

 "The road to success is always under construction."

Interrupted or irregular sleep schedules will affect all human beings, but for a young swimmer it can have disastrous consequences on performances.  Young people are always growing and they need the proper amount of sleep to maintain both their physical and mental wellness.

We now how busy today's world can be and the schedule that a young swimmer has can become very crowded in a heart beat.  When you factor in academics and other school activities and then add to that swim practices and meets it can become very difficult to stick to a regular bedtime during the week and get that quality sleep that a young body needs.

Your body runs on an internal clock that can be disrupted easy when you change your sleep habits and when this happens it can actually be harder to get a good night sleep or even fall asleep at all.

THE WEEKEND TRAP

We have all fallen into this trap where we think if we sleep in on weekends or days off that we can catch up on all the sleep we missed during the week. Unfortunately the damage has already been done to that internal clock disrupting  your body rhythms.  You may have felt this with your mood swings  or the amount of time it takes for you to get rolling for the day.

Having quality sleep is just as important in your performance in your daily life which includes school and swimming.  It's as important as your nutrition, hydration, and your workouts in the pool.  Lack of proper sleep will also affect your mindset and we have talked about how your mindset will dictate your performance in the pool.

SET OF THE WEEK

PURPOSE   Work through the IM.  Work tight streamlines and underwaters.  Work on changing speeds.  Work turns on 50's and 100's.

 2 ROUNDS

4x25 fly descend to fast

4x50 back descend to fast tempo on 2nd 25

4x25 breast fast hands forward and get flat

4x100 free (effort level on each 25  85%--90%--95%--hammer down)

THE BACKSTROKE TURN

"Yesterday ended last night.  Today is a brand new day."

Have you ever wondered why we do so many turns during warmup at practice?

 Yesterday I was scrolling through last weekend's High School Championship meets and from the ones that were posted had 16 DQ's attached, and what I found interesting was that there ALL involved the backstroke turn.  All with a delay in initiating the turn.  Yes at that level you will get slapped with a DQ if you have not perfected it.  Through all my years of coaching I believe it comes down to lack of focus both during practice and in your races.

Swimmers especially at the age group do not understand the importance of doing all turns correctly during the course of the workout.  Swimmers go through their workouts completing turn after turn with little focus on the proper mechanics of the turn which really starts before the flags.

The biggest mistakes that I see young swimmers doing are;

1. Stroke count-- not knowing it.  not knowing when to start counting.  turning head as you count.
2. Lifting of the head--swimmers who lift their head going into the turn will have their hips sink which causes a loss of momentum just when you need to hold your momentum to execute the rotation and flip.
3. Kick slows down-- again a slower kick when approaching the wall only results in the hips sinking and momentum slowing.
4. Poor push off position-- where you place your feet will determine your position coming off the wall.  Feet too low swimmers come off near the surface where coaches call the water slow.

Below is a short video on the backstroke turn.  Pay attention to the key points, stroke count, final stroke and the push off.

SET OF THE WEEK

This set we called Quarters .  We were trying to work on changing our speed and going fast.

$1.00--4x50 @50 (12.5 fast/ 25 fast/ 37.5 fast 50 fast the rest all long and smooth)

.75 cents 3x50 @55 (25 fast/37.5 fast/ 50 fast the rest all long and smooth)

.50 cents 2x50 @1:00 (37.5 fast/ 50 fast  the rest long and smooth)

.25 cents 1x50 fast all out

SHIFTING GEARS

 

Why is it important to learn how to pace in swimming and how does it relate to your overall speed in the race.  If your parents have the gauge on the family car ask them to explain it to you.  

Basically it is called a tachometer and it measures how hard your engine is working to move forward.  Notice how steady it is when the car is moving at a consistent speed and how it jumps around when it stops and goes.

Your event will ultimately determine how you manage and pace your race.  The hardest part to understand is that pacing is not all abut speed.  It's about strategy, control and most important efficiency.  The better you understand your pacing strategy the more confident you will be with your races.  Every workout we do is an opportunity to improve your pacing skills.  There are also things (we call them the little things) that happen during your races that ultimately affect your ability to pace your race correctly.

THE LITTLE THINGS (THE LIST)

• the start (not reacting and exploding)
• tight streamline off start
• poor stroke technique
• weak underwater kicks off starts and turns
• breathing off first stroke off walls
• slowing down into walls
• not finishing hard into pad

All of these "little things" affect your efficiency while swimming and it will drive your inner tachometer crazy and when that happens you use more energy (fuel).  It all goes down hill from there because as your energy/fuel levels start dropping your technique begins to falter.  Your engine is beginning to struggle and sputter as you are trying to finish your race.

FRIDAY GOLD MAIN SET

18x100 free (3 rounds of 6)

ROUND 1

3x100 @1:40 ( hold a smooth steady pace working technique and turns)

2x100 @1:30 ( building a little speed of each turn. DO NOT GET TO RACE SPEED)

1x100 @1:20 (we are building our pace so we are racing)

Go right into 50 easy kick.  Catch your breath.

ROUND 2

2x100 @1:40 (hold a steady pace working technique and turns)

2x100 @1:30 ( building a little speed off each turn but don’t go too crazy)

2x100 @1:20 ( building a little to race pace. These will hurt a little bit but no excuses.)

Go right into 50 easy kick, breathe and reset

ROUND 3 with your fins

1x100 @1:40 ( again hold that steady smooth pace)

2x100 @1:30 (again build off each turn but don’t race yet)

3x100 @1:20 ( now we are going to see who the super heroes are)

Go right into that 50 easy kick 

How to do it well?  Instead of just showing up for workout and swimming, focus on the purpose of the workout and what we  are trying to accomplish.  

SPUTTERING

 

You know what is necessary to swim a good race (time withstanding)---that it isn't all that complicated.  We your coaches know it.  We have prepared you for it both physically and mentally (the hardest part) to be ready on race day.  Swimming it or more specifically racing ---well that's another matter entirely, correct.

From that the moment you jumped into the pool and discovered that you had the ability to move through the water like a fish.  Your parents, your first coaches nurtured that ability to the point where you realized you had the unique talent to race and enjoy all the benefits that this sport has to offer.

The way that you talk to yourself goes a long way into the way you perform.  The way you take care of yourself away from the pool also plays a big role in your performance at a practice or meet.  Don't forget your body is your vessel, your engine.  Everything you do, everything you put into it affects it's performance.  You fill your head with excuses, reasons to fail, or bad outcomes---you can't handle it---you get the willies---and you start sputtering, belching and going downhill. 

 You consistently put the wrong food in your body.  You fail to hydrate

the way you should.  You cheat the sand man and don't get the proper rest.  Too much of the wrong stuff and your vessel/engine will sputter all the way down the pool.  On the block.  At the turns.  During the middle of the race.  At  the finish.

Think what a better race it would be without the noise and pressure in your head.  

Everything you need to know is in there, somewhere.

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK

 Although this week’s weather interrupted your school, swimming workouts and any other activities you had planned I hope you took time to go outside and enjoy the fresh air.  Yes, I know you think it’s cold but personally I enjoyed it.  The air was so much cleaner and I was out in it most of the week.  I take cold over real hot anytime.   

Worse part is that it interrupted normal schedules which sometimes is a good thing something of a mental break from the grind.  All that being said hope you have gotten back to the pool and spent some time staying up with your schoolwork.  Don’t procrastinate it will make it that much harder getting back to it

We spent the couple days at the pool with some drills and long swims in the attempt to get back to where we left off last week.  Same outline for all three groups with a few tweaks depending on group

WARM UP

• 200 swim long and smooth (focus on technique)
• 3rounds
• 4x50 free @1:00/55/50/45 (rest 30 between rounds) THROW THOSE TURNS/ DEEP ARM NO BREATH OFF WALLS

2 rounds 

3x50 kick with snorkels @1:10/1:00 (arms position 11

MAIN SET

300 swim (long and smooth) breathing every 3

4x75 @1:20 (25 IMO+50 free focus on that turn)

2x150 swim (long and smooth) breathing 2-3-2)

6x50 @1:00 (25 IMO+25 free) all free fast

3x100 swim long and smooth @2:00 (5 breaths only on each 25)

12x25 IMO (streamlines and breakouts) 1-4 @30. Rest 15 —-5-8 @40 rest 20— 9-12 @35

JUMP START MEET THOUGHTS

 

We had a really good weekend down in Greensboro with a lot of PB times, good races and fast and exciting relays.  This meet was a great way to start off your new year and gauge where you are in your swimming going into the next 2 months.

Upon arrival Friday afternoon/evening we had a chance to warmup and stretch those muscles out after the car ride down.  We had a lot of you take advantage of that time and get in that little swim.  

The coaches were very impressed with all of the Mako swimmers with the way that they handled themselves while at the facility.  With the facility having 5 pools we all found the correct pool and lanes for warmups and were able to get behind the blocks for all of our races.  Believe us that is the first step to success, knowing when and where your are suppose to be and getting there.  Great job everyone.

Hopefully each of you got some good feedback from one of the coaches on deck and will be able to take

that feedback back to your workouts   Write that feedback down in your journals or somewhere you will see it to remind you what you need to work on for your next time out.

One of the biggest areas that most if not all of us need to focus on at

workouts is our turns.  The turns are one of the most critical areas of your race.  It's not a time where you want to relax and slow down because if you do that you need to use more energy to get back up to speed.  In a short course pool that can be a disaster as those walls are coming at you so quickly.  Let's not take the walls for granted.  Set those turns up and think "speed in--speed out".  If we can change our thought process around the walls eventually it will pay dividends and you will see it with your times.

This past week I have put in a set right after warmup that will help us focus in on all of our turns and we will do the same set every day for all of the groups with a slight change in strokes.  

the set involves 12x50's (3 sets of 4 with increasing speed)

Senior Prep and Junior Gold (different intervals)

4x50 free (throw the turn deep arm no breath)

4x50 free/back (throw the turn)

4x50 back (stroke count and underwaters)

For Senior Prep we went 50/45/40/35 rest for all 3 sets) Gold 1:00/55/50/45

The other set will look like this

4x50 back

4x50 back/breast (some IM turns)

4x50 breast (open turn similar to your fly

Before any of you say that's boring you need to understand that I believe that improvements will come from repetitions and not from throwing a different hard practice every day.  Imagine every great turn being worth a dollar.  You do a hundred of them you'll end up being a rich person.

TACKLING THE UNKNOWN

“YOUR ONE SWIM AWAY FROM A PERSONAL BEST”

 Great job by all of you who came out to swim the 1000 and 1650 last weekend.

Why do we do it at least once a year ?  First off I really believe it’s a great way to start off a new year especially coming off of our holiday training.  

Second of all is that swimming this event will give all of you a better perspective on all the shorter events especially as we head into our championship season.  

Third these events will help you to gain a better insight into your pacing techniques and how to use that tool.  It also is a great confidence builder that will help you when facing those 100’s, 200’s and that 500.  Why do I mention the 500 free, simply it’s another freestyle event in High School that provides another opportunity during those meets.

My big take away from the meet that we addressed this past week were are turns, head position going into them and throwing our arm across our center line.  This week we talked about how we are changing direction as we go into the wall.  WE ARE NOT TURNING.  Your head is looking at the bottom as you go into that turn.  We need to buy into this simple concept when you turn and move the head to the side you are going off the center line and your body follows your head. (Circle swimming).   START THINKING MY HEAD GO BACK IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT IT CAME FROM.

SETS FROM THIS WEEK TO ADDRESS BOTH ISSUES.

6 x

• 25 kick position 11 @30
• 25 R arm lead @30 (nose and eyes looking at bottom)
• 25 L ARM SEAD @30 (same as above)
• 50 free to back @50 think turn

Rest 10 between rounds

Set for tuns with partner (whole group 2 on each line)

FLOAT- on 1st whistle fast kick position 11- on 2nd whistle 3 fast strokes on 3rd stroke flip feet right over shoulders (THINK OVER THE TOP)