Learning Methods | Mediterra Swim & Run

Expertise Takes Time

by Coach Mat | 1 Jan, 2017

As I near the end of this discussion of Anders Ericsson’s principles of Deliberate Practice which he laid out in his recent book Peak, I will give you the punch line right at the beginning: You get masterful swimming in return according to your investment of...

Practice Involves Feedback

by Coach Mat | 25 Dec, 2016

Along with the previous article in this series describing the role of focal points (mental representations), we are getting to the heart of the practice with the feedback loop. If you have ever learned to play an instrument (or tried to) or just listened to music...

Form Better Mental Representations

by Coach Mat | 17 Dec, 2016

Anders Ericsson declares that “the main purpose of deliberate practice is to develop effective mental representations.” (page 75). It would therefore be very important that we figure out what mental representations are in the context of our deliberate swim...

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...

Build A Better Feedback Loop

by Coach Mat | 15 Oct, 2016

It is certainly encouraging and advantageous to be at a training event with a coach who can give you feedback right there in the moment of action. But, as one swimmer recently commented, it gets expensive to keep the live coach around. These events costs money. ...

Test for Progress and Weakness

by Coach Mat | 28 Nov, 2015

Here is an excerpt from the instruction in the12-week Master Class 1K course inside our Online Coaching Program. It is describing the role of the test swim and guiding the swimmer’s response to it: To test progress and reveal strengths and weak spots you need to...