THE BIGGEST

 

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL THE MAKO SWIMMERS AND YOUR FAMILIES.  Hope you get some rest today with families and friends.   For those of you getting ready to travel to Saint Petersburg this week for the age group Elite meet, safe travels.  We are waiting for you and look forward to a GREAT WEEK of swimming.

Make sure to pack extra goggles, suits, caps.  LOTS OF SUNSCREEN .  You burn that first day you’re still swimming so plan accordingly.  Your sun time does not all have to be done on that first day.   

WE ARE DOWN HERE TO WORK, RACE, AND THEN WE CAN PLAY.

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #10

Allowing fear of failure to be top motivator 

I had a rugby coach who used to preach to us that most of our games played safe.  What he meant was that we played not to win but played not to lose.  We were more afraid of the consequences of losing than what the consequences would be if we worked.  Once we worked through that our game took off because we were a lot less timid and tight and we could play in a more relaxed state.  We were no longer worried about what could happen if we made a mistake, we could play with less anxiety and were now able to trust our plan and the work that we had put in.

I truly believe swimmers are like this and they swim their races in the safe zone instead of getting outside of that comfort zone to see the possibilities that lay in front of them.

So, in conclusion how many of these pre-race mistakes do you struggle with. 

BELIEVE

 

SELF-DOUBT-- When you are constantly having that battle between your ears about whether you can beat someone or that you can be successful in a particular race or event you are only setting yourself up for disaster.  While this battle goes on you are eroding your preparation, self confidence, effort, and focus. The bottom line is that for you to have any chance of success, YOU first have to BELIEVE.  Otherwise it's all noise.;

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #7

Poor Plan or lack of Plan

Entering a training session or competition is like throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping it sticks so you know your ready.  I get that sometimes swimmers will ask for a plan prior to a race but I think a lot but not always is a way for a swimmer to help with pre-race anxiety.  This plan includes a training program along with race strategies that are worked on during practice.  This plan is only as good as the swimmer who works it and then goes out and execute it. 

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #8

Psyching yourself out before competition

Do you worry about your heat, lane, or seed before you race?  Do you compare yourself to other swimmers before you race?  In doing so you may be unconsciously destroying your self-confidence if you feel like you don't measure up.  Another negative is that you can't focus on your own race if your gawking at other swimmers.

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #9

Worrying too much about what others think.

The need for approval sometimes is bigger than the race for swimmers.  It' the need to be admired, accepted, or liked by other people.  In your world a bad result or performance will influence how others perceive you and in reality anyone who matters will still be supportive of you and that's all that matters really.

One more tomorrow and in my opinion a big one

BALANCING LIFE’s CHALLENGES

 As a swimmer sometimes it becomes hard to park life issues at the door as you arrive to the pool 🏊‍♀️ for either a training session or a meet.  Remember this if you have done the work it becomes all mental.

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #4

Carrying life issues onto the pool deck.

Parking these issues at the door can be challenging be it; homework, gossip, a fight with a friend or any other number of hassles that smack you head on and sometimes they hit you when you least expect it like on a idle Tuesday afternoon.  One of your goals mentally has to be able to separate them from your swimming 🏊‍♀️.

If you take life worries into training or competition you become distracted and not fully focused on the task at hand.  Do you allow life’s worries to influence your swimming?

HAKUNA MATATA. "NO WORRIES"

                                               

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #5

OVERTHINKING YOUR RACE BEFORE YOU STEP ONTO THE BLOCKS

Are you a perfectionist who thinks about every part of your race over and over in your head.  Overthinking something that you have already done over and over again.  Something as common and normal as putting on your suit.  

It’s like that student (I was guilty of that)) who spends the weekend cramming for that final exam although  they know the material if they have been preparing all year.  If you haven’t been preparing all year I’m sorry but, I’ve got nothing for you other than give it a shot.  If you have done the work you’ve got this.

Your goal here is to feel prepared as you walk onto the pool deck.  You don’t want to panic and have the your whole meet go into a tailspin.

PRE-RACE MISTAKE #6 

Worrying too much about results or outcomes  

You have your plan for your race and know you need to go out and execute your plan.  Worrying about results and outcomes is about as good as worrying about where the sun rises and sets.  The universe has a plan and it executes it every day, the sun 🌞 rises in the east and sets in the west.  A lot of this comes from  your personality and what causes you to become anxious is different from swimmer to swimmer. 

Your anxiety comes from worrying about outcomes and results when all you should worry about is racing and executing your plan.  After all you can’t stop the clock, all you can do is race and get your hands to that pad.  The clock is going to determine what the numbers are when that happens.  Maybe you’re anxious about what others will think if you post a bad time.  Stop worrying it’s a sport that is suppose to be fun and everyone that matters will still love ❤️ you.

It’s up to us to come up with a plan to manage your anxiety.😬.

PREP SET FROM THURSDAY 

RACING THE GREEN

Object is to hold speed and race the green monster.  No backing down

10 ROUNDS
1x25 free @55
1x50 free @55
1x75 free @55
1x25 back @55 active recovery

You all did a great job with this installing confidence in what is possible 

What I really liked is how you all worked together with these 2 three word phrases you encouraged each other with—“LOCK IT IN”—-“LOCK IT DOWN”   GREAT 👍 JOB.

"The mind is a powerful thing and most people don't use it properly."  Mark Maguire

Have you ever wonder where those pre-race jitters or that knot in your stomach comes from as you are standing behind the blocks before your race. Sometimes all those pre race jitters can have a positive result on your race, however athletes can also turn those jitters into negative anxiety that can adversely affect your race.

I read an article from Peak Performance (Dr. Patrick Cohn) over the weekend where some of this information comes from along with some of my own thoughts.

Pre-race jitters will and always has been part of this sport as any swimmer knows as they stand behind the blocks alone in your thoughts, but in that moment if you allow those jitters to turn into performance anxiety your body begins to tense up and you will not be able to perform at your best.

Come on you all know what we are talking about here; the pit in your stomach, the fast breathing, the feeling of getting sick, all of this use to and still is referred to psyching yourself out before you even step onto the block..  All of this has nothing to do with you as a person or a swimmer because you have done this before, it all boils down to your mind and how you play the game between your ears.  That game in your head takes as much time to train as the time you put into the water and you can do this every minute of the day during your time away from the pool.

PRERACE MISTAKE #1:

Having strict expectations on your performance

As a coach I understand and think it is important for swimmers to set high goals, but when you set those goals there has to be some wiggle room or they can actually limit your success.  You may ask why and the answer is that you set yourself up for a success/faliure proposition.  You either achieve your expectations or you fail (in your mind) to achieve them.  I can't tell you how many times I had to talk a swimmer off the ledge after a race where they had just had a lifetime best but it simply did not meet their expectation.  It happens.  The game that you start p[laying in your head is that you begin to question whether your good enough or that it's been a waste of time.  You question your ability for that day, your ability for the next race, or the rest of the meet.,  Essentially STRICT EXPECTATIONS set you up for failure before you step not the blocks.  Strict expectations equal pressure and pressure can turn into preface anxiety. 

PRERACE MISTAKE #2:

Leaving self-confidence to chance 

Have you ever walked onto a pool deck on race day and your first thought or your first words sound like this; 

• I'm tired!
• Can I scratch?
• How do I swim this?
• I don't feel good!

All statements or question from a swimmer looking for an excuse to fail, statements that show a lack of self confidence in yourself and set yourself up for failure.  If your only confident when you have a good race your what I like to call "riding a roller coaster". with all the highs and the lows. We all know that there are going to be races that are not going to result in a best time, and it's at that moment that it's important as how you will respond.  Don't let a bad result destroy your self-confidence. Have a proactive approach to confidence--not a reactive approach.

PREGAME MISTAKE #3

Getting distracted by the hoopla of the meet

Winter Classic, 14 and Under Champs, Age-Group Elite Classic.  Do these names cause you to tense up or cause anxiety before you race.  Do you feel extra pressure with the hype leading up to the big meet.  I think this is why I down play it some because I know most of you are already in a highlighted state of anxiety.  It's important that you try to treat these meets as just that a meet, with events and races that you have done over and over.  If you let the distractions overwhelm you mentally you will not be fully prepared to race.

We will allow a couple of days for you to digest those and have a few more for you later.

ELITE CLASSIC MEET SWIMMERS

For those of you leaving for this meet in St. Pete and are unable to attend practice this week, here are a couple of practices for you top do.  It is important that you get in at least a couple of times this week if not more.  I know it is spring break but we are going down there to RACE!

PRACTICE # 1

WARM UP (blue is for 10 and under)

300/ 200 mixer (free/back by 25's) hold your UW off flips

6x50/4x50 stroke/free

200/100 kick (no boards)

4x50/2x50 Kick/swim

SET (prep 8 rounds. 11 and overs 6 rounds. 10 and under 4 rounds)

25kick+50 stroke+25 kick (10 seconds rest after each part for prep/ 15 for 11-12/20 seconds of 10 and under)

Set (2 rounds) rest 10 seconds after each 25. rest 1 minute after each round.

RD#1                RD#2

4x25 fly            4X25 FREE

3x25 back         3X25 BREAST

2x25 breast       2X25 BACK 

1x25 free          1X25 FLY

Swim down usual 4x25 back (# 1 fast/#2 ease it down/ #3 ease it down some more/#4 double arm back with breast kick

PRACTICE #2

SAME WARMUP

SET (11 and overs 4 rounds/ 10 and under 2 rounds)

4x25 fast kick 10 seconds rest (no boards)

1x50 cruise free to back (15 seconds rest

4x25 fast kick 10 seconds rest

1x50 stroke build to fast (1:00 rest)

SET WITH FINS (IF YOU HAVE THEM

16 X 50 FOR THE 11 AND OVER'S.  16X25 FOR 10 AND UNDERS  (YOU MAY MIX THEM AS STROKE/FREE OR ALL STROKE./ OR ALL FREE). STAY WITH THE SAME IN EACH SET OF 4

4 ROUNDS OF 4 REST 15 SECONDS BETWEEN EACH/ REST 1:00 BETWEEN EACH ROUND OF 4

1 FAST/3 CRUISE

2 FAST/2 CRUISE

3 FAST/ 1 CRUISE

4 FAST

SWIM DOWN THE USUAL 👍👍👍

PREPARATION

 

"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today."

SPRING BREAK

We will not be having practice next week during spring break.  Wherever spring break finds you next week we hope you have safe travels, enjoy your break with family and friends and take this time to recharge and come back ready to head into summer season with a great attitude.  Enjoy your spring break!

For those of you swimming in St.Pete we will be holding practice next week and it is important that everyone attends so that we are ready to RACE in the meet.  If you are traveling during the break it is important that you find a pool and jump in and do some swimming at least 3 times during the week.  Try to avoid being out of the pool for more than 2 consecutive days.  I will post a few workouts here that you can refer to to help.

GOOD SWIMMER or GREAT SWIMMER

No we are not taking about the olympics, or necessary the "National Team".  We are talking about being "great" at your level right here, right now, in other words TODAY.

First off GREAT swimmers have goals at every level and they do more than speak them, they write them down where they are visible and can be seen.  They then go out and work towards them consistently.

GREAT swimmers know that there will be times during practice where it will hurt and become uncomfortable and aty the same time they will understand that it's at that moment where they need to work harder and not pull away if there are to reach their goals.

GREAT swimmers know that having a good practice is important but becoming uncomfortable will help you to finish off those races at the end because you've been there already.

GREAT swimmers know the difference between pain, injury and being uncomfortable.  Pushing through those painful and uncomfortable times makes you mentally tough and will allow you to handle anything that is thrown your way.

GREAT swimmers know how to trust.  They know there is a plan, and they accept that plan and go out and execute the plan.

GREAT swimmers put in that extra effort.  They excuse a perfect streamline or turn when they don't wasn't to.  They go hard for the entire set when others are falling.  They root their lane mates on when they do fail.

GREAT swimmers learn from their mistakes.  They don't keep making them.  Mistakes are only mistakes if you keep repeating them.

GREAT swimmers focus on what they can control.  They don't worry about the competition.  They focus on their race and go out and execute the plan.

GREAT swimmers do not wait.  They take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.  They do not plan for "someday", it's always today.

GREAT swimmers will always get back up no matter what the result is.

                                   

                                                 BE

SET OF THE WEEK

Did you know that you can take the IM and do it many different ways.  Here is the way we did it coming off a good week of racing.  The focus was great ready positions and UW's and holding a good stroke.  Each round was done a little faster with a short rest and hydration break between each rounds.  Intervals were based on each groups.  We executed 4 rounds.

• 4x25 FLY
• 3x25 BACK
• 2x25 BREAST
• 1x25 FREE (Prep no breath / Gold 1 breath )
• 1x100 IM with good transitions 

rest 1:00 before moving to next round

IT's GOING TO HAPPEN

 "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.  THE WORD ITSELF SAYS 'I'M POSSIBLE." Audrey Hepburn

CHAMP MEET WRAP UP

Congratulations to all the swimmers from all three groups that participated in the Mako meet over the weekend.  Although I could not watch you all swim in person I followed each of you on Meet Mobile.  It  looks like all of you rose to the occasion and had some great races and I hope some of the things we have been working on were evident in your races.  Those of you who tried new events and distances should be very proud of yourselves for stepping out of your comfort zones.  It will help you tremendously as we move forward.

We had a Great weekend also out at UMD with some great races and some good relays.  Some of you were very good about taking our feed back after a race and applying it in your very next race.  Very exciting to see that response from all of you.

FINALS

Cindy Cai 50 Fly

Maddie Carroll 200 back/ 100 free

 Tyler Harris 100 Free/ 50 Fly

Evan Moh 50 Breast

Anna Roth 100 Breast

Laura Roth 100 Breast and 400 IM

FINALS

Cindy Cai 100 IM/ 50 Back

Maddie Carroll 50 Back/ 200 Free

Tyler Harris 100 IM/ 50 Back

Evan Moh 100 Breast

Nick Harris 500 Free

Serena Howard 50 Back

Anna Rizzardi 200 IM

Anna Roth 200 IM

Laura Roth 200 Breast

FINALS

Cindy Cai 100 fly

Maddie Carroll 50 Free/.100 Back

Tyler Harris 50 Free/ 100 Fly

Serena Howard 100 Back

Anna Rizzardi 100 free

Will Maier 100 back

NUTRITIONAL TIP THIS WEEK

EASTER PEEPS FRUIT KABOBS

Looking for a healthy treat for Easter and spring break.  Try this E aster peeps kabob with your favorite fruits and be sure to savor each piece of fruit before reaching for that peep.

There are times in life when things go off the rails and it is no different for student athletes.  Life happens

and sometimes it throws you a curve that you don’t see coming.

You could have a bad start, a bad turn,  a bad finish or it could be that race that didn't happen the way you thought it should.  Sometimes it could be something as simple as you being off or a little more complicated as your expectations being set higher than they should because the work wasn't put in during training.  It's going to happen and the question is, How are you going to respond?  Make excuses,  Blame someone, Pout.   Now of this will help you during your next race.  In fact Your digging a bigger hole that gets harder to climb out.

Here are a few things that may help you bounce back from a bad race;

Take a Time Out-   Have your parents ever given you a time out when your having a off day.  What they are doing is giving you a moment to gather yourself and calm down.  After a bad race you may have to give yourself a time out to get all that anger and frustration out of your system and gather your thoughts so that you can move on.  Get to that warm down pool and breathe, calm down, relax, cry in your goggles if you must.  After your time out go back to your friends and LAUGH 😆 again.

BE RESILIENT-This can be an unforgiving sport where you will have many races that leave you disappointed and frustrated and how you respond to those races will become more important than the races you win or have best times.  You need to find a way to get up, push through and understand how to control what you can and let everything else slide off your back.  There is no crystal ball that predicts your race.  All you can do is pick your self and prepare for anything that is thrown at you.

MOVE ON--A bad race can leave you demoralized, frustrated and questioning everything.  Don't go down that road because it leads no where.  Instead take the high road and let that race fuel you to get back to training, the next race so that you can enjoy this journey in swimming and see where it leads.

DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY--Bad race come and go.  You miss final by a touch.  You get beat.  It happens and it's usually out of your control, don't take it personally.  It doesn't mean your a bad swimmer, i9t just means that today it was someone else's day.  A bad swim does not define you as a person.  There will be other opportunities.

CHAMP SET FROM LAST WEEK 

8X50 BROKEN ALL FAST ALL CHOICE. STAY WITH SAME STROKE THROUGH EA CH CYCLE

1X15 FOM A DIVE TO 15M mark (great streamline with fast breakouts) STOP

1x25 (from 15M mark to fast turn with breakout to 15M mark) STOP

1x10 (from 10M mark to fast finish) CLIMB OUT