Specific Skills | Mediterra Swim & Run

2-Beat Kick Steps

by Coach Mat | 28 Aug, 2013

Are you one of those swimmers who has been trying to integrate the 2-Beat Kick (2BK) into your stroke lately? Don’t feel bad if you have been struggling. I would say at least half my students find this really complicated in the first few months of practicing TI...

Capturing The Awesome Stroke

by Coach Mat | 17 Aug, 2013

When was the last time, after taking a breather (at the wall, or a pause in an ow swim to recover) and then when you resumed swimming, your first few strokes felt AWESOME before everything gradually faded back into ‘normal’ ? For some swimmers this may...

Snorkel For Drills?

by Coach Mat | 10 Aug, 2013

Here is a question I am often asked in workshops: “Can I use a snorkel when doing drills?” The short answer is “Yes.” The obvious advantage in using a snorkel while doing drills is that it allows the swimmer to concentrate on the drill without...

Breathe Easy 2

by Coach Mat | 2 Aug, 2013

There are several details to making the breath (in freestyle stroke) feel relaxed and easy. Among the several here is one that, coincidentally, several recent students have noted as making the biggest breakthrough: Turn to breathe sooner. Now, this assumes that you...

Pace Practice For 1500

by Coach Mat | 27 Jul, 2013

How do you set up a practice to train for 1500? A long-time friend of mine emailed me his latest 3000 yard workout, sharing his results for some 500 repeats he made with the 1500 triathlon swim as his target. His (traditional) approach is to jump in the pool and just...

Core Muscles For Swimming

by Coach Mat | 20 Jul, 2013

Here is an essay my wife, Gail, elected to write for this blog. She is a licensed occupational therapist (OT) who has helped me develop an appreciation for the therapeutic advantages of TI (therapeutic as in both ‘rehabilitation’ and in ‘performance...