No Progress | Mediterra Swim & Run

Comfort Needs Discomfort

by Coach Mat | 21 Aug, 2016

Here is a challenging statement to ponder: You cannot secure your comfort by avoiding discomfort. You have to enter and work within a zone of discomfort in order to learn how to be comfortable in it. Before we get into that, let’s point out that there is a...

Self-Limiting Practice Sets

by Coach Mat | 16 Aug, 2016

I want to keep confronting the false notion that fitness training and technical training are two separate activities in the pool. Fitness and Technique are truly inseparable, and should be regarded as such in every practice activity. All repetitive movement is...

Time For Auto-Pilot

by Coach Mat | 23 Jul, 2016

I am continuing some more with thoughts related to the previous post Thinking Or Feeling? If you already agree that mindful practice, deep concentration on feeling with the nervous system is a good way to ensure quality during practice time, the question may come up...

Using Failure To Solve the Puzzle

by Coach Mat | 18 Jun, 2016

This is meant to be Part 2 of Practice As A Puzzle To Solve. A Practice Example Here is an an example of how I applied this puzzle approach… At a certain range of distance-swimming tempos (1.15 to 0.95) I have tapped into this full-body synchronized rhythm which...

Practice As A Puzzle To Solve

by Coach Mat | 11 Jun, 2016

For the swimmer or triathlete who is trying to figure out how to design his own practice sets, it might be a confusing task. Even experienced swimmers who are no longer competing or training for a specific achievement may find themselves aimless in choosing random...

Training In The Scarce Energy Zone

by Coach Mat | 4 Jun, 2016

This post was first published as Part 4 of the Swimmer Speed Curve Series, but I have got the impression that it was mostly overlooked as tail-end of that series. It is an important topic in the conversations I am having with my athletes, so I feel I should call more...