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How about a quote?

If you do not consciously form good habits,

you will unconsciously form bad ones.

 

Whats Next:

Gatineau - Quebec

demo

Check the calendar for details

Updated: Dec, 2011

Things to Know:

Tryouts!

demoThere is still room for a couple 10 and Under swimmers.  Ask about an assessment.

Updated: Oct., 2011

Upcoming Events:

Spring Banquet

demoMark your calendars. Jun. 4 - Palais Royale.

Updated: Feb., 2011

 

February 17, 2012

Comp 4 Statement of Excellence

1.       I am responsible for the making the program work for myself and everyone else in the group.

2.   I place a high value on the pursuit of excellence.  I will keep the pursuit of excellence fun and I will do everything to help my teammates pursue excellence.

3.  I will treat practice as an opportunity    

4.     I will embrace physical and mental challenge because I know it is necessary to make my group and myself stronger.

5.    I will encourage others to embrace challenge and to make challenge fun.

6.    I will thank others in the group for their encouragement and support.

7.    I will thank my coach for challenging me to better my physical and mental skills.

8.   I will encourage my teammates to remind me when I am not focused, or am acting in a negative manner.  I will thank them for reminding me and for taking the responsibility to help my group and me.

9.    I have no interest in or use for excuses.

10I realize that failure is an important part of success.  I will use my failures to make myself stronger.

February 15, 2012

Swimming in Ontario is going to change next year!  Please see the following information:

Swim Ontario announces the 2012-2016 Standards and Provincially Hosted Competition Format Summary

 

Swim Ontario announces the 2012-2016 Standards and Provincially Hosted Competition Format Summary

1. Click to see Competition Review and Chronology
2. Click to see Rationale for Changes
3. Click to see Competitions at a Glance
4. Click to see LTAD Recommendations
5. Click to see 2012-2016 Standards

 


February 6, 2012

Today's message has been heard by many in Comp 4 but I thought it was worth reinforcing as we approach the serious competition part of the season.

My Coaching Philosophy:

After a number of years of coaching, I have developed 5 equally important tenets for my coaching philosophy:
1. There is no substitute for hard work
All swimmers must invest time and effort (both physical and mental) in the sport – it’s a long journey
Success in competition is the direct result of how much work each individual puts into it.
Similarly, there are no shortcuts for a coach

2. Every athlete counts
I am concerned about the attitude and the improvement of every swimmer in Comp 4.  All will improve by raising the standards and challenges for all - we are a team within comp 4.  

3. Winning is not just being Number 1
A winner sets goals and then strives to attain them.  Winning must be measured against one meaningful and reliable standard – yourself

4. Responsibility is required
The greatest power you have is the ability to choose.  However, your choices require responsibility.  For example, you can choose to get the necessary sleep each night or you can decide to stay up late and come to practice tired.  You can come to practice with proper nutrition, a water bottle – there a hundreds of choices you make that will impact your performance greatly.  You can choose to streamline off each wall, turn properly, finish strongly, etc.  Think about your choices

5. Teach first, train second
Keep returning to basics.  All swimmers must establish good technique before they can train effectively.  This is equally important to avoid injury.
So you will see this group engage regularly in drills.  The amount of time spent on basics will vary within the group but all swimmers will be expected to continue to perfect skills each day.
Drills guide you into efficient stroking patterns – therefore must do them correctly 100% of the time!  Most of you have some bad habits which will require significant focus and effort to change!

Approach to teaching swimming skills:
A few lucky people are born with an inner water sense that tips them off right away that muscling through the water is not the smart way to swim (it’s exhausting and just encourages struggling)

Focus on fish-like swimming – movement art that requires cultivation of body awareness, balance and flow.  We teach a series of positions that are extremely basic, yet establish a connection with the water.
1. learn to be in harmony with the water – flowing freely through water is the definition of efficiency
One skills automatically puts you in harmony with the water – BALANC

2. learn to rotate your core rhythmically, fluidly and effortlessly – core based propulsions

3. learn the most slippery body positions – how to reduce drag and resistance

4. link the propulsive actions of the arms and legs to core body rhythms

January 6, 2012

source - Coaching Association of Canada

Sport Nutrition for Parents

Sport participation poses a double challenge to feeding your kids well:

  1. They require more food and more nutritious food than a less-active child.
  2. They are rarely at home for mealtimes.

The rule of thumb is to make nutritious food handy for your busy young athlete.

Some successful ideas developed by parents of young athletes include:

  • Invest in sturdy and appropriate equipment that enables portability of a wide variety of food. This includes knapsacks, mini-coolers, thermos flasks, freezer-packs, plastic food and beverage containers, small can openers, etc.
     
  • Pack enough food for your athlete’s day ahead. This often includes morning snacks, lunch, after-school snacks, and after-sport fluids.Deconstruct the meal your child is missing and be creative about ways to get some of that food into them. Some examples are:

    • Breakfast on the way to morning practices can be a tube of fruit yogurt and a bag of breakfast cereal eaten by hand. This is not likely to cause any stomach upsets during practice. What doesn’t get eaten is useful for energy recovery after practice.
       
    • Prepare your regular supper and let your athlete eat half before an evening practice/ game and half after it. The kinds of foods that are well tolerated before practice are potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, raw vegetables and dip, salad, and milk.
       
    • Rely on one-pot meals that can be eaten by anyone in the family at any time. Examples include pasta salads or hot pasta/meat/vegetable mixes than can be easily warmed-up in the microwave; ‘make your own’ sub sandwich or wraps; chilis, stews, and other slow-cooker meals. Always have cut-up vegetables in the fridge and a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter.
       
  • Meal items can be replaced by ‘en route’ snacks such as: nuts, popcorn, fruit yogurt, dried fruit and fruit bars, cheese strings or cubes, plain or chocolate milk, fruit and vegetable juices, bagels, low-fat crackers, bread sticks and pretzels, baby carrots, bags of breakfast cereal, etc. For the more adventuresome, your athlete can snack on a cold baked or boiled potato; a container of drained canned nibblet corn; or drained canned fruit in a zip-lock bag. 
     
  • Carry a case each of fruit bars and juice boxes in the car. Make sure you rotate your supply to avoid spoilage.
     
  • Assemble a week’s (or more) worth of fruit smoothie ingredients in single-serving re-usable plastic containers and store in the freezer. Your young athlete can retrieve a pack any time and easily prepare by tossing the mix in a blender or food processor. Example of ingredients for 1 serving: 1 cup plain or fruit yogurt; 1⁄2 banana; 20 fresh or frozen blueberries; 10 fresh or frozen strawberries; 1⁄2 cup orange juice; 1⁄4 cup wheat germ. Be creative!
     
  • Make your own sport drink ahead of time and freeze extra in 1 or 2 litre water bottles so they can be grabbed quickly on the way to games and practices:

    • 500 mL juice or fruit beverage of choice
    • 500 mL water
    • 1⁄4 tsp salt

Being active in competitive sports helps children and teens develop lifelong healthy habits. Good nutrition not only supports physical activity, but it also enhances health and sport performances.


December 31, 2011 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Here are the top 10 super foods for athletes that should be staples in your diet.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal has a high soluble fiber content, is high in complex carbohydrates, is a good source of protein and has a low glycemic index, which provides a sustained release of energy into the bloodstream—imperative for runners. Oatmeal offers your body a regular dose of Vitamin B and is rich in minerals and antioxidants. It's credited for maintaining the good level of cholesterol in the body and is known as one of the most nourishing foods for the body, especially for athletes.

Cherries

Cherries are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruit and provide a wide range of health benefits, as well as performance and recovery benefits for athletes. Research has shown that runners who consumed tart cherry juice, twice a day for seven days a week, had strikingly less muscle pain following a long distance run. The post-exercise benefits are astonishing because of the fruit's natural anti-inflammatory components. A recent study from the University of Michigan revealed that a cherry enriched diet lowered total weight, body fat and inflammation, all associated with heart disease.

Kale

 

Kale is a member of the cabbage family and contains high levels of vitamins: A, K, B6, calcium and iron. It's an antioxidant-rich vegetable that helps regulate the body's inflammatory process. Kale also contains carotenoids and flavonoids, two powerful antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals that cause oxidative stress, as well as a high fiber content that helps lower cholesterol.

Milk

With all the different types of milk out there today, soy, almond, rice and even hemp, it seems that good old fashioned milk is still number one when it comes to athletes. Milk is loaded with carbohydrates and protein, which makes it an ideal post exercise muscle recovery beverage for endurance athletes. When carbohydrates and proteins are consumed together, muscle tissues are repaired at a faster rate than if consumed separately.

Bananas

Bananas are one of the best pre- and post- workout snacks. It's no surprise that they seem to be included in every post-race goodie bag. Loaded with potassium and vitamin B6, bananas help maintain low blood sugar, regulate digestion and re-stock your body with lost electrolytes after any sort of physical exertion. Vitamin B6 in bananas acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps ward of cardiovascular disease.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a nutrient dense super food that contains a high amount of fiber, three times the amount of antioxidants than blueberries, and are loaded with calcium, iron and protein. They also contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids and hydrophilic properties, which means that the seeds have the ability to absorb more than twelve times their weight in water, thus allowing prolonged hydration. The seeds help in retaining moisture and regulate the body's absorption of nutrients.

Walnuts

Walnuts are a plant-based protein, rich in fiber, B-vitamins and antioxidants, such as vitamin E. They contain the most Omega-3 fatty acids than any other nut and the anti-inflammatory nutrients are great for bone health.  Walnuts have also been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, are beneficial for a healthy heart and make a great healthy and energizing snack on-the-go.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a starchy vegetable, rich in vitamins A and C, which are both powerful antioxidants that work in removing free radicals from your body. They help lower blood pressure and are a powerful food for athletes because of its high vitamin and mineral content. The potassium, iron, manganese and copper are all minerals that many athletes lack; manganese and copper being crucial in healthy muscle function.

Wild Salmon

Salmon is one of the most nutrient dense proteins, full of essential Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins B12 and B6. Salmon can help reduce inflammation in our bodies through it's high content of Omega-3's, which is valuable for athletes. Salmon is known to be the king of fish because of it's high quality protein. A weekly consumption of this power food has been shown to decrease the risk of numerous cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. The antioxidant in salmon, selenium, has been shown to be beneficial in cardiovascular protection.

Whey

Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein and is a complete protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. It's absorbed quickly and efficiently into the body, making it an athletes dream. It doesn't contain any fat or cholesterol. The protein and array of amino acids are essential in muscle re-building, especially after a strenuous workout or race. For athletes, it's a great fast recovery method because it helps prevent muscle breakdown and is the fastest digesting protein.

 

December 30, 2011
Basic Drill for Balance and Body Position: 
The following drill can be valuable for all swimmers, from beginners to elite athletes. This is a drill that emphasizes balance: keeping your body still and relaxed in the water. Body position refers to the angle the body maintains in relation to the surface of the water from both head to toes, and shoulder-to-shoulder. To maintain an ideal body position, keep your eyes looking downward (except on backstroke). While looking down, your hips and shoulders should be parallel to the surface. Press down on your armpit in order to keep your hips and feet on the surface.

Extension Kick on the Side

This drill will help you control your rotation on freestyle and backstroke. Starting on your side (shoulders and hips are perpendicular to the surface), extend one arm out in front of the body, palm down, and the other arm at your side. The arm that is at your side should be at or above the surface of the water from the shoulder to the wrist. When working on freestyle, your eyes should be looking straight down, with your cheek against the extended shoulder. When breathing, rotate your
head to the side using only your head and neck, trying not to affect the rest of your body.

When using this drill to work on backstroke, keep your eyes focused on the sky or ceiling, keeping the tips of both ears slightly and evenly submerged underwater. Your feet will tell you whether or not your body is perpendicular to the surface: if your feet are kicking perfectly side to side and making very little splash, then your body position will be correct. You may have to adjust your head position and lower the angle your eyes are looking at in order to keep your hips on the surface. If you find your hips sinking, you may be lifting your head and eyes to breathe (rather than simply turning your head to breathe).

This drill also can be modified in order to work on rotation for freestyle. Begin kicking on your side, as explained above. After 10 kicks, begin to lift the elbow of the arm that is at your side, dragging your fingertips across the surface. Once your hand has reached your armpit, and your elbow is pointing directly up, begin to pull with the other arm and rotate into the same extended position on the other side. The extension kick drill can also be used with butterfly kick. Keep your cheek on the surface, and your eyes above water, looking toward the side of the pool. Do butterfly kick keeping your upper body balanced and your extended arm fairly still. You should try to begin the kick from the upper abs down into your hips and legs. This will prevent you from pressing the chest too far, or allowing the shoulders to bounce while doing fly kick.



December 29, 2011
Breaststroke Timing Technique Tip:
Timing Basics:

One of the common characteristics of most great breaststrokers is their timing. Timing includes both the order and the spacing in between the parts of your stroke (pulling, kicking, etc.). One of the simplest and most effective ways to teach breaststroke timing involves using what some coaches call "self-talk."

In self-talk you speak your swimming cues to yourself, consciously affecting what your body is doing. The self-talk that you use with breaststroke is "Pull-Breathe-Kick-Stretch.” By speaking to yourself, you can positively impact technique flaws, especially in timing.

Some of the common technique flaws in breaststroke timing and the ways that using a self-talk can overcome them include the following:

  • Over-lappers: Beginning the pull before the kick is finished. By saying "stretch" to yourself after each kick, it will help you to finish each kick and streamline the body at the conclusion of each stroke.
  • Over-gliders: During the stretch phase of the stroke, if you glide so long that your body loses much of its momentum, forcing you to speed up and slow down every stroke cycle. If your self-talk sounds like "Pull-Breathe-Kick-Stretch-pause-pause-pause-pause-pause” you may be over-gliding. A self-talk allows you to recognize immediately pauses and problems with your timing.
  • Stop-and-Goers: During the cycle, the pull is finished and the head is down before the feet begin to kick. When we refer to the kick’s place in our self-talk, we are talking about the power phase of the kick (when the toes are pointed out and they are pushing the water back and together). While you are doing the outsweep of the pull and your head is rising to breathe, the heels of your feet should be coming up toward your hips. This will ensure that when it is time to kick, your legs are bent and you’re ready to kick. This kick timing will also help your hands to recover quicker while your legs are driving together.

The breaststroke self-talk can be modified to fit into many drills that most of you already know.

  • 1 Pull/2 Kick Breaststroke – "Pull – Breathe – Kick – Stretch – Kick – Stretch"
  • Streamline Kick or kicking with hands on the bottom of a kickboard – "Breathe – Kick – Stretch"

December 28, 2011

Breaststroke & Butterfly Turns Technique Tip:

When performing a breaststroke or butterfly turn, your goal should be to get in and off the wall as quickly as possible. How fast you can turn depends largely on how quickly you can get your feet onto the wall.

The breaststroke and butterfly open turn can be broken up into three distinct phases:

  • chest slap
  • hip slap
  • hand recovery close to the cap
 
Touch

 
Chest Slap – After both hands simultaneously touch the wall, one arm is immediately brought back into the body with the elbow pressed against the ribs and the hand slapping the upper part of the chest, close to the shoulder (Some coaches modify the positioning of this arm).

 
Hip Snap – Draw your knees up quickly toward your chest and the wall with toes pointed. Both chest slap and hip snap movements are performed simultaneously. This causes the shoulder of your recovering arm to drop in the water while your hips rotate to allow you to place just your toes horizontally on the wall. While your legs are brought under the body, the head and shoulders are brought straight back, looking up toward the ceiling or sky.

 
Hand Recovers Close To the Cap - The hand that remained on the wall will recover close to the head as if you were saluting to the official standing over your lane. Continue to drop back until your feet are on the wall and your hands meet in a streamline.

Push off the wall with your toes only, as if you were jumping rope. Your heels should never be placed firmly on the wall. When pushing off, your feet are planted on the wall, parallel with the bottom of the pool. This will help you to push off more on your side, since pushing with the toes pointed down causes a lot of resistance. As you push off, you will twist the body in a corkscrew motion onto the stomach. Your feet must push off with your shoulders past vertical and with your chest facing the bottom, as you hold your streamline tight by squeezing your arms against your ears.

There are two common errors in doing breaststroke and butterfly turns: the "spin like a top turn”, and the "pull-up turn”.

If you "spin like a top” when you turn, it may be because you are rotating your head in a "no” motion and rotating your shoulders horizontally through the water. To correct this, keep your eyes on the wall until your feet are on the wall. The speed of the turn does not depend on how quickly you get your hands on and off the wall, but how quickly you get your feet on and off the wall! Once your feet are on the wall, bring your head back into your streamline looking upward rather than turning your head to the side.

Pulling yourself up out of the water as you turn , probably means that you are grabbing the lip of the wall and pulling your shoulders and chest up and out of the water. This turn will cause you to lose most of your momentum, since you want to get "in and out,” not "up and down”. When your hands touch the wall, rather than pulling yourself up, immediately bring one of your elbows back and drive your bent knees and feet into the wall.

December 27, 2011 - Happy Holidays!

SPORTS NUTRITION MADE EASY !
Fuelling your body for maximum athletic performance is not as complicated as it may seem.  Everything you need to know to get the results you want can be boiled down to 10 basics.

1. Keep it Natural

Robust health is the foundation for fitness and athletic performance. Eating for health should therefore be the primary objective of your diet as an athlete. The same principles of healthy eating that apply to the average woman apply to highly active women. The majority of foods you eat should be as natural and minimally processed as possible. As a general rule, the shorter the list of ingredients in a food product, the better. Refined sugar, fried foods and processed oils should have the smallest place in your diet.

Balance is also important. No single food has all the nutrients you need for optimal health, so it's important to eat a variety of different food types every day. Use these guidelines to ensure your diet has adequate balance.

Food Recommended servings per day What's a serving?
Fruits and vegetables 7 to 9; strive for more veggies, about one serving more than fruit. 1/2 cup veggies
1 cup leafy veggies
1 apple, banana, orange, etc.
1/2 cup berries
Grains 6 to 8; make most, if not all, of them whole grains. 1 slice bread
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
1 cup breakfast cereal
Legumes (lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, kidney beans, etc.), nuts, seeds 4 to 5; limit nuts to 1 to 2 servings. 1/2 cup cooked legumes 
1/3 cup nuts
Dairy 3; opt for those low in saturated fats. 1 cup milk or yogurt
1 1/2 ounces cheese
Lean meats, poultry, eggs 1 to 2 3 ounces cooked
Fish 3 to 6 per week 3 ounces cooked

Rule 2. Let Form Follow Function

Maintaining your ideal body weight is important for all-around health, whether you're an athlete or a couch potato. For athletes, staying lean is also important for performance. Your best body weight at optimal health is also your best body weight for sports and exercise performance.

That's good news, because it gives you a simple way to determine how much you should eat each day. Instead of counting calories, which can be tedious and inaccurate, monitor your performance in workouts. If you follow a sensible, progressive training program, your fitness will gradually improve from week to week—unless you're eating too many calories per day or not enough.

Stagnating performance coupled with rapid weight loss is a likely indication of underfueling, while stagnating performance coinciding with steady or increasing weight may mean you're getting too many calories. In either case, a slight adjustment to your daily eating amounts should put you quickly back on track.

Rule 3. Balance Your Energy Sources

Athletes often make the mistake of overemphasizing one macronutrient—carbohydrates, fats or proteins—at the expense of the other two. All are equally important.

Carbs should account for at least 50 percent of the total calories in your diet. If you eat less you may experience low energy in workouts due to insufficient stores of glycoge—a carbohydrate-derived fuel—in your muscles.

Fats should account for at least 20 percent of your daily calories (more healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like nuts and olive oil, than saturated). One study found that runners who consumed too little fat were more susceptible to injuries.

Finally, at least 15 percent of your daily calories should come from protein. Inadequate protein intake will compromise your recovery from workouts and limit the amount of training you can handle without getting sick or injured.

So, what makes up the remaining 15 percent? The distribution of these calories—whether more carbs, fats or proteins—should depend on what works best for you and can vary from day to day without negative consequences.

Rule 4. Gorge on Free-radical Fighters

Free radicals are unstable molecules that attack and damage cells. Due to the high rate of oxygen consumption associated with exercise, athletes experience more free-radical stress than sedentary people. The muscle-repair process that occurs after workouts releases even more free radicals.

Fortunately, exercise also strengthens the antioxidant system the body uses to prevent and limit free-radical damage. But your antioxidant defenses won't work to their full potential unless you maintain a diet that's rich in antioxidants—which means one that includes lots of fruits and vegetables. In addition to aiming for seven to nine servings daily, try to eat a wide variety of different fruits and vegetables. Each has its own unique antioxidant profile that benefits the body somewhat differently than others.

Rule 5. Eat Frequently

Athletes in all sports benefit from developing a lean body composition, where muscle is preserved or added and excess fat stores are whittled away. Frequent eating (four to six meals and snacks per day) is a dietary pattern that's proven to assist athletes in getting leaner, independent of total calories consumed or macronutrient breakdown.

When you divide your daily calories into more meals, you're less likely to consume more calories than you need to supply your body's immediate energy needs. As a result, fewer excess calories are stored as body fat. Many women are concerned that by eating more often they will eat more calories each day, but research has shown that those who eat fewer meals tend to consume more total calories each day. Here's a sample six-times-a-day eating schedule:

7 a.m. Breakfast
10 a.m. Healthy snack (fruit, nuts, low-fat yogurt, etc.)
12 a.m. Lunch
3 p.m. Healthy snack
6 p.m. Dinner
8:30 p.m. Healthy snack

Rule 6. Train on a Full Tank

If you want to maximize your fitness, it's not enough that you simply do your workouts—you also need to do well in your workouts. This requires that you start each workout with muscles that are well stocked with glycogen—their favorite fuel.

Since glycogen comes from dietary carbohydrate, the best way to ensure you train on a full tank is to consume a high-carbohydrate pre-workout meal. But since training on a full stomach is likely to cause GI distress, this meal should be eaten well before your workout.

A meal containing at least 100 grams of carbohydrate consumed three to four hours before your workout is ideal. One example of a perfect pre-workout breakfast is a cup of old-fashioned oatmeal (54 grams of carbs) with banana slices (29 grams) and an 8-ounce glass of orange juice (25 grams) for a total of 108 grams of carbohydrate.

5 High-carb Pre-workout Meals

  • Chicken stir-fry
  • Spaghetti with marinara sauce
  • Grilled cheese sandwich with vegetable soup
  • Cereal with milk
  • Fruit smoothie

Rule 7. Hydrate

When you work out, you sweat; and when you sweat, you lose body fluid that must be replaced. Failure to fully rehydrate between workouts will compromise your recovery and your performance in subsequent workouts. Drinking during a prolonged workout or race (lasting an hour or more), especially in the heat, will help you delay fatigue and reduce the risk of heat illness.

Sports drinks are better than water for hydration during workouts because they provide sodium to replace the salt you lose in sweat, plus carbs for quick energy. Drink at frequent intervals according to your thirst. After workouts, water will do. Drink enough throughout the day to keep your urine pale yellow to clear in color.

Rule 8. Eat for Recovery

When you finish a workout, many of your muscle fibers are damaged from exertion, your muscle fuel stores are low, and you're at least slightly dehydrated. Nutrition is required to rebuild and refuel your muscles and rehydrate your body. Specifically, you need protein for tissue repair, carbohydrate to restock your muscles with fuel, and water to rehydrate.

The sooner you supply your body with these nutrients, the better. In the first hour after exercise, the muscles in particular are able to use nutrients for recovery much more effectively than at any other time. A study from Vanderbilt University found that the leg muscles were able to rebuild and refuel nearly three times faster when a carbohydrate-protein supplement was consumed immediately after a one-hour stationary bike ride than when the same supplement was consumed three hours after the same workout.

While post-workout recovery supplements such as Endurox R4 and Cytomax Recovery are convenient and ideally formulated for the job, regular foods containing carbs and protein and plain water are probably just as effective. Strive for a 4-1 ratio of carbs to fat.

5 carb-protein post-workout meals

  • Grilled chicken breast and baked sweet potato
  • Vegetable omelet and an orange
  • Beef stew
  • Turkey sandwich and an apple
  • Broiled salmon and rice pilaf

Rule 9. Avoid Common Deficiencies

Female athletes commonly suffer from a handful of specific nutrient deficiencies. These deficiencies have negative consequences not only for athletic performance but also for general health. Fortunately, they're all easily avoided with a balanced diet.

Nutrient Consequences of not getting enough How to get what you need
B vitamins (particularly B-12) Reduced athletic performance Eat three servings of meat, fish and/or eggs daily. Vegetarians: Take a daily vitamin B-complex supplement.
Calcium Increased susceptibility to bone strains and stress fractures Eat three servings of low-fat/non-fat dairy foods daily.
Iron Fatigue, anemia Make iron-rich foods such as tuna and chicken a regular part of your diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids May compromise recovery Supplement a balanced diet with omega-3-rich fish, flax oil and walnuts.

Rule 10. Reward Yourself

One of the benefits of being an athlete is it gives you a little extra leeway to eat some foods that aren't 100 percent wholesome without adding on pounds. If you're sustaining a consistent pattern of vigorous exercise most days a week, you shouldn't worry about including a few treats (potato chips with lunch, a cookie or a few chocolates for dessert) in your weekly eating plan.


December 8, 2011

When it comes to training, proper nutrition is as important as physical activity itself. Without the proper fueling, your body simply cannot perform at its peak, ultimately derailing the efforts of training. While determination will get you going, nutrition is what dictates your performance and success.

 

Nutrient Timing

Previously, the emphasis rested on what athletes consumed post-workout, but recent research has shifted some of the weight to pre-workout fueling. Pre-workout fueling can not only help you go longer and stronger, but can also help your body recover for the next session. Consumer products for pre-workout boosters have followed the research, but in a world of vast ergogenic aid options, not all products equal peak performance.

 

Timing is everything—and what you consume right before exercise takes those nutritional elements from just eating to directly impacting athletic performance. Many pre-workout drinks are very heavy on the protein. Yes, your body needs protein to repair muscle tissue, but it is best consumed after training or only in small amounts, just before exercise.

Balanced Fuel Sources

Your body needs sugars or glucose to provide energy for muscles, especially within 20-30 minutes of exercise. However, ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, or white sugar do not provide sustained energy because they shoot immediately into the bloodstream and disappear just as quick, causing an equally quick crash. This is the premise for the glycemic index (GI), which reflects the rate at which the sugars from a particular food get absorbed into the blood stream. In the case of GI in relation to fueling your body for training, a slower burn—meaning a lower GI number—is better. High GI foods provide immediate fuel, but should be derived from natural sources like whole grains or fruits.



November 22, 2011

SANTA MEET - Sunday December 4, 2011
Warm Up is 8:15  (meet should end before 12:30)
Tait McKenzie Pool – York University
4700 Keele Street, Toronto

York University Map:   http://www.yorku.ca/yorkweb/maps/keele.htm

 

Pool Location: The Tait McKenzie Pool is in the Tait McKenzie Building (Number 4 on map) and the entrance to the Tait McKenzie Building is on the south side of the building, near parking lot 79.

 

Directions:   Please note that the ‘Northwest Gate’ to the University is closed due to construction (of the subway extension).  You can enter York University form Steeles either via Murray Ross Parkway (closer to Jane Street) or Founders Road entrance (closer to Keele Street). 

 

Parking :       There is limited parking available very close to the Tait McKenzie building in parking lot 79 and much more parking a short walk away in lot 63 (to the west of the Tait McKenzie Bldg). You will be responsible for paying York University for parking in these lots.          

November 15, 2011

Energy vs. Sports Drinks:

The USA Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Committee has recently reviewed the risks and benefits related to energy drinks and is providing information to call attention to the differences between energy drinks and "sports drinks" used for rehydration, to point out the risks associated with such drinks, and to provide suggested alternatives to use of these drinks.


 

BY JILL CASTLE, MS, RD

Red Bull, Rock Star, Amp, Monster Energy—enticing labels for a tired and thirsty swimmer. Energy drinks are one of the fastest growing segments of drink sales in America and their popularity is growing, especially among youth. Athletes use energy drinks to rehydrate after a workout, boost attention and focus during school, "wake up,” or as a routine beverage at meals. Don’t be misled by something that sounds too good to be true—while an all-in-one drink is tempting, it carries some serious considerations for young athletes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children and teens should avoid energy drinks. 

Confusion exists about the difference between a sports drink and an energy drink, so let’s clear this up. A sports drink contains a small amount of carbohydrate, minerals, electrolytes and flavorings and is designed to replace those nutrients lost through sweating after exercise. Gatorade is an example of a sports drink. 

Energy drinks contain stimulants including caffeine, guarana and yerba mate (herbal stimulants) and taurine (an amino acid). Ginseng, if present, enhances the effects of caffeine. Other elements may be added to energy drinks, but their benefits, safety and side effects are questionable. 

An average energy drink contains 70-200 mg caffeine per 16 ounces. Some energy drinks can contain up to 500 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of 14 cans of soda. For children and teens, caffeine consumption should be limited to 1.25 mg per pound of body weight (for a 100-pound swimmer that’s 125 mg caffeine per day). More than 100 mg of caffeine per day in adolescents has been associated with higher blood pressures. 

Growing children and teens should avoid excess caffeine consumption. Excess consumption of caffeine is associated with agitation, anxiety, poor sleep, rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure and altered mental states. 

Too much caffeine can mask fatigue. Gauging fatigue is important to staying fit, healthy and in the pool. If jacked up on caffeine, swimmers may miss the body’s signal for rest. 

Caffeine can alter mood and behavior, resulting in physical dependence or addiction. How do you know if you’re a caffeine-addict? Without caffeine, you experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache, tiredness, depressed mood and nausea. 

If that’s not enough to make you re-think your drink, here’s some more food for thought. 

Energy drinks contain sugar—up to 30 grams per cup (almost ¼ cup of sugar). Limiting sugar consumption is a healthy practice, for any growing child and teen, whether an athlete or not. 

Energy drinks are dehydrating. Due to the concentration of caffeine, energy drinks encourage frequent urination, and energy drinks with higher sugar content can compound the dehydrating effects of caffeine. 

Feeling tired, losing focus and struggling with low energy? Rethink your nutrition, hydration and sleep program. No magic bullet replaces a nutritious diet of real, wholesome food, adequate water and other healthy liquids, or a good night’s sleep. And that’s no (red) bull. 


November 5, 2011

Distance per Stroke Ideas

What is distance per stroke (DPS) for a swimmer?  Think of it as getting more distance for each swimming cycle through increased efficiency.
Here are some of the steps to consider that should help you improve your distance per stroke:

1. get in a good body position, long & straight, with the top of your head pointing the way you are going

2. slow down the pull

3. feel your hand enter

4. extend to a natural stopping point with no-overreach.  Your body should rotate around your spine.

5. Leave your extended arm's elbow relatively high (close to the surface of the water)

6. bending at the elbow, point your fingers, hand, wrist, and forearm towards the bottom of the pool (this is the catch)

7. keeping your wrist, fingers, hand, forearm pointing towards the bottom of the pool, press on the water (backwards)

8. as you press on the water and the forearm structure passes your waist, your elbow will begin to surface and you will start to feel a loss of pressure on the forearm.

9. lift the elbow for recovery, swing the arm forward with a high elbow and a relaxed forearm

10. during the rotation, the head should never leave its point position, aiming towards your destination

Increasing your ability to cover more distance per stroke is one tool you can use to improve your overall swimming.


October 27, 2011

TIME TRIALS
This note is aimed at new families but may be relevant to some returning families with limited experience with LSC.  We generally hold time trials to provide swimmers with the opportunities to experience races that are difficult to find in the meet schedule.  Distance events are not offered regularly to the 12 & under age group as they are very time consuming at meets and would create a problem with the time 4 hour time limits imposed.  They are offered at the qualifying meets (Central Regions, Provincials, etc) but you need to have achieved a specific time standard to swim them.  
Secondly, as we approach the Championship meet season, we often hold a time trial as a last opportunity to meet a qualifying standard or achieve the prerequisite swims required.
This Sunday October 30th, the time trial is focussed on distance free swimming and IM's (either for prerequisites for the Gatineau meet/Provincials), a chance to get an Excellent Swim Award (take 10 seconds off your 200 or 400 free from last week) or to try them for the 1st time.
So consider the following races....
200, 400, 800 free
200 , 400 IM
If you are unsure about what to try, please don't hesitate to talk to me.  This Sunday is entirely optional and may not be appropriate for new swimmers who aren't quite ready to tackle some of the longer races.


October 25, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS to all swimmers for a terrific 1st meet of the season.  New swimmers approached every event with enthusiasm and incredible effort; returning swimmers had huge personal bests and started to envision some new goals for the year.
We have only 6-8 workouts before the next meet (Autumn/Harvest) which isn't much.  In order to ensure more PB's, you need to focus on improvement in the following areas:
1. technique - better efficiency...
2. skills - streamlining, turns...
3. practice habits - using the clock, understanding and completing sets as described,....
If Monday is one of your scheduled workouts, please don't consider it a day off following a meet.  I understand that swimmers are tired following a meet but there is still a great opportunity to leaner something new and have some fun!

ARE YOU the ONE?

Desire

Do you have more desire to win than anyone?  Are you willing to set your alarm 10 minutes earlier so you can get to practice on time because you're nervous about missing a chance to do as much as possible?  The way you train should be the way you want to perform.  Be honest with yourself about this one.  If you don't have the desire to train, then you really don't have the desire to be the best.  You can NOT have one without the other.  You may day-dream about being the best, but without the effort that matches the dream... then it is what it is... fantasy.



October 9, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
something to think about on your long weekend.....

The new season is upon everyone.  How you approach how you're going to reach your goals will be an important aspect of starting your season.

Swimmers will typically start each season either excited for the training, dreading the training, or with goals so lofty that they' maybe a little bit tentative with what's upon them.  Starting the season with a plan is probably the most important thing you can do, or setting training goals that are realistic when thinking of your season goals.  However, don't focus only on "how much" you're going to train, but start the season thinking of "how" you're going to train.

When you think of swimming, are you constantly analyzing how you approach the water?  Do you think about how your hands initiate the catch, how the fingers slide against the water and the exact point in which you make that connection and start to move forward?  Or do you approach the sport with the notion that by just training harder, you'll accomplish what you set out to do.

When you hink of swimming as a series of equations, or problems that have to be looked into, or solved, there are a never-ending number of problems, and solutions to help you continue to swim faster.

It's easy to get so caught up in making intervals, or hammering sets, that we forget this is a technical sport, and it's the times that we're hammering that give us the best opportunities to solve problems.

My favorite quote over the past year has been one by Albert Einstein - "Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results, is the definition of insanty."

If you swim the same way every day, without a doubt, going from out of shape, to IN shape... you're going to get faster, but are you really teaching yourself the skills necessary to reach the next level?  I've written on the site many times about being the hardest worker, and it's great if you are (you strive to be).  However, the people we'll be watching in London next year, are the ones who don't just work hard.  We'll be watching the swimmers who solve problems... problems that come with being human in the water.  Awkward bodies not meant to move through the water quickly, creating tremendous resistance, and lying horizontal in a substance that keeps us from getting what we need to survive... oxygen.

In looking at a very quick list, if you're in the middle of a very difficult set, having a hard time keeping up, or in the zone where you simply can't hurt enough (I remember those days... LONG ago!), then here are some ideas of ways to solve the problem of not going as fast as you want:

- Switch responsibility of the pull from your arms to your lats - all strokes.
- When are you going to air?  Early, or late in the stroke cycle? - freestyle.
- Rotate your shoulders completely out of the water on each recovery - backstroke.
- Use your hips more to help you clear the surface for your breath - butterfly.
- Where are looking? - all strokes.
- Are you pointing your toes off the push off? - all strokes.
- Where are you finishing the stroke? - all strokes.
- How fast are you recovering your hands? - breaststroke.

Rather than me just sitting and thinking of endless possibilities of things to think about, list yours

Most athletes, when in pain, focus on the pain.  Great athletes, when in pain, focus on how to keep shifting responsibilites of the body to keep going as fast as they have been.

Don't fall in to the trap of being a regular athlete.  Use the mental capacity you've been given, and use your brain to solve the problems that come with pain, and being tired.



October 1, 2011

Recharge and Replenish – Recovery Nutrition

By Kelly Anne Erdman, SNAC dietitian (bio) - from the Coaching Association of Canada - see the website for more information on nutrition

Did you know that in a typical hard two-hour workout, you can use up all your stored carbohydrate energy (muscle and liver glycogen), sweat away over two litres of water (along with approximately 1600 mg of sodium), and break down a variety of different body cells including muscle and red blood cells?

That’s why what you consume within the critical minutes after training or competing are the most important!  Without optimal recovery nutrition commencing within minutes after training, your body is likely to stay "broken down” and may not be fully recovered to train or compete to the maximum for the next 24 hours.

Why is proper timing so important?

Experts have determined that your body cells, especially those that store glycogen (energy), are most receptive to being replenished within the first 30 minutes after intense activity. Therefore, as soon as an athlete starts to "cool down” the recovery clock starts ticking!  Recovery nutrition can actually be broken down into two stages: stage 1 which occurs within 30 minutes after exercise, and stage 2 which lasts for 1 to 2 hours post exercise. 

Recovering Fuel (Carbohydrates)

Scientists have determined that between 1 to 1.5 grams of carbohydrate for every kg of body weight should be ingested within stage 1 and then at least this amount consumed again in stage 2. For example, a 70 kg  athlete may require 70 to 105 grams of carbohydrates within 30 minutes of training/competition and this amount again an hour later.  In some cases, an exhausted athlete may need to continue refueling at this rate for up to four, and even six hours after their strenuous workout, especially if training on several consecutive days.

Repairing Muscle (Protein)

While carbohydrate restoration post-exercise is essential, and is the priority, dietary protein should also be consumed to repair muscle post-exercise. It has been estimated that 0.2 to 0.4 grams of protein for every kg of body weight be consumed during each stage of recovery (or a carbohydrate to protein ratio of 3:1 or even 4:1). Therefore, a 70 kg athlete would need to consume between 14 to 28 grams of protein during stage 1, and this amount again during stage 2 recovery. 

Rehydrating (Fluids)

Equally important for exercise recovery is rehydration. An athlete should check their weight immediately before and after exercise and aim to consume at least 500 to 750 ml for every 0.5 kg of weight that is lost during exercise. This amount of re-hydrating fluid will easily compensate for urinary losses so that the athlete remains in a positive fluid balance. If a weight scale is not appropriate or available, the athlete can simply continue to drink sufficient fluids until their urine is pale in colour (like pale lemonade), as an indicator of satisfactory fluid replacement. Because sodium is the main electrolyte lost in sweat during exercise, sodium-rich foods should also be consumed during recovery. Examples are: pickles, soy sauce, soup, vegetable juice and table or sea salt.

Micronutrient Needs (Antioxidants)

The essential vitamins and minerals -- especially antioxidants like vitamin C, E and beta-carotene that play key roles to keep body cells healthy -- should also not be forgotten. Most of these nutrients can be found in fresh fruits and vegetables that are bright in colour, i.e., peppers, carrots, broccoli, and squash -- as well as in wholesome nuts, seeds, and healthy oils.

It’s relatively easy to apply all of these recommendations to real food examples. Here are practical ideas for both stage 1 and stage 2.

Stage 1: within 30 minutes after exercise

  • Banana, yogurt, juice
  • Peanut butter sandwich, strawberries, milk or juice
  • Flavoured milk, granola bar, apple and water
  • Sports drink, cheese strings, grapes, juice or water
  • Low-fat muffin or bagel, homemade smoothie (blend milk, yogurt, fruit, juice and ice)
  • Protein bar, orange, pretzels and juice or water
  • Meal replacement drink (Boost™, Ensure™, etc.), carbohydrate sports bar, apple, water

Stage 2: 1-2 hours after exercise

  • Meat or cheese submarine sandwich loaded with veggies, milk/juice
  • Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice, milk/juice/water
  • Whole wheat pasta with meatballs, vegetable salad, milk/juice/water
  • Grilled salmon, quinoa or whole wheat couscous, raw veggies with light dip, milk/juice/water
  • Bowl of cereal with yogurt or milk, fresh fruit, water/juice
  • Scrambled eggs with cheese and diced peppers, whole wheat bagel, milk/juice/water
  • Lentil soup, whole wheat bun, Greek yogurt/regular yogurt, fruit salad, water/soy beverage/milk
  • Pasta salad tossed with chopped vegetables, canned tuna or chicken breast, milk/juice/water
  • Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, fruit salad, low-fat muffin, milk/juice/water

Recovery Nutrition Challenges

Lack of appetite, food being unavailable or not prepared, late night games, waiting for teammates – the list goes on regarding the many obstacles that can make it a challenge for an athlete to have their recovery nutrition immediately available. However, with a little planning, these challenges do not have to be barriers, instead, when an athlete notices how energized they feel as a result of effectively consuming the appropriate recovery nutrition – this feedback can be a remarkable motivator to take the necessary steps to ensure eating well after exhaustive exercise.

September 29, 2011 - Create confidence instead of fear!

Have you ever psyched yourself out before a race? If so, you're not alone.

Olympic and pro athletes do it all the time.

Olympic swimmer Summer Sanders did it 24 hours before her Olympic 200M medley race. She remembers: "The rumours were flying about the Chinese women--their strength, their conditioning, their work ethic, and their special herbal enhancements. For awhile I thought these women were amazing - unbeatable!"

When you're psyching yourself out, you're using your imagination to scare yourself.

Your imagination is very potent.

It's far more powerful than most athletes realize.

Now the good news.

You can use your mind in the other direction too.

You can create confidence instead of fear.

In fact we always act, feel, and perform according to what we imagine is true about ourselves.

Fortunately Summer Sanders figured this out: "I got hold of myself and realized they were just human beings. I looked at this one Chinese swimmer, and I said, 'She is just a person like me, she is just as nervous, and we are all in it together. I remembered my imagery, my work ethic, my hours in the pool, and my game plan...then I was ready.'"

Do you see what Sanders did?

She used her imagination to create confidence - not fear.

You can take control of the power of your imagination.

It doesn't matter if you're young or old, big or small.

You can stop putting other athletes on a pedastal.

Put yourself on the pedastal instead.

You have the ability to create breakthrough confidence in your dream.

You have the mental toughness to erase fear and self-doubt.


September 28, 2011

TIMING DRILL FOR BREASTSTROKE (UP, KICK, GLIDE)
1. float holding your kick board with your face in the water, eyes looking at the bottom of the pool
2. on the "UP" command, draw your heels to your butt at the same time as you lift your head (while keeping it in alignment)
3. on "KICK" drive for legs back while you push your head forward into a streamline
4. on "GLIDE" hold that perfect streamlined position for a count of 2

Stroke drills have absolutely nothing to do with easy swimming.  They are about doing fewer strokes with maximum effort and concentration.  Eventually, under demanding pressure, stroke drills lead to speed and perfection.
Drill progressions lead to improved whole stroke.  The initial steps usually teach streamlining and stable body position, then kicking and so on.  The final step of any progression requires the swimmer to combine all the skills under pressure for time and stroke count while maintaining perfect technique.


Update on comp 4's activities so far....   posted September 20, 2011

1. Drills/Skills

Most of the teaching has focused on learning a series of positions that are extremely basic, yet establish a "connection” with the water.  They are designed to cultivate body awareness, balance and flow.  The key to swimming with ease and efficiency comes down to four basic steps:

a) Learn to be in harmony with the water -   One skill – balance – almost automatically puts you in harmony with the water.  Balance allows you to stop fighting the water and wasting energy – you can swim with comfort and ease.  Ask your swimmer about some of the balance drills we have been doing!

b) Learn to rotate your core body rhythmically, fluidly and effortlessly – For your swimming to be powerful and effortless, your movements should originate in the core (trunk) of the body, not in the arms and legs.  Your movements should also be rhythmical

Coordinated core-body movement is body rolling for free and back, undulation for breast and fly.

The drills we use to learn this skill are called active/dynamic balance drills.

c) Learn the most slippery body positions – Water is thick, drag is what makes you slow and tired.  You can learn to avoid drag.  Torpedoes, submarines and racing boats are all sleekly shaped so they can be slippery, moving through the water as fast as possible.  Slippery swimmers – like torpedoes – need far less power or effort to swim at any speed.

d) Link the propulsive actions of your arms and legs to core-body rhythms -  We have been focusing on having a long, balanced and effortlessly rotating core body.  We have only begun to link the arm and leg movements to these rhythms.

 

None of these skills are easy and can be frustrating when just beginning.  The notion of moving slowly, quietly and gently is foreign to many swimmers who feel that thrashing and struggling means they are working hard.  However, everyone can learn them!
Remember the Pledge:  A drill done 100% right is 100% right.  A drill done 99% right is 100% wrong. 

PRACTICE SCHEDULE 2011-2012

MONDAYS (5:30-7:00 pm)
Stephen Barber
Paul Berkun-Drevnig
Alessandro Bottero
Conor Commons
Dylan Commons
Eva Ducharme
Stephanie Gwynne
Adelle Henriques
Larissa Henriques
Caroline Linsdell
Nicholas Matar
Claire Taller
Graham O'Brien
Ella Pannek
Katie Patterson
Patricia Piekarski
Peter Rugosi
Andrew Rugosi
Paul Santilli
Mira Sheahan
Ellen Taylor
Michael Bellucci
Trinity Zdunich
Conrad Zdubeal

TUESDAYS (5:00-6:30 PM)
Dominique Alleguede
Emily Barber
Stephen Barber
Alessandro Bottero
Simon Brozyna
Jessica Code
Eva Ducharme
Maggie Dwyer
Martine Dwyer
Jared Fernandes
Stephanie Gwynne
Adelle Henriques
Larissa Henriques
Caroline Linsdell
Lauren McCaffrey
Kora Mckeon
Michael Nowak
Keely O'Brien
Katie Patterson
Paul Santilli
Mira Sheahan
Hanna Suggate
Claire Taller
Allison Gorczyk
Spencer Tsukada
Teague Wingfelder
Michael Bellucci
Tim Lindsay
Trinity Zdunich

WEDNESDAYS (5:00-6:30 PM)
Stephen Barber
Paul Berkun-Drevnig
Alessandro Bottero
Allison Gorczyk
Eva Ducharme
Stephanie Gwynne
Caroline Linsdell
Nicholas Matar
Michael Nowak
Graham O'Brien
Ella Pannek
Katie Patterson
Patricia Piekarski
Peter Rugosi
Paul Santilli
Mira Sheahan
Ellen Taylor
Spencer Tsukada
Teague Wingfelder
Michael Bellucci
Tim Lindsay
Trinity Zdunich
Simon Brozyna

WEDNESDAYS (6:30-8:00 PM)
Dominique Alleguede
Emily Barber
Jessica Code
Maggie Dwyer
Jared Fernandes
Lauren McCaffrey
Kora Mckeon
Keely O'Brien
Andrew Rugosi
Hanna Suggate
Claire Taller
Adelle Henriques
Larissa Henriques
Martine Dwyer
Conor Commons
Dylan Commons

THURSDAYS (5:30-7:00 PM)
Dominique Alleguede
Paul Berkun-Drevnig
Dylan Commons
Conor Commons
Jared Fernandes
Allison Gorczyk
Nicholas Matar
Lauren McCaffrey
Maggie Dwyer
Martine Dwyer
Kora McKeon
Michael Nowak
Graham O'Brien
Ella Pannek
Patricia Piekarski
Andrew Rugosi
Peter Rugosi
Hanna Suggate
Ellen Taylor
Spencer Tsukada
Teague Wingfelder
Michael Bellucci
Conrad Zdubeal
Tim Lindsay
Simon Brozyna
(Keely O'Brien)
(Jessica Code)
(Emily Barber)

FRIDAYS AT GUS RYDER (5:30-6:30 PM)
Paul Berkun-Drevnig
Alessandro Bottero
Stephen Barber
Nicholas Matar
Graham O'Brien
Ella Pannek
Patricia Piekarski
Peter Rugosi
Spencer Tsukada
Teague Wingfelder
Conrad Zdubeal
Eva Ducharme
Tim Lindsay
Ellen Taylor
Michael Nowak

FRIDAYS AT KEELE (5:00-7:00 PM)
Dominique Allequede
Emily Barber
Simon Brozyna
Jessica Code
Conor Commons
Dylan Commons
Maggie Dwyer
Martine Dwyer
Jared Fernandes
Allison Gorczyk
Stephanie Gwynne
Adelle Henriques
Larissa Henriques
Caroline Linsdell
Lauren McCaffrey
Kora McKeon
Keely O'Brien
Katie Patterson
Andrew Rugosi
Paul Santilli
Mira Sheahan
Hanna Suggate
Claire Taller

SUNDAYS (AS PER SCHEDULE)
Dominique Alleguede
Emily Barber
Jessica Code
Maggie Dwyer
Jared Fernandes
Lauren McCaffrey
Kora McKeon
Keely O'Brien
Andrew Rugosi
Hanna Suggate
Claire Taller


Monday, May 2, 2011

How To build confidence:

1. Get to know yourself.
2. Focus on your strengths.
3. Set realistic goals based on them.
4. Build on your momentum.

Yes, simple.

So why do do so many people struggle with their confidence?

What step do they fall down on?

This will surprise you.

It's Step 2 - the ability to focus on your strengths.

Most people cannot focus on their strengths for any reasonable length of time.

They are inherently negative.

They've been trained since the age of five to think, talk, and be negative.

It means focusing on where you're REALLY good repetitively.

Focusing on your strengths is a really important skill in mental toughness training.

You need to cultivate this habit, pronto.

Here's a quick and easy way to start.

Right now, without thinking, say out loud your top three strengths as a swimmer.

How did you do? Were they easy to come up with?

If not, you need to work on this. And if you need help, please talk to me. I 'll come up with three rather quickly!

Coach Jane

 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Here's a link to a youtube video which demonstrates the kind of freestyle Comp 4 is being taught - watch the lack of head movement, smooth long strokes, gentle entry, rotation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4&feature=related

The main freestyle drills that we do are intended to promote this type of swimming. However, they can only help when they are done precisely every time.

Think of:
- basic balance and active balance kicking
- 180 drill
- catchup
- almost catchup
- any switching drills

See if you can imitate this swimmer at your next practice!

Thanks

Coach Jane

 

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

This starts with a question:

Is it better to appear successful when you had to cheat to do so, or fail while following the rules and trying your hardest?

While this article could easily be extrapolated to pro sports, or the Olympics with steroids, or blood doping, this is simply about practice.

Coaches across the world spend countless hours developing season plans and crafting practices that hopefully intrigue and excite swimmers into giving effort in areas the coach knows the swimmer needs work in. If the swimmers accomplish the practices as written by the coach throughout the entire season, chances are very good for success. However, if the practices are performed in sections... specifically only the sections swimmers enjoy or feel like working, and the rest of the practice is cruised, or worse, cheated on to get through, then in reality, the design of the practice is no longer valid.

A good practice will either overload a specific muscle group (like upper or lower body), or focus on a specific swimming task (like speed or distance), or be an overall general distribution of many muscle groups or techniques so a more general understanding of the water can take place. Very few practices, when done as written, are bad practices. Failure to do practices as written, again, make the overall practice have less long term impact to your goals.

Picking and choosing when to work is understandable. Picking and choosing when to be legal or technically correct is NEVER understandable.

There are several simple rules to practices that, when followed, make it much easier to accomplish a practice 'as written'. Here are a few:

1) Start from the wall, not the flags.

2) The lane lines are to DIVIDE the lanes, not to serve as an additional form of propulsion for you.

3) Turn at the wall, not the flags. Don't forget, the flags are to tell you that the wall is coming soon...they're not a temporary signal for you to turn right there.

4) Leave at the prescribed time behind the person in front of you.

5) Kick sets are for kicking. Pulling on the lane line, or using your kick board as a paddle, or simply flat out swimming doesn't mean you're working your legs... YOU'RE CHEATING!

6) Unless your coach has told you to switch strokes at the 12-1/2 or 25 (long course), chances are they've designed a set that was meant for the same stroke to be swum at the END of the length that you started with. So swim the entire length the same stroke or the correct drill.

Swimmers, if you have a kick set that you're having a hard time making by following the rules above, and you decide to cheat to make it... it may APPEAR that you've succeeded, but you know you've failed. While there may be another swimmer in the pool who has NOT made the set, but done everything according to the simple rules above, at least that swimmer has a guideline as to how close they came to making the set, and hopefully the next time, will get closer.

Here's more specific information. If there are two swimmers who have a set of 10 x 100's on 1:10 (pick your pool... it's theoretical). Swimmer A does everything legally and makes the first 6... then starts to fall off the pace. Swimmer A struggles home and is missing the interval by :05 - :08 seconds by the last one. While they may get yelled at by the coach, or heck, praised by the coach for their effort, they know that the next time that set comes around, they know that if they make 7 or 8 of the 100's on 1:10, that they're improving. Swimmer B on the other hand... also gets to #6 successfully, but notices on #7 that by the 50 turn, they're simply not going to make the interval... at the 75 turn and rather than swimming all the way in to the wall, they turn at the flags and come back just in time to leave on the 1:10. The same practice is applied for the next 3 and unless the coach saw this, Swimmer B appears to have accomplished the task at hand.

If Swimmer A and Swimmer B were of exactly the same ability level... who got a better practice?

The most fitness comes in athletics when you continue to push through a certain point and just keep going. Even if you don't make the intervals, if you're doing everything correctly, at least you know where you stand.

Here's my feeling on young competitive swimmers. I value slow swimmers. They have so much upside, so much to learn, and so much hope. What bothers me are cheaters. Even extremely talented swimmers who cheat. To me, they're wasting their time.

Swimmers. Look in your heart at your next practice. When you cheat, you're not just giving yourself a break, you're also disrupting the design of the practice. This disruption means you're not getting the work you were supposed to get. Because of this, if you cheat regularly in practice, you can NOT blame your coach at the end of the season for your failure. You are the only one to blame.

If you take the opportunity to swim practices with integrity and honesty, although you may appear to be going slower (because you're actually doing the set), you'll ultimately understand what it really means to be an athlete.

 

Coach Jane

Monday, April 4, 2011

The following article is part of a series developed by Swim Ontario. This piece is particularly relevant as we approach Team Championships and a number of long course meets.

BELIEVE -
Getting ready for a competition, the training that goes into the path to achieving your goals, the many, many steps you take and the hours and hours of preparation are NOT supposed to be easy. It takes great self discipline, self confidence and you have to BELIEVE in YOURSELF, your coach, your family and friends and your team mates who support your decision to be a competitive swimmer! If it was easy then everyone would do it!

To be confident, sure, certain, positive, secure, self-assured, and optimistic about something is having belief in it and yourself.
At your next practice try this: Look around and remind yourself that what you see are positive like-minded individuals with similar goals and aspirations all striving to get better, to achieve their personal goals and those of your team. This will help you believe in yourself.

When you are faced with a challenge in your training or at a competition tell yourself this:
"Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right."
"Only as high as I reach can I grow,
Only as far as I seek can I go,
Only as deep as I look can I see,
Only as much as I dream can I be." - Karen Ravn

Coach Jane

 

 

Monday, March 28, 2011

This article was written by Glenn Mills, of Goswim, a former US Olympic swimmer.

READING A SET
When a coach gives swimmers a set, chances are there is meaning behind the set. This is especially true in complex sets, sets that don't follow the typical pattern of 10 x something.

How athletes analyze a set prior to starting becomes as important as swimming the set. The longer I'm around swimming, the more I start to realize that far too many swimmers view sets as parts of practice to get through... to get to the next set. They tend to miss the meaning of the set, and don't put enough thought into planning how to accomplish what's been placed before them.

A point of reference: there is typically a huge difference between how a swimmer who is merely attending practice views a workout...and how a swimmer who truly cares about their swimming (I mean deep inside) views a workout. Professional swimmers (or those who act professionally during a practice) view sets as mini opportunities to improve something, or to move one step closer to their goal. There is very little wasted time in any practice, and each set is meant to give a chance to learn, train, or improve something. Seeing sets as chances rather than chores can in itself help make you a better swimmer.

When the coach gives a set, an athlete should immediately begin figuring out how they are going to accomplish that set. Which part will they be demanded to work, and which part can they take the chance to work on something else? If there's a really tough part in the middle, the athlete will do their best to save up through the beginning part, and then do their best to survive the rest, after they've made that middle part.
Here's a quick example. This set was given and the thought process immediately started. It was long course meters:

• 4 x 50 kick on 1:00
• 4 x 100 on 1:25 - mix up the strokes
• 4 x 50 kick on :50
• 4 x 200 on 2:45 - mix up the strokes if possible

At first glance, what's the tough part of that set? If you picked the 4 x 50 kick on the :50, you're correct. Right in the middle of the set, and it's kicking, which to most swimmers means... REST TIME! In this particular set, it basically meant a 200 sprint kick, and then jump right into 4 x 200 on a reasonable interval. The swimmers needed to be aware of this at the beginning of the set. They needed to understand WHICH part of the set was going to be the toughest, rather than worrying about the 200s at the end, or how long it was going to take... they needed to relax just enough in the first part so that they could ACCOMPLISH the set.

This happens every day at pools all across the country. Coaches give sets and workouts and, for some reason, swimmers everywhere think "intervals" are "suggestions." They are not. Think of it this way, interval ≠ suggestion, interval = demand. It's the coach's job to create sets that ARE difficult, and DO demand performance. If that demand is the same every day, done with the same distance, same stroke, same interval... what a BORING practice you must have. To have a coach that puts the fast stuff at various spots in a practice is exciting... unless you're just going through the motions.

I've written somewhere else on the site about descending intervals, and how to accomplish them, and that's in the same thought process as reading a set. Here's another example:

• 4 x 100 on 1:25
• 4 x 100 on 1:20
• 4 x 100 on 1:15
• 4 x 100 on 1:10

In this example it's EASY to see what is going to be hard. So the question is: How do you approach and swim the set so that you can accomplish it? If you're unaware of your ability to make the 1:10s, you may need to "taste test" a couple times while you've got the rest. Rather than waiting until it's forced on you, dip down under 1:10 for one or two 100s while you're on the 1:25. Maybe dip down again while you're on the 1:20... and then barely make the 1:15s, saving as much of your energy as possible until it's time to RIP. Swimming the 1:15s as easily as possible will be teaching you a lot about efficiency and the importance of saving energy. If you're questioning your ability to make the 1:10s, and you wait until the last minute to attack, there's a good chance you may over swim the first one and go too fast... say a 1:03... and use all your energy, meaning you don't make #3-#4. The idea would be to go the last 4 x 100s at about 1:08 and accomplishing the set, rather than blasting one or two, and not finishing.

When you start to accomplish sets like this, that set can continue down to 4 x 100 on 1:05 - 1:00 - :55 depending on what kind of pool you're in and your ability. Swimmers need to be in a bit of panic prior to a set that incorporates tight intervals. "How am I going to make it?" Swimmers need to be in a bit of panic prior to a set that DOESN'T incorporate tight intervals. "What am I going to learn to make me faster?" Going through the motions of going back and forth in a pool may ultimately get you in better shape, and may ultimately make you faster. The question is NEVER about whether swimming back and forth is beneficial to health. The question is whether the time you spend in the pool, and how you utilize that time, will aid in you reaching your POTENTIAL!

Understanding the meaning of a set prior to pushing off means having a plan of what, and how, you're going to accomplish what's been assigned. Not doing this means you're really not doing all you can to reach your potential, and you won't be as happy at the end of the season as those people who HAVE planned... on each set.
Now go back to practice and HEAR what the coach gives you, don't just listen. :)

Coach Jane

 

Tuesday March 22, 2011

WHAT'S the deal these days with swimmers not showing up to practice on time?

I remember the "good old days" when I was swimming....

If practice started at 3:00 pm, the deck was filled at 2:40 with swimmers stretching and doing pre-practice ab work. When the clock hit the 60 at 3:00... we were either IN the water, or had to complete the entire practice butterfly. If we were late, we didn't get kicked out, we were tortured (more than those who arrived on time). The coaches didn't see much use in kicking out someone who obviously didn't want to be there... so they would just make them work harder.

It basically got to the point where there was simply NO ACCEPTABLE excuse for showing up late to practice. Now, I'm sure there were a few; I could just never think any up.

What is the point of reminiscing about "how it used to be?" It's to, again, put the onus of performance on the swimmers. Practices are generally designed by competent coaches who count on their swimmers to perform the workouts at a specific time and in a specific way. Those practices can also teach you so much about when your body is actually ready to swim fast. I know this sounds crazy, but that can play a big role at swim meets. Missing part of the warm-up really means that you, and your coach, really don't know exactly when, how much, how much stress, where the heart rate should be... when you're ready to swim FAST! You're setting up a guessing game for performance.

Even if I ONLY speak of your ability to perform, you should show up on time. When you consider your working relationship with your coach, and your teammates: when I speak of the respect for their time, for the fact that the coach has spent time prior to practice designing specifically something that will make you faster, or a better swimmer... and you show up when you feel like it, it simply shows very little respect for their time and preparation.

What I can tell you from age and experience is that coaches are generally SO forgiving, and care about you as an athlete so much, that they tend to overlook the fact that you're taking advantage of them when you're late. They want you to perform for many reasons, and see you smile at the end of the season so that you're happy. When you swim fast at the end of the season, you'll also be much happier.

Summary:

Punctuality = Respect
Punctuality = The Coaches ability to create effective training
Punctuality = Forming good habits that you can carry forward into your professional life

 

Coach Jane

 

Monday January 4, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here are some thoughts as you return to training in preparation for the main competitive season:

Swimming is a skill sport. It's a sport in which the technique you use is as important, if not more important, than your level of fitness. Simply put - could you imagine a competition in which average people show up at a pool and get to race former Olympic swimmers? You can usually tell someone who's achieved a certain amount of mastery in swimming by watching them for just a couple strokes. You can also usually recognize someone who is still in the developmental stages of swimming. The thing that stands between them... years of preparation.

If you've decided that swimming is your sport, then you must also decide on your level of intensity. Greatness comes with constant intensity. The intensity that isn't glamourous. The intensity to work an IM set when you're a sprint freestyler. The intensity to push off in streamline and do 3 or 4 dolphin kicks off each wall in practice.

Preparation and intensity aren't just about yardage and fast swimming. Intensity means showing up on time, completing a practice with integrity, not cheating, and trying to get something out of every length you swim.

Coaches across the world spend countless hours developing season plans, crafting practices that hopefully intrigue and excite swimmers into giving effort in areas the coach knows the swimmer needs work in. If the swimmers accomplish the practices as written by the coach throughout the entire season, chances are very good for success. However, if the practices are performed in sections... specifically only the sections swimmers enjoy or feel like working, and the rest of the practice is with minimal effort, or worse, cheated on to get through, then in reality, the design of the practice is no longer valid.

A good practice will either overload a specific muscle group (like upper or lower body), or focus on a specific swimming task (like speed or distance), or be an overall general distribution of many muscle groups or techniques so a more general understanding of the water can take place. Very few practices, when done as written, are bad practices. Failure to do practices as written, again, make the overall practice have less long term impact to your goals.

For young swimmers, time is running out. Time is fleeting much faster than at any other point in your life. You have deadlines that can't be avoided... you WILL graduate from High School, you WILL age up to the next group and, eventually, your competitive life will come to an end. I know this varies for everyone and the competitive aspect simply takes on another role in our lives. However, for the majority of kids who compete, NOW is the time.

I hope to see everyone this week arrive on deck on time, with great intensity and commitment.

Coach Jane

 

Wednesday November 3, 2010

Solving the Pre-race meal Once and for All

It's important to understand that while yes, the choice you make for your pre-race meal can have a huge impact on your ability to perform just hours later, it's just as important to look at the contribution the last few days' worth of eating can have on the race. Pre-race meals are usually given such focused attention because it is usually the last thing you put into your body before taking the pool. However, if we were to look at training in the same way, we'd mistakenly think that the rebound that you just grabbed was a direct result of the last set of squats you did in the workout the day before the game.

Do you think that's true? Of course it's not. The fact that you were able to out-leap three or four other guys to pull that ball down had more to do with the consistent efforts and hours you've been putting in in the weight room for the last eight months to gradually build up your lower body strength and power with hundreds of sets of squats…not to mention lunges, step-ups, and plyometrics. You see? So, in much the same way, while your pre-race meal is significant and important, how you've eaten and fueled your body on a consistent basis leading up to that day has just as much, if not more of an impact on how much energy you'll have in today's race.

Consistently good eating habits provide your muscles with several days' worth of glycogen building nutrients. It's much easier for your muscles to absorb and store this key energy source when it's delivered with steady doses of usable glucose as opposed to flooded with it from some pre-workout or pre-game gimmicky "Super Carbo Charger Sugar Shock Extreme" drink. Eating right for days leading up to your race is much more effective than short-term attempts to "do the right thing" last minute.

Now while the pre-race meal won't necessarily lead to large increases in this stored form of energy, the right one will:

Stabilize the blood sugar levels you've maintained up to that point in the day (with your timed eating), preventing any roller coaster like peaks or dips in your energy levels during the game.
Provide some immediate usable energy from the circulating blood sugar it creates.
And help you to avoid in-game hunger that is strong enough to distract you from the task at hand.

Not all pre-race snacks are created equal…both in their makeup and in their level of portability.

Let's take a look first at some of the guidelines that you'll want to follow in creating the perfect pre-race snack and then we'll look specifically at what I consider my top selections for game day that I affectionately call my "Five For Fueling".

A good prerace snack should follow my "7 Sacred Principles of Pep"…They are:

Start with starch - Starch is easy to digest and helps to keep blood sugar levels steady.
Trim the fat – Fats and oils slow down digestion and can leave you feeling too full and bloated at game time. What makes this worse is that your digestion is usually already slowed down due to your emotionally keyed-up state.
Shut out the sweets – Sweets and simple sugars can cause too quick of a blood sugar elevation, leaving you only to crash from your high later on…unfortunately most likely in crunch time!
Cut the caffeine – Many athletes reach for caffeine as a pre-game boost, but this perceived energy jolt is often short term and can quickly leave you dehydrated.
Add water – Never consume a pre-game meal (or any meal for that matter) without having a glass of water with it as well. It helps to aid the digestion and leaves you less likely to get stomach cramps later.
Digest the rest – Try not to eat immediately before competition. It's better to leave at least 60 to 90 minutes between your snack time and your attack time, if you know what I mean!
Win – That's what you're doing steps 1 to 6 for, right? Then go get that "W"!
With this in mind I now introduce to you, as promised, my "Five For Fueling" Top 5 Pre-Race meals. In order to make the cut, each of these winners had to meet the above criteria.

With this in mind I now introduce to you, as promised, my "Five For Fueling" Top 5 Pre-Race meals. In order to make the cut, each of these winners had to meet the above criteria.

FIVE FOR FUELING – TOP 5 PRE-GAME MEALS!

1. Banana and a bag of pretzels with bottled water
2. Soup and crackers (in a Thermos) with bottled water
3. Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat bread with bottled water
4. Breadsticks (3) and a yogurt with bottled water
5. Low Protein (low sugar) energy bar with bottled water

The point is….regardless what you choose, not only are wise choices needed in the hours leading up to the race…but perhaps more importantly, a pattern of consistently good choices is vital if you want to bring your best race…EVERY race!
If you still feel as if you're lacking a grasp for what you need to be eating http://www.SportsNutritionBlueprint.com

The above comments were written by Jeff Cavaliere, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the New York Mets.

Coach Jane

 

 

Thursday, October 28, 2010

I hope everyone had lots of fun yesterday swimming with bones, skulls, masks, etc. I think the zombies were the winning team in both sessions.

The Warmup
Here is a list of some of the benefits of warmup (why not to stand and talk during warmup!):

the resultant increase in body temperature and pulse rate, combined with opening of blood vessels in the muscles, takes the body from its resting state to the level needed for workout and competition
it loosens the muscles and increases flexibility
it provides an opportunity to remember and focus on key skill points
it prepares the mind for the concentration and focus required
the swimmer gets into the stroke rhythm and feels out the required pace of the race
muscle fatigue occurs later in the race after adequate warmup
a muscle that is warmed and stretched prior to maximum exertion is less likely to be injured
warmup familiarizes the swimmer with the pool conditions in which the competition takes place

And a reminder about the 5 Golden Rules for Competitive Swimming:

every hand and arm movement is slow to fast. Therefore, the learning process must be slow to fast. If the swimmer can't do it efficiently at low speed, he or she won't be able to do it at high speed.
Swimmers must learn to feel the water - you need to spend time doing this rather than just swimming fast.
The fingers pull first, no matter what stroke the swimmer is doing. Maintain stable wrist position when pulling.
The swimmer minimizes resistance by keeping the head down and the hips up. If the head comes up, the hips go down.
The hips must be high on fly and breast before the hands and arms begin. If the hips are not up, the swimmer will pull himself to the surface of the water (upward) rather than pulling forward. In back and free the hips must rotate before the hands start the pulling action.
These rules were created by Bill Sweetenham. He has served as Head Coach of national swimming teams at 5 Olympic Games for 3 different countries, and has coached swimmers to success at 9 World Championships and 8 Commonwealth Games.

Coach Jane

 

 

Friday October 22, 2010

Great effort today in practice! And lots of competitive instincts came out in the sumo kicking.
Here's a link to the Tarzan free drill - it really is just taken from water polo but the explanation is important for good technically efficient freestyle.

http://www.goswim.tv/entries/3802/freestyle---head-up-swimming.html

More Food for Thought

The water is your friend.....you don't have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move
- Aleksandr Popov [RUS] - former world recorder in the 50 and 100 free

"It is not the hours of practice that matter...it's what you put into the hours that counts."

But if you practice something the wrong way over and over, then when and how will you learn to do it correctly?

If you practice it perfectly, then there is nothing to correct, you can work on endurance and speed.

Have a great weekend - rest, have fun!

Get ready for Halloween!

Coach Jane

 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Food for Thought:

The general statistic is it takes 10 years and 10,000 hours of swimming preparation before athletes reach their maximum potential as senior athletes.
Past research suggests American swimmers older than 18 years of age were not ranked in the top 100 from age 10-12.
What do these 2 statements have in common?
Swimmers need to develop the attitude, the will and the skills to succeed over the long term.
Endurance is the ability to sustain over time, to call from ourselves renewed commitment and effort when we are confronted with challenges or hardship.
Endurance often requires tolerating discomfort, and may call on us to reach for resources and stamina we are not certain we possess. Endurance means that we remain steadfast even through criticism, monotony, and discouraging odds.
Endurance requires planfulness and balance, not just strength of will. Health and pacing often determine our ability to sustain. This means that we need to take care of ourselves if we care about the long term.

Upcoming:

Halloween practice - Wednesday October 27th
The coach will be suitably attired and the workout will have some Halloween themed relays and sets.
If you don't regularly attend Wednesday practices and would like to be involved, please see me.

Test Sets:

Over a couple of workouts next week, the group will be doing a couple of test sets. They will be different depending on the level of the swimmer. These sets provide baseline times which we can use to measure progress against over the season. If there are any parents who would be available during Thursday's practice (October 28), I would appreciate some recording assistance. Please send me an e-mail if you can help. The help would be required between 6:00 and 6:30.

A special thank you to the swimmers who consistently offer to help with clean-up of the pool, removing the lane ropes, putting kickboards away, etc.

GTA meet #1 - Uxbridge (October 24th) - warm-up is at 8:00 a.m., the meet should be completed by 11:30. Please see the website calendar for location, etc. The three new Comp-4 swimmers that are going have been informed.

Coach Jane

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Unfortunately, last night's challenge disappeared when we were kept out of the pool for 45 minutes while they cleaned up some vomit. However, the time to play and run outside was a nice change.

A New Free Drill for Comp 4

We've spent alot of time focusing on the front of the stroke and an early vertical catch. Here's our next drill to help us find a stronger extension at the back of the stroke.

How to do it:

Start by swimming a length of standard "fist drill".
Now comes the tricky part. About half-way through the pull phase... open your fist and finish your stroke normally.
This added focus can help you feel the push that's still available at the back of the stroke.
Vary a bit where you're opening, but make sure you get a good feel for the finish.

Coach Jane

 

 

 

Monday, October 18, 2010

Comp-4 swims well at the first meet of the season!

I'm sure everyone was exhausted last night after completing 6 swims over the weekend. There were lots of positive signs in everyone's racing. As a group, we have 3-4 weeks until the next meet. Lots of time to make progress and ensure more personal bests.

The coaches identified a couple of areas for focus:

1. walls - too much slowing down going into the walls, uncertainty about exactly where the wall is, poor streamlining, and gigantic breaths off the turns.

2. back half of races - this is an area where swimmers will certainly see improvement with several more weeks of training. Many swimmers can be congratulated for "going after" the longer races and trying to hold that fast pace. Our more intensive training over the next period will ensure that the 2nd half of the race comes much more easily.

3. confidence - Believe in Yourself! There are many Comp 4 swimmers who have way too many doubts as they approach a race. Let's start to work on these doubts. Consider this as an initial thought:

Some fear is your body's wisdom.
Other fear is just self-destructive.
So how can you tell the difference?
You start out doing what champions do.
You ignore the fear.
You tell it you're not interested in being tempted by the dark side.
If it goes away, it was simply a figment of your imagination.
If you get more anxious, then it means you need to listen to what your fear is telling you.
What changes to your game plan do you need to make? What do you need to do in practice to provide you with the necessary confidence?
Knowing the difference between good fear vs. bad fear is a key element of the champion's mind.

Congratulations to all our new swimmers who swam 6 events (including a 200 free), approached every opportunity to race in a positive way and hopefully had lots of fun!

Congratulations to all the swimmers who made a prerequisite (or 2) for the upcoming Gatineau meet. Still lots of chances to get these times.

And finally, it was a pleasure to spend the weekend with all of you - I see great swims to come over the next couple of meets.

Thanks
Coach Jane

 

 

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