Overcoming Fear In OWS- Separate Phantoms From Real Fears

by Coach Mat | 30 Jul, 2011

Overcoming Fear in Open Water Swimming Part 2 of 9 – Separate Phantoms From Real Fears We want to take a daunting or even a seemingly insurmountable challenge and break it down into small, more easily conquered pieces. This is a simple approach to tackling all...

Overcoming Fear in Open Water Swimming – Introduction

by Coach Mat | 30 Jul, 2011

Overcoming Fear in Open Water Swimming Part 1 of  9 – Introduction We can find a lot in books and on the internet from amazing swimmers who’ve accomplished big feats in open-water (OW). They are truly inspirational. But they can also seem to operate on a...

Swim Out Of The Stone Age

by Coach Mat | 18 Jul, 2011

Moving fast in the water is a different problem and requires a different solution than moving fast on land. On land we fight against gravity. Gravity grabs onto MASS. In order to overcome the power of gravity, we must emphasize muscular strength to move our mass...

Can’t Outswim An Oil Slick

by Coach Mat | 15 Jul, 2011

Now I know a little how the oil-stained animals feel… This morning I swam out along the cliffs, toward the Old Harbor of Antalya, past the nearly completed salvage of a wrecked freighter from last December’s storm. It was a little embarrassing that I did...

Under-Estimating 10 km Recovery

by Coach Mat | 13 Jul, 2011

I am not a marathon runner. I’ve heard though that it takes some time to recover properly from that kind of running. Instead I’ve become a marathon swimmer these past couple years- by the definition of swimming 5km or longer. I took it for granted being...

Courage After Failure

by Coach Mat | 13 Jul, 2011

We expect great athletes, and great people to succeed. But what do we expect of a great person when they fail? It’s easy to applaud, and to receive applause when a great one reaches their goal. But what happens after a great one makes a mistake? Or worse, when...

10 km Within Reach

by Coach Mat | 5 Jul, 2011

Swam 2 hours 43 minutes yesterday morning. Just under 10 km I estimate. It felt great! No breakfast before (which has been my habit for years), and no food breaks during the swim. My slow-fuel system is dialed in, though I felt the energy drop on the last 40 minutes...

Courage Is A Skill

by Coach Mat | 3 Jul, 2011

Courage is not possible in the absence of fear, rather courage is the ability to take positive action in the midst of fear. Behind the courage we admire is a trained skill: the ability to focus the mind and effort on something more important, something positive,...

What Makes A Fast Stroke Fast?

by Coach Mat | 17 Jun, 2011

An excerpt from Popular Mechanics article from  Dec 18, 2009: For all it demands in the way of cardiovascular fitness and sheer strength, swimming is really the ultimate technique sport. “Why are records being broken?” asks George Washington University...

Balance- On Land vs. In Water

by Coach Mat | 10 Jun, 2011

I have been helping many of my swim students recognize the critical role that a firm core muscles (think spine held firm like an arrow, from tail bone to crown of your head) play in holding balance in the water. How can I, the teacher, hold Skate Position (rotated to...