Guard The Heart

by Coach Mat | 10 Sep, 2011

I haven’t written about my practice times in the water for quite a while. I was focused on other things. But I felt it would be helpful to discuss my experience today because of how I had to give particular attention to my mind and my heart- to promote their...

Don’t Forget To Play

by Coach Mat | 29 Aug, 2011

Have any of us gotten so serious in our swim training that we have forgotten to play? Good swimming involves having a relationship with water. To swim well and swim long a swimmer needs to know the water intimately, to know its ways and how it likes to move and carry...

Headed to Poland

by Coach Mat | 20 Aug, 2011

I am looking forward to a week in Poland. I’ll be in Wrzesnia to co-lead a TI Coach training and certification camp 23  to 28 August. I am also looking forward to recovering my strength as well. For over a month now my strength has been dropping and I...

Overcoming Fear In OWS- The Mindset Of An OW Swimmer

by Coach Mat | 13 Aug, 2011

Overcoming Fear In Open Water Swimming The Mindset Of An Open-Water Swimmer By no means do I want to suggest that there is a Correct Mindset for an OW swimmer, and that others are wrong. With the variety of humans and sports out there, there are also a variety of...

Overcoming Fear In OWS- Familiarity With Your Self

by Coach Mat | 13 Aug, 2011

Overcoming Fear In Open Water Swimming Part 8 of 9 – Familiarity With Your Self Along this sub-theme of increasing Familiarity as part of the strategy for overcoming fear in OW, I would like to point you inward. As in the previous sections this also is not an...

Overcoming Fear In OWS- Familiarity With The Environment

by Coach Mat | 4 Aug, 2011

Overcoming Fear In Open Water Swimming Part 7 of 9 – Familiarity With The Environment The third part of our strategy is Familiarity: Familiarity with the environment (water, surrounding terrain, and weather) and familiarity with the swimmer (yourself) that is...

Overcoming Fear In OWS- Focus For The Mind

by Coach Mat | 3 Aug, 2011

Overcoming Fear In Open Water Swimming Part 6 of 9 – Focus For the Mind Your mind needs positive, productive, prioritized things to dwell on while you are swimming, especially under stress (voluntary stress of racing or in fearful situations). Again, what you...

Overcoming Fear In OWS- Automate Good Technique

by Coach Mat | 1 Aug, 2011

Overcoming Fear In Open Water Swimming Part 5 of 9 – Automate Good Technique Good technique enables you to swim with control over your speed and energy consumption, and to do this without injury. But to be of value under a stressful OW situation, that technique...

Overcoming Fear in OWS- Managing Real Fears and Dangers

by Coach Mat | 1 Aug, 2011

Overcoming Fear In Open Water Swimming Part 4 of 9 – Managing Real Fears and Danger Fear is suppose to be a healthy response to danger. We don’t want to do away with the necessary triggers and healthy responses to it. We need it to survive and to succeed....

Overcoming Fear In OWS- Removing Irrational Fears

by Coach Mat | 30 Jul, 2011

Overcoming Fear in Open Water Swimming Part 3 of 8 – Removing Irrational Fears There’s an internet world of advice out there for all sorts of mental ailments and fear. I will simply present some ideas that may appeal to those who don’t feel they need...