Competitive/Performance Training | Mediterra Swim & Run

Longer Length Or Faster Rate?

by Coach Mat | 30 Jan, 2016

I’ve had this discussion behind the scenes with some swimmers recently and felt their challenge to bring up this topic more in the open. So here it is… I want to address ‘the elephant in the room’ (as one of them put it) regarding the apparent...

Pain And Peace

by Coach Mat | 23 Jan, 2016

Is there pain and suffering of some form in your training experience? For many, this is not only a common experience, this is the expected experience. After all, they say you must be tough to be a real swimmer, right? Perhaps. But what kind of toughness are we talking...

Strengthen The Weaker System

by Coach Mat | 16 Jan, 2016

This is an addendum to the post Special Stamina Part 2. I encouraged certain swimmers to test for the weaker system in Test For The Weakest System. The next logical topic is about strengthening that weaker system. Which one is your weaker system? Can you handle the...

Special Stamina Part 2

by Coach Mat | 2 Jan, 2016

Continued from Special Stamina Part 1 Incremental Increase In Challenge Let me describe briefly how to adjust just one of these variables at a time to create a gradually equalizing and increasing challenge upon your performance systems… Intensity When the...

Special Stamina Part 1

by Coach Mat | 26 Dec, 2015

I received a request from one of you to talk about building stamina. Stamina is defined as ability to withstand hardship, to maintain strength over a longer period of time. I might add to this by saying stamina is the ability to be stronger than the hardship facing...

Test For The Weakest System

by Coach Mat | 19 Dec, 2015

Experienced and accomplished swimmers (still practicing) tend to have well-developed swimming-specific fitness from their years of training, even after taking time off. When they begin retraining their stroke technique a challenge in that process is that they can get...