Psychology | Mediterra Swim & Run

Over-Thinking?

by Coach Mat | 5 Jan, 2014

Have you ever had someone say to you, “You’re thinking too much!” ? Or, perhaps, “Quite thinking about it and just do it.” ? One one hand, it makes sense. We kind-a-know what this means, that over-thinking is some ambiguous negative thing...

Awareness Gap

by Coach Mat | 28 Nov, 2013

There is a common experience swimmers may run into after a workshop in particular – I might call it the ‘Awareness Gap’. Here is the scenario: A swimmer who has been practicing TI on his own comes to a workshop with a list of things he wants to work...

Your Fix-It List

by Coach Mat | 23 Oct, 2013

Nearly all my private workshop students make a comment something like this after about an hour or two into our first lesson filled with stroke analysis and stroke re-formation… “I have SO MUCH to work on!” Now, just as you read that phrase, I wonder...

Bright Spots

by Coach Mat | 29 Sep, 2013

TI coaches and swimmers give a great deal of attention to identifying, analyzing, and solving what we call our Improvement Opportunities. The core value of TI, after all, is kaizen – continual personal improvement. Finding finer and finer details of swimming...

Magic Moment

by Coach Mat | 10 Jul, 2013

Here is a message I received recently from a swimmer I have been corresponding with. He describes something I am eager to disclose to my new-to-open water swimmers: swim on mindfully until you come to the magic moment! Here is his comment: Another thing I want to...

Problem Solving In Open Water

by Coach Mat | 7 Jun, 2013

We can divide the teaching we give in our private lessons, camps, and workshops in two categories: 1) Stroke and Swimming Skills 2) Problem-Solving Skills “Problem-Solving?” you might ask. (The sunset view from the veranda of our hotel here in Kaş where we...