Approach to teaching competitive swimming?

For one thing Michael Collins coaches in Irvine which is a good 1 hour and half from the San Diego area. So to tell Ion that he sould go to a masters program an hour and a half isn't the best advice. Besides stroke technique maybe there are other factors why Matt doing better than Ion. In swimming, you have good years and bad. I remember when I was a kid a girl that did beat me in the butterfly. We were usually even. The next year I beat her. So, times are not predictable from year to year. And as for yardage I feel better doing a little over the 10,000 to 13,000 range than I did when I was only swimming around 5,000 and less yards about 3 months ago. Granted Ion is putting in a lot more than that. But some master swimmers are able to put in over 20,000 and have really good times Laura Val for example. Everyone is different when it comes to the yardage factor. Also, as someone stated before maybe Ion should try some other events like butterfly, and there he has a chance to better times.

Originally posted by breastroker ... But please tell me what you were trying to prove? And how does your "facts" relate to anyone swimming faster? ... What these statistics prove is that in the instance of 2000 Olympics, 50 free finals, Ervin, after a poor start, did swim faster than Hall by using a higher rate and shorter length. Contrary to this instance and other instances, TI teaches the lenghtening of the stroke, and slowing of the rate. Practicing drills like TI, makes racing like TI. I say, length and rate are depending on individuals, there is not an absolute like TI does claim. TI makes other absolute claims that are disproven by examples. Originally posted by breastroker ... If you drop your time by 20 seconds in the 800 I will be happy to call you Fast Ion. ... This year I swam in 11:45. Last year I swam in 11:20. That's 25 seconds less. And no TI. I swear. 25 seconds is more than 20 seconds. Does this upgrade me to 'Very Fast Ion'? What about 10:33 in 1991, with no TI, training by myself, albeit in short course meters? Or in 1995, again no TI, in a 50 meter pool workout in Canada with somebody who last year remembered this: 4 x 400 meters leaving every 5:30? Is that 'Ultra Fast Ion?' I am chasing these, now. They are gone. I will be away and not able to follow up on this for a few days. Stay out of trouble...

I see Paul how this approach is tempting: Originally posted by Paul Smith ... Ion, the real compariosn here should be you and Matt. Your both in the same age group and a year ago about the same speed. Matt has focused on TI and worked extremally hard on correcting his stroke mechanics and look at his results at LC nationals. On the other hand, you continue to train like an animal and are not seeing the improvement. ... Adding to this analysis, is that I hold the program I am training with, responsible about bringing me up for a meet. I trust my preparation in it -conditioning and technique (I paid for extra classes in 2002 on technique while in the program)-, then I try my best in the meet, and afterwards I judge the program. Last year, it was an alarm to me to do 200 free Long Course in 2:34 with taper and from a dive, after having workouts -without taper and diving- of 3 x 200 leaving every 4:00, swimming one in 2:33, and two 200s in 2:34: the program didn't bring me up on race day. What I want, is the program to bring me up around my second best: 2:27.67 swam in the 50 meter pool of Federal Way, Wa., July 30, 1994 whith self coaching. After this is restored, then I welcome small, careful changes to my best, and no dismantling. This year it was far worse: 2:39. The program didn't bring me up again. Four weeks ago I switched to another program. I don't know how good this move will be, either. Originally posted by Paul Smith ... You want some examples from USMS? Ask Rich Abrahams how he trains sometime, probably less yardage and more focus on technique and speed work than anyone I've ever met. His results are also some of the most impressive, the guy could pass for a 20 year Navy Seal! How about John Smith (who kicked my butt in the 50/100 this spring)? No more than 2500 yds per workout 3-4 days a week, again with a focus on training with rtechnique and speed. ... I am drawn to training with enlightened competitors and programs, who prepare for the agenda of racing. This is opposed to training, like eating self servings from a cafeteria: forever fit, with no agenda for tapering, peaking and recovery. Regarding the examples of fast USMS competitors, consider also that fast twitch fibers developed in age group programs, can be partially recovered again later in life with light mileage and smart training. A sub 2:00 in 200 meter free Long Course, developed by a mid-20 starter in swimming, historically doesn't exist. My 2:27 is good, and I look for the program that can restore it in me like it was, then improve it with small changes.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.