Stations

We have been doing stations this week at practice.  Each lane is a different station with it's own exercise.  We divide the kids up into 4 lanes and run 5 minutes each station for two rounds.  The total time it takes to complete the set is about 45 minutes.  40 minutes for the stations and some transition time to get from lane to lane.

12-12-12 practice:

Warm up
500 (50 free, 50 no free)

Stations
Station 1:  Rotation
8 twists & 50 backstroke.  (Out of the water, take a 6 foot long painters pole and rest it on your shoulders.  Hold the pole with your hands out to the side with your elbows bent.  Twist until the tip on the pole passes your center line.  Keep your head still and feet planted).

Station 2:  Sculling
Sit on a kickboard and front scull (windshield wipers) non-stop.  Hands and elbows in front of body.  Finger tips down, elbows high.

Station 3:  Pulling
With paddles and buoy, non-stop 5 minute swim.  50 back, 50 free.

Station 4:  Turns
Starting at the middle of the pool, race in and out of your walls practicing fast turns.  Alternate free and open turns.

Swim
12x100 lane 1 & 2 on 1:30, lane 3 on 1:40, lane 4 on 1:45 (50 stroke [IM order], 50 free)

Stroke Count Test Sets

Something new for the 2012-13 SCY season that I have implemented into my development plan for the 10 and under Gold and Blue groups is the use of Stroke Count as a test set.  I have always had fun in teaching the swimmers about counting their strokes with games like swim-golf.  The problem with this is that they are viewed as just that, games.   And without follow-through they lose their significance and impact on the swimmers mind set going into hard workouts where stroke count should be the focus.  My plan is to have a test set of 100 yards for each stroke.  In pairs, one athlete swims and the other counts strokes.  I get their times from the watch and call it out as they come in to the wall.  We add up their stroke count and their time (in seconds) to get their total score.  The difference between this and swim-golf is that this test set is going to be repeated throughout the season for each stroke so they can measure their improvement.  Also, they will have a chance to work on stroke count each day with a stroke count specific results set which is designed for them to work on distance per stroke and they can judge their efficiency through stroke count by comparing the test set scores to their current swimming.
So far it has been working great!  Every time we do a set that compares their test set scores to what they are currently doing, they immediately show signs of increased focus and a much better awareness of what they are doing.  Even some of the most stubborn of swimmers are slowing down to think about the actual distance each stroke can get them.  Hips are rotating more, kicks are consistent, arms are stretching out farther, and breathing patterns are holding strong.  I also see more commitment to longer under-waters and an increase in the average number of dolphin kicks off of each wall.  We have our first meet of the season coming up and this will be a great measuring stick event to see where we stand in terms of DPS vs. Tempo in our racing skills.  Will my swimmers blast through their strokes and forget everything they learned?  Will they swim too slow and over think their strokes counts and technique.  Or will they race with improved efficiency taking less strokes with an optimal racing tempo?  Time will tell.

Tri for Jessie

It's pediatric cancer awareness month.  This is a perfect time to share what I have been up to for the last couple months.  Tri for Jessie is my small attempt to promote awareness and raise money for the Jessie Rees Foundation.
This October 21st I am going to compete, for the second time, in the Kring and Chung Newport Beach sprint triathlon.  Last year, my first effort, I was lucky enough to have the support of many of my family and friends as well as Jessie herself who came to see me race.  What a huge boost for me!  This year, I am once again dedicating this one to her.
You can help me by donating to my Tri for Jessie website any amount.  Another way in which will push me to NEGU is to promise to donate a specific amount of your choice FOR EVERY SECOND THAT I IMPROVE from last years effort.  I have already had many great donations and a few promises to donate a dollar for every second dropped.  Any donation will help as the funds will go directly to the Jessie Rees Foundation which continues to help children fighting cancer to Never Ever Give Up.
You can follow my training and get updates on my facebook page HERE.

Oct. 2011 Time:  1:28.18

Goal Time for 2012:  1:24.00

Thank you - And NEGU!
Bryan

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10 & Under Top 20 1000 IM Test Set Updated

10 & Under - 1000 yard IM (400IM, 300IM, 200IM, 100IM straight through)

TOP 20 LIST (since 2007) UPDATED!

Girls

1. 14:41 Jessica Epps / Malia Mills

2. 14:49  Lacey Hall

3. 14:53 Hannah Wilkens

4. 14:59 Charlotte Manser

5. 15:00  Marybeth Johnson

6. 15:03 Raselle Chetwynd

7. 15:12 Casey Brotherton

8. 15:13 Vicky Gong

9. 15:16  Ella Ristic

10. 15:23 Olivia Boisen

11. 15:23 Rachel Taylor

12. 15:37 Jami Hwang

13. 15:40 Keaton Klein

14. 15:46 Courtney Prefontaine

15. 15:46 Bobbi Thompson

16. 15:49 Mandy Barnes

17. 15:55 Samantha Shelton

18. 15:56 Bianca Tatum

19. 15:58 Kyra Bernhardt

20. 15:59 Shayna Vayser

Boys

1. 14:26 Matt Hales

2. 14:27 Min Zhi Chua

3. 14:34 Braden Olson

4. 14:50 Daniel Kim

5. 14:55 Alex Borjal

6. 15:01 Daniel Lew

7. 15:13 Michael Early

8. 15:13 Bryce Bernhardt

9. 15:41 Jackson Kent

10. 15:57 Michael Snodgrass

11. 15:59 Michael Smith

12. 16:04 Oliver Manser

13. 16:04 Brandon Kolarov

14. 16:05 Killian McShane

15. 16:06 Josh Dolendo

16. 16:08 Christopher McElroy

17. 16:13 Alex Qu

18. 16:21 Jack Trujillo

19. 16:23 Chris Hales

20. 16:27 Garrett Neamand

MVN Excellence Award Recipients: Maddy Tigert & Quinn Neamand

So, this was the short speech I had prepared for the recipients of the Mission Viejo Nadadores Excellence Award at the 2012 awards banquet.  The date of the banquet happened to coincide with my families vacation to Cancun so I was unable to attend.  Somehow, this speech never made it to the stage and one of the Nadadores most excellent athletes was not acknowledged for her dedication to being the best she could be.  So here you go, Maddy.  This blog is for you. 

When I think about what this award means to me and who I feel is deserving of this title, I simply go straight to the Nadadores mission statement...  

This swimmer must have "an uncompromised commitment to the pursuit of excellence".  

This athlete is constantly "striving to be the best they can be".  

This child has worked "to acquire life enhancing attributes such as integrity, discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship".

10 Blue Excellence Award - MADDY TIGERT

With a smile the size of the entire 50 meter pool and a laugh that can melt your heart; this child is so much more than an athlete.  It didn't take long after the move from the 10 and under Silver group to our 10 and under Blue group to make an impression on the coaches.  I could tell from the beginning that with the wonderful and unique personality in combination with the hard work ethic shown on a daily basis that this was one amazing kid.  We saw a ton of improvement in technique, a Never Ever Give Up attitude, and a love for the team that very few actually have.  This person was kind even when most kids would not be, a dedicated student of the sport and a true team player.  I ask the kids to believe in 3 things:  Their TEAM, their COACH, and THEMSELVES...I feel that this athlete believed in those three things with all her heart.

Congratulations to Madison Tiggert for receiving the Mission Viejo Nadadores Excellence Award for the 10 and under Blue Group!

10 Gold Excellence Award - QUINN NEAMAND

The words in the Mission Viejo Nadadores mission statement perfectly mirror the kind of person that is getting this award today.  

This swimmer came to my group as a tiny little lemon-head who was very quiet and needed a lot of improvement in stroke technique.  Through time, hard work, and dedication we saw a significant change take place. This kid was starting to own practices and show the signs of a great swimmer.  It took a full two years, but finally this athlete was able to really show off what all that work was truly about at the last meet of the 10 and under season...

He finished his final 10 and under season as the fastest 50 and 100 breaststroker in all of Southern California. He was also a finalist in his 4 other individual J.O. events in which he competed in.  

I feel confident and incredibly proud that Quinn Neamand is the recipient of the Mission Viejo Nadadores Excellence Award for the 10 and under Gold group.  Congratulations Quinn NEAMAND!

60x25's Accountability Set

Today the 10 and under Blue and Gold swimmers did 60x25's free on 1:00. The set was explained as an accountability set. We were focused on 4 super-important but often forgotten practice MUST-HAVES. The kids were to do the following off of every wall in order to complete the set. This was a team effort and any mistakes were counted as extra 25's and added in at the end.  Each child was held accountable for their mistakes and was expected to learn from their mistakes along the way.

1. Leave the wall from an exit (ready position). Basically, this is the second part of an open turn: They have one hand and both feet on the wall. They have the other hand dropped at the side or pointed towards the other side of the pool. Once they need to leave the wall they "exit" underwater with the hand cutting behind the head into the streamline. When they have submerged and are tight into their streamline they can push off on the side and begin the dolphin kicks.
2. Streamline TIGHT!. You might be surprised at how many sloppy streamlines little kids can do...Even the fast ones.
3.  5 dolphin kicks minimum.  This will get the kids past the flags and ahead of their competition.  Practice what you want to do in a race.  If my kids practice 1-3 dolphin kicks at workouts, they will do less in a meet.  5 is reasonable, especially in a set that gives them so much rest and time to reset.  Some did the minimum 5 while others worked on speed and distance going 7-10 with maximum effort.
4.  Hold your breath for three strokes out of the breakout.  This is the one discipline that my kids have the hardest time with.  They want air...They don't need air.  But all human beings need commitment and dedication to a specific goal in order to give up something that is so fundamental and free.

We started off a little sloppy at first but once the kids knew we were serious and holding them 100% accountable they jumped on board and set their focus on our goal.  We only added 10 extra 25's by the end of the first 60.  Unfortunately the kids pretty much checked out after that and we added another 8 to the last 10.  With a little hollering and, again, holding the kids 100% accountable, they finally pulled it together and finished off strong.  If you want to see your kids doing the good things at meets that are important and lead to BETTER swimming, then you need to practice, practice, practice the good habits.  The more the good habits are practiced the better the chances you will see it when it really counts.