Design Principles | Mediterra Swim & Run

The Magic Wand

by Coach Mat | 4 Jun, 2017

When they were younger, just starting to do bigger chores around the house, I used to tease my daughters that I was giving them a ‘magic wand’ that could make much of what they wished in life come true. What is the magic wand? Hard work. Needless to say,...

Achievement As A Tool

by Coach Mat | 28 May, 2017

There is this wide spectrum between “I want to perform better” and “I want to feel better” – a few swimmers seem to be on one extreme or the other, while the rest of us fall somewhere in the middle with a mixture of both. However, one of...

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,...

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...

Focus On Small, Specific Pieces

by Coach Mat | 20 Nov, 2016

We are continuing from Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 in this discussion of the features of Ericsson’s Deliberate Practice concept. We will look at the importance of focusing training upon small, specific pieces of skill. I am referring to Chapter 4 “The...

Difficult And Enjoyable Practice

by Coach Mat | 12 Nov, 2016

This is the third part of a series on how we demonstrate Deliberate Practice principles in our particular way of training. You may start with Part 1, and Part 2. In Chapter 4 “The Gold Standard” in Peak: Secrets From The New Science Of Expertise, in the...