SENIOR PREP

The best example of doing the crossover turn I have seen out there.  Watch this short example of the steps in doing the turn as we will dive into it on Thursday. 

As a coach working with 14 under’s sometimes I believe that swimmers look at this turn as the “new hot fashionable “ thing on the market and that is the wrong way to approach it.  You should ask yourselves this one question, Do I get an advantage from using the turn?  Once you can master the turn I believe there is an advantage in the 100 and 200 IM not so much in the 400 IM at this stage of your swimming.  

Take a look at it and we will start setting aside some time to practice the steps.

HAPPY TURNS

 

Hope all of your had a good and restful holiday season.  Thank you all for the cards with gift cards and all of the treats, and kind words.  It means a lot especially the words from the swimmers.

Hope we all can get into a normal routine now with school, swimming and any other activities that you may be involved with.  I know that first day of school can be hard after a long break but you all are awesome and I am sure each of you rose to the occasion.

This weekend there are 2 meets.

Mako Polar Plunge--Saturday and Sunday at Mason. Please check the Mako web site for warm up times.  I was asked by a couple of you last week about suiting up for this meet and the answer is NO.   Understand that this is a training meet to help get back into the swing of thi9ngs after the holidays.  I will not be attending this meet as I will be at the distance meet at the Saint James both days.

January Distance Meet Saturday and Sunday @Saint James. Saturday is the 1000. Positive Check in by NOON on Friday January 5.  Sunday 1650 Positive check in by NOON Saturday January 7.  You only need to arrive about 45 minutes before your heat.  You need a timer and counter.

A THOUGHT to swim into 2024 with.

"THE CORK and the WHALE" --Author Unknown

A little brown cork

Fell in. the path of a whale

Who lashed it down

With his angry tail.

But, in spite of the blows,

It quickly arose,

And floated serenely

Before his nose.

Said the cork to the whale,

"You may flap and sputter and frown,

But you never, never can keep me down:

For I'm made of the stuff

That is buoyant enough

To float instead to drown."

A MENTAL CHALLENGE

 

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 your stroke gettin sloppy. That does not mean skip a 75.
• Add some speed from time to time as you work through the set.
• Hydrate between repeats but do not skip a 75 to get water.  Hydrate a bit every couple of repeats.

This set is designed to improve your habits and yes it could become boring and monotonous but if you approach it with a clear mind and really focus on the water around you and how it feels moving through it you will come out the other side as a better version of yourself as a swimmer.

Have a great day.  Be productive. WIN

SOME HOLIDAY CHEER

 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 with fins

2 rounds

• 2x25 free fast AOS @30
• 1x50 smooth back @1:00
• 2x75 free fast build to na sprint @1:20
• 100 smooth back stroke @2:15

TAKE FINS OFF SWIM DOWN WITH

8X25 @40 ODDS FREE EVENS BREAST WITH GLIDE

Wednesday gold practice

WARM UP THE USUAL

300 swim mixer (150 free/150 back)

3x50 kick IMO/free @1:10

3x100 back @2:00 pay attention to your walls

PRE SET with your fins

4 rounds

3x25 back kick @40

2x75 @1:30 (25 back kick /25 fast free swim/25 back kick)

FINS OFF

8 minute kick (00-40 choice smooth. 40-00 fast free)

MAIN SET

75 fly back breast @1:30

3x25 fly breast with free kick last 25 fast free

2 rounds 

  4x50 @1:00 free

3x25 choice no free @50

3x25 fast free @40

Have a good day. Be productive 

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.

'

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'

THE COMFORT ZONE

“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 loud (just ask Eric and Peter) and the playlists were good although if I don't hear YMCA for a year life will be good.

We did a good job at exciting our races and I believe each of you learned something about yourselves.

For our groups just some things that stood out;

• CONFIDENCE. the meet sheet says you belong in that heat and lane.  You own it.  Step up on the block with the confidence of a Champion.
• TURNS  we need to have more confidence around the walls.  Be aggressive. Fast in Fast out.  walls are not a rest stop along the way.
• FREE. the race was awesome but we need to do a better job with our turns especially pulling with deep arm (the bone near the bottom of pool) and not breathing till our second pull.
• BACK. better job on our tempo and rotation on the catch.      
• BREAST. our pull is getting better.  better job of keeping elbows up and in front of ourselves. Extension
• FLY not bad. maybe more work on our breathing pattern and keeping our hips up. 2 kicks per stroke
• STREAMLINES. awesome job they keep improving each time out
• UWK. some of us have improved tremendously in this area. others bare still a work ion progress.  they have veto be fast and hard to maintain your speed into the breakout.  if we keep improving in this area we can greatly reduce the distance that we need to swim in our races.  this will  save tremendous energy and is much more efficient.  This will also give you an advantage over swimmers of equal talent who refuse to get better ion this area. there Arte a lot of them out there.

• SET OF THE WEEK: QUARTER SET as we prepared to race

The object and focus here was to work each part of the race and execute each racing part of the segment.

For example the streamline, the breakout, the fast feet to turn, breakout off the turn and the BIG finish.

Prep group 4 rounds, Gold group 3 rounds, Blue group 2 rounds.

• 50 free (12.5 fast and the rest long and smooth.
• 50 free (25 fast to feet and the rest long and smooth)
• 50 free (37.5 fast and the rest long and smooth)
• 50 free (ALL FAST PUT IT TOGETHER ON THIS ONE)

THANKSGIVING NUTRITION TIP:  FRUIT AND VEGGIE TURKEY

• 1` PEAR CUT IN HALF
• 1 BABY CARROT NOSE AND FEET
• 1 YELLOW PEPPER SEEDED AND CUT IN SLICES
• 1 RED PEPPER SEEDED AND CUT IN SLICES
• 2 WILTON CANDY EYES
• WHITE FROSTING OR PEANUT BETTER
• 1 PIECE OF SALAMI HAM OR PEPPERONI

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lay the cut pear on a plate
2. Add a tiny bit of white frosting to the back of the candy google eyes using a toothpick to give your turkey some eyes
3. Slice your baby carrot and cut a small triangle from one of the pieces to use as it's nose.
4. Apply some frosting or peanut butter to the back to adhere it to the pear.
5. Use another 2 slices of carrot for his legs.
6. Finally cut a tiny longer triangle out of the salami/ham/pepperoni for his gizzard.
7. Arrange his feathers by lining them around the pear.
8. Feel free to play around with the peppers.

There is no wrong way, just like swimmers no two are alike.

THE COMFORT ZONE

What is the comfort zone in swimming?  Here are my thoughts and you may have different ones so grab a

pen and your journals and write them down to gain a b better understanding of your swimming.

First off swimming in your comfort zone comes down to feeling safe and above all it's easy and it's a way of avoiding risks.  Inside that comfort zone you fail to challenge yourselves.  You feel in control. We are afraid of hurting ourselves both physically and mentally and because of that we don't venture outside our safe zone.  What you fail to realize is that pain and hurt are two different things.  In swimming pain is a little discomfort which subsidizes after the race and hurt may require some medical attention.  Some signs that you are stuck in your comfort zone;

• you feel every day is repetitive
• you keep complaining 
• you see rejecting new ideas
• you keep missing that big swim

STEPPING OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE

First off understand YOUR reasons for not going outside that zone.  I'll take a stab at that one, its the fear of what is lurking around outside of your safe zone.  It could be all kinds of monsters like pain, and failure.  Face those monsters and conquer them no matter how big they are.  Remember David and Goliath, it just takes one big race to conquer your monsters.

1. Challenges that you direct are the best to overcome.  It's your show, you are the director and the actor.  There are few things more satisfying than directing a plan and than going out and fully and utterly conquering that plan. Win a Grammy.
2. Face your fears in steps.  Your feeling a little anxious and fearful of what is lurking out there b ut at the same time you want some of what is lurking out there.  ?You can't have both.  Identify what has you staying in place and make a list of steps to get you unstuck.  They don't have to be huge but should be substantial enough to get you energized and moving in the right direction.
3. It won't hurt as nearly as much as you think it will.  Most of you (99.9%) have never really hurt in a race.  Some think they have, but you haven't, be honest.  Have faith in the fact that you are far tougher both physically and mentally than you give yourself credit for.
4. Stretch.  Just as you stretch your muscles, start stretching your comfort zone to encompass  more and more.  Don't shut the door on an opportunity because of fear.  Be willing to stretch yourselves to the point of discomfort, for there is awaiting that big swim you have been searching for.

Next time out push the boundaries some, you hjasve nothing to loser and everything to gain.

LIMITATIONS

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