by Coach Mat | 6 Jan, 2021
Is it time to get a new coach? How has the one you’ve got been treating you? I mean, how does he or she talk to you when things are not going well, when you are not performing as you intend? Are his or her words condemning? Is the tone harsh? Is there...
by Coach Mat | 12 Dec, 2020
How do you speak to yourself in training or in your big event when you are having a hard time, making mistakes, not performing to your standards or expectations? Are you generally harsh in your attempt to motivate yourself to do better? Or generally compassionate...
by Coach Mat | 6 Dec, 2020
What Is Intention? Your intention is another word for your sense of purpose. While it is not regarded as one of the attitudes I’ve been writing about in this series, intention is regarded as a central component of mindfulness practice, as one part of the triad...
by Coach Mat | 8 Nov, 2020
The Joy of a Beginner It is a great pleasure to work with a new swimmer or one who is totally new to our way of swimming and training and have them be so open and excited at the new possibilities and see hope emerging in their mind. Their joy of discovery becomes my...
by Coach Mat | 1 Nov, 2020
My recent deeper study on the attitudes of mindfulness have brought me to the topic of evaluation, and in particular, self-evaluation. A question I have asked somewhere before now has popped back into my mind with more importance than I understood previously, so I...
by Coach Mat | 11 Oct, 2020
Practicing non-judgment in athletic training has been one of the more liberating experiences I’ve had. It opens me up to more information, a more complex and nuanced understanding of my body and performance, and it allows me to form the kind of emotional...
