Swimming Fast

Not a Practice Swimmer

2005-10-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

I apologize for taking so long to make a post. I just worked with an athlete that inspired me to share something with everyone. Have you ever coached an athlete that could do just about any movement or drill the first time you asked? I just coached one of those athletes this week, and they can be tough. While you are evaluating their stroke, they can do everything just right. In fact, I typically struggle to find something to improve in their stroke.

When I meet one of these athletes, I throw a tough aerobic set their way. I always want to see what the swimmer does while they are under stress. It can be amazing what you see when they are working hard. As a coach, the goal should always be to improve the swimmer's practice stroke, not just their drilling stroke. It is easy to get a swimmer to swim smoothly while they are fresh and thinking about their stroke. The true challenge is to teach your swimmers to swim smoothly while they are tired and working hard.

So, what do you do when you find one of these swimmers? I suggest that you have them swim short intense sets with consistent rest. They will need the consistent rest to maintain a quality stroke, and they will need to swim intensely to gain the strength necessary to swim smoothly for longer sets.

Internal Rotator - Stretch Cord Exercise

2005-08-19T22:11:00.000-05:00

Start this exercise with the stretch cord wrapped around a railing. Place your upper arm at your side and your lower arm out to your side at a 90 degree angle. The stretch cord should be on the same side as the arm you are using. In this example, the stretch cord is on my left side and I am working with my left arm. While keeping your upper arm next to your body, rotate your lower arm to the inside of your body.

You will finish the movement with your upper arm next to your body, and your lower arm internally rotated. Move your arm slowly back to the starting position. Perform this exercise continuously for 45 seconds before taking 15 seconds rest. You can do 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.

External Rotator - Stretch Cord Exercise

2005-08-19T22:08:00.000-05:00

Start this exercise with the stretch cord wrapped around a railing, and your lower arm held across your body. The stretch cord should be on the opposite side of the arm you are using. In this example, the stretch cord is on my left side and I am working with my right arm. While keeping your upper arm next to your body, rotate your lower arm to the outside of your body.

You will finish the movement with your upper arm next to your body, and your lower arm externally rotated. Move your arm slowly back to the starting position. Perform this exercise continuously for 45 seconds before taking 15 seconds rest. You can do 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.

Overhead Triceps - Stretch Cord Exercise

2005-08-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

Start this exercise with the stretch cord wrapped around a railing, and your arms bent at a 90 degree angle above your shoulders. While keeping your arms above your shoulders, extend your arms so that they move out in front of your head.

You will finish the movement in this position with your hands out in front of your head. Move your arms slowly back to the starting position. Perform this exercise continuously for 45 seconds before taking 15 seconds rest. You can do 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.

Triceps - Stretch Cord Exercise

2005-08-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

Start this exercise with the stretch cord wrapped around a railing. Your upper arms should be at your side with your lower arms out in front of you. There should be tension in the cord. Now straighten your arms and extend them behind you.

You will finish the movement in this position and then slowly move your lower arms back to the starting position. Remember to keep your upper arms next to your body during the exercise. As always, keep the emphasis on the reverse portion of the movement. My high school athletes will typically perform this exercise continuously for 45 seconds before taking 15 seconds rest. We generally perform three sets.

Flys - Stretch Cord Exercise

2005-08-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

Start this exercise with the stretch cord wrapped around a railing, and your arms out to your side at shoulder height. There should be tension in the cord. While keeping your arms straight and your hands at shoulder height, press them together in front of your chest until your hands meet.

You will finish the movement in this position and then slowly move your arms back to the starting position. It is very important to stress the reverse movement. Perform this exercise continuously for 45 seconds before taking 15 seconds rest. You can do 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.

Straight Arm Pullback - Stretch Cord Exercise

2005-08-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

Start this exercise with the stretch cord wrapped around a railing, and your arms out in front of you. There should be tension in the cord. Now pull your arms back towards you while keeping them straight.

You will finish the movement in this position and then slowly move your arms back to the starting position. It is very important to stress the reverse movement. My high school athletes will typically perform this exercise continuously for 45 seconds before taking 15 seconds rest. We generally perform three sets.

The Moment

2005-06-16T13:30:00.000-05:00

There is that moment in each of us. The moment between our great idea and our decision that it is impossible and unachievable. It is between those two moments that I attempt to stand and begin to work.

May all of you have worthwhile goals, and the gumption to believe in them.

Relay Speed Theory

2005-06-15T21:43:00.000-05:00

We started a theory in our swimming program shortly after I arrived. The theory is that we can swim faster on a relay than we can as an individual.

I probably take relay preparation more seriously than any other coach out there. I like relays. There is no greater expression of what it means to be a "Team Swimmer," than participating on a relay.

We did a little experiment last week during the First Annual "Think Fast, Swim Fast" Clinic. I grouped the camper into a random group of four swimmers. Each "relay" took to the blocks and swam a 200 free relay together. Just after they finished, I announced the goal for the week. The goal was to drop the highest percentage of time. Every activity we did that week focused on improving as a relay team.

The final activity of the week was another 200 Free Relay. Without exception, each relay dropped time. They learned how to work together and how to act as a relay team.

I am sure you want to know what we did to get these kids to come together as a team, but that will have to wait for a future post.

Swimming - Scientifically Speaking

2005-06-03T10:52:00.000-05:00

I just remembered that I haven't reviewed one of my favorite websites in awhile. Coaches' InfoService is a great source of scientific studies that have been conducted to advance the sport of swimming. Take a look!

Breaststroke Kicking Technique

2005-05-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

The best breaststroke kick is very narrow. By narrow, I mean that the knees stay very close together throughout the kick. A narrow breaststroke kick is good because it enables your stroke tempo to be very quick, and it keeps drag to a minimum. If your knees separate too much during the recovery portion of the kick, they will stop you in your tracks - just like putting out a parachute.

Take a standard pull buoy and place it between your thighs for your next breaststroke set. You should be able to swim breaststroke and easily keep the pull buoy in place. If you're having trouble keeping the pull buoy between your legs, then your kick is too wide.

Training Frequency

2005-04-28T20:29:00.000-05:00

Every athlete on the planet wonders how much they should be training. The answer varies greatly depending on the sport, the athlete, and the overall fitness level and goals of the athlete. Swimming does need a little special consideration when it comes to the question of training frequency.

The arms tend to be the primary muscles which generate power in the sport of swimming. This is in sharp contrast to many other sports that use the legs as the primary muscles for power. Your legs are composed of much larger muscles, and many years of evolution have adapted those muscles to be our primary means of locomotion and power.

Swimmers are not so lucky. They must train relatively small muscles into their athletic powerhouse. When it comes to small muscles, you must train frequently to keep those muscles performing at peak levels. Because of the small muscles involved in swimming, training frequency tends to more important than training volume.

4 Feet of Water

2005-04-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

The National Federation of High School sports instituted a new rule in 2001 for the minimum pool depth required to use starting blocks in competitive high school swimming. That minimum depth is 4 feet of water. If you have less than four feet of water, you are required to start from the side of the pool.

I came to a crossroad this year.

Our meet schedule brought us to a pool that I had suspected was not 4 feet deep. I asked the coach and official to verify the depth of the pool before we started the meet since I had a swimmer who was recovering from a near paralysis injury. I did not want to risk the safety of my swimmer. As it turned out, my swimmers chose the high road and started from the side of the pool while the host school started from the blocks.

Interesting enough, one of this school's swimmers won Swimmer of the year honors from the local newspaper. Look at the photo, and tell me how deep you think the water is?

Six Inches of Water

2005-04-13T20:11:00.000-05:00

My father-in-law, Coach Eroh, recently mentioned that six inches of water moves with you while you swim. This six inches of water is very important when you consider the arm recovery in the breaststroke pullout.

It seems like every conversation with Coach Eroh will bring out a new piece of information about swimming that I have never heard before. This particular statement is one that I have never thought about. The topic came up as we were reviewing the video for our Conference Championship meet. We focused on the breaststroke since I was a breaststroker, and we discovered something very interesting. While watching the video in slow motion, we noticed that my breaststroker's forward movement stopped completely during his hand recovery in the pullout. The reason was very simple: he had moved his hands outside of the six inches of water surrounding his body.

Make sure that your breaststrokers are recovering their arms within that six inches of water surrounding their body. Any easy method to evaluate their forward movement is to compare their position to the lane lines.

Age Group Swimming - Keeping Kids Interested

2005-03-31T22:28:00.000-06:00

Judging by the number of hits this site has received in the last 24 hours, I am guessing that I struck a cord with my previous post on Age Group Swimming.

The number of practices, length of practices, the amount of fun, and the amount of physical and social growth are all elements that can affect a young swimmers interest in the sport of swimming. It is easy to stay interested when they are having fun, improving quickly, and they are not making huge time sacrifices to be at practice.

Somewhere around age 13-14, young swimmers seem to stop having fun, and have to start making big sacrifices of their time to continue improving and growing in the sport of swimming. This is the point that most swimmers throw in the towel and move onto other activities. I personally believe that competitive swimming is at a crossroads. We must change or perish. Who wants to sit in a hot pool all day to watch their kid swim four 30 second races? I would much rather watch those same four 30 second races in an hour, and then spend my afternoon talking about the fun we had at the swim meet. Read my previous post and Wayne Goldsmith's article, and let your voice be heard. Leave a comment.

The Guest Coaching Experience

2005-03-30T22:37:00.000-06:00

After my first night with the Bronze group, ranging in age from 6 to 9 years of age, I was in awe. I was in the presence of the master. Coach Eroh had those kids busy for the entire hour and a half. Variation was his key to success.

At one point, he had the kids doing doggie paddle with the only rule being that they could not bark. Naturally, there were 22 kids barking the entire length of the pool.

All fun aside, I was left with a few questions after my experience with the Bronze group. How long should practice be for this age group? What is the appropriate coach to swimmer ratio for this age group? Are we short-changing some swimmers because of our arbitrary three level skill groupings of Bronze, Silver, and Gold? My experience has shown me that there are as many skill levels as there are lanes in the pool. I would be interested in what you think. Leave me a comment.

Guest Coaching Appearance

2005-03-25T14:25:00.000-06:00

Tonight I am making a guest coaching appearance at PAWW, the local USA Swimming Club. Some of the regular coaches are out of town for spring break so I was asked to fill. This is my first time working with younger swimmers so I am excited about the experience. I will start the evening with the "Minnows," and then move into the "Bronze" Group.

I think that are three critical things to remember when coaching young swimmers: 1) Make it fun, 2) Make it fun, and 3) Make it fun.

Tricep Exercise with Stretch Cords

2005-03-16T20:14:00.000-06:00

Here is a photograph of the beginning position for Exercise #2, the stretch cord exercise to improve tricep strength. From here, you will keep your upper arm at your side, and extend your lower arm behind you. Do three sets of 45 seconds, movely slowly back and forth.

More on the Swimming Taper

2005-03-15T08:12:00.000-06:00

I don't know what I was thinking earlier when I posted about tapering twice at the end of the high school swim season.

A good taper is nothing more than some rest which allows the body to heal and grow stronger. When your muscles are healed, they are stronger and you can swim faster. A successful taper has two parts: hard work and rest. You can't have one without the other. Almost any coach will agree on those two elements. What coaches don't agree on is the amount of hard work and the amount of rest.

I believe that the amount of rest should be proportional to the amount of hard work that you have done. This is why I was foolhardy to believe that you can taper twice in two weeks at the end of a high school season. A high school season is only 15 weeks in length. Generally, the last 4 weeks of the season are dedicated to championship meets such as Conference, Sectionals, and State, so you really have a 11-12 week aerobic development period. Twelve weeks is enough time to develop some significant aerobic capacity, but it is nothing compared to aerobic capacity developed over many years of consistent training.

In general, a seasonal high school swimmer will only be able to peak at one meet during the championship meet cycle. It would take a more developed, year-round swimmer to peak at multiple meets. To be more clear, that year-round swimmer would not peak at multiple meets, but would be able to rest for a longer period of time and therefore hold their conditioning at a peak performance level for an extended period. My opinion is that tapering twice isn't really possible, but maintaining a peak performance level for a period of time is possible for a highly conditioned swimmer.

How long can they hold that peak performance level? That's a topic for another day.

Coaching Secrets Revealed

2005-02-20T20:44:00.000-06:00

One of my swimmers just lamented that I was revealing all of our team's "secrets" in this swimming blog. I quickly responded that most of what I was posting was common knowledge.

There is a difference between the possession of knowledge and acting on that knowledge. 99% of success is flawless execution. How many times have you watched a swimmer repeatedly do a poor flip-turn and just let it slide? There is a difference between knowing that your swimmers should drink water or Gatorade during practice, and insuring that they drink fluids without fail each day.

It is one thing to possess the best knowledge, it is another to act on that knowledge without fail.

Swimming Self-Talk

2005-02-16T12:40:00.000-06:00

Mat Luebbers brought up a great topic today on his About Swimming blog. The way you think can impact how you well swim. Positive self talk can cause you to swim well.

Rather than ramble about how much I agree with him, I want to share one of the simplest and funniest self talk phrases that I have heard from a swimmer.

"Get to wall."

After we quizzed him about what he thought after reaching the first wall, he quickly responded, "Get to next wall."

Warm-Up for the Big Meet

2005-02-16T08:16:00.000-06:00

You just spent all season preparing for the big meet, then you hop in the pool for warm-ups, and the pool is so crowded that you can’t get warmed up.

The best training mimics race conditions. You know the pool will be crowded at the big meet, so prepare for it. Make practice into a meet. Crowd your whole team into one or two lanes for your warm up sets, and train them for the conditions they will face at the big meet.

Is Swimming a "Good" Workout?

2005-02-15T20:22:00.000-06:00

Swimming is a great workout, and it works just about every muscle in your body. The amount of core body strength required just to keep yourself afloat and level in the water is significant. If you use calories burned as the measure of a "good" workout, then swimming is slightly less of a workout than running or cycling. If your goal is to work your entire body, then swimming is the best workout, bar none. Strong arm, leg, ab, and back muscles are central to the sport.

More than any other form of exercise, swimming is something that you can do for your entire life. Swimming is easy on your joints, and offers the added bonus of variety in the four competitive strokes.

Taper, Train, and Taper...Again

2005-02-10T11:59:00.000-06:00

You tapered for the big Conference Swim meet, but you have the big Sectional swim meet two weeks later. Can you bring the training volume back up and effectively taper for the Sectional swim meet just two weeks later? Do you have to target just one of those meets for your taper or is two weeks enough time to taper twice.

We are trying to do that right now. I have a theory that we can increase the training volume for four days, and then effectively rest in the remaining 10 days. I wonder what Michael Phelps does to maintain his taper for a nine day swim meet? My formula is probably over-simplified, but what do you think?

Stretch Cords -> Exercise #2

2005-02-09T20:34:00.000-06:00

Loop your stretch cord over a railing and prepare to work your triceps.

Face the railing with your upper arms at your side and your lower arms straight out in front of you. Bend forward slightly at the waist, and make sure that there is tension in the stretch cord. If there isn't some tension, take a step backwards until you have some tension. Keeping your upper arms against your side, extend your lower arms until they are straight. You will continue to bend and straighten your arms while keeping your upper arms next to the side of your body. Repeat this motion with an even forward and backward pace for 45 seconds.

I recommend three sets of 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between each set.

Stretch Cords for Resistance Training

2005-02-08T07:50:00.000-06:00

Here is a photo of the stretch cord that we use for resistance training during the swim season. Combine some Thera-Band Exercise Tubing and little garden hose to make your own Stretch Cord. Different resistance levels are determined by tubing thickness and color. As you can see from the photo, we use the Blue - Extra Heavy tubing.

Stretch Cords -> Exercise #1

2005-02-03T08:55:00.000-06:00

Grab your stretch cord. Loop it over a railing.

Face the railing with your arms straight out in front of you. Bend forward slightly at the waist, and make sure that there is tension in the stretch cord. If there isn't some tension, take a step backwards until you have some tension. Keeping your arms straight, pull your arms straight backwards to the side of your body. Repeat this motion with an even forward and backward pace for 45 seconds.

I recommend three sets of 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between each set.

The Swimming Taper - What's your Secret?

2005-02-03T08:38:00.000-06:00

REST.

That's it. If you rest, your body will heal and grow stronger. Swim coaches spend a lot of time over-analyzing the obvious. There are many paths to a great taper and a peak performance, and they all involve resting the body. Sit back, relax, quit worrying, and the fast times will come.

Eliminate Swimming Shoulder Problems

2005-01-29T20:20:00.000-06:00

Since we started using stretch cords for resistance training, our shoulder problems have disappeared. You could call it a coindence, but our shoulder problems have been gone for three years. There are quite a few different exercises that you can do, and they all strengthen your joints and muscles. We make our own Stretch cords out of Thera-Band Exercise tubing and garden hose. I will attach a photo with instructions in a future entry.

Train Fast, Race Fast

2005-01-28T07:43:00.000-06:00

Would you swim 7000 yards a day with a slow even pace, and then expect to be really fast in a 100 yard race? It's like telling a NASCAR driver to practice racing on the track at 50 mph for 10 hours a day so they can win the Daytona 500. Common sense still applies in swimming. Yes, you need an aerobic base. Yes, you will need to do some long swimming sets at a very even, and sometimes slow, pace.

To swim fast in a race, you have to train fast.
To be a good sprinter, you must practice sprinting.
Embracing "the sprint" will produce great results.

Research has shown that you have depleted most of your glycogen within the first 20-30 minutes of your workout. Glycogen is the fuel necessary for peak anaerobic training (sprinting). Embrace the peak glycogen levels, and do your sprinting at the beginning of practice. Do your warm up, get the muscles limbered up, and sprint like crazy. Get your sprinting done, then you can do your long aerobic base training.

Eat to Swim Fast

2005-01-25T08:49:00.000-06:00

You have about 30 minutes after a workout to refuel. There is also an optimal combination of nutrients. There should be roughly 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. If the food has 8 grams of carbs, then it should also have 2 grams of protein. This nutrient mixture is optimal for recovery. For more detailed information, read the article "Post Exercise Meal." You don't get stronger during a workout, you get stronger when you heal after a workout. Restore your glycogen levels quickly, and you'll be able to swim harder at your next practice.

I like to grab a Clif Bar as soon as I get out of water. It has the optimal nutrient mixture, and it is conveniently packaged to carry in your swim bag.

Add Excitement to your Swim Meets

2005-01-25T08:13:00.000-06:00

If you haven’t read Changing Times by Wayne Goldsmith, read it NOW!

Who wants to sit around a hot gym all day just to watch four short races? Make a difference in the sport of swimming.

Start today by adding your idea to the list, or send me an email.

Shoulder Stretches = Shoulder Problems

2005-01-24T20:46:00.001-06:00

Every swimmer experiences some tightness in the shoulders at some point in their career. For years, I've watched swimmers hop out of the pool and crank their arms behind their body in an attempt to limber up their shoulders. For some reason, swimmers view this contortionism as "stretching." The only thing they are doing is irritating their joints.

Always keep your arms within a natural range of motion. Hold your arm straight out to your side, place your hand against a solid object (like a wall), and push against it without allowing your arm to move behind your back. You can try this facing the wall and pushing forward or facing away from the wall and pushing back. Quit straining your joints, and start stretching your muscles.

Relay Exchanges, Starts, and Turns

2005-01-24T10:30:00.000-06:00

We try to fit as many things into a practice session as possible. Like most coaches, you probably focus on the conditioning, and work starts and turns at the end of practice when you get time.

Switch things up, and try this high density details drill. Have your swimmers line up behind the blocks just like a relay, and put one swimmer out in the middle of the pool. Have the swimmer in the water swim into the wall and the swimmer on the block does a relay exchange. The swimmer will enter the water do strong breakout with 3 or 4 strokes, do a flip turn in the middle of the pool, dolphin kick to the surface, and then swim back into the wall for the next swimmer.

This drill packs in all of the details - relay exchanges, starts, breakouts, flip turns, and sprints. I like to run this drill for 5 -10 minutes with one stop half way through to give the swimmers some feedback, and switch up the order of the swimmers.

Catch-Up Drill (Reinvented)

2005-01-22T13:49:00.000-06:00

It's as simple as the name implies. One hand catches up to the other hand. This stroke drill is as ubiquitous as water in the sport of swimming.

I'll bet that most of us are doing this drill half-right. We have the catching-up down pat, but we forget about the acceleration. We think of freestyle as a smooth even pace through the water, but we forget about the surges of speed created when we take a stroke. Each stroke should accelerate you through the water, just like a team of rowers placing their oars in the water in unison.

Challenge yourself to feel the acceleration during your stroke and the deceleration during your recovery. STOP doing Catch-Up drill, and start doing Stoke-Surge-Catch-Up Drill.

You float better too!

2005-01-21T21:34:00.000-06:00

I almost forgot one of the biggest physical advantages of the Fastskin suits -- buoyancy. The fabric texture captures air when you dive into the water. This air stays in the suit and adds to your buoyancy which keeps you up on top of the water, and cutting through it like a knife. If you're still confused, ask yourself if you would prefer to be a barge or a speed boat.

Do Speedo's Fastskin Swimsuits Really Work?

2005-01-21T08:04:00.000-06:00

In a word, Yes.

This is the first of few posts about Fastskin swimsuits.

There are many reasons why the Fastskin suits improve performance. Here are the four physical reasons.

First, the suit covers more of body. Therefore, it smoothes out the body's strange curves into a more hydrodynamic shape. This feature of the suit is even more important for the older athletes as they grow more muscular.

Second, the fabric texture mimics the denticles of a shark. This texture works the same way that the dimples of a golf ball work. The fabric texture stirs up the water surrounding the suits causing it to move around the swimmer very quickly.

Third, the suit compresses the muscles, and keeps them in place during the race. This muscle compression reduces the fatigue caused from the vibrations created during swimming. If you have ever had the opportunity to watch a swimming race from underwater, you will understand this. As swimmers move through the water, ripples of vibrating skin are clearly visible. The muscle compression eliminates this loss of energy.

Fourth, (and maybe not too scientific) the body suits tend to aid the swimmers in maintaining good body position in the pool. Basically, the suit is tight enough around their body, that it helps them keep their body straight in the water. I think that this reason is closely related to muscle compression, but too many of my swimmers have mentioned it for me to ignore it.

Buy a Speedo FaskSkin

Why do swimming stroke drills?

2005-01-19T20:15:00.000-06:00

It's strange how timely certain thoughts can be? Just tonight, during a "wide arm" freestyle drill, one of my athletes asked me why we were doing this drill? Really, there are a few reasons to do stroke drills.

First, you want to focus on a certain element of the stroke. This focus will allow you to perfect certain movements without worrying about what other parts of your body are doing.

Second, stroke drills will typically exaggerate an aspect of your stroke. This exaggeration may be enough that the swimmer can integrate the movement into their normal swimming stroke.

Finally, stroke drills can be a great way to get warmed up, or spice up the workout.

The Most Common Novice Swimmer Mistake

2005-01-19T12:20:00.000-06:00

I had been swimming for years before an experienced coach pointed out my poor hand placement in freestyle. Apparently, I was crossing over. My right hand was entering the water on my left side and my left hand was entering the water on my right side. Luckily, my assistant coach was able to fix my stroke -- 7 years after it could have made a difference in my collegiate swimming career.

This revelation has changed the way I coach. Since being introduced to this stroke flaw, I have noticed that most of my new swimmers will crossover in an attempt to roll in their freestyle stroke. This crossover can be attributed to a serpentine movement, and poor rolling.

To diagnose this problem, look at the swimmer's hand placement relative to the head. Their hands will typically enter the water close to the top of their head. In general, the right hand should enter the water on the right side and the left hand should enter the water on the left side. The hands should not cross the center of the head.

To combat the poor hand placement, or crossover, my swimmers perform a "wide arm" freestyle drill. We typically do the "wide arm" freestyle at the beginning of practice to get moving in the right direction. Improving your swimmer's hand placement will eliminate the serpertine movement, and improve the rolling movement in their freestyle stroke.