“WIN”. What’s Important Now

  Today with our prep group was just one long swim which included the warm up and warm down. 75x75 @1:25 on the GREEN MONSTER. This is not a “garbage yardage” set.  Every stroke is an opportunity to correct something.  WIN this set.  This is not race pace it’s technique pace. It’s BORING. There I said it but stay focused and don’t check out. With every stroke, every lap you take is helping you build for a better result down the road. This set is designed for you to dial in on your; Streamlines  Underwater’s  The catch on entry The pull The turn Basically you are trying to make it second nature so you can dial it up at that next important meet.  Any of you watch the movie COOL RUNNING.  Remember the scene where they are pushing the sled and they start repeating “ feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme”, once you feel that you feel like you can go on forever. KEY POINTS AS YOU WORK THROUGH THIS SET Just an open swim.  It’s okay to touch and go at low intensity. Back off a little if you feel you

 For those of you traveling during the holidays or those of you in private schools this week, we are missing you.  Here are some workouts if you want to get wet which might be a good idea.  It's easy to think of this time as your winter break but don't sabotage all the work you have done up to now.  We have great things coming in the next few months. Here we GO,  change intervals if needed. PREP warmups  Standard warmup 4x4x4 400 mixer (free/back by 50) 4x50 kick @1:00IMO/FREE 4x100 free @1:30 kick set 3 rounds 3x25 kick on back  @40 2x75 @1`:20 Max effort  (25 kick/25 swim/25 kick) IM set 6 rounds 25 fly get your air @30 50 back to breast @50 25 free AOS @1:00 hydrate check HR POST SET 4 ROUNDS 2X50 BUILD EACH TO 90% EFFORT 100 MAXIMUM EFFORT @1:30 AOS 2X50 FAST AOS @45 REST 1:00N GET HR drink SWIM DOWN 100 GOLD warmups 3x3x3 300 mixer (free/back by 50's) 3x50 kick @1:10 IMO/FREE 3x100 free @1:45 IM set 4 rounds 4x50 IMO/free kick @1:15 4x25 IMO swim @40 speed play set wit

  "If you don't practice you don't deserve to win." ANDRE AGASSI So you come to practice on a consistent basis hardly ever missing but yet you are always missing out on that one great swim you've been searching for.  The hard question that you need to ask yourself is this; Do I practice with with a determination to improve or do I just show up swim with little focus on what you are doing or why?  If that's the way you practice you will end up like the dog just swimming never able to capture the one big swim your searching for.  Like you after the race you will think your tired but frustrated that you came up short again. Practice is the Foundation for all of your swimming successes now and in the future and it all goes back to our theme for the season. "WIN". (What's Important Now" ).  Simply said Focus on what we are doing in practice at the moment. It's about how you approach practice and what and how you do in the water during that t

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid.  Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”  Bethany Hamilton Mari and I would like to thank everyone for your kind words and thoughts over the last few weeks, it has meant a lot.  Courtney and Lauren (her twin) would also like to express their appreciation for all your thoughts and kind words over the last few weeks.  It's funny as I sit here at the Swim and Rock and post this that I can't help but think how a few years ago they would be swimming and how this was their favorite meet  of the year.  I would also like to thank the Mako coaches who filled in during my absence, I know the swimmers were in good hands and it is evident with the way they are swimming this weekend. Thank you again. SWIM and ROCK wrap up We had a awesome weekend of racing with many Mako swimmers posting best times throughout the weekend.  We had large number of swimmers returning Friday and Saturday night for a second swim during the finals.  The music was lo

 “The only ones you have are the ones you place on yourself “. Not sure who said it but it seems to make sense.

" Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will." zig ziglar SWIM and ROCK This weekend we will be pulling out your favorite racing suit as we prepare to head into our first "racing meet " of the season to see where we are at.  It's time to put away all your fears and doubts and get excited to do some FAST SWIMMING.   HEAR YE, HEAR YE If you take nothing from this issue please take this.  Do Not Get Ahead OF Yourselves This Weekend and avoid the outside noise (distractions). Over the last weekend a lot of you have used words such as afraid, scared 😳 tired, hurt and the list goes on and I'm not sure what the problem is.  I've have even heard a comment about skipping a final, WHAT?.  As far as I know a swimmer does not make finals until you swim preliminaries and as we know there are no guarantees in this sport, so please remember "WIN", what's important now.  Stay focus on what you are trying to accomplish

 "THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN TELL YOU CAN'T WIN IS YOU AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN" MEET WRAP UP THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY : How were your races from this past weekend.  Putting the times aside did you accomplish what set out to accomplish because long term you will have a better chance to reach your goal by understanding how to race. WEEKLY NUTRITIONAL TIP - - -Hydration, how important is for you in everyday life and especially as it relates to your swimming.  From watching all of you there are still some of you who are not drinking enough or worse not even bringing water to practice. Staying hydrated and drinking water throughout the day are important to your body’s overall development and will help keep your energy levels high throughout the day including during swim practice.  So how much water should you as an athlete be drinking during the day.  There is a lot of research out there and many opinions, but what it comes down to is you as an individual and how much t

  HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL You all have done so well up to this point in the season that we think you have earned a day off from swimming.   Enjoy the night and be safe. A Halloween riddle to start off your day and get you in the mood. I have hundreds of ears, but I can't hear a thing. What am I? You will need to unscramble the letters to get your answer.                                   naedfcolri

  “I’ve always been a firm believer in mind over matter.  If you don’t believe that you can achieve it, your body will start to believe this and your be stuck.” Sheryl  Halloween is upon us and it appears that all the ghosts and goblins are preparing for their big night of fun, games and spooky adventures.  Here is a swimming meet haunt for you. As Courtney stepped up onto the blocks she felt the grip of icy fingers on her arm and as she  lurched in fright the lights went out and she was standing all alone.  The water in the pool turned black, but you could hear it sloshing from side to side violently. As Courtney stepped down from the block to gather her thoughts, closer and closer the waves came, they we're getting bigger and bigger until they finally  spilled  over the sides. Towards the deep end she began to hear the endless slapping of a hand on the water and then all of a sudden she heard a piercing scream but when she looked the pool was empty.   Courtney couldn't help

 “If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.” LAST WEEK'S   This past week we spent a lot of our pool time working on our IM's.  You all have done a great job at putting your IM' together especially with your transitions into each of the strokes.  Our underwater streamlines and kicks have been consistency been getting better.  We want you to understand and buy into the fact that this is important part of your race.  By improving your streamlines and underwater kicks, you will shorten your races and the amount of actual swimming that you are doing.  In the end you save energy and become more efficient, but don't forge t WE DO NOT sacrifice SPEED FOR DISTANCE.  It becomes a juggling act trying to figure it out, that's why you need to focus while working on it. Each of the groups (BLUE--GOLD--PREP) have got a set warmup for each day and it's the same every week and you may have been wondering why that is.  Good question and yes I have a reason for this.  Fi