Practice like you race because you race like you practice

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

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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: