Physiological | Mediterra Swim & Run

Your Lifestyle Of Strength

by Coach Mat | 9 Feb, 2019

For long distance events you need to be strong in terms of muscle endurance. Your body needs to be capable of working at moderate effort level for a long time. For sprint events you need to be strong in terms of muscle power. Your body needs to be capable of...

Your Diet Of Strength, Endurance and Power

by Coach Mat | 2 Feb, 2019

Why Be Strong? You certainly want your shape and movement patterns to be streamline and efficient to reduce internal and external resistance to moving forward. But even then, you still need strength, because it defines your body’s ability to do work. Even when...

What Is The Difference Between Strength, Endurance And Power?

by Coach Mat | 26 Jan, 2019

As you may have noticed from my style of writing on this blog, I try to be careful with definitions of words and use them in technically accurate ways. I appreciate when someone sends me a kind note pointing out where I may have misused or misunderstood a term in its...

Should You Wear A Wetsuit?

by Coach Mat | 25 Nov, 2018

Comfort Barrier If the water is cooler than you are comfortable with, or even really cold, should you wear a wetsuit? Well, my short answer to this question is, if the cold will keep you from swimming, but otherwise you are fit, capable and eager to go, then wear a...

Removing Fear And Tension From Your Experience In Water

by Coach Mat | 10 Nov, 2018

The Polyvagal Theory developed by Stephen Porges, describes the way the internal body states influences the brain and perception of the environment, and the environment (especially the social environment) influences internal body states. In my own words, there are...

One Stroke Technique For Everyone? Part 3

by Coach Mat | 28 Oct, 2018

This continues from Part 2 of One Stroke Technique For Everyone? In the previous part I discussed how we might allow a swimmer to make compromises away from the ideal because she has limitations in her body that are unimproveable or there are other reasons that stack...