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...
by Coach Mat | 3 Dec, 2016
A couple weeks ago I participated in a Chi Running workshop led by Master Coach Alice Diffely in Portland, Oregon USA. To prepare for the workshop I was reviewing some chapters in the Chi Running book to refresh my memory of the principles, drills and focal points. I...
by Coach Mat | 12 Dec, 2015
Sometimes it seems like we have a paradox with relaxation in swimming – a dissonance between the understanding that speed requires power and power requires muscle tension, yet speed is restricted unless there is relaxation in the muscles. In Easy Strength the...
by Coach Mat | 28 Mar, 2015
In response to the recent essay Stroke Length Loyalty (and the subsequent essay Intro to Pace Combinations) I’ve entered into an enjoyable email discussion with a retired engineer about judging efficiency of the stroke. He has been asking how we know when a...
by Coach Mat | 15 Nov, 2014
Recently a swimmer friend emailed me the link to this article and asked my perspective on it. Since it comes through an authoritative source (US Masters Swimming) it carries some weight in the minds of swimmers. The article is ” Strength and Size: Getting...
by Coach Mat | 30 Aug, 2014
I have kept this self-help idea in my pocket for a couple years since a TI Coach friend referred me to a masseur, who in turn recommended this home remedy to relieve some muscle knots that were developing under my shoulder blades from extensive sprint work I was doing...
