Our next meet is right around the corner and you need to plan your list of races.  Let’s be smart and remember we are still early in the season.  Don’t panic.  The swim and rock meet is coming up in about 6 weeks when we will get suited up and go after our big events.   

Coach Mike

YOUR SNORKEL

 

Do you have a love/hate relationship with your snorkel?  Make excuses for not using it?  

Everyone should have a snorkel by know.  Start working on a positive relationship with it.  The benefits to your swimming are huge.

Coach Mike

 

Remember all three of our groups started a new warmup on October 1. We will stay on this cycle all the way into mid season meets in December.  Knowing what is expected when you walk onto the deck for workout gets you off to an awesome start and helps with any anxiety you may have.  

Walk onto the deck with a positive attitude and leave better than you were.

Have a great week at school and in the pool.

A SWIMMERS TOOLBOX

 What’s in your tool box?  Every swimmer has a tool box that accompanies them to workouts and swim

meets.   Your tool box has all the essentials that a swimmer relies on for workouts and races, tools that that you can rely on in times of stress, anxiety and fatigue.  There may also be those specialty tools that you relay on and fit your unique personality and talents.

Great swimmers don’t just build stronger bodies during workouts.  They also build stronger tool boxes out of the water.  Every practice, race, challenge, and setback gives you a chance to add a new tool and the more tools in the box the more prepared you’ll be in any situation you face.

PRACTICE TOOLS

When workouts get hard….

_x_positive self talk

_x_ focus on the next repeat

_x_strong body language 

_x _consistent effort 

_x_trust the process

My best practice tool is_________________________

RACE DAY TOOLS…..

 

When it’s time to perform

__x_race plan

__x_visualization

__x_pre race routine 

__x_ controlled breathing

__x_focus word

My focus word is________________

CONFIDENCE TOOLS

Confidence is built one day at a time.

__x_track progress

_x__celebrate small victories 

_x__remember past success 

__x_stay coachable

_x__believe in work preparation 

I’m proud of__________

RESILIENCE TOOLS

Every swimmer faces challenges 

_x__learn from mistakes

X__bounce back after tough races

_x__keep a growth mindset

_x__ask questions 

_x__never give up

A challenge I overcame________

WHATS IN YOUR TOOLBOX

___POSITIVE SELF-talk

___GOAL SETTING 

___VISUALIZATION

___FOCUS WORD

___ RACE STRATEGY 

___HEALTHY RECOVERY HABITS 

___STRONG WORK ETHIC 

___CONFIDENCE

___RESILIENCE

___GROWTH MINDSET

Remember:  Talent may help you start.  Your toolbox helps you succeed.  You will have set backs and at times anxiety during workouts and races but always remember this, “ A good swimmer will always know which tool to reach for when challenges appear.

    

SWIM MEET WRAP UP

 

What were the take always from the meet this past weekend?  Did you meet your expectations?  Did you set those expectations too high?  Too low?  Maybe you did not have any?  

Setting expectations centered based solely on the time is not always the best way to go.  Why, because you are basing everything on an arbitrary result that in reality you cannot control.

Your time does not paint a full picture on your canvas….it will only tells you what happened but not why it happened or whether you’re really improving in the ways it truly matters. If your mechanics (little things) are not sound it only gives you a false signal.  Best times with negative attitudes weak starts, sloppy turns, weak underwater’s, no pacing is not the same as best times when those mechanics are working.

If you judge your performance based solely on the time you may miss the parts of your race that will help you in your future development as you chase those goals and dreams.

FALL MEET PREPARATIONS

 

Use this bingo card this weekend as you prepare to go out and race.  Can you get a bingo, let me know.

HUNGER TO SUCCEED

 "It's not what your capable of doing.  It's what your willing to do to succeed."

So, you have these big dreams and goals that you would like to achieve during this short course swimming season and maybe as Buzz Lightyear would say "To infinity and beyond."  Having those goals and dreams is awesome but i ask you this, How hard are you willing to work to achieve them.

One of my favorite quotes is "ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS."  Life and swimming is all about actions- actions that we do on a daily basis (or don't do) both in and out of the pool.  Those actions will always come with consequences.  Depending on the actions or choices you make the consequences will fall into the good or bad  columns.  Words are cheap-Actions are expensive and take a investment.

These actions come from our conscious choice to either do or not do something and it is those actions that will shape who you become as a person and a swimmer.

Actions that impact you as a swimmer are consistency at workouts, hydrating throughout practice, eating healthier and focusing on technique throughout practice such as turns, streamlines, underwater kicks, and breathing.  Funny how those "LITTLE THINGS" have a way of popping up.  These small, consistent actions build character and influence performance both in and out of the pool.

Positive actions and choices build good habits on top of each other and when that happens it will turn into something bigger like a dream or a goal you might have. 

WEEK’s REVIEW

This past week we continued to work on our streamlines, underwater kicking which is known as the fifth stroke.  The swimmers are working really hard with this technique which will translate into better body position coming off all their turns and will eventually become a big advantage in all their races.   This is extremely important during the short course season because an age group swimmer will spend anywhere from 30 to 50 %  of each 25 of the race underwater.  

We also spent time working on our IM’s this week with an emphasis on our fly technique.  The swimmers had a great week of work and we will continue to move forward as our first meet of the season is this coming weekend.

This week’ s set comes from our senior prep group done on Thursday to wrap up a week of IM work.  You all were awesome as you worked through the set.

Last week the answer was elephant.