Practice like you race because you race like you practice

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

some_girl — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:38:16 GMT

To each his/her own. Crashing into people at a high rate of speed just does not sound like a good idea to me. Well I think it is fair when you have ignored polite requests. It isn't my first method, but I am not particularly sorry when I smack someone who is in the wrong place. What would you prefer when asking doesn't work?

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

gobears — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:59:03 GMT

Well I think it is fair when you have ignored polite requests. It isn't my first method, but I am not particularly sorry when I smack someone who is in the wrong place. What would you prefer when asking doesn't work? Agreed. When I have swimmers who are congregating at the end of the lane and getting in others' way I begin by explaining how discourteous that is. Just because they are at the front of the lane, they don't get to be the only ones to finish to the wall. Then, after some have listened and some haven't, I inform all of them that the swimmers at the end of the lanes have my permission to run over anyone in their way. That usually takes care of the problem.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:26:23 GMT

As someone who is routinely at the end of the lane, I will tell you Doug's approach gets results where yours does not. To each his/her own. Crashing into people at a high rate of speed just does not sound like a good idea to me.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:11:03 GMT

Doug's suggestion sounds much more entertaining. :angel:

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:23:28 GMT

Finish to the wall no matter what. If people are in your way, you will run into them at a high rate of speed and they will remember it. That will serve as incentive to get out of the way when somebody else is finishing. It's not being cruel or hard-headed, it's about others showing courtesy to others in your lane. Be awake and clear some space for those behind/faster than you. Reinforcing behaviors (good or bad) create habits. They'll learn soon enough... :bump: Or, you could just talk to your lanemates about your desire to finish each swim to the wall, as you would in a race.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

some_girl — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:40:21 GMT

Or, you could just talk to your lanemates about your desire to finish each swim to the wall, as you would in a race. As someone who is routinely at the end of the lane, I will tell you Doug's approach gets results where yours does not.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Patrick W. Brundage — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:25:57 GMT

I'm going on record here to say that I'll never be able to "practice like I race" in a workout in terms of speed in the same way I can for a meet. Maybe I'm selling myself short, but I just don't find the same enthusiasm for working out, nor can I seem to muster the same energy systems in a workout as I can in a race. I just find myself so much more psyched to race in a meet than in workout. I'm certainly working on working out harder/faster, but I find myself a much different and better racer these days in meets than in workouts. Practicing great technique in workout ... absolutely trying to Feeling like I'm going race pace in workout ... absolutely trying to Actually going race pace in workout ... almost never delivering Maybe I need a 3rd or 4th shot of espresso before my morning workouts!

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Doug Adamavich — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:05:44 GMT

what a timely thread. i swam 4 races on saturday and stopped swimming about a meter from the finish in all of them. that is exactly what i do in workouts - to avoid people at the wall. i stop a bit earlier in fly and *** than free - just like workouts! Finish to the wall no matter what. If people are in your way, you will run into them at a high rate of speed and they will remember it. That will serve as incentive to get out of the way when somebody else is finishing. It's not being cruel or hard-headed, it's about others showing courtesy to others in your lane. Be awake and clear some space for those behind/faster than you. Reinforcing behaviors (good or bad) create habits. They'll learn soon enough... :bump:

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

swimmj — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:31:38 GMT

Yup, I too am really getting tired of mentioning: "Streamlines" "No breathing inside the flags" "Finish to the wall" "Finish legally" "Streamlines" "Good turns" "Streamlines" :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: I'm contemplating instituting a 'punishment' for these offenses. Probably 3-5 push ups per violation. We'll see how that goes. I'm getting the rep as the 'tough' coach. The other coaches are very nice and very good but are generally a LOT more laid back that I am so I think that contrast is a good thing. The parents think so, the kids, well, we'll see. The contrast is good for the kids. We have 1 super laid back coach (male), one more cut and dried (female) and me - I tend to be "tough" but explain why I expect what I expect from the kids. And not knowing what you are supposed to be doing (head under water during coach's explanation), walking on the bottom of pool, etc. get 10 pushups per violation. It does work. I think all coaches get tired of the same litany. --mj

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

pwolf66 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:04:57 GMT

I harp on this with all my age groupers I coach - nothing annoys me more than the last swimmer in the lane easing up as there is no wall space. It's bad form to not finish well and also poor form to block another swimmers wall. --mj Yup, I too am really getting tired of mentioning: "Streamlines" "No breathing inside the flags" "Finish to the wall" "Finish legally" "Streamlines" "Good turns" "Streamlines" :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: I'm contemplating instituting a 'punishment' for these offenses. Probably 3-5 push ups per violation. We'll see how that goes. I'm getting the rep as the 'tough' coach. The other coaches are very nice and very good but are generally a LOT more laid back that I am so I think that contrast is a good thing. The parents think so, the kids, well, we'll see.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

swimmj — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:58:17 GMT

Move up a lane. The faster swimmers have usually trained with more organized teams when they were younger, and have better lane etiquette. Tell people you are worried about hurting someone with a flip turn the lap after they stop at the middle of the wall. Tell them you will always flip turn in the middle of the lane if possible, and if they need to stop, if they stop near the left lane rope, you will know it is safe to pass. If someone is stopped in front of me at the finish, I will find a way to get to the wall. Usually this is an education problem, and the person causing the problem is not used to people coming in after them, and they just need to know that when you are on the wall, the goal is to take up the smallest amount of wall space possible during a set. I harp on this with all my age groupers I coach - nothing annoys me more than the last swimmer in the lane easing up as there is no wall space. It's bad form to not finish well and also poor form to block another swimmers wall. --mj

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:22:29 GMT

Finishes are a pet peeve of mine, and I get rather annoyed if people block the wall (most especially for turns). I like to finish every set at workout with a proper finish. Move up a lane. The faster swimmers have usually trained with more organized teams when they were younger, and have better lane etiquette. Tell people you are worried about hurting someone with a flip turn the lap after they stop at the middle of the wall. Tell them you will always flip turn in the middle of the lane if possible, and if they need to stop, if they stop near the left lane rope, you will know it is safe to pass. If someone is stopped in front of me at the finish, I will find a way to get to the wall. Usually this is an education problem, and the person causing the problem is not used to people coming in after them, and they just need to know that when you are on the wall, the goal is to take up the smallest amount of wall space possible during a set.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:51:40 GMT

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

swimkim — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:41:16 GMT

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

ande — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:18:39 GMT

the simple way to say this is TRAIN TO RACE expand it a little Train to race don't train to train when you video your races, you see your mistakes, which is way better than hearing someone describe what they see you doing. You need to decide if what you see is a habit or a fluke. Remember when you're eliminating a bad habit you must replace it with a great habit. The ONLY way you can eliminate a bad habit is by concentrating on and properly doing the replacement habit until the new habit sticks. The problem is, once you lose concentration, once you stop focusing, once you stop doing the new habit, you'll probably revert back to the old habit. Old habits die hard. Habits are difficult to change. Only change habits that are worth changing. Ande

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Allen Stark — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:44:31 GMT

That circle swimming is hard to break,any ideas.When I have a lane to myself I start off focusing on staying over the line.As soon as my attention wanders I am swimming circles again.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:07:34 GMT

Then I laugh when they get DQed in a meet. I laugh when I get DQed too.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

orca1946 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:04:20 GMT

This year @ state, I was circle swimming the 1650 & caught myself doing it !! It is a hard habit to break!!:cane:

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

osterber — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:48:29 GMT

I get annoyed when I see other people doing 1-hand touches on 2-hand touch strokes. Then I laugh when they get DQed in a meet. -Rick

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

Former Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:57:12 GMT

what a timely thread. i swam 4 races on saturday and stopped swimming about a meter from the finish in all of them. that is exactly what i do in workouts - to avoid people at the wall. i stop a bit earlier in fly and *** than free - just like workouts! LOL, I actually yell at people "finish to the wall please," in a half joking, half serious manner when they do that.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

heidi k — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:49:23 GMT

I found out that I circle swim in races. As I come into my turn I start moving to the left.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

swimshark — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:03:45 GMT

With my former team we would practice things like you talked about Allen. We did break outs to the middle of the pool (stop), then in to the walk and half way back (stop) and then in to the wall for the finish. All to get out of those habits. But I can see where you are coming from. My bad habit is looking up after a free flip turn to see if anyone in my lane is coming at me. I try hard not to do it but with a lane full of people, it's an easy habit to do and then to break in a meet.

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

swimkim — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:44:24 GMT

LOL, I actually yell at people "finish to the wall please," in a half joking, half serious manner when they do that. i'm one of those people too. i move out of the way when i lead and encourage my lane mates to swim all the way in. i do a lot of i.m. during free sets and go last. they move over for me to finish, but i back way off in fly and *** so i don't clobber them (and thus, me!). that's how i 'finished' my races - slow!

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

orca1946 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:03:54 GMT

Yeah?!!! Just like circle swimming in the meets?!! just like I do at practice? :DHUH:D

RE: Practice like you race because you race like you practice

aztimm — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:03:44 GMT

I look forward all the time, looking for people, looking for the wall, and this carries over to my racing. My head is actually only in a neutral head position about 5% of the time. I think my turns used to be slow when racing because I did so many lazy turns in practice. I've had many close calls with almost running into people when I swim. I'm not exactly sure if my head is in the correct position, but I don't really look for someone in front of me that often. Many times, the coach will whistle for warm-up to stop, I won't hear it and continue, and the person in front of me will abruptly come to a halt. I'd like some ideas on how you simulate non-circle swimming at workouts. Heck, even when we go off blocks, we're usually 2 to a lane and circle 10 sec apart. When I've done meets, I tend to do the same. Finishes are a pet peeve of mine, and I get rather annoyed if people block the wall (most especially for turns). I like to finish every set at workout with a proper finish.