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Pain, Can You Handle It?

Posted on January 23, 2011 by swimmerjoe

WARNING! The word “pain” in this instance is not talking about pain in terms of an injury or something that is going wrong with your body that is preventing you from being the best that you can be. It is talking about getting through difficult training and hard work to become the best you and your body can be!

Pain, can you handle it?

Pain is working at practice as hard as you can
Pain is feeling the burn…often!
Pain is living in the zone where others hate to go
Pain is working harder than your friends and enjoying it
Pain is holding your breath from the flags in
Pain is doing 10 extra starts after practice
Pain is kicking so hard in practice that it hurts in your toes
Pain is getting up in the early mornings
Pain is doing dryland harder than anyone else
Pain is being competitive at everything
Pain is lifting more, jumping more, and drilling more than anyone
Pain is what I need to break through to become great
Pain is what my competitors are going through to beat me
Pain is what my coach feels when I cheat or loaf
Pain is the rush of a lifetime, if you let it in
Pain is the sweat and tears

Pain, can you handle it?

Live for the rush
Live for the challenge
Live for the race
Live for competition
Live for mornings
Live for Drylands
Live for your sweat and tears
Live for the burn
Live for and in the zone that no one likes to go
Live for the adrenaline
Live for the extra work after practice
Live for speed
Live in fear that they are chasing you down
Live for the dolphin kickout
Live for the best your body can handle

I mean, can you really handle it? Nothing is easy if it is worth having. How many times have you heard that? Put your body to the test, put your mind to the test, put your attitude to the test, live your own dream. Do NOT waste any opportunities!

Every athlete who competes at the national level in any sport got there by getting through the pain and living for the entire process. Give it a try, you will surprise yourself.

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Teaching Tactician vs. Evil Dictator

Posted on January 19, 2011 by swimmerjoe

We had an outstanding practice today! I was in Teaching Tactician mode, which was a nice change. (You see, every now and then I tend to get away from the Teaching Tactician and get more into the Evil Dictator Smashtician….with no bull, no ideas, no excuses.)

I think we coaches need a 60-40% mixture of the two, but which one is more is up to you! But I think my formula, at the age group I am coaching these days, is 50-60%ish teaching and 40-50%ish evil crusty old man from the planet Toughdealwithit in the Youcan’thandleitwimp galaxy!

Tonight I found that by helping kids see other more experienced swimmers do the pushoffs and kickouts correctly–being the Teaching Tactician–I was a big hit with the very young ones. Boy, what a great tool this was for the kids! (I must have had a bunch of visual learners picked out tonight to go watch the more experienced ones!)

It was somewhat satisfying getting things corrected and quickly moving on, especially when you have 4 different groups going on at the same time, with 60 kids in the lanes. The practice seemed to flow without a hitch….yeah! AND the younger ones are going longer than normal, which means they are getting in better shape. I think I am going to keep it that way for a while.

BUT—Evil Dictator Smashtician is lurking in the large echo chamber above my neck. My fuse is shorter than a skinny tick on a rabid dog when it comes to coaching kids that show NO effort… Okay, I mentioned it… so? I don’t mind little talent, little athletic ability, little feel for the water… but I do mind not working! Yeah, someone probably needs to send me an Evil Dictator Smashtician picture (drawing).

Side note: I swam with the kids today; they killed me.

So, my great fellow coaches and young awesome athletes, you and your coaches can be both the Teaching Tactician and Evil Dictator Smashtician. Just realize that you more than likely need both for best development as a coach and as an athlete. You need the mixture, plain and simple. So coaches, try both, swimmers learn to relish and respect both from you coaches.

“Bye.,” says the Teaching Tactician.

“Next time come ready to show me how great you want to be!” And that was the Evil Dictator Smashtician.

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Your Weekly Video Segment

Posted on January 17, 2011 by swimmerjoe

I saw a video “round up” like this on http://centralfltop5.com (my wife’s site) and thought it would be a great thing to do for swimming. SwimmerJoe’s videos will be a weekly list of videos, that are current and can teach you something about swimming, whether you are a competitive or recreational swimmer, triathlete, or even runner that needs some swimming for rehabilitation, etc.

I will list 5 or so videos that have been uploaded on the internet within the past week. I may even put some of mine from our swim team on there if they can help you all! What this will utlimately do is save you endless minutes or hours looking for videos on swimming or the previously mentioned areas.

So check it out once a week, I will try and keep it on the same day so you can count on it. So here we go with our first set. If you like this idea, let me know, if not, let me know. Have a great week and keep training hard and extremely focused on your goals!

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It’s Definitely Crunch Time!

Posted on January 13, 2011 by swimmerjoe

As the new big meet of Florida age-group swimming quickly approaches, FLAGS as they call it, I am reminded of some of the very basic things to cover in practice. After all, these are kids still are not at the highest level yet and need to continue to develop their stroke technique and efficiency. We want them to be good as they enter into their high school years and beyond, right? Right!

Being a 12-year-old World Champ (Haha!) is not really going to guarantee them a real world record or a trip to the Olympics in the future, but consistent stroke technique and growth as an athlete will certainly give them the best shot at it. Some of my best swimmers actually started to shine as 13-14 year-olds because of the consistency and willingness to concentrate on the basics as well as build up their pain threshold when it comes to training.

Getting faster is really just getting your body use to faster speeds at a more efficient rate, in my opinion. If you get your body use to doing 59s on many 100 yard or meter repeats, it will get easier to do in a meet. In my book, massive yards don’t make you fast, swimming fast makes you fast!

Doing Things Right

This is the time to do everything as perfect as possible and certainly be as critical as you can, as a coach or swimmer. This is a must. All turns must be fast, clean, streamline, not breathed into or out of, and kicked off properly. I always tell my kids, “You are going as fast as you are ever going to go when you push off the wall, so try and keep your body at that level as long as you can!”

It is the same with starts; why blow the fastest thing you’ll do in your entire race by doing it wrong by not streamlining and breathing the first stroke? I have seen many age-group swimmers win their races on starts and even pass other swimmers on turns. It is pretty cool to pass people without evening taking a stroke!

Lastly in this category, balance your stroke. Many athletes swim so many yards the wrong way that their stroke becomes, lop-sided and inefficient. OUCH! Balance you stroke by watching yourself in video, breathing bilaterally, counting your strokes, and doing many stroke lengthening drills, Popov, etc. Sprint, I mean sprint. Sprint as hard as you can, period. Especially the last month or so. I don’t need to say anymore about that. Duh!

Dream Big!

If you dream big, the dreams will come. Eventually. You will get your day, I can almost promise it.

You will do the best your body can do, but confidence has to be in your mental makeup all the time. Doubt, negativity and worry is a confidence killer and your competitors know it. Go into a meet and stand on a block knowing that no one has worked harder than you on your strokes, turns, starts, and training! And NEVER give up, ever! A certain Jason Lezak comes to mind…

So when you are thinking of your crunch time and the last few weeks of training before your big meets as an athlete or coach, concentrate on the basics and do them over and over. You will see a difference. Flip turn faster than anybody, start with a purpose, balance your strokes, and sprint like you never have before!

And always remember, don’t let anybody take your dreams away from you-ever!

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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!

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!

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

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A Few More Pictures from Last Week

Posted on January 6, 2011 by swimmerjoe

So like the blog says, running on the cruise wasn’t a problem. Here I am leaving for a 4 miler on Castaway Cay. Pretty cool to run with no idea where you are going. Disney had water every half mile, so it was perfect!

I just finished a 2000 meter swim in Serenity Bay. An 18 & older crystal clear water area that was completely bare and a great place to swim with no barriers.

View from our balcony on the Disney Magic at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.

Looking back at the Disney Magic from Castway Cay beach. Cool ship, uh?

Bahamas Law! So clean and innocent.

Yes, famous country singer Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler,” was on our ship vacationing with his family.

Of course, my island bike shop.

Many sunsets like this help the blood pressure.

A great picture from my brother-in-Law, Foster Harbin. He took most of these by the way.

My little swimming hole in the Bahamas at Serenity Bay. Swim as far as you want…no guards. No rugrats.

Well, what do you guys think? Train on your vacation? Or vacation while you train?

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Cruising for a Bruising

Posted on January 5, 2011 by swimmerjoe

My family went on a holiday cruise… for 6 days! And, I have to admit I was a little worried about eating and gaining a number of pounds, because I had heard how great the food was and that there was a 24-hour buffet! GASP!

I was feeling anxious about being trapped on a luxury boat before we even boarded, so while we waited in the port to board, I used my iPhone to sign up for a 70.3 (half ironman). Well, I was a little bored just sitting there! But now that the deed was done and I had signed on the dotted line (by pressing Accept on my phone), I thought I better get in shape and NOT gain any more weight or it will be a very long rebuilding cycle.

Don’t worry, though, if you are ever on a cruise, because staying in shape was easier than I thought. Check out what I did.

Onboard Spin Classes

So I walked around the first day on the Disney Cruise Line (which was awesome) and I walked into the Spa & Salon, gazed at the spinning bike and treadmill facing the ocean, and somehow I knew I would be just fine.

“Increase 3 times!” What? “Increase 3 times!” Nick, the spin instructor, was yelling at me as I was gazing at the ocean outside. Why in the heck was he keying on me? Oh yea, I was the only one that showed up that first day! Darn.

Nick, originally from Macedonia, took me through 3 major beatings on the spin bike and trashed my legs, probably more than I wanted, but it felt really good anyway. His being a professional cyclist in Europe for many years didn’t hurt either!

Onboard Treadmill

After every hour-long spinning class, I made it a point to get over on the treadmill and run at least 2-4 miles just to get my legs underneath me. Man,that hurt for a mile or two, but finally loosened up. If you guys have never tried this, it’s a definite must in the “oh my god my legs hurt” field.

Run in Port

When we were on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, the crew led an early morning 5K across the beautiful, tropical place. This was a great way to stay in shape (get my land legs under me!) and also experience each port in a new way.

Pull the Tri

To add to my workout after the 5k, I then went back aboard to spin for an hour. After that, I would again debark and head for the endless beach. There I had about a 2000 meter crystal clear ocean swim….nothing better in the entire world! (And it was in an area the call “Serenity Bay” which is an adult-only area of solitude on the private island. Nice!

So, if you think you’ll get out of shape or as large as a house while on a cruise, don’t worry. A cruise definitely has what you need to help you stay right where you need to be. In addition to what I mentioned, there were plenty of ab classes, weight machines, and even yoga classes right on the beach. And, with the children’s activities provided by the crew and counselors, you will have plenty of kid-free time to exercise all you want!

By the way, we were the first to see Disney’s brand new huge ship, the Dream. Here it is in Castaway Cay’s port a week ago.

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Reticulated Python

Posted on December 10, 2010 by swimmerjoe

He was 7 ½ feet and meaner then hell! I mean, his head was as big as my hand and his eyes were a fire-flame orange, and they seemed to say, “I will kill you and eat you!”

I know, I know, you are wondering what on Earth this has to do with swimming… well, I keep telling you that the experiences you have with your teammates will are building the memories of your lifetime, right? Well, this is one of those memories, or perhaps you could call it a Joeism.

When I was swimming in college, weird exotic animals were easy to come by, so of course, my roommate, fellow swimmer Ben Bates and I had some. I had many snakes, ranging from 2 feet to over 10 feet, had alligators, birds, flying squirrels, you name it! But the one that took the cake was a nasty, I mean, severely cruel, reticulated python. He would draw blood every time he would bite…and his fangs would go very deep!

Whenever I looked at him, he’d launch out at me, when anybody walked by, he struck. (Yes, he was a demented serpent that I wish I’d never purchased!)

Fast forward to the day LSU was playing Florida in football (athletes lived in the stadium—Yon Hall), and Gainesville was absolutely filled to the gills, with people. We started having guards at the bottom of the stairs so people wouldn’t sneak into the athletic dorm and vandalize the place while we were at the game.

Immediately after the game I walked down to the bottom with the snake I named 96 dollar A$$h-le (this is a family website). While I was downstairs with this devil snake, one guard (let’s call him Marvin), a 30+ year-old man said, “Nice snake.” So of course, I had the “Grinch Who Stole Christmas” look in my eye when I had an idea.

Hmmm—talk about the snake and see if he is interested!

So we continued and I told him that the snake was just a little testy and perhaps needs to be held more, worked with, blah, blah, blah. Marvin said, “Oh I am a snake charmer and I love to break in snakes.” Uh, yeah, right! He said, “Let me change out of the security stuff and meet you later up in the dorm.” I said “sounds good, see you tonight.”

So I immediately went upstairs and to tell my teammates the whole story about the guard and that he is a snake charmer and loves to work on snakes to calm them down. We all agreed we could finally get rid of the snake! (Earlier that month he was eating in the hallway and wouldn’t let anyone pass or get near it. So the group was ready to say see ya!)

So Marvin came upstairs, nicely dressed and came into Ricky Green and Jayme Taylor’s dorm room. The men’s swim team was in there and we were all wondering what was going to happen…could this guy actually have a way with snakes?

Marvin sat in the middle and I had the snake with me and I could tell that it wasn’t in a very good mood….actually the snake seemed a bit ticked off that I was handling him! After untangling one of the world’s largest breeds of snake from my arm, anxious Marvin took the snake and let it wrap around his scrawny arm. He started talking to it, charming in fact, speaking in a very calm voice and handling him with ease.

All the swimmers looked at each other, shaking heads and saying no way, they couldn’t believe it! I was thinking, “I guess he does know what he is doing!” Marvin even kissed the snake on the nose!

Well, before I go any further with the story, just remember that looks can be deceiving and not everything is as it seems. Just as Marvin the Snake Charmer got comfortable with the serpent, WACK! From out of nowhere, it attacked Marvin in the ear!

The snake latched on to the side of his head with fangs fully engaged! Massive blood spurted from Marvin’s ear and everybody jumped back and got out of the way.

As Marvin tried to grab the snake, it struck again, this time tagging Marvin in back of the elbow…..More blood. At this point I was saying to myself, “I am in so much trouble.”

We wrestled the snake away from Marvin, washed him off and it is probably obvious that Marvin didn’t want the snake after all. How I got rid of it is another story.

So I ask you, my friends, is this memory truth, Joeism, or half-truth? And, better yet, I wonder how Marvin tells this story to his friends!

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Be Thankful, Friends

Posted on November 25, 2010 by swimmerjoe

by guest blogger Bess Auer (http://centralfloridatop5.com)

A friend sent this to me via email. I do not know who the original author was, but I concur with the sentiments whole-heartedly. Each of us will have our share of sorrow in life, but it is my sincerest wish that we will also have our share of love and laughter. Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes,
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
Because it means you’ve made an effort.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they will become your blessings.

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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.

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