Tips

Swimming Tips

Guidelines for effective swimming:

  1. Finesse – strive for the best technique possible. Pay attention to how you hold your head, shoulders, and hips in finding your balance and achieving the perfect streamline. Always use a high elbow underwater – in every stroke – as this puts your forearm in a position to push against the water. Do all drills with great focus.
  2. Fitness – improve the 3 energy systems – endurance, power, and speed – to improve your "engine". You can keep going in aerobic sets (endurance) when what you really want to do is stop and catch your breath; you can keep pushing strongly against the water and keep kicking strongly (power) during anaerobic sets when your arms feel like they're going to fall off and your legs burn with the effort of fast kicking; you can keep your tempo up (speed) in sprint sets and maintain great form even though you feel you're on the edge of losing your technique. When the coach asks you to do "extra work" by swimming double practices, adding surgical tubing workouts to gain strength, biking or running, look at this as an opportunity to do more than your competitors might be willing to do.
  3. Flexibility – stretch out lightly several times a day. Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. Always stretch until you're just starting to feel discomfort – DON'T stretch so much that you feel pain. The best time to stretch is after you've warmed up or after you've finished your practice. Consider stretching out on deck for 5 or 10 minutes after practice. Only stretch when your muscles are warm.
  4. Fuel – It is so easy to just "snack" instead of eating real meals. Consider eating 4 or 5 small or medium meals every day. We need to eat as much fresh, raw (uncooked) vegetables and fresh raw fruit as possible. Don't go for the convenient "processed" foods like packaged cookies or chips. They may taste good but they have very little nutritional value. Whole grains are very important – whole wheat breads, pasta, oatmeal, brown rice. Eat several helpings of these foods each day. Get into the habit of choosing vegetable protein instead of the "higher fat" animal protein by eating legumes – all kinds of beans (soybean products like tofu and miso, navy beans, pinto beans, etc), nuts, and seeds. When you do eat animal protein, make sure the source is a "lean" cut of that meat, leave off the skin of chicken for instance, choose fish like tuna and salmon, eat small portions of pork, etc. Drink as much pure water as you can throughout the day, breathe slowly and deeply several times a day (before practice, after practice, before sleep, etc). Increase the amount of quality sleep you get each night (you probably need 8 to 10 hours and perhaps even a nap during the day). You need to reduce the stress in your life so that your immune system can be at its best. Avoid caffeine, too much sugar, added salt, etc. Of course, smoking and drinking are both illegal and dangerous as well as counterproductive for athletes. Don't give in to the BAD kind of peer pressure that says alcohol and drugs are "cool".
  5. Focus – Set medium and long term goals with very specific and achievable times and maintain a positive attitude about achieving your goals. Be patient with your own progress. Be thankful for the gifts you have (Have an Attitude of Gratitude) whether those gifts are mental, emotional, or physical.
  6. Family and Friends – Serve others so that you don't get completely wrapped up in your own "story". Listen to your parents – they know you better than anyone else. Do what they ask in terms of chores around the house so that you begin to build a good "work ethic" from an early age. Choose your friends carefully; those around you can greatly influence your thoughts and actions. Listen carefully to your friends and learn what they value and what their goals are.
  7. Trust – Listen to the suggestions of your coaches. They are some of the most influential adults in your life. At some point you may spend more time with your coach than you do with your parents. Learn everything they're trying to teach you. There are many lessons involved in our sport that will prove valuable throughout your life.

CALVIN COOLIDGE ON PERSISTENCE:

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.

  • Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.
  • Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
  • Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
  • Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

THE FIVE EXPECTATIONS:

  • ARRIVE ON TIME
  • BRING YOUR WATER BOTTLE AND DRINK FROM IT OFTEN
  • PAY ATTENTION
  • GIVE YOUR BEST EFFORTS
  • ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAMMATES

As coaches, we have daily expectations for each swimmer. This is different from the short term goals we share with our swimmers that help define their season or the long term goals that give their career meaning. These daily expectations provide structure for each practice session and clearly show what our team values: punctuality, good health, the ability to focus mentally, a strong positive attitude, and a commitment to help others, especially those who we train with every day.