by Coach Mat | 25 Feb, 2018 | Competitive/Performance Training, Design Principles, How To Train?, Martial Arts, Metabolic Training, Muscle Training, Neurological Training, Plateau (No Progress), Running, Speed and Pace, SPL, Stroke Length (SL), Tempo, Stroke Rate (SR), Training Theory, Triathlon Swimming
A member of our online training site, the Mediterra Swim Dojo, has been noticing that after a certain distance in a training set, his stroke quality deteriorates which results in his stroke count (strokes per length of the pool) going up uncontrollably. He asked a...
by Coach Mat | 17 Dec, 2017 | Breathing Skills, Breathing Trouble, Discomfort, Increasing Ease, Internal Feedback, Mastery Process, Neurological Training, Practice Examples, Progression, Student Stories
I was working with ‘Ray’ in a private lesson. He presented a good example of how we could use the Checklist For Easier Breathing to diagnose his breathing complaint and pinpoint the possible solutions. To review, here are the four main features of easier...
by Jamee Small | 19 Jul, 2017 | Attention/Focus, Improving Attention, Kaizen (Continual Improvement), Mastery Process, Neurological Training, Neuromuscular Training, Proprioception, Self-Coaching, Somatosensory Skill
What draws you to the practice of Total Immersion? Is it smooth swimming? Is it for health and fitness? A lifelong goal? What about as a method to train and sharpen your brain? Does it meet all those aims? The brain physically and cognitively is absolutely...
by Coach Mat | 21 Aug, 2016 | Aging and Improvement, Competitive/Performance Training, Design Principles, Discomfort, Fitness Training, Increasing Ease, Integration/Change Skill, Kaizen (Continual Improvement), Mastery Process, Mental Training, Neurological Training, Plateau (No Progress), Pleasure Swimming, Recommended Reading, Training Psychology, Training Theory
Here is a challenging statement to ponder: You cannot secure your comfort by avoiding discomfort. You have to enter and work within a zone of discomfort in order to learn how to be comfortable in it. Before we get into that, let’s point out that there is a...
by Coach Mat | 16 Jul, 2016 | Attention/Focus, Competitive/Performance Training, Distraction, Mastery Process, Mental Training, Neurological Training
Continuing with the flow of thought from my previous post Remain In The Moment… While in that moment of the swim, deep in the Scarce Energy Zone, what does the mind need to do? Because, it’s going to do something, whether you direct it intentionally or...
by Coach Mat | 11 Jun, 2016 | Competitive/Performance Training, Design Principles, Fitness Training, How To Train?, Kaizen (Continual Improvement), Mastery Process, Metabolic Training, Muscle Training, Neurological Training, Plateau (No Progress), Self-Coaching, Training Theory
For the swimmer or triathlete who is trying to figure out how to design his own practice sets, it might be a confusing task. Even experienced swimmers who are no longer competing or training for a specific achievement may find themselves aimless in choosing random...
