Wednesday, 3 February 2016
Four 200s from a Dive tonight!
Tuesday Feb 2 2016 Videos
I took three 3:00+ clips yesterday at our practice, with narration of what was going on during the practice. Here they are:
2.2.16 Video Part 1 50 50s
2.2.16 Video Part 2 50 50s
2.2.16 Video Part 3 50 50s {You may want to turn your volume down for this one;) }
2.2.16 Video Part 1 50 50s
2.2.16 Video Part 2 50 50s
2.2.16 Video Part 3 50 50s {You may want to turn your volume down for this one;) }
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
…..and the Winner is Wyatt!
Wyatt wins the coveted prize, a 2001 basically Mint condition Michael Phelps trading card. As far as I know, it's the first trading card of its kind (first MP card). He looks pretty young doesn't he?! There are limited cards out there, since the Baltimore Sun Newspaper probably made 100 of them or something back in 2001 when Michael was 16…so Wyatt you gotta take good care of it.
Nice job on your AP Psych class Wyatt!
I can see a day when 75% or more of our National group can call themselves Scholastic All-Americans.
I'd like to continue recognizing great accomplishments in academics. Feel free to nominate a Teammate, relative (parents that's for you to nominate your kid or any kid), or yourself for great academic achievements.
Awesome to see the stellar test results/papers from Jacob, Matt, and Rip -- who, although slow on the draw, also sent in "A" work.
Is anybody into Sports Memorabilia? I know that as a High-Schooler, I was pretty into baseball/basketball/football cards like this one. If you guys can believe it, there used to be stores in every town that sold "Sports Memorabilia". Those types of places are few and far between these days, unless I'm missing something! Anybody have any good baseball cards to trade?
Tuesday Feb 2, 2106 -- 50x50 (50)
Today we rocked the 50x50 (50) set that we tend to do a few times per year.
There were a lot of great performances today. We were looking for 50s that matched an athlete's Goal 2nd 50 (Goal 2nd 50 of a 100).
So, here is the real basic "cheat sheet" we posted on the white board:
If your 100 goal is 46+, your practice goal is 24 {22/24 ideal splits}
and so on….so the chart looks like this:
46 / 24
48 / 25
50 / 26
52 / 27
54 / 28
56 / 29
58 / 30
1:00 / 31
1:01 / 32
So, to reasonably expect to go a certain time, you've got to be able to repeat your second 50 goal in a set like this….OR you have to be able to swim faster than you normally swim in practice (some people simply don't line up with this for the most part….I've seen people hit their time in meets having not done the times in practice….particularly at a "State" and "Regional" level….the National and International levels have less forgiveness for 'good' -- not 'great' training). What this means is that I am looking for the TIMES to line up with the GOALS, but in some cases I am good with watching athletes simply go faster than normal in training. To expect great swims in meets, you've got to try to 1) hit actual paces you plan to go in the race, during practice (preferred), or 2) go faster than you normally go in practice (we always feel more confident racing after an individual does things they haven't done before).
Keep in mind, we did 25 fast 50s in a span of 45 minutes. It was awesome! Overall we had a great practice. Breaststrokers did their swims with flip turns, which is a little bit faster, but more taxing -- so it evens out! Here are the basic averages from our athletes, for the final 16-18 fast swims (take the first few minutes out…the athletes are just getting into the set at that point):
Shawn (Free) 25-24
Paolo (Free) 25-24
Davis (Free) 28-27
Aaron (Fly) 28-27
Cole (Fly) 28-27
Emma (Free) 28-27
Karen (Fly) 29-28
Bean (Fly) 29-28
Erika (Fly) 28-27
Kaitlyn (Free) 29-28
Michelle (Free) 29-28
Abby (Free) 29-28
Wyatt (Breast) 30-29
Matt (Breast) 29-28
Rip (Breast) 31-30
Alex (Breast) 32-31
Jacob (Breast) 32-31
Madi (Free) 32-31
This was really outstanding training. Shawn is looking like a 45.8-46.7 guy now, and Paolo is looking like he is a 46-47 guy. Our Breaststroke team is really solid, from 28 many times from Matt (more than 3 or 4, I lost count), to a bunch of 29s for Wyatt, to 31 at the slowest from Alex, Rip, and Jacob….all very solid training. I can't think of a single person who had a poor set. Our athletes were either good or very good!
I asked a few people to step up "cold turkey" at the end of a set and swim a 50 from a dive.
Matt went 27.9 Breast about 40 seconds after finishing the set.
Abby went next: 25.3 Freestlye
Michelle went 26.8 to follow Abby
Cole went 25.3 Fly
Pretty awesome effort and attitude. I loved hearing the support throughout the set for each other, and the cheering during the 50s….lots of support, and leadership coming from all angles. I think many people built some confidence today. And of course real confidence is only gained through ACTION! We were about action today, that's for sure.
I've got some videos of the practice, and certainly a bit more to say about it. I'll save it for another time. I'm going to try to post the videos tonight or tomorrow AM.
Get some sleep everyone! Including you, parents!! :) We all have a big day tomorrow of getting the most out of everything we do.
The first person to text me or email me an "A" paper or an "A" test (gotta be a major paper or test, no small quizzes here) -- will win a prize! You have to have done it within the last three weeks. My number is 239-777-0017 / email is paul@t2aquatics.com We are doing great with the swimming right now -- let's make sure the schoolwork is lined up! Send the pic, get the prize tomorrow!
There were a lot of great performances today. We were looking for 50s that matched an athlete's Goal 2nd 50 (Goal 2nd 50 of a 100).
So, here is the real basic "cheat sheet" we posted on the white board:
If your 100 goal is 46+, your practice goal is 24 {22/24 ideal splits}
and so on….so the chart looks like this:
46 / 24
48 / 25
50 / 26
52 / 27
54 / 28
56 / 29
58 / 30
1:00 / 31
1:01 / 32
So, to reasonably expect to go a certain time, you've got to be able to repeat your second 50 goal in a set like this….OR you have to be able to swim faster than you normally swim in practice (some people simply don't line up with this for the most part….I've seen people hit their time in meets having not done the times in practice….particularly at a "State" and "Regional" level….the National and International levels have less forgiveness for 'good' -- not 'great' training). What this means is that I am looking for the TIMES to line up with the GOALS, but in some cases I am good with watching athletes simply go faster than normal in training. To expect great swims in meets, you've got to try to 1) hit actual paces you plan to go in the race, during practice (preferred), or 2) go faster than you normally go in practice (we always feel more confident racing after an individual does things they haven't done before).
Keep in mind, we did 25 fast 50s in a span of 45 minutes. It was awesome! Overall we had a great practice. Breaststrokers did their swims with flip turns, which is a little bit faster, but more taxing -- so it evens out! Here are the basic averages from our athletes, for the final 16-18 fast swims (take the first few minutes out…the athletes are just getting into the set at that point):
Shawn (Free) 25-24
Paolo (Free) 25-24
Davis (Free) 28-27
Aaron (Fly) 28-27
Cole (Fly) 28-27
Emma (Free) 28-27
Karen (Fly) 29-28
Bean (Fly) 29-28
Erika (Fly) 28-27
Kaitlyn (Free) 29-28
Michelle (Free) 29-28
Abby (Free) 29-28
Wyatt (Breast) 30-29
Matt (Breast) 29-28
Rip (Breast) 31-30
Alex (Breast) 32-31
Jacob (Breast) 32-31
Madi (Free) 32-31
This was really outstanding training. Shawn is looking like a 45.8-46.7 guy now, and Paolo is looking like he is a 46-47 guy. Our Breaststroke team is really solid, from 28 many times from Matt (more than 3 or 4, I lost count), to a bunch of 29s for Wyatt, to 31 at the slowest from Alex, Rip, and Jacob….all very solid training. I can't think of a single person who had a poor set. Our athletes were either good or very good!
I asked a few people to step up "cold turkey" at the end of a set and swim a 50 from a dive.
Matt went 27.9 Breast about 40 seconds after finishing the set.
Abby went next: 25.3 Freestlye
Michelle went 26.8 to follow Abby
Cole went 25.3 Fly
Pretty awesome effort and attitude. I loved hearing the support throughout the set for each other, and the cheering during the 50s….lots of support, and leadership coming from all angles. I think many people built some confidence today. And of course real confidence is only gained through ACTION! We were about action today, that's for sure.
I've got some videos of the practice, and certainly a bit more to say about it. I'll save it for another time. I'm going to try to post the videos tonight or tomorrow AM.
Get some sleep everyone! Including you, parents!! :) We all have a big day tomorrow of getting the most out of everything we do.
The first person to text me or email me an "A" paper or an "A" test (gotta be a major paper or test, no small quizzes here) -- will win a prize! You have to have done it within the last three weeks. My number is 239-777-0017 / email is paul@t2aquatics.com We are doing great with the swimming right now -- let's make sure the schoolwork is lined up! Send the pic, get the prize tomorrow!
Swimming Hero's and Swimming Nemisis'
Last week I asked some of the members of our training group if they knew who Eric Vendt is. I've actually asked this same questions 3-4 times over the last few years. No one ever has a clue.
Eric Vendt is the first USA athlete to break 15:00 in the 1500M Free. He's not the first in the world's history, but he's first in US history.
Eric is famous for this fact, and a few others. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist in the 4x200 Free Relay from 2008, and he won individual Silvers in the 400IM in 2000 and in 2004.
It's crazy to me that not only do people not know who Eric Vendt is, but they don't know who Grant Hackett is, or Mike Barrowman, or really anyone but Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, or Katie Ledecky! Ok, maybe I am exaggerating! But my point remains: most of the time, when I throw names out there to our T2 Aquatics athletes, they have no clue who I'm talking about.
I think everyone needs two people in their "sporting life" that are more important to them than their parents and their coach. Those two people are:
1. Their HERO
2. Their NEMESIS
Athletes MUST THINK ABOUT SOMEONE OTHER THAN THEMSELVES when they are training. It's too boring and too emotionally draining to be thinking about yourself all of the time. Where do you get the adrenaline that can happen during/before training? You have to "not like" some people. Plain and simple, you have to be mean to win at the highest level. Mean, vindictive, and not at all sorry about it.
The facts are -- when you can't live happily without knocking off that kid that has beaten you six of the last seven races, then you are finally ready to win.
Be nice and fun and chill outside of the athletic environment. You think Michael Phelps flaps his arms and stares people down when he's pumping gas or grocery shopping? He doesn't. But he turns his "attitude" on during many parts of his day that have to do with training or preparing to train.
The fire inside of us needs to be constantly stoked and prodded. We have to feel the weight of the loss at times, and motivate to never feel that pain again. That's why I like it when athletes have to "sit with the pain". The pain is part of moving ahead. Second place is sometimes better than first place to me, because I'd rather have a pissed-off-for-greatness athlete in practice for weeks on end than some kid that thinks they've done something great but really they've just won a local competition.
Parents: sometimes this is why our super-competitive kids are a pain to deal with sometimes. Nothing can put a competitor in a "mood" like losing a race (or training heavy, but the way -- that affects the mood too:) ).
Athletes who are ok with losing will lose more than they win. Athletes who are not ok with losing will still probably lose more than they win, but they will win bigger races at times that make them feel somewhat ok about losing all of the previous races.
And then they wake up the next morning, and the process starts all over again!
Tuesday Sneak Peek
We have done this set of 50x50 before. We are looking for great performances!
Out of the 25 fast 50s, look for the first 7-10 to be done at half of your 100 goal plus 2-4 seconds.
Look for the next 10 to be half your 100 goal plus 1-3 seconds.
Look for the final 5-7 to be at half your 100 goal to plus 100 of your 100 goal.
These are estimates. The bottom line goal is put up a bunch of 50s that are not necessarily your best 50s ever done in practice (we are doing 25 fast 50s, not 5 or 6!)…..but they should be the best "group" of 50s you've been able to accumulate!
So, if you normally hit 28 for a fast 50 fly push when we go 24x50, every 4th fast (at the end of a practice), then you should get as many 29-30s as you can today! Maybe even a 28 or three at the end of the set, if it works out that way. No saving up for the last part of the set through!
Most people will do this Fly or Breast. We will have a few Freestylers in there as well.
Monday, 1 February 2016
Monday Feb 1, 2016
As promised, we did some 200s Backstroke today. Our main set:
12x200 Back
1- (245) strong
3- (230) fast
2- (240) strong
2- (225) fast
3- (235) strong
1- (220) fast
Paolo led the way on this set.
His times were:
1- (245) strong {210}
3- (230) fast {205, 205, 203}
2- (240) strong {209, 207}
2- (225) fast {203, 204}
3- (235) strong {212, 208, 208}
1- (220) fast {159.7}
Paolo's best time in a competition is 1:56. So, his slowest two times here (210, 212) are only 14 and 16 over his PR. He did 6 200s within 9 seconds of his all time best time!
Paolo gets a 4.75 grade for the set. His walls were not quite long enough at the end of the set to warrant a 5.0, but a very nice set overall.
Think about how that would work if you trained like that in 200s of any stroke:
If your best time is 1:40 in the 200 Free, that's 6 200s at 1:49 or better.
If your best time is 1:55 in the 200 Fly, that's 6 200s at 2:04 or better.
If your best time is 2:05 in the 200 Breast, that's 6 200s at 2:14 or better.
My hope is that Paolo considers this too! What if his freestyle training was even close to this? He would do a lot more 1:52-1:48 swims in practice, and a lot more 2:55-2:50 300s, and a lot more 3:59-3:50s.
As a group, we talked about backstroke kicking prior to the set (during the kicking 100s we did after warmup)….and we did a bit better with the back kicking after talking about it. Let's get more people kicking under 1:20 on the back! We should not be a better Freestyle Kicking team when compared to Backstroke Kicking! Backstroke Kick is supposed to be faster than Freestyle kick, and in my experience even the best Flutter kickers I've worked with are faster on their kicking on their back.
We had only a handful of athletes who got under 2:10 today -- and too many athletes on the "A" interval that could not break 2:20. My viewpoint takes two perspectives: first, this is "where we are" and it's ok….we have work to do; but second, we MUST work on Backstroke whenever we have a chance. We can't have 1 guy sub 2:00, 4 people between 204 and 208, and everyone else over 215 on a single backstroke 200 at the end of the set. That's not a training group, that's two training groups!
Here are a few tips for your backstroke training:
1. Work harder on Backstroke swimming and kicking in warmups. If you were an athlete at 2:20 or 2:24 today, make sure your 100s in warmup are 1:09 or faster, and make sure your 50s are 33 or faster. In the warmup, the intervals tend to be easier, and most athletes are pretty fresh -- you have to take advantage of these warmups!
2. Kick past the flags at all times. When doing 25s, kick two full body lengths past the flags. After you can get the distance down, kick faster underwater past the flags. Training like this (using the underwater kick all of the time) simply makes you a tougher aquatic athlete. We want to be great swimmers, and it only makes sense to develop the skills is takes to be FAST underwater!
3. Embrace the Backstroke pulling with a strap. I thought Jacob did a great job today figuring out how to pull better with the strap around his ankles. I mentioned during the set that "you have to teach yourself how to do it better". I know this sounds like the easy way out for your coach! -- but it really is great advice if you take it. Jacob took that advice and instead of waiting for me to give him some TIP that he could implement (a passive approach), he digested my statement to the group and went to work. He took responsibility to put in some work. Sometimes athletes rely too much on the coach -- and in doing so limit themselves to whatever the coach says or doesn't say. It's YOUR sport and YOU are the person that's going to make the most impact on YOUR OWN training.
Each of these points relate to any stroke. Make it happen!
12x200 Back
1- (245) strong
3- (230) fast
2- (240) strong
2- (225) fast
3- (235) strong
1- (220) fast
Paolo led the way on this set.
His times were:
1- (245) strong {210}
3- (230) fast {205, 205, 203}
2- (240) strong {209, 207}
2- (225) fast {203, 204}
3- (235) strong {212, 208, 208}
1- (220) fast {159.7}
Paolo's best time in a competition is 1:56. So, his slowest two times here (210, 212) are only 14 and 16 over his PR. He did 6 200s within 9 seconds of his all time best time!
Paolo gets a 4.75 grade for the set. His walls were not quite long enough at the end of the set to warrant a 5.0, but a very nice set overall.
Think about how that would work if you trained like that in 200s of any stroke:
If your best time is 1:40 in the 200 Free, that's 6 200s at 1:49 or better.
If your best time is 1:55 in the 200 Fly, that's 6 200s at 2:04 or better.
If your best time is 2:05 in the 200 Breast, that's 6 200s at 2:14 or better.
My hope is that Paolo considers this too! What if his freestyle training was even close to this? He would do a lot more 1:52-1:48 swims in practice, and a lot more 2:55-2:50 300s, and a lot more 3:59-3:50s.
As a group, we talked about backstroke kicking prior to the set (during the kicking 100s we did after warmup)….and we did a bit better with the back kicking after talking about it. Let's get more people kicking under 1:20 on the back! We should not be a better Freestyle Kicking team when compared to Backstroke Kicking! Backstroke Kick is supposed to be faster than Freestyle kick, and in my experience even the best Flutter kickers I've worked with are faster on their kicking on their back.
We had only a handful of athletes who got under 2:10 today -- and too many athletes on the "A" interval that could not break 2:20. My viewpoint takes two perspectives: first, this is "where we are" and it's ok….we have work to do; but second, we MUST work on Backstroke whenever we have a chance. We can't have 1 guy sub 2:00, 4 people between 204 and 208, and everyone else over 215 on a single backstroke 200 at the end of the set. That's not a training group, that's two training groups!
Here are a few tips for your backstroke training:
1. Work harder on Backstroke swimming and kicking in warmups. If you were an athlete at 2:20 or 2:24 today, make sure your 100s in warmup are 1:09 or faster, and make sure your 50s are 33 or faster. In the warmup, the intervals tend to be easier, and most athletes are pretty fresh -- you have to take advantage of these warmups!
2. Kick past the flags at all times. When doing 25s, kick two full body lengths past the flags. After you can get the distance down, kick faster underwater past the flags. Training like this (using the underwater kick all of the time) simply makes you a tougher aquatic athlete. We want to be great swimmers, and it only makes sense to develop the skills is takes to be FAST underwater!
3. Embrace the Backstroke pulling with a strap. I thought Jacob did a great job today figuring out how to pull better with the strap around his ankles. I mentioned during the set that "you have to teach yourself how to do it better". I know this sounds like the easy way out for your coach! -- but it really is great advice if you take it. Jacob took that advice and instead of waiting for me to give him some TIP that he could implement (a passive approach), he digested my statement to the group and went to work. He took responsibility to put in some work. Sometimes athletes rely too much on the coach -- and in doing so limit themselves to whatever the coach says or doesn't say. It's YOUR sport and YOU are the person that's going to make the most impact on YOUR OWN training.
Each of these points relate to any stroke. Make it happen!
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