Recently I had a swimmer repeat a previously practiced drill. His initial comment was ‘back to the beginning….!’
Yes and no. Yes the drill was at the beginning of his learning sequence, but now by no means was it being practiced with beginner skill.
Initially practiced for general comfort and alignment, shifting now to fine motor control to enable more subtle complex propulsive movements allowed him to realize that he was practicing a ‘beginner’ drill with ‘advanced’ skill. Since then I have had several swimmers use the same drill all with different skill focus – stability, breathing patterns and control and the impact on alignment, core control to enable effective catch and kick just to name a few.
Here are some tips to drill with skill:
- Know the purpose of the drill – what skills are you learning from the drill and how does it apply to the whole stroke?
- Immediately after drilling, take your skill into the whole stroke and see if you can feel the improvements.
- Check that you are drilling correctly – use video or ask a team mate, friend or coach to watch and give you feedback
- Go back to basics, what have you learned about your swimming? What is now easy? What skill can you work on now?
- Appreciate the process, embrace the challenges and the enjoy the success!
Most of us will take a break from swimming at some point. It may be a few weeks, months or longer between swims. Making the decision to head back to the water is the first step. Now, what to do when you get there?
Take these ideas with you to make the first swim back enjoyable, purposeful and successful so that you will want to do it again. and again. and again!
1. Relax Into It – choose a warm up distance and pace that is a comfortable for you. The goal here is to find relaxed exhalation and inhalation, and to keep the body tension free. Use this time to make a connection with your environment by stimulating your senses – what do you see, hear and feel?
It may be 4×25 repeated 3 times, or 6×50, or 3-5 x 100, or a 300, or a 500. Make it your practice from the start by feeling what your body can do comfortably.
2. Find a Focus – training yourself to think about swim technique in all of your practices is important. Start in this practice by repeating your warm up distance, this time with one swim focus in mind.
You may recall the focus from previous coaching, or from watching a swim video, or self assessing your stroke, or by watching graceful swimmers at the pool. Make it your practice by feeling the focal point and holding the thought and form for this set.
3. Add Some Speed – just enough to wake up your neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems. Choose some short distance repeats, a series of 25s or 50s and pick up the pace. Keep the focus from the second set and allow yourself recovery time between each repeat.
4. Warm Down and Reflect – round out your first swim back with an easy relaxed warm down. Use this time to congratulate yourself and to reflect on the swim. What went really well today? What can you improve? and….When will you be back for the next swim?
Coach Dinah
January 6, 2016 11:41 am | 
