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)

DISTANCE MEET 1650

The 1000 free today went well and you all did a great job.  Sorry the scoreboard was not putting up splits but they are now up on meet mobile.  Look at that first one to see if you were aggressive and by about the 3rd or 4th 50 you should have your pace down.  Check those last 2 to to see if you were picking up speed.  If that last one was 2 or more seconds faster we were probably holding back a little too much.

There were a few things that I did notice that we can fix together that will help your 50-100-200-500 but ill talk about that with Mondays post.   We did have a swimmer (no names) who took 2 time outs during the swim.  Not the first time I've seen this and it won't be the last, but THERE ARE NO TIME OUTS IN SWIMMING.  

SUNDAY 1650 

  HEAT 1 @8:10  HEAT 2@8:27  HEAT 3 @8:45  HEAT 4 @9:04   HEAT 5 @9:23

HEAT 6 CONOR LANE 5 @9:42  HEAT 7 @10:02  HEAT 8 CLAIRE A. LANE 2 @10:22

HEAT 9 @10:43  HEAT 10 @11:05  HEAT 11 SAM F. LANE 5 and EVERETT LANE 6 @11:25

HEAT 12 @11:45  HEAT 12 MEADOW LANE 10 @12:05

Today they were only about 10 minutes behind so they did a good job.  Plan to arrive 1 hour before your heat goes off  and start your warmup.  Get a good 400 in with some kick .  My suggestion than is about 8 50's using the clock.  You know what you want to hold so use the clock to get a feel for that speed.  Rest 20 to30 seconds between each one.

HAVE FUN WITH THE EVENT.

DISTANCE MEET 1000 FREE

Unfortunately they did not put heat start times down because the 500 entry times would throw the time line off.  If my math is correct (BIG IF) these are approximate start times for heats if everything runs smoothly.

Heats 1-13 were pretty simple.  From Heat 14 to 24 all entry times were based on 500 times so those are a Mike conversion.  The first number is your heat/lane and then your heat start time

My suggestion is to arrive  minutes to 1 hour before start time.  Go through your warm up and be ready to GET AFTER IT.

For the kids from our Junior Gold and Senior Prep groups your warm up should be a 300 swim/ 200 kick and after that 8-10 50's pace work which should be the time your trying to hold on your 50's.  Rest 20-30 seconds between each repeat.  Focus on fast turns with strong movement in and out of your turns.

Have a great time with this event!!!!

HEAT/LANE/ HEAT START TIME APPROXIMATE

LILLY 5/7 8:53

NATHAN T. 6/1 9:04

MEADOW 10/7 9:54

GWYN  14/8   10:49

DARREN 14/2  10:49

JACK M. 14/10  10:49

ABBY  15/6  11:01

WILL  16/6  11:15

ANDREW 16/3  11:15

JAXON 18/6  11:43

MASON  18/8  11:43

LU LU 18/1  11:43

JULIA  19/4  11:57

EVAN 19/7  11:57

LIAM W.   19/3  11:57

NATHAN H  20/4  12:10

JACK D.  21/5 12:24

KEEGAN  22/5  12:38

WILLAM F  22/2  12:38

ARIA  22/10  12:38

IZZIE  23/6  12:52

NEAL  23/4  12:52

KATIE K. 23/10  12:52

AIDEN  245/5  1:01

NEW BEGINNINGS

 

Welcome to 2026 a new year with new opportunities including personal, academic and of course in your swimming.

First off I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts, cards and gifts during the holiday season.  I hope each and every one of you enjoyed the time with your families and friends, the moments away from the pool and took the time to reflect on your swimming through the first part of the season.

A big THANK YOU and shout out to all the Senior Prep and Junior Gold swimmers who made the effort to attend workouts over the holidays and thank you to your parents for getting you to the pool.

Your little books have provided some good reading material over the break and of course there was a mixture of thought put into them but nevertheless pretty entertaining while reading and picturing you putting your thoughts into your workouts.

A lot of people start the new year off making all kinds of resolutions only to see them fall off the cliff with each days.   As swimmers I like to think instead of making that all for nothing resolution let’s just look back and see how we have done at our mid-point of the season.

As you arrive to the pool on Friday for those first workouts of the year, be ready to look forward to accepting the new challenges that 2026 will throw your way in all aspects of your life.  Although you set some goals back in September as we started this journey the break gives you a chance to catch your breath and revisit those goals and do any tweaking that is necessary as we head into the heart of our season.

What worked well for you during the first part of the season, what areas do you really need to buckle down and focus on during the next few months to give yourself a chance to be successful.  Be truly honest with your self and make a note to yourself that states the following, “I’m going to make you so proud.”  Put it where you can read it often.

We are looking forward to getting off to a great start with some fast swimming over the next few months.  It