Long Live ‘Slide And Glide’

by Coach Mat | 19 Jun, 2012

I’ve been prescribing the classic TI drill “Slide and Glide” a lot recently. I used this for hundreds of hours in my early self-taught TI days, and it is still my favorite warm-up or warm-down drill. It’s a great way to pull together the focus...

State Of The Art

by Coach Mat | 17 Jun, 2012

The 7km race today went very well. Full sun, just enough breeze to keep the air pleasant, but no surface chop. The water temp was perfect. I was a little concerned for the first km that I might get uncomfortably chilled at our group’s pace but I was fine as the...

Little Sleep B4 Big Water

by Coach Mat | 17 Jun, 2012

It was not my idea of a good night rest before a race… In the small hillside city of Kaş everything echoes off the mountain. We headed to bed at 10 but the city had a concert on the harbor until midnight with fireworks. It might as well have on the terrace above...

Considerations For A Long OW Swim

by Coach Mat | 16 Jun, 2012

From left- Serdar, myself, and Baha, on our first evening, as we return from a training swim at a beach only accessible by boat taxi. The 7.1 km (or so, with currents and navigation) swim is tomorrow! Baha was not able to get a spot in the race on the registration...

Practice IS Pleasure

by Coach Mat | 14 Jun, 2012

Sitting at lunch today, on our first day of our swim camp in Kaş, while processing the potential of our training process this came out: “Some make the achievment of the goal their only source of pleasure. Practice for them is a mechanical means of getting to...

Sensory Swimming

by Coach Mat | 2 Jun, 2012

What is the purpose of drills? Yes, the drills we use will help us build a beautiful and effective stroke. But they are also there, as importantly, to help us build a deep sensitivity to the water and our body sliding through it. We are not a machine, though sometimes...

Swimming Through Depression

by Coach Mat | 31 May, 2012

A few weeks ago I was hit with depression for about 4 days. I lost my energy and enthusiasm for anything. I just wanted to sleep and sleep until the exhaustion and gloom left. This doesn’t happen so often any more. I’ve lived overseas for over 4 years now-...

Success Through Failure

by Coach Mat | 30 May, 2012

TI in Poland Heach Coach Pawel Lewicki and I just finished another successful Total Immersion Coach Certification Camp a couple days ago in Jarocin, Poland. This one was better than ever. We had great students (as usual) and added even better features to the training...

Smart Speed Part 3- Patient Pursuit of Technique

by Coach Mat | 22 May, 2012

This essay will explain the why I advocate for a Technique-oriented training strategy. Whether you seek ultimate speed, racing performance, fitness or to enjoy endless peaceful swimming, building your platform for superior swimming on technique will give you the best...

Precision Over Power

by Coach Mat | 22 May, 2012

I would like to make an argument for setting technique as a priority in your training. It’s a common theme in my blog. In other sports this would not be necessary, but for some reason swimming is dominated by people who think power is everything. I see signs of...