Know Pain Know Gain: An Email To My Swim Parents/Athletes

Hi everyone, I thought it would be a good idea to talk to the group about helping our kids understand the difference between good pain and bad pain.   The level of physical effort that a child puts in is a huge factor in how their bodies adapt to a work load.  When the bodies adapt they grow and get stronger.  There is a level of discomfort, or pain, that the body must go through in order for these changes to happen.  Unfortunately, most young athletes have no idea what the difference is between good pain and bad pain.  We use the GREEN LIGHT, YELLOW LIGHT, RED LIGHT approach. First lets try to explain what GOOD PAIN is.   Good pain means the kind of  muscle fatigue that results when a swimmer pushes herself on a ridiculously difficult kick set or when you are at Coach Bryan's Bootcamp and you won't give up on the last 20 seconds of the battling rope.   That kind of pain is generalized: Your quadriceps hurt because you're working so hard that your muscles get less oxygen, your body develops lactic acid, and pain builds up gradually. At the end, you're sore and shaky.  Now you know what "feel the burn" actually means!   Here is the Green light, Yellow light, Red light idea we use. Green light:  Pain that is familiar and does not hinder your ability to move freely and complete the practice.  A small headache, a side stitch or maybe your brother punched you in the arm for stealing his Poptart and you are feeling the soreness when you flex your muscle.  This is all Green light pain.  In other words, you do NOT need to stop during practice or get out.  KEEP WORKING and tough it out. Yellow light:  Typically this is any pain that is unfamiliar and may be too uncomfortable to move freely and through your regular range of motion.  This means you stop at the next wall, get out and talk to your coach.   Red light:  Any pain that is unfamiliar, too uncomfortable to move freely and through your normal range of motion, or is located around any joint (especially the shoulder).  This b ad pain is specific and usually abrupt. It is sharp and fast, sometimes accompanied by tingling or numbness. It can follow a sense that part of your body just popped, clicked, snapped or gave way involuntarily.  Get out immediately and see your coach.   Once I have performed an assessment on the situation, I will either recommend that the swimmer get out and stop swimming or I will encourage them to get back in and monitor themselves carefully.  My assessment may be as simple as asking some questions and/or doing a couple movement exercises to see their range of motion and where the pain is located.  I will not diagnose or try to fix the problem myself.   If the swimmer must get out, they should stay away from any movement (including swim practice) that will aggravate the painful area for the next couple of days or until the pain goes away.  If the pain persists for more than 24 hours, then I highly recommend that they go to see their pediatrician as soon as possible. There is NO good reason to continue to swim or do PE or any other activity that could possibly lead to more pain and potentially worsen the possible injury. If any of my athletes cannot complete an entire workout as prescribed - they should REST at home or see the doctor.  If a swimmer has a sore knee and cannot do breaststroke kick - Rest or GO TO THE DOCTOR.  If a swimmer has a sore ankle and cannot wear fins - Rest or GO TO THE DOCTOR.  If a swimmer does not have their normal full range of motion in a joint due to pain - Rest or GO TO THE DOCTOR.  Get the point?   Please help me keep these kids in the water and working as hard as possible.  REST and RECOVERY are huge parts of our team goal this season.  By following my guidance on this we will keep the kids safe and training as much as possible.   Thanks, Bryan

ASCA Online Ed: Legends Of Texas Clinic Video

Here is a link to the Legends of Texas Clinic Presentations that I did for ASCA.  This is the actual full video of the slides and the talk.

Open Turns: Keynote

Flip Turns: Keynote

Tips for Teaching the Dolphin Kick: Keynote

Bruce Lee: Be Water My Friend

I am always talking to my kids about Bruce Lee and his awesome quotes.  I grew up watching his movies and when I was older I studied his life and the things he had accomplished.  Click Here to read some of his best quotes.

The Magic Wand

This is a great tool to use for rotational problems in backstroke and freestyle. A 4 foot piece of PVC pipe or a broomstick is all you need to help your swimmers feel the hand-shoulder-hip connection. Follow the link and check it out Here.