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The Dolfin Brick – A Heavy Work Out

Posted on January 8, 2011 by swimmerjoe

It was a great morning for the young swimming athletes (and some older ones) to have a great, intense Saturday morning practice. The Blue Dolfins, who practice in Oviedo, FL, just outside Orlando, did what they call in the triathlon world, a “brick,” which is training in two of the disciplines back to back.

Even the parents got involved, with quite a few running. Check out these moms!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdApzd-RnQU&fs=1&hl=en_US]

We started with a 5.4 mile run on the Sanford-Oviedo rail bed turned bike path, which is beautifully wooded and well attended with bikers as well as runners, throughout the day. Most of the kids hate this part of it, because of the crazy hour and what they are actually doing, but they know they need it and have witnessed the end result before during their taper.

After the run, where the kids trickle in at various times, they try to recover and get ready for what lies ahead. A grueling 2-hour swim practice that is tough enough by itself. Most of the athletes get any where from 15 minutes transition (good runners), to just 5 minutes to get a quick snack and get ready for this workout.

As you will see on this quick video, these athletes are dog-tired from running. It takes a great coach (haha) that can now motivate them to get in the water and train!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlBCb_37ZFM&fs=1&hl=en_US]

By the way, the Dolfin swimmers who are fast runners (which we have many), would make many, many track coaches salivate at the fitness and speed of these swimmers (as well as other sports). I have always said, swimmers at the elite level and some major age-group teams are definitely the best trained and most fit athletes in the world—based on same age, athlete vs athlete, etc.

Our practice, which started at 7:30, was as follows:

400 IM reverse drill
9 x 50 :50 descend 1-3, 4-6, 7-9
6 x 25 :30 kicking on side

Main Set (continuous)

4 x 100     1:30 IM
100           1:50 Dolphin KICK on back
4 x 100     1:15 Freestyle
2 x 50       :50 Fly from a dive
8 x 25       :45 1 breath freesytle – - 8 nose pushups after each one (Nose push ups are touching nose to hand, alternating each one)
(Repeat x 2)
4 x 25         :30 No breath, easy

8 x 25 :45 ALL OUT Free from a DIVE, number 4 and 8 easy

Fins

8 x 25          :30 Shooter, odds on belly, no breath, evens on back, no breath
4 x 50          1:15 37 ½ under water, 12 ½ sprint, All NO breath
6 x 50          :55 25 fly with a freestyle kick, 25 breast with a dolphin kick

Swim easy—-I let them off easy. Skipped the 1500 pull set!

Below is the workout LIVE video starting with the 6 x 25 kicking on their side. Enjoy some or all of it.
http://justin.tv/swimmerjoe/b/277142619

Point of Pain

Posted on November 21, 2010 by swimmerjoe

I work with age group swimmers, most of who are not accustomed to putting their body into pain. And, yes, it is difficult to explain to a 12 year-old the reason why they should not only push their body into pain, but also be happy they are doing it.

Not only that, training has a goal to break down the muscles, only to have them come out stronger on the other end. So, a swimmer often doesn’t understand why they can hold a 26.5 pace per 50 for the first few days of the week, but then can only hold a 27.8 per 50 as the week progresses. Throw in the major pain from heavy, very rigorous dryland, overly-tired bodies and minds and a coach has to navigate the ever-changing balance of the swim group. A coach has to know just how far to take his athletes–just to the edge, perhaps an inch or two over–and then begin to reel his athletes back in. To the breaking point without actually breaking them, and all the while keep his athletes enthused, excited, and positive about training day in and day out, mile after mile, 300 sit ups after 300 sit ups.

What young athletes don’t understand is the training does break them down to a point; it is supposed to do this. However, since they are in the middle of the training, it is hard for them to see the big picture, so they get frustrated and start to get bummed and extremely irritable.

It is difficult to get young athletes to understand they just need to grin and bear it, just get through it, any way they can.

Olympic athletes do and they don’t complain about it, they just struggle through it. Take this recent tweet from Dara Torres as an example: “A first, doing most of my swim workout this am breastroke!! Yikes! Arms feel like lead weight! More power to u breastrokers!!”

She acknowledged she was darn tired and her arms were killing her, but look how positive she seems; she knows how much this will help her, not just with breaststroke but with her overall swimming. So, keep the big picture in mind, especially when in the trudgery of pain.

I tell my swimmers to picture themselves getting on the block and having the confidence to say to yourself that no one–and I mean no one!–has trained harder, been more tired, or suffered more than you. That way when the last lap of the race is on the line and your arms and legs are way past tired, you know you can persevere. You know you can finish strong. You know this pain will subside.

Because of that broken down state and smash of physical and mental instabilities, your internal strength becomes powerful, very powerful. So, keep the big picture in mind and remember that tapering–that easy, relaxing training that all swimmers live for–is very close. If you can mentally get through the hard training, you will be better, plain and simple.

I grew up with many coaches and almost all of them were very tough with us (maybe you didn’t notice), but I think it is what has made me and my swimming friends insanely strong. We were all tougher than nails, rose to any challenge and still to this day can probably get through anything. Remember the swimmer that sailed through Navy Seal training? http://swimmerjoe.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/randy-reese/ He thought it was fun! Yeah, that’s what I am talking about.

So when you get beyond your realm of pain tolerance or you can’t believe these crazy practices, remember, coaches are building your foundation and inner mechanics for a speedy, tough athletic machine. Get through it and enjoy the process… you’ll shine in the end.

Power of the Get-Out Swim

Posted on November 19, 2010 by swimmerjoe

Well, well, well! Darn it! I knew I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth, but I did.

Our two “first-day” newcomers (Madison Faherty and Grace Giddings) from a lower group were the last two on the block today on sprint day. So I yell out, “If you both go your best time in the 100 free right now by 1 second, the entire group goes home.” And then there was the look I was longing for, the scared to death, the ‘I don’t want to let down my new friends’ look. Sweet! (You know what those looks bring, don’t you? Crazy speed, I mean crazy speed!)

The team started yelling, “Come on, you can do it!” and carrying on like rabid laughing hyenas.

Back when Tracy Caulkins, the United States best female swimmer, would train, she would train so hard and get so tired that her coach Randy Reese’s request seemed a bit extreme. (And by the way, Reese does not give get-out swims regularly. Um never!)

Well, the get-out swim Reese gave her was to swim the 400 IM…and, guess what time he wanted. Not only her best time, but Reese wanted her to break the American Record for the 400 IM. Right there. Right then.

What?! Break the American Record?

Well, guess what…she did it. In practice. Right then. Wow!

Yeah, this is the power of the get-out swim. It brings out something special in a swimmer. But just how does it work? Is it that you are so warmed up that the body is ready? Is it peer pressure? Or is it that your mind has no time to stress over it and your body is just reacting? The get-out swim is one of the great mysteries of the swim universe, and I have no idea what makes it work, but I do know it gives you rock star and superhero type power.

One time I gave a similar request to one of my swimmers in the 90s. Katie Gordon was a great distance swimmer and eventually went to swim for the University of Virginia. I gave her a 500 free in front of everyone on the team. There were two coaches walking the deck, two watches, and one excited young athlete. As an 8^th grader her best time was 5:03 or 5:04 but I knew she was much better than that. I was hoping a get-out swim challenge would make her see just how good she was. (She had just placed second at Junior Nationals that summer and I knew she was primed for a great one.)

Scared but meaner than a ticked off rattlesnake, Katie took off with wreckless abandon. Her teammates were cheering wildly for her, encouraging her, threatening her. At the 300 mark, she was 2:57 and holding her 59 second pace. At 400, she was 3:55. Then as she touched the wall, she finished with a 4:54.00 time in the 500. At practice. Unbelievable!

To this day, I don’t think she believes it. But it was power…the power of the get-out swim! The power of the peer pressured-one-on-one matchup with the clock and it created a very special moment.

Over the years I have seen multiple “best time” get-out swims and there is just something special in there, something that makes the kids dig deeper than ever before and gives them the extra turbo boost to get the job done.

So anyway, back to today’s get-out swims with Madison, 11, and Grace, 10. (Think deer in the headlights #1 and #2!) They were on the blocks and shivering from the 50+ degree blowing winds. They took off and looked fast and somewhere I felt a tinge of doubt, because they were new; I didn’t know these two athletes that well yet. So they flip at the 50 with a :31 and :32 and appeared to be hauling beyond comprehension. When the watch read :59 half way to the final wall I said to myself, “Geez, we are going home early!” (Darn it! Really didn’t want to!)

So Grace touches. 1:08.92. Bitter sweet—yes it was her best time by 1.5 seconds, but darn, that was half the puzzle piece they needed to get-out early. Then, closely behind, Madison slides in. 1:09.20. She lowers her time by 2 seconds. (Ugh! If I could show you the vein in my forehead I would! My swimmers were getting out early! The get-out swim strikes again!)

So when you or your athletes cringe about get-out swims or getting on the blocks for some speed…let these stories be a good lesson. And athletes, take the challenge and get up and surprise yourself. Do not hold back!

Because maybe the secret power of the get-out swim is discovering that the power lies within you all along… seeing is believing!

I love this sport.

If Swim Coaches Were Politicians…

Posted on November 3, 2010 by swimmerjoe

So, are you disgusted by all the crooked liars and cheats, all the infighting, the non-working together politicians? Why not put some swim coaches in office!

If swim coaches were politicians, we would get it done right!

First of all, coaches don’t take any bull from anyone, they speak their mind (even if wrong), and you know exactly where you stand with them.

They are good communicators (most of the time)
They can explain how to do complicated sets of instructions (Even to 10 & Unders)
They are very funny….no seriously, they are!
They know how to get large groups of people motivated not only to work for them but more importantly, to work for themselves
They know how to get people to work together
They don’t need Teleprompters
They don’t need people to speak for them
They know the value of hard work and how to get a job done
They don’t tell swimmers they that are going to do one thing and then do another

And swim coaches can tackle the big issues!

Healthcare: Swim Coaches will get everyone in shape and bring our health problems down, therefore saving on healthcare

Special Interest: They aren’t swayed by lobbyists (although we may like that one)

Welfare: Swim coaches believe that people must learn the value of hard work to equal a pay off

Cutbacks: Swim coaches get rid of old, outdated equipment, and do away with programs that don’t work. They believe in efficiency!

Elitists: While swim coaches are working to develop elite swimmers, they are not elitists themselves.

Taxes: Swim coaches understand if the population cannot afford the monthly fee, there is no swim team.

Foreign affairs: All international swim coaches respect each other and value healthy competition.

Trade: Swim coaches know how to trade advice, gain insight, and import and export training ideas.

So, if you want a real change, on the ballot, you should have written in your favorite swim coach’s name!

FL High School Swimming: How Do You Compare?

Posted on November 1, 2010 by swimmerjoe

This past week the High School Districts Competition got underway in Florida with some very fast swims! Some athletes were shaved, whereas others took their chances unshaved and continued to train through Districts in hopes of placing in the Top 8 and progressing on to Regionals, starting this Thursday. If swimmers place well in Regionals, they will move on to the State Competition.

Back when I was swimming high school season, there was only Districts and State, so it was a fairly easy to work the shave and taper progression. Now, however, wow! It takes the coaches and swimmers some serious planning to achieve maximum success. If you miscaluclate, in can mean the difference between advancing or not.

So swimmers, how do you compare to these District results below? Coaches, how do your kids compare? Florida is always one of the fastest swimming state competitions and it is always a good measure of what speed really is. Fortunately for some other states who hold their state meet in the Spring…6 months more training….lucky!

So check below and continue to check back though the Florida State Meet to see how you or your team compares. Click the District you want, then go to the pull down menu and select your area. (It may say “No results yet,” but they are there). Click here and start your comparing.

Here is the Florida High School Athletic Association Page

Girls State Records

Boys State Records

Flexibility, Range of Motion, and Speed

Posted on October 26, 2010 by swimmerjoe

Just a quick note on stretching and getting faster!

“That hurts! Not so far!” That was me in high school and college. Funny thing was, I was probably one of the most flexible guys on the team and probably one of the strongest!

Several times a day I would go through all my different stretches, against a door, a wall, lifeguard stand, whatever it took. I found parts that I didn’t know I could stretch, but did anyway. I think it paid off with gaining massive speed and increasing my overall strength. Whatever lack of talent I had, I definitely made up with these items.

I believe one of the best things you can do as an athlete is to work on your flexibility and range of motion. The more flexibility and range of motion you have, the faster you will go, plain and simple. So start on it now…multiple times a day.

Why do you think all the best swimmers look loose and lanky? Because they are!

You have to learn how to stretch by yourself, to discover which stretches are best for your body type. And then start stretching outside of practice and do it frequently. There are many websites out there with different types of stretches and range of motion exercises, and you need to surf and figure out the best ones for you.

I do know USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, and USA Triathlon have their own stretches they use for specific motions. Look at GoSwim.com, swimnetwork.com, and others to increase your library of knowledge with swimming. Back when I was swimming there was only Swimming World and the library, but now you all have huge amounts of areas to cruise through. So get to it and don’t forget to drink water! Here is a routine I found on about.com…not a bad start and should only take you 5 – 15 minutes. Of course after you warm your body up a little.

Stretching Routine (Stretch anything)

Frequency: Daily
Sets: 1 – 4
Repetitions: 4 – 10
Duration: Hold for 2 – 4 seconds
Rest: 5 – 10 seconds between reps and 20 – 45 seconds between sets (but don’t rush it, take more if you need it)
Exertion: Stretch until you feel resistance and hold
Use the opposing muscle to help move into the stretch
DO NOT FORCE A MOVEMENT, AND DO NOT HOLD A POSITION IF YOU FEEL PAIN
The motion of the stretch should stop a bit before it becomes painful

Note: Perform routine after a thorough warm-up or at the conclusion of your workout.

Let me know your routine, I would love to hear from you! Just make sure you guys touch on all muscles, at least 2-3 times per session. You will see your times drop in swimming, running and definitely cycling!

And just in case you needed further convincing, multi-Olympic Gold Medalist Dara Torres credits stretching for her longevity. Check out her stretching routine:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_i52yipzoc]

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