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.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

 “Mindset is everything.  The difference between a good day and a bad day comes down to your choice of attitude.”

What attitude do you bring to workouts and meets.? Is it positive or is it full of negativity?  Does it bring the group up or down?

One of the most important choices you can make in life and your swimming, is the attitude you choose.  Anything becomes possible if you have the right attitude and perspective.

The "AMA" for swimmers;

• A is the ability of what you're capable of doing.
• M is for the motivation that will determine what you do.
• A is the attitude that will determine how well you do it.

On a good day of swimming everything just clicks.  In workouts you are moving through the water as if you're flowing with the current.  In competition everything goes right start, breakout, turns, pace and finish.  But what happens when things go wrong and the plan doesn't seem to be working the way you think it should.  Do you abandon the plan?  Do you fall apart both emotionally and physically?  Your at a moment when pressure and adversity rise up and smack you in the face.

Some swimmers will choose to give up and feel sorry for themselves.  They will complain and start making excuses.  Sometimes they will start making excuses before they even swim which they believe gives them a way "out" and a honest reason not to give it their all.  A good swimmer will dig deep and use their mental toughness and positive attitude to keep moving forward.

"You never lose, you learn."  The first step to overcoming failure is to accept it.  Let's look at the word Failure and think of it as an acronym: FAIL which stands for  "FIRST ACTION IN LEARNING."  When you come to terms with the results and reality in front of you, you are able to embrace it and work towards making things better.  this is the best way to progress, move forward and improve.

Excellence is an attitude and without the right attitude, greatness isn't obtainable.

Our first week of workouts went really well for all three of the groups (senior prep, junior gold, junior blue).  The week’s workouts focused on four major themes. 

1. Free and back strokes
2. Body lines, alignments
3. Streamlines and underwater kicks
4. Kicking lots of kicking

Parents all four of these areas will form a solid foundation for everything we hope to accomplish as we work through the season. Without this solid foundation to build on we would be throwing things at the wall and the hopes it will stick.  Patience is the key word for the few weeks so that when we get into the meat of the season (January thru March) we will see some good fast swimming with a lot of confidence.  

The junior gold group did this main set on Friday.  They were awesome as they worked through the set and parents you can be proud of your little 🏊.

This weeks trivia:  Which land animal can swim up to 20 miles a day and use its nose like a natural snorkel?

THE HARD WORK COMES FIRST

"Hard work is a choice.  Attitude is a choice.  Discipline is a choice.  Excellence is a choice."

 Happy labor day weekend.  We hope that your first two weeks of school went well and that you have settled into a regular routine and are now ready to dive into our first week of workouts starting Tuesday.

The theme for our first week of practice will center around re-establishing our feel for the water and with this in mind I want you to focus on these 4 areas during the week:

1. HEAD POSITION AND ALIGNMENT
2. BODY LINES
3. STREAMLINES +3 UNDERWATER KICKS OFF EVERY WALL (NO EXCUSES)
4. AGGRESSIVE TURNS AT EACH WALL

Let's set a positive tone and mindset from Day 1 and I promise you everything else will come naturally and you will be in a better position to achieve those goals.

All of this starts with hard work and yes even on those days when you’re not feeling it.  So let’s get to it.

I have never met a swimmer who is born great.  No one owns that podium when they are born and I venture to say it’s not even reserved for the most talented.  Being a “great swimmer” is a choice that you make.  Being great is the choice to maximize all the little things that require absolutely no talent.  They are the decisions you make everyday starting with hard work and discipline.  Those 3 words will determine the swimmer you will become during the upcoming season.

I will do my part to help you this season become the swimmer you choose to become and with that in mind here are the daily warmups for Senior prep and Junior gold.  This is our everyday warmup.  Why do it?  This allows you to be comfortable and know exactly what we are doing as soon as we get into the water.  No questions need to be asked and there so be no confusion.  

A quality warmup is not about yardage.  It’s about preparing your mind, body and stroke for a great workout.  Use this time to feel the water and your body connecting with each other, find your rhythm and get ready to swim fast.

SENIOR PREP WARM UP (1000)

JUNIOR GOLD WARM UP (850)

200 (100 free/ 50 back/50 kick boards)

4x75 (25 IMO +25 free +25 back) with aggressive flip turn +strong streamline +3 underwater kicks)

4x50 kick with boards (25 moderate +25 build to 90%)

Start looking at the fall invite meet at the end of the month this week.  Look at the days and events and make a plan.  Without the plan your throwing things at the wall hoping something will stick.

LABOR DAY TRIVIA

The “No White after Labor Day” Rule.  This rule originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Wealthy upper-class citizens used it to separate their summer resort leisure wear from their autumn city clothes.

My response would be I’ll wear what I want but you all knew that probably.

FALL IN LOVE WITH THE PROCESS

 

"Today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want"

Swimming is a sport where improvement takes patience and time.  Some days you will feel good and then there will be those days where nothing 

seems to go as plan and you struggle.  that goes for competition also where you will have great races, good races and not so good races.  The process that you start with on day 1 will help you deal with all of it.

All of that is okay.  Your job is not to have a perfect practice or race.  Your job is to show up listen, work hard and embrace the process that this sport requires every day.   It's the little things in the process that you do every day that will get you to your goals such as:

• positive self talk
• pay attention to sets and focus on the work
• better streamlines
• better under waters
• stronger kick
• faster and more aggressive turns
• more confidence
• one practice at a time

As you work through the process this season don't be afraid of making a mistake, they will happen such as

a bad start, missed turn, bad finish or a race that just does not go the way you visualize it going. That's part of not just being a swimmer but a big part of being an athlete.

Mistakes aren't a sign of failure they are an opportunity to grow and learn.  The best swimmers are not the ones who never make mistakes, they are the ones who make mistakes learn from them and come back ready to get after it again.

So, enjoy the journey and process.  Laugh hard.  Enjoy your teammates. Celebrate your improvements.  Set big goals and try things that scare you a little.

PRE SEASON WORKOUT

PURPOSE: Shake off the rust and develop your feel for the water again.  Get some light aerobic work in early.

  Coach Mike’s Clipboard:  Warm up 200 MIX (50 free/ 50 back if you have flags) +12x25 kick every 4th one fast

6x50 @ moderate speed (25IMO+25 free) 15 seconds rest

FINS ON 4 sets of 4  with 10 seconds rest after each 25

25 position 11 kick

25 right arm lead

25 left arm lead

25 fast free

SWIM DOWN 200 (50 swim/50 kick)

READY TO DIVE IN

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

There is something special about starting a new swim season and although the pool feels familiar after that first dive, everything else feels different.  New groups, new teammates, new goals, new dreams and just maybe a new sense of what you are capable of this season.  

As we prepare to dive into those first practices this season hang onto this thought, "you don't have to be the best swimmer on the first day.  You just need to show up ready to get better."

All swimmers have this one thing in common, they show up that first day with a goal and whatever that goal is, it is important to them.   Most young swimmers look towards a time on the scoreboard as a goal

and that is a great goal to have, but there are other things to look towards that will influence that goal.  Try not to be narrow minded when establishing your goals for this season.  Other goals might be:

• "I want to be a better teammate."
• "I want to work harder when practice get's harder."
• "I want to focus on doing things correctly during practice.  No GARBAGE SWIMMING."
• "I want to be more confident when I step up on the blocks."
• "I want to listen, learn and always give my best effort."
• "I want to take meet feedback back to practice and focus on improving."
• "I want to improve my streamlines."
• "I want to be aggressive and master all my turns."
• "I want to be consistent and start all practices on time."
• "I want to challenge myself with new events this season."
• "I want to stay POSITIVE during tough times including bad races.

The important thing is to pick goals that matters to you.

"SEASON STARTER SET"

Has it been a while since you jumped into the pool and did some swimming?  Over the next few weeks would be a great time to go down to your summer pool and dive into those lap lanes and get in a small non stress workout.  How Often?   Two or three times a week in the water will make that first week of practice go smoothly.

SET:  Purpose is to blow out those cobwebs and reset your feel for the water

200 controlled swim (alternate 50 free/50 kick)

4x50 free @moderate effort 15 rest (focus long stroke and breathing every 3) 

4x50 kick with snorkels and position 11 (focus on your body lines)

2x4x25 IMO (10 seconds rest) Focus on your streamlines and first 2 strokes during breakouts)

4x50 free descend speed on each 50 (15 seconds rest)

SWIM DOWN WITH a 200 kick with boards.)

This won' t take you long but it will shake off the cobwebs and set your feel up for the water again.

DON'T FORGET YOUR WATER!!

TIME FOR A REST

 

So now what?  The last, meet, the last cheer, the last race is over for this season.  The times are recorded and in the books and the medals and ribbons have all been passed out. 

The season that you've just completed was not only about the races-- it was about much more even thou you may not realize it at this exact moment.  It was all about building relationships and creating memories long after the races fade with time.

It's was also about building the swimmer and person you want to become.  You learned how to train hard and trust that training in competition.  It was about learning how to celebrate your wins (big or small) and how to bounce back after suffering setbacks.   It was about showing up with a purpose.

What You Should Be Proud Of:

• Your Consistency-- showing up on those days you were tired.  Going hard during sets when you were exhausted.
• Your Courage-- going outside your comfort zone and racing an event that struck fear in your heart.  Pushing past your comfort zone and trying new skills.
• Your Growth--stronger streamlines, stronger and faster turns, improved race strategies with better pacing.

I know it is hard sometimes to step back and take a break from activities.  Now is the time to be proud of everything you accomplished this year and treat yourself to a small break.  Enjoy your vacations with your family and enjoying hanging out with friends.  Reflect on the past year and how far you have come not only as a swimmer but a young person.  Celebrate that.

Use the next few weeks to start preparing for the upcoming academic year.  It will be here before you know it.  Don't wait until that Sunday night.  Success starts with preparation.

As for your swimming start looking at setting up some goals for the upcoming season both time base and non-time base.  Ask yourself these two questions' 

1) What areas do I want to work on?

2) What is my major weakness?

In a couple of weeks we will post some things here to help you prepare for that next season.

As for now rest. Recharge. Enjoy your break.  And when you get back, we'll build something stronger and better--together. 

BEHIND THE BEST TIMES

 "Swim your own race.  Be in competition with no one but yourself."

The best times in swimming come from a mix of physical, technical, and  mental factors working together.  There's no magic ingredient-- you hit your peak performance when all these systems align.

Let's dive into what actually drives best times;

• Stroke efficiency-- DPS is one of the strongest predictors of your race performance.  You must be able to hold that DPS at high stroke rates and when fatigue.  This comes from consistency in practice.  Pretty simple stuff. Right.
• Stroke rate-- Speed= stroke rate+ distance per stroke.  Learn to push your stroke rate up without losing DPS.  Critical for sprinters.
• Starts and turns-- Explosive starts and turns are where you can outperform your competition in races.  You might not be able to win races here but you can definitely lose a race or swim harder to come from behind.
• Lower body power-- Don't be lazy in your kick sets in practice.  Strong legs drive starts, turns and that sprint to the wall.
• Swimming velocity-- faster top end speed is a key factor in your race performance.  This all means you need several race strategies depending on the event you are swimming.

MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS YOUR BEST TIMES

Progress is not magical its takes commitment, dedication and focus.  Focusing on the drills and your technique during workout is critical especially at a young age.  The reason is simple because progress towards those best times will begin as you get faster and older.  Performing each set and repeat with a purpose will keep you on track for those best times.

Know how to pace the event your racing in and don't be afraid to challenge yourself somewhere in the race.  Have the confidence in the event your racing and be the swimmer you've trained to be.  Focus on the the execution of your race.

SET OF THE WEEK: DIVISIONALS  this was Tuesday 

meet warm up

4x50 free @1:00 descend to fast

4x25 kick @40 descend to fast

4x50 @1:10 (IMO/free or stroke /free)

SPEED DRILL 16X25 (4SETS OF 4)  swim the stroke your swimming Saturday and stay with each stroke thru each round

 3x25 spin drills @45

1x25 fast stroke @45

rest 15 between each round.

Back shoulders up arm tempo

Breast and Fly with free kick

Free head up and steady

swim down

IM SWIMMERS 3 rounds on me

25 fly

50 fly to back

25 breast

50 back to breast

25 free

50 breast to free

swim down

TRIVIA TIME

Last week’s answer: When the league started the first difference from today and then was that the 8 and under's did not swim fly.   There were also only 12 swimmers who qualified in each event.  The 13-14 and 15 -17 age group (yes it was 17) all swam 100's at divisional's and all stars.  And yes I had to do those 100's.

 THE CROSSOVER TURN.  ( some people have asked). 

B

Before you use this remember on race day be the swimmer you’ve trained to be.  

WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON

 "Keep your face always toward the sunshine--and shadows will fall behind you."

You ever had one of those days where everything lines up or a swim meet where every race it seems like everything just seems to go off without a hitch.  My little swimmers that’s when the lights go off in your head and you begin to believe that when you work hard, pay attention to the little things during practice the process will come together on race day. 

As you begin to head into the last weeks of your season begin to lock in to the little things during practice that will pay big dividends during championship week.  You know what they are;

• starts

• streamlines
• strong breakouts
• strong kick
• fast turns 
• big finishes 

Coaches say when the lights on it refers to that mental shift from preparation to performance.  It's the moment the meet begins, your name is called, and it's time to trust your training instead of thinking about every detail.

• TRUST THE WORK.  You've already done the hard training.  Race day is about executing, not overanalyzing.
• EMBRACE THE PRESSURE.  The "lights" aren't something to fear--they're an opportunity to show what you've prepared for.
• STAY IN THE PRESENT.  Focus on your race plan and what you need to accomplish: the start, underwater kicks, turns, finish.  Don't worry about times until your fingers touch the wall and the task at hand is complete.
• RACE WITH CONFIDENCE.  The goal is to be aggressive and enjoy the challenge.

When those lights go on, don’t try to become a different swimmer.  Be the swimmer you’ve trained to be.  Trust your preparation, race with confidence, and let your hard work shine.   The lights do not make the swimmer they only reveal the swimmer that’s already there. 

SWIM SET OF THE WEEK

FRIDAY JULY 3. Annual dolphin triathlon 

500 swim (rules no flip turns. Odd lengths breathe head up)

2.0 run

500 kick (replaces the bike)

TRIVIA CORNER

LAST WEEKS QUESTION WAS: how was swimming different 250 years ago?

Most people could not swim and those that did swam out of necessity rather than for leisure or sport.  In the colonies swimming was done as a vital combat skill for scouting or retrieving equipment.  However, Native Americans were know for their aquatic skills.

This weeks question. How did NVSL DIVISIONAL meets differ in the 1970’s from today?

YOUR PATH

" Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear."

 What is your swimming path?  What are your goals?  Your aspirations?  Your dreams?  Your practice habits?  Your work ethic?

Your swimming comes down to writing your own story and not someone else's story.  The story you write on your curiosity, experience, goals and aspirations which may be different from swimmer to swimmer.

There are many "WINS" involved with swimming and these wins differ from swimmer to swimmer.  A lifetime personal best may be a huge win for most swimmers while just winning a heat or event might be huge for others depending on their path for that race.  Then their are swimmers who try a new event/distance and finishing with good technique under fatigue.  A big win might also come in practice with a great set with great effort all the way through.  Then there are those wins when you walk away feeling good about the improvements/strides your making in starts, turns, breakouts, kick, finishes and race strategies.

Swimmers also thrive on many things.  It could be the thrill of competition and racing that they are looking forward to or it may be all the fun things that happen in swimming.  It could be the joy of jumping

into that water and letting it engulf where you feel like you have super powers as you move through that quiet atmosphere.

Your mindset will also have a direct impact on your journey down the path in your swimming.  You have probably already discovered that competition brings with it the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" and you need to grow emotionally and confident as you go down your path.  

These paths aren't separate, they're parallel paths and need to move in the same direction on the way to your destination.

FAVORITE SET FROM LAST WEEK 

MEET WARM UP (THE USUAL)

4x50 free @1:00

4x25 kick @40 descend 

4x50 stroke/free @1:10

BREATH CONTROL SET on coaches whistles 

 

3x25 free (breathe every 2/ every 3 and every 4) + 1x25 fly fast from a start

3x25 free (breathe every 3/ every 4/ and every 5) + 1x25 fly fast from a start

3x25 free (breathe every 4/ every 5/ and every 6) + 1x 25 fly fast from a start 

HUMP DAY SET (back and fliers stay in competition pool. Breaststrokes go to trap pool)

200 of stroke you picked (focus on smooth and long + strong turns

3x25 sprint stroke from a start walk around

150 of your stroke same as above but more effort

2x25 sprint stroke from a start walk around

100 of your stroke same as above but get I to race speed on back 50

1x25 sprint stroke from a start walk around 

Everyone to competition pool deep end for a 5 minute treading water

NUTRITION CORNER--"THE BREAKFAST of CHAMPIONS"

• THE CLASSSIC--A plain bagel or slice of white toast with a thin layer of peanut butter or almond butter topped with sliced bananas.
• THE WARM BOWL--Instant oatmeal or low-fiber cereal made with low-fat milk, topped with some kind of fruit.
• THE POWER COMBO-- Scrambled eggs with a side of fruit and a slice of whole wheat or white toast.
• FOR NERVOUS SWIMMERS-- A fruit and yogurt smoothie with a handful of oats blended in.

TRIVIA CORNER 

Last week’s answer— the average strong swimmer can swim at a 1.0–1.2 miles per hour which is equivalent to 2000-3000 meters an hour.

In honor of AMERICA 250 this week’s question is, how was swimming different in 1776 than it is today in 2026? 

WE GOT OUR FEET WET

 "Summer is about to get funner; just add water."

First week jitters are out of the way and now we can really focus on this short summer season.  Hopefully most of your races went well last week although I’m sure a few of us probably got punched in the face with a little reality.  It’s okay because if your reading this you got back up and you live on to race another day.   One day, one meet, one race does not define you.

Summer league warmups are like a roaring stampede for 20 minutes and what are we really accomplishing during this madness.  First off as our swimmers started we told them to make sure there is water in the pool, the lane lines are in, the flags are up and lets not forget two walls (start and turns) and at the end end of warmups if we have all that, we can race with anyone.  

where there mis-steps once the meet started, absolutely, but hey that's life throwing us a lesson to learn from.  One of the best lines from yesterday was, "My Goggles Betrayed Me".  Coach Mike they were fine and all I had was "until the beep."  Another one was "My Turn" and I said was it was the turn that wasn't.  We know what we did so lets work on it this week.  The very last one was that "the water felt extra thick" well than that was a truly awesome effort because you moved through it with relative ease.

Every athlete has low and high points and the best part of just being an athlete is the fact that your glow-up meet is coming and your revenge race is loading as we speak, your moment is imminent and yes we still have practice tomorrow with all those kick sets.

Summer league is a very short season but the lessons and the memories will last you a lifetime.  Keep showing up and encouraging your teammates because your next breakthrough might be waiting with the next race and one encouraging word to a teammate may help them breakthrough on their next week. 

NUTRITION CORNER 

As you are running around and making memories at your summer meets always remember to fuel your body and hydrate to keep your energy up and wear sunscreen.    

SPEED TECHNIQUE SET FROM LAST WEEK

3 rounds of 4

12x25 (dolphin turn 25)

4 cones are at all 10 meter marks from each wall

Swim into wall turn. Fast turn +3 fast strokes smooth to next cone. Stay with same stroke for a set of 4 than you may switch strokes.  Into the wall is fast always.

MOVE TO OTHER POOL AND SPREAD OUT

LOCK IN YOUR STREAMLINES AND ON WHISTLE  GO DOWN AND EXPLODE OFF THE BOTTOM.  HOW HIGH CAN YOU GO? Let? Do 5 good ones. Rest 20 seconds.  We go thru this 5 times

Move to other pool in deep end lanes 1  and 6 

3 running steps and explode into a dive and swim fast free.  FEEL THE BODY MOVEMENT OFF THE DIVE.

TRIVIA ANSWER:  A NVSL meet has 420 total points up for grab.  First place =5.  Second place =3  

Third place =1.  Relay =5 points for the win.  Every team sets out in the morning to get to the magic number of 210.5 which will give them the win.

TRIVIA QUESTION FOR THE WEEK: How fast (MPH) does the average strong swimmer swim?

RACE TIME

 

As you are heading over to the clerk of course this Saturday for your team's first meet of the summer, remember you've already done the hard work and now it's time to kick back hang out with your teammates and friends and cheer for them as they race.  Summer league is always full of surprises, it's fast, fun with cheers, dress ups and of course that team lunch at the end of the day.  Make your first meet unforgettable.

This first meet will help set the tone for your future races.  Remember to control the controllables.  Swim your race not the person next to you.  One race, one stroke at a time.  Stay calm, but sharp and ready to race.  Activate your muscles and get your heart rate up.

While we know times are important remember summer league is about scoring points for the team.  Do your job and have fun this weekend.

NUTRITION CORNER

Your stomach should feel light but not empty.  Fuel your muscles!  Some meet snacks: crackers, pretzels, fruit,  and applesauce.

Don't forget to hydrate early and often.

WORKOUT SET OF THE WEEK:

MEET WARM UP :  (FOR ALL AGE GROUPS)

MAIN SET  (3 rounds )

Focus here is race skills

• starts
• streamlines
• breakouts
• turns
• finishes

4x50 (descend 1-4) start smooth with tight stream and finish fast

4x25 kick race tempo kick

4x25 breakout + 8-10 fast strokes

GET OUT WALK AROUND BOTH POOLS AND TALK WITH EACH OTHER (NO PHONES)

This set helps us with our confidence for the end of the week and the meet on Saturday.

TRIVIA MAIL BOX

Last weeks answer

Freestyle is an official stroke but you may swim it any way you wish.  The exception is in a relay or IM you cannot repeat any previous stroke.

This weeks question:   In the NVSL how many points are available to score and what is the magic number for every team to get to?  

RESETTING

 "Breathe in confidence, breathe out doubt."

As all of you head off to your team time trails this weekend and into your first meets let’s spend this one on how to RESET after a unusually tough outing.

A bad workout or race will happen to all of us at some point and as you age these moments seem to happen more and more.  It happens to all athletes across all the sports and no one is safe from those moments.  It all comes down to how do you respond when those moments smack you down.

The first thing that you need to do is: acknowledge that it will happen and develop a plan to deal with those moments.  Your frustrated and that makes sense.  It was a tough set or race and it's okay to feel the way you do.  Everyone has off days and those moments don't define you and they don't make you a bad swimmer.

The next thing you should do is to redirect your focus on the things you can control (the past is the past).

History teaches us that is important to learn from the past or it will keep repeating itself.  Take one thing from the moment and decide to work on that and make it better such as;

• first three strokes
• stronger streamlines
• breathing
• finishing kick
• pacing strategy

Look at the moment, don't be overwhelmed or get to emotional and make a mental checklist and then get get to work.  It becomes easier to reset when the targets are small and specific.  The smallest success allows you to hit that reset button sooner than later.

Talking to yourself positively  will help you build a resilience to moments like this in your swimming, phrases such as;

• "One race doesn't beat me."
• "I can fix one thing and be better."
• "I can get better by trying again."
• "I'm learning, not losing."

Put these in your self talks with yourself. In closing try this after a tough race.  Go to the swim down pool and come up with a 30 second  Reset Routine before talking to anybody.

1. Breathe ( take a few dep breaths and do a 10 second exhale)
2. Shake it Out (arms-shoulders-legs-neck/head)
3. Choose One Fix (take one thing, don't try to fix everything at one time)
4. Try Once Again ( same event one perfect lap and walk away)

Sometimes your effort means more than the time.  Your always learning so that you may come out stronger at the next opportunity.  Your a good swimmer it was just a tough moment.

NUTRITION CORNER

Strawberry Banana Swim Fuel Shake--It's fun, easy to make, easy on the stomach and great for recovery INGREDIENTS;

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup milk/oat/or almond milk
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of nuts/almonds or wheat germ (optional)

SET of Week (for our 11-12 year olds)

WARM UP 2x2x2

2x100 mix (50free/50 kick boards/ 50 back/ 50 kick no boards)

2x25 kick fast boards

2x50 (first one build to fast/ 2nd one all fast)

TECHNIQUE BLOCK (20 MINUTES)

2 ROUNDS

8x25 back (odds back focus on rotation/  evens breast 15m corners then 4-5 hard strokes to wall)

4x50 ( odds back  evens breast with 2 hand touches+strong pull outs)

STARTS (back and breast)

BACK- explode and get your rear ends up hold your streamlines +3

BREAST--lock in your streamlines 3-2-1 and explode into those pullouts + 3 stroke

GAME BEAT THE COACH

TRIVIA MAILBOX

Last week answer:  breaststroke

This weeks question: Is freestyle really an official stroke?

OWN YOUR TRAINING

 

Are you a passenger in your swimming or are you the driver of your own swimming?  Think about that question for a few minutes and then put your thoughts down on paper where you can actually see what you do during a week in your busy life.  Set up two columns with the headings passenger and driver and start penciling things that you do and which column they fall under.

The magic in your swimming truly occurs when YOU take responsibility for your preparation, attitude, effort and your goals and not because a coach or a parent tells you to, but because YOU choose to.

When you move from being a passenger to the driver you begin to tke charge of the things you control every day, your effort, your habits (in and out of the pool), and your mindset.  You flip that switch from "Coach told me to" to "I choose to."

We've talked about it before but here are five ways that you can take ownership of your swimming.  Here are five things to adjust as you move into that drivers seat to get ready.

*Setting personal goals--You will choose your goals.  They will probably center around times but should also be built around technique targets, race strategies, nutrition, sleep habits, hydration.  Setting goals will build your motivation far more than any pep talk or cheer will.

*Tracking progress--Writing down your goals will hold you accountable to yourself and will help you see improvement as your driving.

*Consistent effort-- The daily grind is where the ownership truly shows up.  Being on time, warmups with a purpose, sets done correctly and hard sets attacked with intention.

*Managing your emotions--Instead of making excuses or playing the blame game, learn to own the situation, reset, refocus, and respond like a true competitive athlete.

*Preparing like a pro--Pack your bags. Have all your equipment pool side. Have your water bottle and use it. Warmup and swim down correctly. Eat properly.  Get adequate sleep and recovery.

The three pillars of owning your swimming are:

1. Responsibility

"I control my choices."
This includes your effort, your attitude and how you respond to your workouts/races and challenges.

2. Curiosity
"What can I learn today?"
Seek feedback after you races and take the feedback back to workouts.  Step outside of your comfort zone during workouts and races and see what happens.

3. Resilience
"I bounce back."
You will encounter pitfalls in your swimming, bad sets, bad races, and bad days happen.  Don't hide from them, learn from them and grow as a swimmer.

Final message to all of you.  Owning your swimming means you decide the kind of swimmer you want to be.  You choose your effort.  You choose your attitude.  You choose how you respond to all the noise.  When you become the driver of your swimming you are deciding on your destination and how your going to arrive at that destination and ultimately the success you will have

Summer swim set we did this week (45 minutes)

4x4x4

4x100 free @2:00/1:50/1:40/2:30

4x25 kick @40 (all fast 10m to walls)

4x50 @1:00 free to back (minimum 3 dolphins off turns) lock in those streamlines

TIME TO FLY WITH FINS 4x4x25 fly @40 (rest extra 20 after each round)

#1 is chest press position 11 with arms

#2 R arm only (this is not free)

#3 L arm only

#4 full stroke fly

do not rush these drills feel the rhythm of your body and the stroke.

Speed set

2x25 kick fast @35

1x50 fast free @1:20 (no more than 3 breaths first 25)

dolphin bonding in shallow end

5:00 minutes streamline jumps (explode off the bottom and Lock in those streamlines)

(20 on/20 rest)

Last week's trivia answer---President Gerald Ford.

This Week's question--- What stroke used to be swum mostly underwater until the rules changed?

WINNING OUT OF THE POOL

"A pool is 25 yards/meters or 50 meters long, but the race is won in that little space between your ears."

 You've just finished your race and your eyes immediately look towards the scoreboard and your time.  If your like a lot of young swimmers you think that time is the result of the work you have done in the pool during practice.  That is only a piece of the total picture you are creating on the canvas.

Those swimmers who are truly successful are built by what they do outside the pool just as much as what they do in it.  The week has 168 hours in it and most of you are in the pool 8-12 hours a week depending on how many days you swim a week.  That leaves you with anywhere from 156-160 hours away from the pool and those hours are what I refer to as "winning out of the pool."

I like to think of 5 areas where a swimmer can win away from the pool; life habits, character, mindset, nutrition, recovery, and mindset.

LIFE HABITS-- If your organized your life is less chaotic including your swimming.

• school work organized, homework done, projects are being done=less stress
• show up ready and be ready on time to begin
• pack your bag the night before
• keep gear ready/clean/ have extras
• respectful, coachable, consistent

MINDSET--Winning starts before you step up on starting blocks.

• positive thoughts/and self talk
• what's your focus today
• turn mistakes into a learning opportunity
• "strong finishers think strong first"

NUTRITION-- "Fuel your body like you want to perform"

• balanced meals: protein+ carbs+ produce+ healthy fats.
• smart snacks: yogurt + fruit + granola bars + pretzels + trail mix
• limit those sugary drinks/ energy drinks (50/50 mix)
• hydration starts early in the day

RECOVERY--"Fast swimmers aren't tired swimmers."

• proper sleep: 8-10 hours
• bedtime consistency (on weekends too)
• HYDRATE throughout the day
• post workout fuel
• recovery is a skill--practice it

CHARACTER--"Fast is fun.  Character is your true identity."

• honest effort (its a choice)
• discipline over easy/convenience
• own mistakes
• support group/teammates
• lead by example

MAKO SET OF THE WEEK

This set was what  I call a technique reset +speed set to wrap up our short course season.

6x25 @30 fly fins (#1= right arm. #2= left arm. #3 = full stroke strong x2) 

1x50 @1:00 fly fast

Rest 15 hydrate

6x25 back fins @30 (#1 =right arm   #2= left arm. #3= full stroke x2) 

1x50 @1:00 fly to back fast

1x50 @1:00 back fast

Rest 15 fins off hydrate

6x25 breast @35 (#1= pull kick kick. #2= full cycle +3 seconds =3 full breaststroke fast hands forward and get flat before next cycle.

1x50 @1:00 fly to back fast

1x50 @1:00 back to breast fast

1x50 @100 breast fast

Rest 15 hydrate

6x25 free@30 catch up high elbow recovery

4x50 @1:00 IM

TRIVIAL MAILBOX

Last week’s answer— A cannonball 

This week question:  What president had an outdoor pool installed at the White House in 1975?