PRACTICE

 

"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 time that will put you in a position to be successful in chasing your dreams in this sport.  For you to be the best swimmer that you can be, you must be serious about your practice in every area that impacts your races and this includes physical, technical, tactical (race strategy) and mental.

We will discuss aspects of practice throughout this week as we are ending our first phase of our season so that you can make changes after the next two weeks.

PRACTICE LIKE YOU COMPETE

There is one big difference between practice and competitions: competition matters. How well you perform in practice has no value beyond that day except for the fact that it builds a foundation for the next day and the next day until your foundation is so strong that it won't crumble.

The fact that competition matters means that it brings all that baggage with it such as, expectations, only focusing on results, comparing yourself to everyone else in the pool and fear of failure.  Guess what last time I checked you are the only one in that lane and a Good Foundation should rid yourself of any fears.

What ever you visualize yourself doing in competitions must first be accomplished in practice as you build that foundation.  If you want to perform technically and tactically well in competitions you need to be able to do it in practice first.  The purpose is to develop good technical stroke, turns, and race strategies that you can fall back on in practice.  But the problem is that swimmers often practice bad skills and habits in practice and even if you do not do it intentionally, it is what you become good at and that's what will come out in competition.

Whether you practice good or bad skills, habits that you have developed will have effect on your mental preparation.  Here is an example that drives me completely bonkers.  Swimmers invest large sums of money in tech suits but yet they don't invest in the biggest thing that will help them that lies between their ears:  MENTAL PREPARATION.  Here is an example; you arrive to a swim meet and spend anywhere from 30- 45 minutes warming up and then you stand around with nothing on as your muscles start getting colder and colder and then you expect them to answer your the call when you race.  

THIS WEEK

Let's really focus on the things that will help us going into the next 2 meets and beyond.

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GREAT UNDERWATER'S

GREAT BREATH CONTROL

HIGH TEMPO

I will be at the meet on Friday night and will be at practice Saturday 9-10:30 and then I will be headed out to South Carolina as my daughter will be giving birth to her little girl.  I will be back Sometime Thursday and will be at the meet for our 500 swimmers that evening.

SET OF THE WEEK: leg set So you think you have nice legs let's see!

• 3x25 kick fast free @25
• 1x25 kick smooth steady choice no free recovery @45
• 1x50 kick fast free "keep them churning" for the whole 50 @55
• 1x50 kick choice recovery @1:25 get ready to go
• 1x100 kick free fast "no easy no building just old fashion fast for time"

Intervals are for prep group and changed for gold and blue group

NUTRITIONAL TIP

As we are heading into our last 2 meets in 2023 don't fall apart with your holiday eating.   Don't compromise all your training and sacrifices that you have made up to this point.  The biggest mistake that I have seen athletes make at this time of the year is they try something different from their norm and it can throw off digestion, energy levels, and performances.  There is a lot of sugar out there so be sure you don't jump on the "sugar roller coaster" where your up one moment and than the next your crashing down and your performance suffers as a result.  That cookie can wait for 2 more weeks.  Are you staying hydrated throughout the day, remember water fends off a lot of problems that come up such as headaches, cramps and just asa overall lethargic feeling.

APPLE PIE SMOOTHIE  

• 1 apple sliced
• 1 frozen banana 
• 1.5 cups almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 dates pitted
• 2 tablespoons pecans or walnuts (optional)
• dash of cinnamon (my favorite)
• dash of nutmeg (another favorite)

Place in a blender and get ready for a treat

LET'S HAVE A GOOD WEEK IN THE CLASSROOM AND AT THE POOL'