Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Oct 2002 16:42:38 GMT

I have a copy of Total Immersion that I've been reading here and there for a few months. I implemented the stroke length in to my coaching of free with the age group swimmers and found dramatic improvements in times. The kids all want to argue that more pulls is faster, but I have the numbers to back me up. Now that I'm a master's coach I am starting to have them consider stroke length. THis past Mondya was the first time I had them count their strokes and they just thought it was a drill. I plan to keep working on this in practice and hopefully I'll get the smae numbers to back me up. Myself, I have gone from 35 pulls in a 25 yard pool (so unefficent) to 20. I would love to get down to 15. Not only am I faster, but there is less stresss on my body, particularly my shoulders. I like the book, but as with anything thinkg, not everything works for everybody.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Wed, 09 Oct 2002 07:36:10 GMT

Heather, Congrads on getting your stroke count down to 20 from 35. To learn what to do as far as your stroke and lessening your stroke count the better place to go for those types of questions would be to the TI discussion board http://www.totalimmersion.net/ You can ask away and many times Terry himself answers the questions posed (otherwise you'll probably get me). While this is a very informative discussion board and TI is bantied about alot. For those 'how to' type quesitons you get more answers by going to the source.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 16:24:13 GMT

Originally posted by cinc310 ... As for Ion wanting to drive to Irvine that's up to him. But I think there is a differance between someone living in Riverside county going to work in LA driving for work and someone doing it for swimming which is a hobby. Yes.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 15:39:54 GMT

Originally posted by kaelonj So as a musician - instead of trying new music which you may learn something or improve your skill upon you would rather go back and just play chopsticks on the piano. ... "...just play chopsticks on the piano." -like you wrote- gave me lifetime bests for a late starter in swimming that were not considered 'chopsticks' by good coaches and swimmers. You underestimate these best times and how I swam them, as being 'chopsticks'. In fact the focus on my times in this thread, started with whether the nickname 'Fast Ion' is deserved, and I say that in the context, it is. The agenda for improvement that I trust -like in Engineering when something is not working anymore- is to restore whatever worked, these 'chopsticks' to you or personal bests to me, then go from there. (This includes competing in race shape, which is way beyond the aerobic shape that a coach wrongly sent me in, to Cleveland last month). TI's agenda, like "...trying new music which you may learn something or improve your skill upon...", I don't trust it to get entangled with: to me, there are too many contentious points to spend time on. Originally posted by MetroSwim Ion, you pull stuff out to suit your own purposes... ... You go back to your old technique and see how your times improve. ... Exactly: I am looking now for the USMS program that with a combination of conditioning and technique in coached workouts, restores my times I swam and trusted in France for two years, afterwards in Canada for four years, and in USMS for three years -1994, 1995 and 1996-. In the meantime, I don't trust traveling to a TI clinic, but I trust going to coached workouts having a blend of technique and conditioning in them, up to the point of seeing the results in competitions and further judging at that moment.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 15:20:48 GMT

Well, I guess that the UCI pool is the state of the art since its new. The Tempe pool is early 1980's but it has all those pools and is deeper. And probably the master teams don't have their meets at those older pools in California ,the ones built in the 1940's to the early 1960's that need some repair work.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 15:05:38 GMT

Jeff, I agree that other states have it harder. But a lot of oregon is rural. Urban areas are more likely to have more pools. And the UCI built was the first 50 meter plus built there in almost 25 years there. As for Portland I don't know why they don't have a 50 meter pool since in poorer cities like Frenso California have one. As I stated proposition 13 in California limited the mass construcation of swimming pools that took place mainly on high school and college campus during the 1950's and 1960's. The last aau team I was workout on was a 25 yard high school pool and 4 deep in Fountain Valley California. Granted, California has a lot of pools, but the population is over 33 million people-the size of a western european country. And in poorer areas like Santa Ana as in other states with poor populatons, pools and other recreation facilties are less acessable. Arizona has alot of more recent built swimming pools because the big population increase has occurred the past 10 years here. And that is why we are having our national atn Tempe because the place has a 4 pool complex and even has a rec pool that is 75 meters. As for Ion wanting to drive to Irvine that's up to him. But I think there is a differance between someone living in Riverside county going to work in LA driving for work and someone doing it for swimming which is a hobby.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 09:48:00 GMT

Ion, you pull stuff out to suit your own purposes and miss the point - The musician analogy you used - "is like if I were a musician and being asked to play music that I don't want" doesn't apply in the way you expressed it . It doesn't have to do with the type of music being played, it has to do with correct technique on the instrument. The best musicians have nearly flawless technique and they can choose the type of music they want to play. Whatever their choice in music, they take years to master an instrument, and still practice the basics every day to ensure the integrity of their technique. Similarly, TI advocates practicing the drills that reinforce proper technique. I enjoy it so much more these days because it is much easier. Right now, I find that I can go just as fast in workouts as I used to, however my endurance has increased because I am working harder on being streamlined and staying "long" in the water. Part of this is that my lower SR results in a lower heart rate to show for it throughout each set. In effect, I can go faster for longer than before because of technique and not fitness. In the next couple of months I will build up my fitness and find the best balance of SL & SR for each stroke at verious distances. But still I don't care if I'm faster or not right now, because I am still in the process of changing some bad habits. What would be the point of obsessing over times when I'm still a work in progress? Next year I'll see where I stand. Here's the deal: You can either improve fitness or technique. You go back to your old technique and see how your times improve. I'm sure you'll tell us all about it no matter what happens.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 09:02:21 GMT

So as a musician - instead of trying new music which you may learn something or improve your skill upon you would rather go back and just play chopsticks on the piano. I think that sums up your take on this discussion, next !

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 08:45:36 GMT

Being more succint and blunt: in my first priority I don't want to buy TI -with its debatable points- or a foreign to me technique, I want to restore as much as possible of whatever worked for me in three programs I successively followed.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 08:18:06 GMT

This is true: Originally posted by breastroker ... Ion has paid for extra lessons, and has changed teams to get closer to his goals. ... Regarding this: Originally posted by breastroker ... To be frank, Michael Collins is the best freestyle coach I know. If I were Ion I would at least make the drive to one of Michaels clinics. ... I refer to my post October 2, for example to this portion: Originally posted by Ion Beza ... My decided approach to improving on my current times, is to find a program that restores what times I had, from end of 1986 until June 1996. Afterwards, improve on the restored times with small, careful changes that don't dismantle the style, and shift problems forever. If I don't have my times restored under a new program, I am fine with this search. ... It shows that to go forward, I want to restore what once worked for me, then try baby steps from there. If Michael Collins were reaspecting this foremost, which is molding technique into an existing swimmer and not molding a swimmer into existing technique, then -work permitting- I would consider the commute. However, my October 2 post also shows that TI is described below as a dismantling of habits, even the ones that worked and do work today, and replacing this with a fuzzy future, shifting problems: see "...Maybe..." in it, see Matt's post 'Truth in advertising' about his 5:18 in 2001 and 5:21 in 2002, see Bill White's thread 'TI advice: stroke length vs rate', and see my evaluation of my own rate and length, that I posted October 2. Originally posted by MetroSwim ... I had to initially work through two solid months of drilling just to overcome my old muscle memory, doing TI drills and VERY LITTLE swimming with my masters team. ... One of the biggest issues I ran into was fighting my old habits. Muscle memory was my biggest opponent. ... Here's another thing which I have a feeling you'll find shocking - I don't care about my times in the pool this year. I'm working on RADICAL changes to my technique. ... Am I faster for having embraced TI? Maybe, But I'm certainly not slower. ... And I enjoy it so much more now. ... This TI description, to me, is like if I were a musician and being asked to play music that I don't want.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Fri, 04 Oct 2002 07:17:44 GMT

Cynthia, I don't consider swimming a hobby. Coins and stamps are hobbies. Swimming is a passion, a lifestyle. It appears to me Ion has swimming passion. Ion has paid for extra lessons, and has changed teams to get closer to his goals. To be frank, Michael Collins is the best freestyle coach I know. If I were Ion I would at least make the drive to one of Michaels clinics. Just my opinion as a swimmer and a coach. As for old pools, the El Segundo pool was built by the WPA in 1940. The starting blocks are now over the deep end, which is 12 feet becasue we used to have a three meter diving board there. The shallow turn end is four foot deep, enough for good turns. The overflow gutters are still pretty good. The only things that are not state of the art are 7 foot wide lanes instead of 8 foot, and the lane lines themselves. Ours are OK, Olympic spec lines are VERY expensive. From this 62 year old pool our team, the SLUGS, have won several small team titles in National Championships. Most impressive is the depth of talent, look in the rule book, many relay records are still held by El Segundo. We have a great head coach and 6-7 others who are equally good in specialty areas. Good coaches make great swimmers, great facilities are not needed. They are building new 50 meter pools in California all the time. Santa Monica (SCAQ Masters) has a new state of art 50 meter pool. Wayne

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Wed, 02 Oct 2002 16:34:58 GMT

Cynthia, How about this - I believe that there are more 50 meter pools in just Orange County than in the entire state of Oregon (which my lead to another topic - how many actually train specifically in a pool of the season, swim in a 50 meter pool during LCM season, do you train consistently or occasionally - my current situation limits access to LCM pools so we primarily and almost exclusively train in only a 25 yard pool regardless of season). My take on Rainman's is that the area has so many swim programs Ion should be able to find one that suits him. Also the comment on Ion driving to Irvine to workout is not that far fetched - what about just doing Saturday workouts with Nova - an hour and a half drive ain't bad (I know lots of people who do that in the LA area everyday just to commute to and from work - yes an hour to an hour and a half each way). I also think the Yogi Berra comment might shed some light or at least get you thinking, the pressure/anxiety/expectation before a competitive swim may be problem - most of the swimmers I know when they had a great swim was things felt effortless, where they were relaxed - you trying to get up for that big swim or force things may be making you your own worst enemy, just a thought. Jeff

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Wed, 02 Oct 2002 14:46:15 GMT

Regarding my use of big names for quotes and practices, I think that what's coming from a recognizable name, easy to check since it's in the public domain, applies down toward the anonymous Masters in a comparable portion of a context. After reviewing Rich's post on doing TI, I am focusing on this: Originally posted by MetroSwim ... I had to initially work through two solid months of drilling just to overcome my old muscle memory, doing TI drills and VERY LITTLE swimming with my masters team. ... One of the biggest issues I ran into was fighting my old habits. Muscle memory was my biggest opponent. ... Here's another thing which I have a feeling you'll find shocking - I don't care about my times in the pool this year. I'm working on RADICAL changes to my technique. ... Am I faster for having embraced TI? Maybe, But I'm certainly not slower. ... And I enjoy it so much more now. ... My decided approach to improving on my current times, is to find a program that restores what times I had, from end of 1986 until June 1996. Afterwards, improve on the restored times with small, careful changes that don't dismantle the style, and shift problems forever. If I don't have my times restored under a new program, I am fine with this search. Originally posted by MetroSwim ... We use the perceived 'pause' in the stroke to get free speed. The point of the pause, for me, is my best streamlines body position, from the tips of my fingers to the ends of my toes (I am blessed with one anatomical advantage in swimming: Great ankle flexibility). At this point, I do nothing but stretch (making my self longer in the water maintains my speed) and glide. I maintain the momentum by minimizing the drag. TI is not so much about how much power you are generating by each stroke as it is about how much you are NOT SLOWING DOWN by holding onto your most streamlined position for as long as possible, In swimming, (Speed) is (Stroke Length) multiplied by (Stroke Rate). I think I lost on Stroke Rate by aging, and too much of the 'pause' you describe, slows me down: in Cleveland, last month, two observers noticed a too big 'pause' in my 800 free; in Canada, the coach of the 2000 Canadian Olympic Team, when coaching me in 1989 -during my lifetime peak in the 100 free Long Course-, told me to move my arms faster. It is possible that I lost on Stroke Length too: I didn't change technique -other than losing breathing every three strokes, in favor to breathing every one stroke since the early 90s, due to asthma-, but I am heavier and need more power to move this weight. (At 6 feet, I was peaking at 154 pounds, and now I am 166 pounds, with the same body fat as before, but more muscles and not necessarily swimming muscles).

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Wed, 02 Oct 2002 10:02:44 GMT

Cynthia, I'm not sure what state of the art pools has to do with this topic, in finding a fit in a coach. The issue was in finding a qualified coach (Rainman to Ion), and not all quality programs train in state of the art pools (the UCLA pool I believe on campus where most of the dual meets were held was pretty archaic) but since it was thrown out there - I found two pools in Orange county that were questionable in public access - but the belief was a registered master swimmer would be able to drop in and swim with the masters swim team. The reason why I used Oregon compared to Orange County is both are roughly the same population (3 million give or take). Lastly in regards to pool construction, the UCI pool was built in 1999, Irvine's Heritage park pool is in for a rebuilding (so I've heard) - most of the new pools being built in Oregon (which is not very many)are not what I would call fast (25 yard pools with most of them having a deep end of 5 feet).

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Wed, 02 Oct 2002 08:07:33 GMT

Jeff, the state of Oregon is a small state. And it doesn't have that many 50 meter pools. Orange County has built few 50 meter pools and even 25 yard pools the past 25 years mainly because of Prop 13 that limited money collected from property texes. Mission Viejo was built in the late 1960's and the Nova center was built in the mid-1970's. The Nova club got the go head for updating their facility because their one of the top teams in the United States. The Orange County Register reported that other cities mainly Santa Ana which has high immirgrant population had to curtail water aerobic classes and learn to swim programs. I doubt there is any longer a 50 meter pool in Santa Ana. Huntington Beach has one community pool at the high school. Golden West college is mainly open to students and the age group team there, I think the master team worksout in another pool. Also, I went to the Garden Grove school district has has 7 pools built during the 1950's to the late 1960's. These pools are not open for master teams or lap swimming. I was just stating that not all people in southern california swim in state of the art 50 meter pools like those back east believe. I find this information by looking up places to swim in California and Arizona. Finally, I'm near two rec pools that offer lap and offer swimming in the middle of the day in Tucson.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 16:50:36 GMT

Originally posted by cinc310 ... The butterfly and freestyle and even the terrible backstroke I had was made better than the general non-swimmming population by doing yardage more than 3,000 yards a day usually 5 days a week. Yes, Cynthia. When I get a shameful result (like 2:39 for 200 free this past August in Long Course in Cleveland) I think of it this way: and where would I be if I give up, and become a lap swimmer who swims 'for fun to stay in shape'? certainly slower, so worse. Originally posted by breastroker ... With your speed in the 100, there is absolutely no reason you can't get down to 2:22 in the 200 meters. With your repeats you should have easily broke 2:25. I feel you are probably overtraining. ... My speed in the 100 free Long Course in 1994 -when I did 2:27 for 200 free Long Course- was 1:06, in 1996 was 1:04 (competition in June 1996 in Santa Clara), and in 2002 was 1:09. I think 'overtraining' is a key word, opposed to training at race pace: if one grinds mileage through fatigue, through lifting weights that don't contribute to fast swimming, but contribute to an athletic look on dry land, then one races like the grinding is: slow. Originally posted by breastroker ... When I was your age I changed teams, ... ... I had good coaches prior to 1995, when I came to US: a coach from France for two years who picked me up at age 28 from public swim into his club of senior (over 18 years old) racers, a coach from Canada who put me for one year into his club of seniors and who later on coached the 2000 Canadian Olympic Team, and a Masters coach for three years in Canada who was an university varsity swimmer. I need to find the level of coaching that puts me in race shape, here. Originally posted by breastroker ... How long did you taper? Did other swimmers from your program do well or did they not improve at Nationals? ... Three weeks, and my body wouldn't bounce into higher energy, but would get out of shape. Over the last two years I was the only one training for the combo, Short Course Nationals and Long Course Nationals. Nobody else prepared for the 2002 Long Course Nationals. In general, a few would occasionally do a meet then rest for years. In 2001, another swimmer -training all year long in yards- came to Long Course Nationals, physically broken down from training, skipped 100 and 200 free, and did 50 free and 50 fly. I trained in yards in fall, winter and spring, and meters in the summer. The meters training is what I describe as 'cafeteria' training: no agenda for racing, training at race pace, peaking, recovery or tapering, but self servings of swimming in the lane of your chosen pace, with forever aerobic; many swimmers in the program recognize this 'cafeteria' training style. Originally posted by breastroker ... I really suggest you do more swim meets, especially the short course meters season. I see this. Originally posted by Matt S ... I still have a subjective feeling I am sitting on another big drop, and that this year's Nationals was not my best performance... ... Ion, just a note for your consideration: is oxygen debt holding you back? ... Because of ahsma issues, he breaths every 1. (Yup, not every 3 or even every 2; every 1--... ... I also think that I have a drop in me, based on workouts. About oxygen debt, it is possible that it holds me back, and that in the past when I was faster, breathing every three strokes was good. Right now, with coaches, we have the consensus that breathing when I need it, every one stroke, that's a faster swim than holding the breath to have a pattern of 2 or 3, which make me lame. Originally posted by Matt S ... ...every 1--both sides. I know; I counted for him in his 2001 800 free when he went 11:20.) The only way he can do that without having his hips sink way below the water and swimming like a cement truck, is by having excellent balance, spot on perfect head position, and good body roll. ... I wonder if Paul -who claims in another thread that I need major technical improvements-, and Phil -who claims in another thread that I need better balance based on my 100 yards free in Hawaii, and in this thread mentions that Ervin has better balance than me-, considered this "...by having excellent balance, spot on perfect head position, and good body roll.", which was observed from close range by Matt. It's refreshing to me that Matt sees positives.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 15:46:56 GMT

I use to live in California and the facilities are not that great. For one thing most of the swimming pools are aginig high school pools. Orange County has not that many more 50 meter pools than Tucson Arizona. Population comparsion, 3 million people in Orange County versus less 900,000 in Pima county. The pools are more are less available to the general public in California because so many of them are high school and college pools. Here in Arizona where they built more rec pools you can even workout in the middle of the day. As for coaches, I doubt that they are any better than those in California than Arizona.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 11:42:01 GMT

Originally posted by Rain Man ... There is absolutely no reason living in the state of California that you can't find a coach that will suit your needs. ... That's what I thought too in the year 2000, when I got attractive job offers from elsewhere, but I chose San Diego anyway. I am training now with another program, and I don't know how well it will prepare me for racing. In today's aerobic workout with the new program, in a 50 meter pool, there was a 8 x 250 meters free set, leaving every 3:45. 3:45 per 250 meter, that's a pace of 1:30 per 100, kept for 2,000 meters straight. I made the set, in the first two reps with as much as 15 seconds rest to spare, so with a sometimes pace of sub 1:25. In Cleveland, August 15, I swam the 800 free in 11:45. That's a pace of 1:28. Conclusion from this -and other similar examples-: in Cleveland I was swimming in aerobic shape, not in race shape. To me it is the coached workout duty to put me in race shape when the meet of the season is coming up and it was communicated with the coach four months ahead, otherwise I don't entrust myself anylonger in the program, and I wasted one year of efforts.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 06:24:24 GMT

If your French coach was so great, then fly him over here for private lessons. There is absolutely no reason living in the state of California that you can't find a coach that will suit your needs. The rest of us wish we were so lucky to have the kind of swimming facilities and coaches that are available in California. And for a quick idea of where your 200 time should be, take your 100 time, double it and add from 8-10 s. 1:09 gives you a 2:26-2:28 range. The 1:04 you once had should have equated into a 2:16-2:18.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 06:04:51 GMT

I got oxgen debt from those cold water pools. As a kid you had maybe 2 hours to wait for an event and there were no warm-down pool to adjust to the water temperature. Yaks, you hit almost frozen water. As for the hot ones, they effective my breathing a little but nearly as bad as the cold water pools where you could not take a warm down. I guess I'm one of the few that hates pools under 79 degrees out there.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 14:48:10 GMT

Cynthia, I don't think that Ion wants to compare himself to the lap swimmers. He wants to get better and faster. An hour drive is nothing in California. It used to take me an hour to drive 12 miles to workouts with my former team. Ion, You really should take Pauls advice. Michael Collins is one of the best coaches in the world, period. His team at Nova will be going to USMS Nationals next year in Phoenix. He also helps Nova coach the world class USS swimmers at Nova with Head Coach David Salo. He also explains the PAUSE used in sprint freestyle better than anyone I know. He is also a Senior TI instructor. With your speed in the 100, there is absolutely no reason you can't get down to 2:22 in the 200 meters. With your repeats you should have easily broke 2:25. I feel you are probably overtraining. When I was your age I changed teams, went to slower lanes but worked more on technique. I confirmed using a heart rate monitor that I had been overtraining. My speed was much greater, and my results in meets was far better. How long did you taper? Did other swimmers from your program do well or did they not improve at Nationals? I really suggest you do more swim meets, especially the short course meters season. A swim meet is a reward for working out hard and working on technique, as well as a measuring bar for your progress. SPMA has two swim meets coming up, both have the 200 meter free as events, and you might want to try the 1500 meter as well. Good luck Coach Wayne McCauley

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 07:41:27 GMT

Matt, Many coaches get involved such as you and discovered that it helped them as much as the people they were coaching. TI has a training and certification course, I have not taken it. I would recomend going to MACACOACH.ORG and download what it takes to become an ASCA certified coach. I know the courses are very good and eye opening. You really would want to complete the ASCA courses first because the basics understanding balance and physiology should be mastered before going to TI instructor school. I have taught breaststroke for a long time, but immediately adopted 75% of TI short axis drills because the teaching methods work better than any others. I have been to clinics that used kick boards under the chest and other methods. They just confused every one. I can teach a good *** and fly in one hour now. I share Ions pain with asthma, my asthma was real bad up until 1999 when Singulair came out. I don't even carry an inhailer anymore, I used to carry three. Just the thought of breathing like that makes my neck hurt. One thing an asthmatic needs to do at major competitions is swim lengths underwater to open up the smallest air sacs. Without that you are swimming on 90% of the lungs. This works for everyone, not just asthmatics. The year I won my national championship, the first day my asthma was bad, I could not swim even one half length underwater. Had a bad 100 ***. The next morning I was able to swim four seperate lengths underwater. Able to win the 50 easily. Also asthmatics need to take advantage on a good massage that expands the chest and back. Wayne

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 07:40:32 GMT

Matt, Go to the TI website and there is information there, you can also email Terry. I went last year to the Coral Springs clinic. The process takes a while to beome fully certified as a senior member especially if you are going for all three areas. There are points for every time you either take a clinic or teach at a clinic. Now have been involved with TI for a number of years and am very active on their discussion board. I met Rich (who appears here now and then) there last year. We had a good time and learned lots. There were all kinds and from all over the world there including Shane Gould. You can also attend a kids camp for a week to get the training necessary to become and instructor. Talk to Terry.

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 06:37:01 GMT

Paul, et. al., Thank you for your compliments. I feel priviledged to used as an example and mentioned in the same sentence as the truly phenomenal swimmers you have cited. A bit of truth in advertising, though, is necessary. If you check my times from 2001 and 2002 Nationals, you will not find a dramatic difference. Granted, the 200 did go from a disappointing 2:32 to a much better 2:28; however, the 400 (what I feel is my best event) went from 5:18 in 2001 to 5:21 in 2002. I am not disappointed in 5:21 per se, but after all the yoga and refined stroke work, I was hoping for better. But, I think that brings up an important aspect of swimming this thread has overlooked thus far--mental. (As Yogi Berra would put it, swimming is 50% conditioning, 50% stroke mechanics, and 50% mental.) I still have a subjective feeling I am sitting on another big drop, and that this year's Nationals was not my best performance of the season, and a really fast swim at the Chicago Big Shoulders 5K tends to support that theory. We will see; I feel a lot better in this fall's workouts than last year's. Ion, just a note for your consideration: is oxygen debt holding you back? One aspect of lowering SL is that you get fewer breaths per length. That just about killed me when I tried to hold a low SL in 200 and 500 yard free races this past spring. It is possible to think too much about TI mechanics DURING A RACE. I feel that the key is to focus on mechanics in practice, then let 'er rip in your races. Also, getting back to the mental aspect, is it possible you want to swim fast in meets TOO MUCH? I know that when I want to swim fast, I do well, but when I REALLY WANT TO SWIM FAST, I do so-so. I think a bit of that was at work with me in Cleveland. Finally, do not get too down on yourself. There are aspects of your stroke that are very good. For those of you who have not seen Ion swim, he has an interesting breathing pattern. Because of ahsma issues, he breaths every 1. (Yup, not every 3 or even every 2; every 1--both sides. I know; I counted for him in his 2001 800 free when he went 11:20.) The only way he can do that without having his hips sink way below the water and swimming like a cement truck, is by having excellent balance, spot on perfect head position, and good body roll. I am experimenting with that skill to see if I can use it when my oxygen debt has me turning blue in these stinkin' 25 yard bathtubs. Lastly, hey Wayne et. al., how does one get certified as a TI instructor? I used my imperfect understanding of TI this past summer with our Youth League Team, and did OK. I probably ought to get serious about learning how to coach this stuff (or just plain learning how to coach). Matt

RE: Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

Former Member — Sun, 29 Sep 2002 14:34:10 GMT

Don't worry Ion, not all of us are doing best times or near best times at 49 years old like Jim Thorton does. Like you endurance is an issue for me too. Just do what you can, you can probably swim freestyle better than most of the lap swimmers for exercise in your age group. As we discuss before, your age group has a lot of men that swam in high school or college or on some little team as a kid in the master's meets. Granted, they may be some late bloomers out there that do real well. But Paul Smith And Philp A and even Matt S that is closer to your times all swam in high school and college. I really don't know if your doing too much yardage with little results for you or not. I know that as a kid the only stroke I was a little natural was breastroke. The butterfly and freestyle and even the terrible backstroke I had was made better than the general non-swimmming population by doing yardage more than 3,000 yards a day usually 5 days a week.