Specific Skills | Mediterra Swim & Run

The Role Of Heart Rate

by Coach Mat | 25 Sep, 2012

Another question came up soon after the Kickboard question: What about training and Heart Rate? Heart rate is a response in the body, not a causation. You don’t ‘train’ your heart rate, instead your heart rate gives you information about your...

Chuck The Kickboard

by Coach Mat | 23 Sep, 2012

At my last workshop in Kazan Russia a student (a swim instructor taking our course for the first time), after listening to our ideas about training, asked, “But what about kickboards then? Do you use them?” I paused, looked at her, and asked in return,...

Blending With Waves

by Coach Mat | 11 Sep, 2012

Something strange happened two swims ago. I was in calm, deep, clear water, making my way 2km along the cliffs to the old harbor. I had just seen my first sea turtle of the season swimming below as I started which lifted my spirit. But then, 30 minutes into the swim, ...

Power From The Core

by Coach Mat | 12 Aug, 2012

Today’s post is taken from my response to a dedicated TI swimmer friend in Sweden. She sent some videos clips for me to examine as well. “Could you please give me some advise on how I can get the whole body working when I swim? I feel as if I am just...

3 Aspects Of OW Training

by Coach Mat | 10 Aug, 2012

There are probably several ways to break this down but I have found it helpful to divide swim training, particularly training for open-water swimming, into 3 parts, when I organize all the skills and points we should cover. An accomplished swimmer looking at these...

Heat, Waves, and Head Down

by Coach Mat | 31 Jul, 2012

I am struggling in this Antalya heat. It’s ‘cooled’ down to the low 30’s but the humidity is high. After a several weeks, even with precautions and rest, the body and brain just start running more sluggishly. I hit the sea today a bit later-...