Saturday, December 12, 2009

The T-Shirt Watcher Reports from Ohio



Here are a few of the best t-shirts spotted at this week's Junior Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.

This one was my personal favorite:



And this one a close second:



"Trying is for little girls with easy-bake ovens."

"Life without goals is like a race without a finish line."

"Fo Sho!"

"Onipa `A - Life is too short to live any other way."
(The phrase is Hawaiian for 'steadfast and true')

"OpportUNITY"

"Strong in body, strong in mind"

"When you are behind, don't give up. When you are ahead, don't let up."

"The fire of glory is the torch of the mind."

"Do work, son!" - BB

"Fate rarely calls upon us at the moment of our own choosing." -Optimus Prime Transformers

Though this one wasn't a t-shirt, it was too funny not to include here. Can you guess which coach this is?

Sunday, December 6, 2009

4 Laws for Your Best 400 I.M.

Want to have the race of your life in the "Decathlon of Swimming?" Obey these four fundamental laws of the 400 I.M.

1. Negative split the backstroke, breaststroke,and freestyle legs. Ideally, the difference is less than 1 second. Because of the time spent executing the back-to-breast and breast-to-free turns, this actually represents near even-pace swimming.
2. Finish each stroke before you begin the next one. It sounds so simple but requires a focused effort to make it happen. Finish each stroke with a bit of extra "oomph" and you will catapult yourself into the next stroke. Limp into the transition and you are already off to a bad start on the next 100 yards.
3. Exploit your strengths. This is your opportunity for an advantage over your opponent. Failing to do this is like keeping your pistol in its holster during a swordfight.
4. Cover your weaknesses. Swim the worst stroke well, with an extra eye for efficiency. Does it seem like this means you have to do EVERYTHING well? Welcome to the 400 I.M.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Determining Goal Pace for SCM

Had a request for a SCM version of the Goal Pace worksheet. I have posted one at swimmingwizard.blogspot.com. See the column on the right called "Tools for Coaches."

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Determining Goal Pace

Don Swartz and Ken DeMont over at Swim Coach Direct had an interesting post Sunday on race splits and training for the 200. I highly recommend it.

Their post encouraged me to share with you a tool we use to help swimmers on our team establish race paces for training purposes.

Click here to download our Excel spreadsheet for determining goal paces.

Here are the instructions once you have the sheet open in Excel:
1. Type the swimmer's name where it says 'Name here.'
2. Enter a swimmer's goal time in the C column. Do not use any punctuation. For instance, for a goal time of 24.99 in the 50 free, type 2499. For a 2:28.50 in the 200 breast, type 22850.
3. The sheet should automatically compute pace times for you. 'Pace' means the swim is from a push. 'Start' means the swimmers goes off the blocks (or from a start for backstroke). The sheet computes different pace values for different events based on what I deemed the most useful information. A 15m start time is of little consequence in the mile, but could come in handy in the 100 fly.
4. Print out the pace card and take it to practice!

A few other notes:

* The sheet is based on the assumption that a swimmer will swim an even pace for every length after the 1st 25. For freestyle, the difference between the 1st and 2nd 25 is 1.7. For fly, the difference is 2.0, for backstroke the difference is 1.0, and for breaststroke it is 2.5 seconds.
* The C column is cross-hatched and the goal time is in gray in order to keep the swimmer's focus on the race pace rather than her goal time.

Enjoy - let me know how it goes!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Top 8 Christmas Gifts for Swimmers (and 1 for your coach)

...and you don't even have to go out on Black Friday!

For the gift that keeps on giving, get The Original Backnobber II ($28.95)and help your swimmer get rid of those tight back and shoulder muscles by making him do it himself.  Or, if you really want to pamper your swimmer and save a little cash, get the Original Palmassager ($7.95). While relaxing, your swimmer can watch The Three Styles of Freestyle DVD ($39.95).  Mike Bottom is the world's preeminent sprint freestyle coach, and his philosophy on freestyle technique can help swimmers improve at all distances.  To help your swimmer figure out what style is best for him, get The Athlete Village video review ($49.99 or use this discount code for 10% off: RW21846) Have an elite coach review your swimmer's stroke remotely through the internet.  The best part - it's 100% guaranteed money back if you aren't satisfiedFor a little inspiration and a dose of history, put The Great Swim by Gavin Mortimer ($6.40) under the Christmas tree.  After all that therapeutic massage, education, and inspiration, it will eventually be time to get in the water for that post-holiday training.  The Finis Tempo Trainer ($31.99) is the ultimate tool for the precision-oriented athlete.  A yardage monster who swims for fitness might be more interested in the SwiMP3 ($149.99). And don't forget to get Games, Gimmicks, and Challenges by Bob Steele ($29)for your coach who may need a few ideas for games to break up those New Year's distance sets.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Fun

Today at practice, the quote on the top of the workout read: "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

A swimmer walked up to me and said, "but coach, impossible is nothing," parroting a phrase I have uttered once or twice.

"That's correct," I said, proud that my words were sinking in.

"That means it's kind of fun to do nothing, so we should do nothing."

Ha ha! Clever. Made me laugh.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Coaches Are Thieves

That statement is true of every good coach I have ever known. We are thieves.
We take training ideas from each other, borrow a saying, or use a set that we saw or heard from another coach.

And this is a good thing. Stealing from another coach's idea stash keeps our training fresh. It helps keep the athletes and the coach motivated. In the most successful eras of American swimming, coaches openly discussed, shared, contributed, and stole training ideas. In my experience, just one idea from another coach has often been the inspiration of many new sets, workouts, or training exercises.

I want to make this exchange of ideas among coaches (and swimmers) easier. There are a ton of brilliant minds, great sets, and fantastic drills out there that we can all benefit from. To that end, I have created the Swimming Wizard at swimmingwizard.blogspot.com. It is an open-sourced blog designed to collect ideas, bounce them around, and inspire new innovation.

Coaches, check it out. The Swimming Wizard would love to hear from you.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Stop Wasting Your Walls

You are a fast swimmer. But are you a fast turn swimmer? There is a difference, you see. Many swimmers have been defeated by slower competitors who simply have superior turns, thus gaining an advantage that leads to victory. Most likely, we have all faced someone who turns faster than we do. The solution, in part, lies in your mental approach to your walls.

Without realizing it, you may have subconsciously allowed yourself to believe that the turn is a place where you get a little rest. You push yourself really hard when you swim, and you are so happy to get to the wall that you take an extra few fractions of a second to reverse your direction. It is an easy habit to fall into, but a very bad one.

To reprogram yourself for new turn habits, begin thinking of each turn as an opportunity to accelerate, to pick up speed, and to gain ground on your competitors. With this approach, your eyes will be opened to how much faster you can be. So stop wasting your walls and start making the most of every opportunity!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Junior Year Myth

There is a belief common to many swimmers and their parents that one's junior year of high school is the "make-or-break year." They view the junior year as a swimmer's final opportunity to earn a spot on a college team. I won't argue that the junior year isn't important, but here are a few concerns I have with emphatically taking this approach:

1) Whether they mean to or not, when parents frame it as the "make-or-break year," it places an undue pressure on the swimmer to perform. Often, high-achieving parents have high-achieving kids, and the parents just want to make sure their swimmer understands what is at stake. Inadvertently what the parents are really doing is turning the pressure up a few notches. More often than not the result: A swimmer who shifts his focus from the reasons he joined the sport (fun, self-improvement, competition) to a new goal; earning a college scholarship. This makes swimming feel like a job for many, and takes the fun out of it. Some swimmers even tighten up under the pressure at meets, causing poor results and increasing the pressure again. Parents, please understand that if your swimmer is a high-achiever and is planning to swim in college, he probably already realizes the importance of his penultimate year as a club and high school swimmer.

2) This approach emphasizes the swimmer's short-term performance rather than her long-term athletic development. A swimmer's performance isn't merely a function of how hard she trains that year. Rather, it is the sum of the years of well-planned and committed training that have progressively improved a swimmer's skills. Yes, it will help the swimmer's college prospects if she swims well. Ideally though, the coach and swimmer have been focused on steady improvement all along. The junior year will just be another step forward from that firm foundation. I am glad to have anything that motivates a swimmer, but I am skeptical when I hear "it's my junior year, I am REALLY going to work hard now!" Welcome to the party, you are a few years too late.

3) Rarely does the prospect of swimming in college serve as a proper motivator. Just as paying employees more on the job has been shown not to increase productivity, earning a scholarship spot on a college team does not always bolster a swimmer's motivation to compete well. My theory is that this happens when the athlete's primary motivators have been intrinsic and outside influences counsel him to trash those in favor of the extrinsic motivation of a college scholarship.

4) What then becomes of the swimmer's senior year? If the junior year is the make-or-break year, what comes after that -- the made-or-broken year? From the standpoint of the athlete, if he now has it made, then what's the point in trying to improve? If he has blown his chance to swim at the college program of his choice by not posting the necessary time, then his drive to improve may be even lower. As a coach on both the club and collegiate sides of the recruiting fence, I have seen this happen too many times. The athlete has a great junior year, signs a letter-of-intent to swim collegiately, cashes in his chips during his senior year, and then suffers the consequences well into his collegiate career.

Don't buy into the Junior Year Myth. Though parents (and coaches) may have the swimmer's best interests at heart, the high school junior year should be just another step in a long-term program emphasizing continual improvement toward individual excellence. Making it out to be much more than that is often counterproductive.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Top 10 Ways to Impress Your Swimming Coach

10. Don't miss practice. Want to be the best swimmer you can be? Showing up is a good start. As a coach, our primary chance to help you is at practice. If you are not there, we simply cannot help.

9. If there is a legitimate reason why you will miss practice, contact your coach beforehand, explain the circumstances, and ask how you can make it up. Connecting in advance of your absence suggests you care about the practice and more importantly, about your own training.

8. Show up on time. Don't be that swimmer who is perpetually late to practice. You'll anger most coaches and frankly, even perturb your teammates. If you think your fellow swimmers are forgiving of your tardiness, you're mistaken. Most dislike it or conclude you feel like you deserve special treatment or consideration.

7. Be prepared for practice. When the coach is planning your training, he is expecting that you will have the necessary items to perform as instructed. Not having your mesh bag, swimming equipment, water bottle, shoes for dryland, etc. is just plain sloppy and makes him wonder whether you really intend to improve or if you are just showing up hoping to get better.

6. Give your best effort consistently at practice. We are not asking nor expecting every swimmer to be a world-beater every day. We merely expect you to perform at your capability and be willing to push that boundary every once in a while. Your effort will determine your results. Even the best coach does not bring magic swim-fast fairy dust to practice.

5. Listen and ask good questions at practice. Coaches like swimmers who are attentive and focused. If your coach constantly has to repeat himself, it wastes your time and his. If you have a question, find the right time to ask it--not 2 seconds before you are supposed to push off the wall, but during the explanation of the set or after practice.

4. Understand that every day is an opportunity to improve and once it is over the opportunity has passed. Be sure to get the maximum benefit each day. Be willing to make changes and seek the coach's insight on how you can do this. Don't just keep doing what you're doing and hope that your hard work will overcome your other mistakes. We know that many of you dream of achieving at the highest levels of the sport, so we have to work together to get you there.

3. Set awesome goals. Make them reasonable yet challenging, clear but flexible. Not only are they important to help you focus your energies, but goals can also help inspire your coach. A good coach is motivated by a swimmer with high goals and the drive to achieve those goals.

2. Let your coach know if he's doing a good job. If the practice engaged and challenged you, tell him. If you enjoyed the new exercise you tried for the first time, let him know. If you're a better swimmer or person at the end of the season, send him a handwritten thank-you note. The flip side to this, of course, is helping him improve. Is he unclear in his instructions on a set? Did he misunderstand your question or put you on an easier interval than you are capable of? Is there something that you are missing in your training? A good coach is responsive to your feedback and will look to improve.

1. Be a leader and make your personalized contribution to the team. The best compliment a coach can give any swimmer is that "you made everyone around you better than they would have been without you." If you hear your coach say that, know this: we were indeed impressed. Be THAT swimmer.

This post was adapted from 10 Ways to Impress Your College Professor

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Promise

To: The Swimmers I Coach

If you give me a commitment composed of your presence and your effort. If in your effort you deliver determination and persistence. If your determination is driven by goals of achievement. If your goals are truly your own. If every day you strive to be the best you.

I promise my commitment composed of my daily presence and my intense effort. I promise my determination and persistence in the face of obstacles small and large, expected and unseen. I promise to steer you toward achieving your goals. I promise you a training program to give you confidence, preparedness, and unassailable fitness. I promise to strive to be the best me to help you be the best you.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Why You Need a Coach

Because coaches have wisdom gained from years of experience watching swimmers succeed and fail...because as an athlete, you only get one opportunity to reach your potential... because you need an honest voice to tell you how things are, not just how you want them to be... so that you have someone who has been there for every moment of preparation to share the excitement of victory with... so that someone who knows how bad you wanted it and how hard you worked is there to pick you up when you fail... so that when the days are long and hard, there is someone in your ear asking you to be better... because you do not really know the achievements of which you are capable... because the pool doors are locked at 5 a.m.... because deciding what to do every day at practice would take longer than you think... because where else would you hear the joke of the day?

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The T-Shirt Watcher Rides Again

Here are some I've seen on the pool deck at this week's Junior Nationals in Federal Way:

"Those who have the right kind of character don't tremble at the first sign of adversity."

"Great thoughts coupled with intense actions produce unbelievable results."

"Resolve to succeed. The greatest discovery one can make is that nothing is impossible."

"A very clever brain can catch a heffalump, if only he knows the right way to go about it." -Pooh

"Hotter than fish grease."

"It is a sublime thing to suffer and be stronger." - Longfellow

"There's a choice you make
in every thing you do.
But keep in mind that in the end,
the choice you make makes you."
-John Wooden

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."

"Fortitudine Vincimus" (By Endurance We Conquer)

"Wake early if you wish to take another man's life or land. No lamb for the lazy and no battles won in bed." -Hannibal

"When your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme."

"There is no point in saying, 'I am doing my best.' You must succeed by doing what is necessary." -Winston Churchill

"Bring it pansies."

Until next time...

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Deciphering Bowman

Some fascinating quotes out of Rome at today's World Championships, particularly from Phelps' coach Bob Bowman after Phelps was drubbed by German Paul Biedermann in the 200 free in WR time. So I'm bringing out my magic deciphering device to help us all:

Bowman
: "Probably expect Michael not to swim until they (restrictions on high-tech bodysuits) are implemented."
Deciphered: "We will not participate in another race that we aren't sure we can win. We are taking our ball and going home."

Bowman
: "I'm done with this. It has to be implemented immediately. The mess needs to be stopped right now. This can't go on any further."
Deciphered: "Right now! Before we get egg on our face again!"

Bowman: "Does a 10-year-old boy in Baltimore want to break Paul Biedermann's record? Is that going to make him join swimming?"
Deciphered: "10,000 kids in Berlin just joined their local swim teams. Watch out for the German team in 2020!"

Bowman: "The sport is in shambles right now..."
Deciphered: "The world is upside down! Michael is human!"

Bowman: "...and they better do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these seats."
Deciphered: "Ryan Lochte is going home too!"

Underdogs Watch This

Great motivational video. Gives me the chills.



Here’s the thing that makes life so interesting.
The theory of evolution claims “Only the strong will survive.”
Maybe so.
Maybe so.
But the theory of competition says “Just because they are the strong doesn’t mean they can’t get their butts kicked.”
See, what every long shot come-from-behind underdog will tell you is this:
“The other guy may in fact be the favorite.
The odds may be stacked against you. Fair enough.
But what the odds don’t know is this is not a math test.
This is a completely different kind of test,
One where PASSION has a funny way of trumping logic.
So before you step up on the starting block, before the whistle blows, and the clock starts ticking, just remember:
Out here, things don’t always add up.
No matter what the stats may say, and the experts may think, and the commentators may have predicted, when the race is on, all bets are off.
Don’t be surprised if somebody decides to flip the script, and take a pass on yelling ‘uncle.’
And then suddenly, as the old saying goes, ‘We’ve got ourselves a race!’”

Saturday, July 18, 2009

How To Be Mediocre...

Set goals you can easily achieve...Count on luck to help you reach them...Count on your talent even more...Congratulate yourself for trying...Accept less than your best...Be inconsistent in your daily effort in training...Arrive late to practice...Blame others for your failures...Forget to thank others for helping you succeed...Speak every negative thought you have...Relish being a big fish in a small pond...Rationalize your results when you come up short...Let your bad habits persist...Let factors you cannot control get in your head...Avoid improving your weaknesses...Commit halfway...Take it personally when your coach says you CAN do better...Ignore the clock at practice...Draft instead of passing...Do NOT kick under any circumstances...Read this list again and say "That's not me - I don't do that!"

Folks, this list is intended to be tongue-in-cheek and it is far from complete. Do you have any more ideas we should add to the list? Obviously, EXCELLENCE is the object of our pursuit.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Six No-No Phrases for the Swimming Parent

Several parents have asked me what to say to their swimmers to help them succeed. The conversations that happen between a parent and child can have a dramatic impact in shaping a swimmer's attitudes toward swimming. The phrases below are all things I have heard before, and I just cringe when I hear them. Each is an example of what not to say to your swimmer.

1. Introducing your child to someone as "the swimmer." "This is Johnny, the swimmer." Swimming is something your child does, not who she is. Help your child cultivate his identity as a person, and encourage him to be the best he can be at swimming. Ultimately, he will better be able to weather the storms of failure and enjoy the fruits of success in swimming if his identity is not wrapped around it.

2. "We came all this way/spent all this money/took all this time... and you swam slow/didn't try/performed poorly." Your kid is probably already disappointed in her own performance, without adding the weight of your parental sacrifices. Understand that it is the nature of human performance that your child will not perform at his or her best at every meet or in every race. The effect of making this comment is that the next time you make a sacrifice to go to a meet, your child will feel the added pressure - possibly to the detriment of his performance.

3. "Good job" (When your child doesn't perform well) She knows when it was a good swim and when it was a bad one. False praise does nothing but cheapen the praise when it is actually deserved. Try "good effort" or "you'll get 'em next time" or "I love you anyway."

4. "WE need to get this cut, WE need to win this event, etc." How many lengths of the pool are you swimming, mom? It is your child's swim, not yours, and you should try to promote his ownership of his performance. Be his biggest fan--there to support him through good and bad--not his teammate.

5. "It's probably your training" (reason why you swam slow). As a parent, it is important that you buttress your child's confidence in his coach. If you have concerns about your swimmer's progress, address them with the coach. Passing your concern on to your swimmer is likely to weaken the coach-swimmer partnership.

6. "It's okay, you don't have to go to practice today." This one comes up when your child is tired, cranky, or is just not wanting to go to practice. It is going to happen at some point that your age grouper will have one of these days. But rather than act as enabler by caving to your swimmer's desire not to attend practice, remind him that it his swimming and his results at the end of the season that will be affected. Remind him of the commitment he has made to his team and to his own swimming. The key is to get your child to make the decision, rather than having you the parent act as the passive enabler. It's tough -- you may not want to take him to practice either, but taking this approach consistently will help your child take ownership of his performance.

Coaches, do you have more you would like to add? Parents, any questions about effective ways to talk swimming with your kid? Let me know!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Featured Drill: Triple Turn

This drill was recommended to me by Griff Helfrich, one of our assistant coaches. It is designed to help a swimmer set up and execute a breast or fly turn correctly with maximum rotational speed. I'll call it Triple Turn drill.

The explanation is simple enough: when the swimmer approaches the wall, he or she executes three consecutive open turns. During the first two, the swimmer does everything but the push-off, then reloads the body for another turn. On the third one, the swimmer pushes off the wall as normal.

When executing the Triple Turn, the swimmer must pay attention to several technical elements - a strong knee drive, swift compact arm action, and driving the head straight back into an agressive streamline to depart the wall.

This drill could be performed in the middle of any breast, fly, or IM set, or could be done with the swimmer beginning from a prone kicking position and initiating the Triple Turn on command or on a whistle.

Here is a brief look at one of our swimmers, rising senior Bryce Mendes performing the Triple Turn during a breaststroke set.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

What It Looks Like... Breathing to the Side in Butterfly

The following picture appeared on the front page of wwww.usaswimming.org this afternoon. It is Christine Magnuson, American record-holder in the 100 fly performing her signature event.

Magnuson demonstrates great technique utilizing a side-looking breath in butterfly. There are many swimmers that use this technique, but curiously, the forward breath persists in many butterflyers. I believe this is because many swimmers will not take the time to learn it and coaches will not take the time to teach it. If you can learn, it can be advantageous for several reasons:
1. Allows the swimmer to stay lower to the water on the breath, which means more of the swimmer's energy is directed to going forward.
2. Because of #1, the swimmer may be able to breathe more often without sacrificing speed.
3. Enables the swimmer to see the competition more effectively than with a forward breath. If the swimmer can breathe to both sides, this is an even more useful skill.

If you want to learn to breathe to the side in butterfly, here are a few pointers.
1. Work on your neck flexibility. In my opinion, this is the primary reason why swimmers who try side-breathing have difficulty - tightness in their neck prevents them from doing it correctly.
2. Be sure to keep your hips and shoulders on plane. By this I mean don't let your body roll to the side simply to get your side-breath.
3. Continue to do all the other technical elements of butterfly correctly. Strong kick, strong pull, good body dolphin, etc. The importance of these hasn't changed at all!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Featured Drill: Open-Mouth Swimming

Just as during many other elements of swimming technique, when breathing it is advantageous for a swimmer to relax to exert minimal energy while producing maximum forward motion. The goal of today's drill is to teach you to relax your jaw and facial muscles while breathing.

Try swimming freestyle with your mouth open - when it is in and out of the water. Try it for backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly too. Yes, you will get water in your mouth. Don't swallow it - spit it out as you exhale and keep going. This drill can also help swimmers become more aware of when their inhale/exhale cycle and prevents breath-holding. Try it and let me know what you think!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

It's Great to Be a Swimmer

Put these at the top of the list for reasons why it's great to be a swimmer (and in this case, NOT a diver)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Featured Drill: Silent Swim

It's been awhile since I have used this drill, but it worked quite well with a group of our UNC Swim Campers yesterday.

I call it "Silent Swim." The idea is to have the group swim a distance (100m works well) without making any noise. To accomplish this, the swimmers can create no splash from either their stroke or kick. There is also one additional requirement - everyone in the group must be slower than a certain time (2:00 in this instance), or the silent swim must be performed again by the entire group.

By doing this drill, swimmers are forced to stop thinking about creating more power or exerting more force on the water, but rather to notice how their bodies interact with the water. An awareness of how one's body moves water out of the way can aid the swimmer's proprioception. The time limit is crucial - pick a time that will cause everyone in the group to really swim slowly.

This set is not hard, at least not in the traditional sense, so it may not seem like doing it again is very strong negative reinforcement. The solution: Use silent swim as a warm-down. If they do it right - they're done. If not? Again!

Monday, June 8, 2009

No Kid Is An Absolute

In many areas of our lives, we are taught that things are black and white. There is right and wrong. Correct and incorrect. Winners and losers. But the reality is that ours is a world of countless shades of gray.

This thinking can creep into the coach and athlete's interaction at the pool. We must carefully guard against the human tendency to evaluate our swimmers into clear-cut categories in our minds. As coaches, we are constantly evaluating, assessing, and critiquing the athletes under our care - that is our job. It is our nature to classify Jimmy as a "hard worker" because we perceive him to be working hard on a regular basis. On the flip side, it is easy to classify Jane as a "lazy kid" because we don't perceive that she works as hard as Jimmy or his other teammates. Thus, we divide our swimmers in black and white terms in our minds.

The trouble with this thinking is that no kid is an absolute. Nobody does things correctly all the time, and nobody does them incorrectly all the time either. To see our swimmers in such black-and-white terms does them a disservice. For the swimmer who we perceive positively, it causes us to overlook his flaws and miss an opportunity to help him improve. For the swimmer we perceive negatively, we have not given him a fair chance to succeed.

The master coach understands that none of his swimmers are absolutes, and his evaluations of his athletes are flexible, fair-minded, and ever-changing. Take a look at your pool - do you see black and white or shades of gray?

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Every Competition a Practice

Check out the corollary to this column, Every Practice a Competition

What are your goals for the end of this season? How fast do you want to go? What skills will you need to improve in order to achieve your goals? What steps are you taking today to improve these skills?

These are all crucial questions to ask yourself, particularly around each swim meet you attend. Meets represent a chance to test your skills, measure your progress, and hone your strategy. For senior swimmers, at in-season meets where a best time may not be the goal, it is important to have technical or strategic objectives so that the swimmer and coach may determine whether progress is being made. For age group swimmers who more often tend to improve their times dramatically while they are growing rapidly and learning new skills, it is equally important that the coach and athlete stay focused on the athlete's technical improvements, not just the swimmer's time. This approach will allow for continued development of the swimmer's ability and enjoyment of the sport.

Ideally, you have set goals for the end of your season. Use each competition during the season to take a step toward those goals, particularly in the areas of your technique and strategy. In this way, every competition can form a valuable part of your practice.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Are You a Big Shot?

His career stats:
7.0 points per game
4.8 rebounds per game
2.1 assists per game
1,107 games played

He is former NBA basketball player Robert Horry, also known as Big Shot Bob.

Click here to see a list of Big Shot Bob's all-time Biggest Shots.

Though that career stat line is rather ordinary, Horry is considered by many to be a potential Hall-of-Famer because he is one of the most "clutch" players of all time. When the pressure is on, he always seems to come up with the big play, thus the nickname. The ability to come through in the clutch is such a priceless skill for an athlete. For swimmers, this means being able to perform at one's absolute best at the big meet, as the #1 seed, or on the crucial leg of the relay.

What skills enable a swimmer to perform at his best in these situations? I would argue that confidence is the clutch performer's biggest asset. Confidence developed over time, through success and failure, perhaps nurtured by a coach. Coaches - this may be the most vital skill we can impart to our athletes, the self-belief that "I can do it when it counts." For it is the performances in the clutch where the athlete is exposed for what he is, where ordinary actions become the stuff of legends.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Review: Tempo Trainer - The Smart Swimmer's Tool


One of my favorite pieces of training equipment is the tempo trainer. Made by Finis, it is a small device that beeps at an adjustable rate. Put it behind your ear inside your swim cap, and away you go... beep... beep... beep.

The Tempo Trainer allows a swimmer to ensure he is achieving specificity in training, working his neuromuscular system in a way that is similar to what he aims to achieve in a racing situation. A tempo trainer can also be used to help a distance swimmer hold a particular pace in training, being set to beep when a swimmer is expect to turn at the end of the pool. We use it regularly in our training, and I find it an invaluable tool, particularly for short sprinting sets.

Some pros and cons of the Tempo Trainer:

Pros: Low price tag($30), simple two-button operation, ability to set beep for paces or stroke tempos,a versatile tool that can be used for all strokes, small compact design

Cons: Battery wears out quickly and must be sent to the manufacturer for replacement, goggle strap clip doesn't work well, buttons are small and hard to push, inability to program specific sets into the device

Does your team use the tempo trainer? If so, do you have a favorite Tempo Trainer set or a particular way that you like to use it?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Smiles Are Contagious

Our son is now almost four months old, and I am amazed by how much he changes daily. One of the most amusing developments of the past six weeks or so is that he now smiles - and does so all the time. It is heart-warming to see, and it got me thinking...

Nobody taught him how to smile or explained to him what it means. Sure, he's seen us do it. Clearly, we are hard-wired for this sort of expression. He recognizes my smile, and he smiles right back at me, without ever knowing how or necessarily having a reason. And seeing him smile makes me happy.

Could it be that smiles are contagious? Does seeing someone smile make you happier? If you smile, does it put you in a better mood? I am guessing there is something to this and there is a scientist somewhere who can prove my hypothesis.

I try to greet each of my swimmers at every morning practice with a "Good morning ______" and a smile. They do not always respond, but I am working on that...

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Toiling Upward

Last week during a morning practice that was poorly attended, a quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow popped into my head. Quick research on the internet showed it was from the poem "The Ladder of St. Augustine," which I had never read in it's entirety. In my opinion it is pretty inspiring, particularly to the individual who faces challenges and adversity but is willing to work harder to achieve what it is that he wants.

The part that I remembered and especially enjoy is the 10th verse. Here is the entire poem:


The Ladder of St. Augustine

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Saint Augustine! well hast thou said,
That of our vices we can frame
A ladder, if we will but tread
Beneath our feet each deed of shame!

All common things, each day's events,
That with the hour begin and end,
Our pleasures and our discontents,
Are rounds by which we may ascend.

The low desire, the base design,
That makes another's virtues less;
The revel of the ruddy wine,
And all occasions of excess;

The longing for ignoble things;
The strife for triumph more than truth;
The hardening of the heart, that brings
Irreverence for the dreams of youth;

All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds,
That have their root in thoughts of ill;
Whatever hinders or impedes
The action of the nobler will; --

All these must first be trampled down
Beneath our feet, if we would gain
In the bright fields of fair renown
The right of eminent domain.

We have not wings, we cannot soar;
But we have feet to scale and climb
By slow degrees, by more and more,
The cloudy summits of our time.

The mighty pyramids of stone
That wedge-like cleave the desert airs.
When nearer seen, and better known,
Are but gigantic flights of stairs.

The distant mountains, that uprear
Their solid bastions to the skies,
Are crossed by pathways, that appear
As we to higher levels rise.

The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.


Standing on what too long we bore
With shoulders bent and downcast eyes,
We may discern -- unseen before --
A path to higher destinies.

Nor deem the irrevocable Past,
As wholly wasted, wholly vain,
If, rising on its wrecks, at last
To something nobler we attain.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Whisper to Be Heard

A funny thing happened a few weeks ago.

While coaching our senior practice, I was holding my two-month old son on my chest for about half an hour between when my wife arrived and when one of our swim moms came to babysit him. Not thinking ahead, I had planned this 30-minute block to be a particularly teaching-intensive portion of practice. With my nearly sleeping infant son a mere inches from my voice box, I was forced to calmly and quietly give the swimmers verbal instructions. And the most amazing thing was that they really listened intently with a focus I have rarely seen.

Whispering isn't my style. Our pool sounds like most indoor pools during swim team practice - a cacophonous mixture of splashes and voices, and I typically yell or at the least speak very loudly just to make myself heard. Some of the swimmers pay close attention. Some don't. Most are casually listening, their other ear directed toward their private conversation with a teammate (perhaps this is an indictment of the weight they lend to my words). But this whispering thing was totally different. Ears perked up, they huddled around me, conversations stopped, and every eye and ear was on my next syllable. Maybe I'll give it a try more often...

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Why the Subtitle?

To explain the phrase below the title of this blog... I feel that many swim coaches do not use their creative or cognitive abilities to the maximum. Many of us (myself included at times) are slaves to the ideas of the successful coaches who came before us and are afraid to find a better way. I strive NOT to be this way - to find my own way to be most successful, incorporating ideas of my own with the wisdom I have gleaned from others to be myself, a "thinking" coach.

Friday, March 20, 2009

I'm a T-Shirt Watcher

Walking around at any national-level meet, one can always find a number of inspiring or amusing t-shirts. Here are a few of my favorites from this week's Junior Nationals in Orlando:

"It's time to take our dreams public."

"It's like we're a freakin' Nike commercial."

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

"No deposit, no return."

"Pain... If you don't mind, it don't matter." -Brett Favre

"Every day is THE day." -Lance Armstrong

"All greatness is achieved while performing outside your comfort zone."

"Smokey, my friend, you are entering a world of pain." -Walter Sobchak

"Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing." -Tyler Durden

"Finding enjoyment in the pursuit of one's maximum potential." -Eddie Reese

"You thought you were faster than me, but that's all it was, just a thought."

"There is always a higher level."

"Forged by fire."

"It's on like Donkey Kong."

"I've got a theory, that if you give 100% all the time, somehow things work out in the end." - Larry Bird

"Time will tell."

"Live your life so the preacher won't have to lie at your funeral."

"We talkin' 'bout practice." -Allen Iverson (a team's shirt for their annual 24 hour practice)

"Time to Rectify the Situation"

"It's Clobberin' Time!"

"Presence is more than just being there."

Got some other favorite t-shirt slogans you have seen before? Let's hear 'em!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Waiter, This Steak is Delicious!

Recently, we completed a shave and taper meet where the group was simply on fire. Many swimmers had huge time drops over a wide range of events, and the buzz in the stands among parents seemed to be positive. More than one parent complimented me after the meet on the "beautiful job with the taper" I did this season. I truly appreciate the compliment. We all like knowing that others approve of our work, but these parents missed out on an important concept, and I missed the opportunity to explain it.

Attributing one's success at a championship meet to a great taper is like crediting the delicious steak you ordered at a restaurant to the classy way the waiter carried it to your table. Certainly, it has an impact on the steak's presentation (you wouldn't like it if the waiter dropped it onto the floor), but to really find out what makes it a great steak, you need to look further back in time to its preparation in the kitchen.

A swimmer's success or failure is primarily due to his preparation or lack thereof. The taper is the final act that presents the season's results, but the main credit needs to go to the work the swimmer did all season long.

For more on this topic, see "The Six Myths of Fast Swimming" Myth #6.

The Ultimate in Teamwork

I stumbled across this video on youtube just the other day. Showed it to our senior kids and they seemed to love it. I can't take credit for it, but it's a humorous example of teamwork. Hopefully it provoked some thought.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

How Swimmers Ruin Kick Sets

Kicking is among the most vital skills that young swimmers need to learn. A strong kick provides a firm foundation for success and improvement in the long term. Unfortunately, I think many swimmers sabotage their chances of improving when they do kick sets. Here are the ways I see this happen:

1. Turning Kick Sets Into Social Hour
When swimmers kick with boards, they often use it as a chance to chat with their teammates. This takes the focus away from the kicking,and may even encourage the swimmer to lift his head and drop the hips, ruining the body position.

2. Pulling Into the Turn
In a race, using the legs to kick hard into all turns (particularly in backstroke and freestyle) is important to maintain one's momentum and execute the turn at maximum speed. Yet, when I watch most swimmers perform kick sets, when they pass under the flags they will stop kicking, take one or two arm strokes, pull with the kickboard, and then reach for the wall. This reinforces the bad habit of not using one's legs into the wall, not to mention reducing the training effect. When a swimmer kicks for 15 yards, pulls for 5 yards, and then pushes off and glides 5 yards, the legs don't get nearly the same workout.

3. Impatience Leading to Cheating

The quality of patience is a difficult one to get youngsters to buy into, particularly in a competitive environment. Many swimmers put competing with their teammates ahead of focusing on their improvement. The impatient swimmer often pulls on the lane line, pulls into the turn (see #2), or if kicking without a board uses small hand sculls to keep up. Often the impatient swimmer is one who excels in swimming but lags behind his teammates in kicking. Coaches must be careful to emphasize improvement to this swimmer and put him in an environment where he doesn't have to worry about racing.

4. Only Performing One's Best Kick

Often, coaches will give a kick set and allow swimmers to choose whether they perform flutter, dolphin, backstroke, or breaststroke kick. Unfortunately, (often because of impatience -- see #3) swimmers will practice their best kick. That isn't bad in itself, except that means the swimmer neglects his weaker kick. Generally speaking, time spent working on your weaknesses is far more productive than time spent working on your strengths. In addition, we want every swimmer to be well-rounded and to be able to swim all four strokes efficiently, which requires strong kicking ability.

5. Not Taking Kick Sets Seriously

Many swimmers look at kick sets as a chance to rest between swimming sets rather than chances to improve. With that attitude, the swimmer is guaranteeing that is all the set will be.

6. Not Kicking Fast Enough
This often occurs in conjunction with #5. An intense and focused kick set can be just as difficult as a swimming set. Very good kickers understand this. Poor kickers often don't push themselves hard enough, sometimes because they don't feel as though they excel at kicking, thus perpetuating the mediocrity.

7. Holding the Kickboard Incorrectly

The proper way to hold a kickboard is with one's arms extended, grasping the sides (not the top)of the kickboard, leaving enough space between the swimmer's chest and the board to put the swimmer's face in the water. I see some swimmers wrap their arms around the top of the board, resting their chest on the bottom of the board. This causes several problems, including putting a strain on the swimmer's lower back, and forcing a kicking position that is unnatural. An unnatural kicking position leads to a movement pattern that is altogether different than that which we see during swimming.

And, in the spirit of fairness, two to blame on the coach:


1. Over-Reliance on the Kickboard

Kicking is best done while floating on the surface in a body position similar to that during swimming. Doing lots of kicking with a board makes your swimmers better...kickers with boards. To make them better kickers when they swim, do more than half of your kicking without the board, and include kicking in your swimming sets or do more drills that require strong kicking. Sean Hutchinson, the coach of King Aquatics whose swimmers are known for being strong kickers, does virtually no kicking-only sets.

2. Not Doing Enough Kicking
Make it a priority. Measure your team's ability. Work to improve it. Measure your improvement. Find creative ways to make kicking fun. Point out kids who are good kickers - they aren't always your best swimmers. Everyone can become a better kickers, and some swimmers can become MUCH better kickers.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

What Your "Tech Suit" Will NOT Do...

-It will not make up for the practices you missed.
-It will not correct your technique.
-It will not make you turn faster.
-It will not get you off the block more quickly.
-It will not help you stretch for the wall at the finish.
-It will not win a race for you.
-It will not keep you from breathing in and out of your walls.
-It will not make you more determined.
-It will not make you dolphin kick off the turn.
-It will not make you any faster than you deserve to be.
-It will not take credit for your successes.
-It will not take responsibility for your failures.
-It will not replace experience.
-It will not make you stronger.
-It will not help you take better care of yourself away from the pool.
-It will not cover for your lame excuse.
-It will not wake you up for morning practice.
-It will not help you warm-up properly.
-It will not make you tougher.

These things you must do on your own to become the best swimmer you can be!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

When Sportscenter Gets Old...

Lately I have been watching lots of Sportscenter in between late night diaper changings, and for the first time in my life, I am tired of it. Probably because lately it has all been about athletes and drugs. In a word, it is disappointing.

First, was Michael Phelps. Of course, it was disappointing to hear about his party antics to know that an athlete of his caliber would stoop to that.

Second was Alex Rodriguez. To hear that one of the best athletes in one of my favorite sports is a fraud is disappointing. To watch the continued downward spiral of baseball is disappointing.

Perhaps what is most maddening to me as a youth sports coach and as a sports fan in general is the way that each athlete chose to handle it and the opportunity that was missed to turn a negative into a positive.

Phelps' statement:

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."

Rodriguez's statement:
"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me and I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day. Back then, [baseball] was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naive. And I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful."

Both admitted their guilt, but in a way that avoided real responsibility.

Phelps stressed that he is "learning" from the incident. Really? Haven't we heard that before? What he seems most regretful for is that he disappointed people. Even USA Swimming's statement of suspension emphasized only that his actions disappointed people, not that what he did was illegal.

Rodriguez blamed the culture of baseball and the "pressure" of his quarter-of-a-billion dollar contract, and said that he as "young" and "stupid." I believe the stupid part. Young? In 2001, when he says he began taking PEDs, he was 26. When he says "I am very sorry and deeply regretful," it just seems like he is mostly talking about being caught and outed.

Both of these men are extraordinarily talented athletes whose accomplishments are impressive. It is most disappointing that their integrity in the face of their mistakes wasn't a better example for the young athletes who admire them.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

What it looks like... Proper Backstroke Arm Recovery

Proper form during the above-water portion of backstroke (known as the “recovery”) is crucial to developing efficient and powerful technique. The backstroke arm recovery occurs in three phases.

Phase 1: The Exit
Upon finishing the arm pull past the hip, the swimmer should lift the shoulder as the hip snaps up. The arm should follow the shoulder out of the water with the thumb side of the hand leading the way. Olympic Gold Medalist Kirsty Coventry demonstrates the thumb side lead below.














Phase 2: The Rotation
Once the arm is at least 45° out of the water (like the picture above) the swimmer should begin rotating the arm from the shoulder, keeping the elbow straight and the wrist relaxed. The swimmer’s palm thus moves from facing the midline of the body to facing outward. This happens while the arm continues its path of motion toward the water. Olympic Trials finalist and NCAC alum Tim Liebhold demonstrates what the arm should look like at the conclusion of Phase 2.




















Phase 3: The Entry
The final phase of the backstroke arm recovery is perhaps the most crucial — the entry. The hand should enter the water directly above or slightly to the outside of the shoulder with the pinkie first. A common mistake is to over-reach, letting the hand enter the water behind the head. Once the hand is in position, it should slice deep into the water without slowing, setting up for a strong arm pull. The picture below shows proper hand position an instant before a perfect hand entry.













For an efficient and powerful backstroke that is shoulder-safe, be sure to follow these tips for the arm recovery!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Why Should I Dolphin Kick???

I received the following question in response to one of my previous posts.

Why is dolphin kicking off your walls important? For me, it seems to waste energy and make me even more tired when I continue a race.

It is true that for some people, dolphin-kicking off walls is ineffective at helping them go faster in a race. These people simply haven't developed their underwater kicking ability to the point that it can help them.

One of the core principles of training is that you must train the way you want to race. Develop your skills in practice so that you can dive in on race day and be automatic. Improve your dolphin kicking at practice to the point that it can help you. Make it a habit. Become adept at it. Then and only then will it help you in a race.

It Ain't Over Until It's OVER!

A terrific example of what not to do. The race is NOT over until you cross the line or until your hand touches the wall!!! Celebrate early and you may not be celebrating at all. Finish the race and THEN enjoy the moment!


Sunday, January 18, 2009

Age Groupers - The Coach's Fountain of Youth

This week, with some of our assistant coaches gone on our team trip to Atlanta, I stepped in to coach our age group swimmers for a few practices. Granted, I didn't have the whole group because many of them were on the trip, but it still presented a few fun challenges:

1. Just keeping them in the water. They have this strong desire to climb out of the water at every opportunity, or do an underwater back flip or some other trick that does not involve listening.
2. Tactfully explaining how really good swimmers don't have to get out of the water to go to the bathroom every practice.
3. Telling a joke of the day where they don't already know the punchline. I got beat to the punchline for "Where did the cow go with his girlfriend on their first date?" both times I told it. By the way - it's "the moooooovies."

At any rate, coaching the age groupers was an enlightening experience. I am reminded about the learning process, and I have to rethink how I give instructions for a set. Sometimes they inspire new ideas. For instance, tonight I came up with at least half a dozen ideas to use at senior practice just by watching how the age groupers swim. Their mistakes remind me how vital it is to develop good habits at a young age, so that when this 10-year-old in front of me gets to the Senior I group I teach him the subtleties of race strategy rather that repeat the not-so-subtle nuances of streamlining off the wall.

I also love how the 12 & unders are not encumbered by the weight of the expectations of others, for most of them are just there because they love to get faster. They also love learning new skills instead of looking at you like they already know everything. It's so refreshing, it's like a fountain of youth for my coaching enthusiasm.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The Athlete's Improvement Curve













This is a simple model that can be helpful in understanding the long-term development of a swimmer. The scale on the left side represents the athlete's competitive performance. The scale on the bottom represents time over the span of the athlete's swimming career. Along the top, the dashed line signifies the athlete's ultimate potential. The three lines represent the Improvement Curves for three different theoretical athletes. Their trajectories follow three distinctly different paths, starting from roughly the same point.

Athlete 1 (bottom curve)
This athlete experiences moderate improvement early on in his career. Perceiving himself to lack skills that might make him a good swimmer, he mostly participates in swimming "for the exercise" or because his parents make him or both. Though he enjoys swimming, he is not highly motivated to get faster. He listens to his coachesat practice, but never really commits to making technical changes. His parents are only slightly supportive, believing that as long as their son is staying active, his activities are serving their purpose. Consequently, they only drive him to practice twice a week when he is 10 years old and only three times a week when he is 14. He does get taller, stronger, and more athletic as he grows up, and this means he does get faster, though at a much slower rate than his peers. His improvement flattens out in his teenage years as he enters high school. Competitively he lags far behind his same-age peers. He has no idea what his potential could have been because he never really made a strong attempt to find out. Athlete 1 represents the lower extreme of competitive swimming experiences.

Athlete 2 (middle, stair-stepping curve)
This athlete experiences an improvement trajectory quite different from Athlete 1. He too experiences improvement early in his swimming career. One of the key differences in Athlete 1 and Athlete 2 is that Athlete 2 perceives that he has some true ability. This occurs because he has a coach that believes in him, because he beat many of his peers at a meet, or because his parents encouraged him. He becomes highly motivated when he sees the connection between the work he does at practice and his own increased performance. After a string of steady improvement that may last for years, he goes through a rough patch where he doesn't improve with each swim or hardly at all. His improvement curve flattens out. This might happen because his workout attendance suffers, because his technique is limiting his performance, or maybe just because he is getting older. Eventually though, he gets back to near-perfect attendance, he and his coach figure out his technical glitches, or he gets taller and stronger. This leads his improvement to kick back up again, and soon he is dropping time again. This cycle of improvement and plateau repeats itself in varying time spans and for varying reasons for the remainder of his swimming career. He comes to understand that the stair-stepping pattern is part of the process. He takes failure in stride and looks forward to working toward his next success. Because of his persistence and enthusiasm, he enjoys his experience and succeeds in reaching high levels in the sport. Athlete 2 represents the broad majority of swimmers with a wide range of potential.

Athlete 3 (top, steepest curve)
This athlete experiences a meteoric trajectory over the course of his career. He experiences rapid improvement as a youngster. Immediately tapped by coaches and teammates as a prodigy, he is perfectly motivated from a young age. His parents take him to practice every single day and never have to convince him to go. He improves regularly even if by small amounts, and never has a meet where he doesn't go all best times. He does this by continually adapting and improving his technique, and never letting his motivation flag. As he grows taller and stronger, these physical adaptations exponentially magnify his improvement to even higher levels. Eventually, he becomes an unbeatable winning machine. Athlete 3 does not exist.

The reality is that nearly every swimmer follows an improvement curve that is similar to that of Athlete 2, depending on his natural talent, work ethic, commitment, and a host of other factors. More on the Improvement Curve in a later post.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Coaching vs. Managing Practice

In my experience, there are a variety of ways that coaches go about running their practices. We all have our funny ways of doing things, and we each have our own style. What seems to me to be a common thread among successful coaches is that they don't just manage the practice, they coach it.
It may seem like semantics, but let me explain. Truly coaching practice means teaching, encouraging, correcting, disciplining, instructing, and demonstrating. In short, interacting with your athletes in a way that makes practice productive, fun, and successful. Sometimes I see coaches fail to coach practice and instead they manage it. Often, this coach is working with more athletes than he or she can handle, is under-prepared for practice, or is coaching athletes who swim at a level beyond the coaches' skills or maturity. This coach spends his or her entire time just making sure the athletes are doing practice. But in my view it's not just the "doing" that makes the athletes successful. It is the doing, the learning, the motivating, and the interaction that makes a coach-athlete relationship at practice successful.