Here is a more simplified guide on how a Tune-Up could be constructed:
Distance/Duration: It could be from 10 minutes to 15 minutes for an already well-tuned swimmer, to the entire practice for an out-of-tune swimmer.
I am very reluctant to lay out actual distance or time involved in each step. This is extremely personalized. On any particular day, for a whole variety of reasons, you may find things coming more easily or coming harder than normal. You may need more time in one area of concentration or less. It is a principle that you take the time necessary to get into your ideal state in each area in order to be set up for your best practice.
Recognize that one step does not end and the next begin. It is a sequence of turning on one area of concentration and laying it upon the previous one. You are gradually increasing the complexity of what your brain will pay attention to. First, Attention, then add Relaxation, then add Balance, then add Streamline.
ATTENTION
Objective: Draw my attention into the water, into my body.
Measure Quality: By how sensitive I am to feedback inside my body and to the feedback of the water.
RELAXATION
Objective: Relax and loosen the tissues and give the systems time to align into my best swimming position and movement patterns.
Measure Quality: By how easy and eagerly my body wants to get into my best swimming position and move, by feeling energy wanting to burst out.
BALANCE
Objective: Tune up my balance, front/back balance and rotational (side) balance.
Measure Quality: By how easily I can keep my body parallel to surface and gliding forward on a straight path.
STREAMLINE
Objective: Tune up my streamline, so that I slide forward on each stroke with least effort.
Measure Quality: By how easily I am reaching my optimal stroke length.
If things are coming harder than normal then you might walk through these questions:
- Where is my attention today? Am I present here in the water, in my body, or is my attention somewhere else?
- Do I have enough energy? Is my immune system working harder than normal? Am I still recovering from my last activity?
- Can my muscles generate enough force? (Is there tension or injury and atrophy reducing my normal muscular capacity?)
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