Why Tune-Up?

by Coach Mat | 5 Mar, 2013

What is a Tune-Up? And why should you add one to your swim practice? Traditionally, in individual sports like running and swimming, we have used the term “warm-up” for that part of the practice we do at the very beginning. The word ‘warm’...

Four Categories For Practice

by Coach Mat | 1 Mar, 2013

What skills is your practice focused on today? What is the main objective you need to accomplish? What information do you need to gather? What measurements do you need to take? How will your observations and accomplishments (or failures) today affect what you do in...

Little Details Big Difference

by Coach Mat | 27 Feb, 2013

Little details can make a big difference. I am back in the pool for a couple weeks while waiting for the sea to calm down. However, this particular pool is rarely consistent in temperature. So arriving yesterday I found it 30 C (87 F) – uncomfortably (and...

Read About Effortless Training

by Coach Mat | 25 Feb, 2013

I would like to invite you to order a pdf ebook called ‘Effortless Exercise’ by TI Coach Grant Molyneux of Alberta Canada. It is an extremely insightful book about using the wisdom of your body to pursue your best performance – the book is written in...

Smooth The Jerk

by Coach Mat | 23 Feb, 2013

I want to share a few observations from my cool water swimming experiment this winter. You might appreciate some of this for your own swim training journey… If you’ve been following me this winter you know I have set out to swim in the Mediterranean Sea on...

The Simple Path

by Coach Mat | 18 Feb, 2013

How do we make swimming easier? There are just two ways: Reduce water resistance. Use less effort (reduce the power output). How do we swim faster? There are three ways: Reduce water resistance. Apply available power more effectively. Increase power output. This...

Drills For Proprioception

by Coach Mat | 9 Feb, 2013

Did you know that your skin houses the extremities of your brain? Yes. The nerve endings (all various kinds) covering every square centimeter of your skin are extensions of the brain itself, not a separate organ. All those nerve endings are in constant contact with...

Definition Of A Drill

by Coach Mat | 5 Feb, 2013

A question raised on my last post: You point out that when our stroke breaks down, we asses where and why the stroke is not right and go back to drilling. What if we can not find the answer from the drills…..especially if self-coached, how would you suggest we “think...

eBook For TI Triathletes

by Coach Mat | 4 Feb, 2013

I’ve had the privilege of receiving my first TI Coach training under Shane Alton Eversfield (and Betsy Laughlin!) and then found a couple excuses to work with him again. I am looking for more. I love being around this guy. I love the way he explains things. The...

The Drill Sequence

by Coach Mat | 2 Feb, 2013

Here is a brief explanation of how to set up an effective learning pattern with drills and whole stroke. [I recommend that you read Using Focal Points and Using Drills to complement this essay. ] We develop the stroke, and then performance itself, beginning with gross...