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.