Coaching | Mediterra Swim & Run

Finding Flow In Swimming

by Coach Mat | 18 Mar, 2017

When asked what my training objectives are this is what I prefer to say: “I train to achieve a state of flow – I want to enter into it quickly, restore it more quickly when disrupted, sustain it for longer periods of time, at a wider range of distance,...

Questioning Advice

by Coach Mat | 11 Mar, 2017

Recently a swimmer in our Dojo wrote about encountering his former swim coach at the pool. She happened to observe his latest stroke, admired a few points and then began to give him some advice, urging him to change certain things. Upon reflection this advice caused...

How To Build Your Own Practice Plan

by Coach Mat | 26 Feb, 2017

This blog has been going for over 7 years, and has gathered over 450 posts on mindful swimming and related topics. From time to time I’ve been asked when I will compose a book out of some of it. Blogs tend to keep attention on the latest post while good stuff...

The Sweet Spot Of Exercise

by Coach Mat | 19 Feb, 2017

I was listening to this inspiring Rich Roll podcast interview with David Goggins. It was 1 hr 45 minutes of mind-blowing stories of what this guy has accomplished in his military career and in ultra-distance events, in light of the history he had to work from. All...

Love Your Weakest Member

by Coach Mat | 4 Feb, 2017

In the last post I shared some transcribed parts of Rich Roll’s podcast that covered one coach’s way of establishing healthy and injury-free athletes. There was one point in that discussion that may have drifted by too fast – it is so subtle but so...

The Discipline Of Restraint

by Coach Mat | 28 Jan, 2017

One of the ways you can detect truly elite coaches is by the emphasis in their teaching and marketing on ‘going-smarter’ rather than ‘going-harder’ (though this is required also). Mature coaches seem to echo the refrain: listen to your body. If...