What do YOU need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"

in response to the original question: "What do you need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?" "What do you need to do to significantly improve your swimming times over one season?" Do you have any specific, nitty gritty type suggestions. I think it's really easy to fall into ruts, to just show up and go through the motions rather than seizing the moment while we train. Any one have any thoughts on what we need to do to significantly improve? My little commentary: I think in order to have a breakthrough, and improve swimming you'll mainly need to focus on the following two things: your awareness while swimming, and your intention/focus while swimming. Awareness means you know why you are swimming, and more importantly HOW you are swimming. (i.e. Where is your hand when you begin your catch, what position is it in? how long is the extension thru the arm during the catch? etc) If you are not aware of any of this, and even the best of swimmers may not be, its time to SLOW down, and take account of what is happening and how you can little by little, iron out all the little problems areas. You'll see more result swimming with QUALITY vs. quantity. Awareness also means you know yourself in the pool. For example, what is your stroke count (per 25)at a medium pace? at a fast pace? do you have control over it? If you don't know any of this, it is something to examine. You should know your stroke count, be able to maintain that count every time, and adjust it accordingly and at will. For example. lets say your stroke count is 16 per 25 yds/meters (stroke count will be different for everyone depending upon height, etc) you should be able to swim a medium paced 100 and hit that count of 16 every time. If you are sprinting, raise it to 18 (or whatever number) but be very specific about it, and plan it before you start swimming. Lately I've been neg splitting my 100's by adjusting stroke count. I'll swim the 100 with stroke counts of 16-16-18-18. Again, its awareness, control and intention about what you are doing. Drills are a great way to slow down, take account of what you are doing, notice where you are in the pool, and really examine whats going on. Try alternating 25 drill with 25 stroke and see what happens. Count strokes on a daily basis and see if you can track what is going on. Totalimmersion.net has some really great drills that help raise your awareness. I was able to drop my stroke count significantly (thus increasing my efficiency and being more hydrodynamic) thru awareness and focus. If you are simply going thru the motions, all the yardage in the world will not help you. Its also great to cross train with something like Yoga, where again, not only are you benefitting from the physical aspect it has to offer, but you are becoming more aware of your body, where your body is in space, and your focus of what you are doing. Some other little items to help oneself improve: Write down a swim log of your own swims, how you swam, your experience thru the swim, etc and compare over a few weeks. Pick a focus of the day while swimming, maybe mondays and thursdays is getting a great push off for EVERY flip turn. Maybe Tuesdays and fridays you count strokes. Maybe wednesdays and saturdays its about keeping the head in a streamlined position. there's tons of variables, and i think you get the general idea. work two strokes together - back and free can be worked on together and you'll find some missing ingredients for each within the other. same for *** and fly. eat good food, fuel your body well. ask a friend to watch you swim, or videotape yourself to get that external perspective. swim with a GOOD coach, but most importantly, learn how to be your own coach. remember its a long term process, no instantaneous results! good luck!!

in response to the original question: "What do you need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?" "What do you need to do to significantly improve your swimming times over one season?" Do you have any specific, nitty gritty type suggestions. I think it's really easy to fall into ruts, to just show up and go through the motions rather than seizing the moment while we train. Any one have any thoughts on what we need to do to significantly improve? My little commentary: I think in order to have a breakthrough, and improve swimming you'll mainly need to focus on the following two things: your awareness while swimming, and your intention/focus while swimming. Awareness means you know why you are swimming, and more importantly HOW you are swimming. (i.e. Where is your hand when you begin your catch, what position is it in? how long is the extension thru the arm during the catch? etc) If you are not aware of any of this, and even the best of swimmers may not be, its time to SLOW down, and take account of what is happening and how you can little by little, iron out all the little problems areas. You'll see more result swimming with QUALITY vs. quantity. Awareness also means you know yourself in the pool. For example, what is your stroke count (per 25)at a medium pace? at a fast pace? do you have control over it? If you don't know any of this, it is something to examine. You should know your stroke count, be able to maintain that count every time, and adjust it accordingly and at will. For example. lets say your stroke count is 16 per 25 yds/meters (stroke count will be different for everyone depending upon height, etc) you should be able to swim a medium paced 100 and hit that count of 16 every time. If you are sprinting, raise it to 18 (or whatever number) but be very specific about it, and plan it before you start swimming. Lately I've been neg splitting my 100's by adjusting stroke count. I'll swim the 100 with stroke counts of 16-16-18-18. Again, its awareness, control and intention about what you are doing. Drills are a great way to slow down, take account of what you are doing, notice where you are in the pool, and really examine whats going on. Try alternating 25 drill with 25 stroke and see what happens. Count strokes on a daily basis and see if you can track what is going on. Totalimmersion.net has some really great drills that help raise your awareness. I was able to drop my stroke count significantly (thus increasing my efficiency and being more hydrodynamic) thru awareness and focus. If you are simply going thru the motions, all the yardage in the world will not help you. Its also great to cross train with something like Yoga, where again, not only are you benefitting from the physical aspect it has to offer, but you are becoming more aware of your body, where your body is in space, and your focus of what you are doing. Some other little items to help oneself improve: Write down a swim log of your own swims, how you swam, your experience thru the swim, etc and compare over a few weeks. Pick a focus of the day while swimming, maybe mondays and thursdays is getting a great push off for EVERY flip turn. Maybe Tuesdays and fridays you count strokes. Maybe wednesdays and saturdays its about keeping the head in a streamlined position. there's tons of variables, and i think you get the general idea. work two strokes together - back and free can be worked on together and you'll find some missing ingredients for each within the other. same for *** and fly. eat good food, fuel your body well. ask a friend to watch you swim, or videotape yourself to get that external perspective. swim with a GOOD coach, but most importantly, learn how to be your own coach. remember its a long term process, no instantaneous results! good luck!!