It’s not unusual for a swimmer to take over 1,000 strokes per 1500 yards. It’s easy to see why a coach should be watching a swimmer’s stroke mechanics and helping them correct technical errors. Taking 1000 mechanically flawed strokes every 1500 yards is going to develop a bad habit that’s going to be very hard to break. I hope that this thread can help swimmers find ways to help them break their bad habits and form more effective stroke patterns / stroke habits.
An article called, “Habit formation: How to change”, by Ailleen Ludington M.D., and Hans Diehl Dr.PH., talks about this thing called a “habit”, www.thequiethour.org/.../habits.php “Most people find it takes about three weeks to form one new habit, (and) only by building new habits that are stronger than the old. The new choice must be made repeatedly, over and over.” Ludington and Diehl explain the physiology of why habits are so hard to change and why it’s easy to revert back to an old habit. This information show coaches why it’s so important to maintain a consistent and effective stroke training and dry-land training regime. I think it also shows why it’s important for coaches to closely monitor the stroke patterns of each swimmer.
Here’s another article on the subject
ergonomics.about.com/.../form_good_habit.htm
I believe performing isometrics and performing over-exaggerated corrections can help you improve stroke mechanic errors. Performing an isometric at 80% of maximal effort can create a training effect or muscular strength. By over-exaggerating a correction, the overt habit can be corrected quicker. I can explain this more if you wish. Good luck~ Coach T.
Coach Tom -
Great thread! I often ask my new swimmers what is both the worst and best four letter word in swimming... The answer of course is "HABIT" and the answer gets their attention because I deliberately miscue the letter count for effect.
I agree that re-learning from the ground up is essential. I may go all the way back to floating with some to get them to understand the natural support water provides.
I've also used overexagerration to help make an initial point, but never over the long haul, as my worry is that the "bad" habit is replaced with another that still has to be re-learned.
I would love to hear more on this topic.
An article called, “Habit formation: How to change”, by Ailleen Ludington M.D., and Hans Diehl Dr.PH., talks about this thing called a “habit”, www.thequiethour.org/.../habits.php “Most people find it takes about three weeks to form one new habit, (and) only by building new habits that are stronger than the old. The new choice must be made repeatedly, over and over.” Ludington and Diehl explain the physiology of why habits are so hard to change and why it’s easy to revert back to an old habit. This information show coaches why it’s so important to maintain a consistent and effective stroke training and dry-land training regime.
Coach I will respectfully say that you are incorrectly applying science when you equate studies about habit formation to muscle memory. For the most part, the study of habit formation is concerned with psychological behavior not neuro-muscular behavior. For 7 years I have taken 3 dolphin kicks off of every wall. It still is not a habit in the sense that it is still more natural to glide off the wall than it is to dolphin kick. It is a habit in the sense that I berate myself for being a lazy-ass when I don't do it and thus it is easier on my psyche to do dolphin kick than to glide.
