EFFECTIVELY
BALANCING
TECHNIQUE AND
YARDAGE
PHASES OF LEARNING
Learning at each phase is ESSENTIAL for success at the next phase.
REQUIRES a long intensive process of ENCOURAGEMENT, NURTURANCE, EDUCATION,
TRAINING.
ROMANCE
PRECISION
INTEGRATION
NOVICE
AGE GROUP
SENIOR
Early Years (G.S.)
2-4 years
Middle Years (Jr Hi)
4-6 years
Later Years (H.S.)
Career ending
COACHES DEVELOP AND PROVIDE
Love of Sport
Fun
Encouragement
Exploration
Responsibility
Immediate Rewards
Learn work ethic
Self-discipline
Skill Mastery
Develop fitness
Technique
Habit of Accuracy
Structured Environment
Work with Master Coach*
Parents sacrifice time and money
Rec. swimmer to “swimmer’
Combine knowledge w/skill
Individuality
Insight
Sport’s significance
Teammates are committed
Work with Master Coach*
Trains many hours a day
*A MASTER COACH: KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO OPTIMALLLY DEVELOP
SWIMMERS
MATURATIONAL IMPROVEMENT
Dr. James Humphrey
Late Maturers
smaller (ectomorphs) more likely Olympians
Don’t have control over biology – don’t punish them – KEEP ‘EM
coming back for years.
Involve in skill development programs.
Create success and improvement compared to themselves or other
Late Maturers.
Post improvement scores
Reward personal improvement
Workout results for themselves
Skill development competitions
Self-consciousness impacts self-worth
Be sensitive to boys’ self-esteem.
Don’t let the lows get too low.
Early Maturers
taller, heavier, muscle (mesomorphs)
Advantage in speed, power, and endurance
Better regardless of skill
Success breeds reinforcement and recognition until H.S. when only 25%
are as successful.
Frustrated when late maturers catch or pass them leading to ridicule.
Drop-out around age 14 from lack of success and reduction in attention.
Compete at higher level to experience defeat but practice with peers.
Be sensitive to girls self-esteem.
Don‘t let the highs get too high.
EDUCATE PARENTS of BOTH GROUP FOR UNDERSTANDING, ACCPETANCE,
ESTEEM
READINESS
READINESS FOR COMPETITON
Adult Model (TMTS)
Socially, Psychologically, Technically, Physiologically
“Do you have a dog ?”
Developmentally Appropriate Activities
Technique Meets Scoring Counting Entries/Strokes
Racing finishes,
Racing IM turns
Celebrations-Scored
Flip charts-White board
Do-Overs – swimmers/team Skill Drills-scored
Intra-squad
Relay Meets (placement)
Compete by height (relays/lanes) Buddy (lanes)
Imitations-Olympians
Last Swimmer Wins
Fishing Lure Lookin’
Turn Eliminations
Rules Set
Shifting Gear 25’s
Boys deep/Girls shallow
Strokes and Times
Tempo Trainers
4 HOUR RULE
Strategy Cards
Single Age Meets
Score teammates
Do it Right
Hardest Drills
Jr Swim League
IMPORTANT: for turning the apathetic corner OR “ mom made me come to practice.”
WHY SWIMMERS QUIT
Michigan State University Study
SWIMMERS
Other things to do
Not as good as I wanted to be
Not enough fun
Play another sport
Pressure from parents and coach
Practice was boring
Disliked the coach
Training too hard
Not exciting enough
No teamwork
Coach made me do too much butterfly
PARENTS
Coach did not motivate
Coach paid attention to the best kids
Too much $$$ for the returns
Coach a poor role model
No skill work or feedback
COACH AWARENESS AND SENSITIVITY INFLUENCES ALL OF THESE THINGS
GUIDELINES FOR AGE GROUP TRAINING
AGE
7-10
11-12
13-14
15-OVER
PRACTICES/DAY
1
1
1-2
1–2
PRACTICES/WEEK
2–3
3-4
4-6
6 – 10
6 – 12
LENGTH/PRACTICE
45 Mn1 Hr
1-1.5 Hr
1 – 2 Hr
1.5 – 2 Hr
1.5 – 2 Hr
YARDS/HOUR
300-500
10001500
1200-2500
1500-3500
2000-4000
10 Mos/year
10 – 11 Mos/Yr
Tubing/Paddles
Weights/Tubing
Flexibility
SEASON LENGTH
8 – 9 Mos/Year
DRYLAND
Other Sports
Flexibility
Calesthenics
DISTANCES SWUM
COMP/YEAR
1025
Hrs
# EV
50/10
0
Hrs
# EV
100/
200
Hr
# EV
100/
1650
Hr
# EV
LOCAL
10
1.5
2–3
8
2
4
10
2
4
10
2
4–8
REGIONAL
0
0
0
7
4
4
10
6
5
10
6
5
NATIONAL
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
4
3
2
4
3
INTENSITY %/PRACTICE
AEROBIC
>35
>60
>60
>50
ANAEROBIC
5 (Alactic)
10 (Alactic)
>15
25
TECHNIQUE
60
30
25
25
BALANCING INTENSITY
INTENSITY %/PRACTICE
9 – 10
11 – 12
13 – 14
15 – O
2500
3500
4000
AEROBIC
>35
875
>60
1800
>60
2400
>50
2500
ANAEROBIC
5 (Alactic)
125
10 (Alactic)
350
>15
600
25
1250
TECHNIQUE
60
1500
30
1050
25
1000
25
1250
5000
SEASONAL TRAINING PLAN
MONITORING: SKILL-AEROBICS-ANAEROBICS
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
38
39
40
42
43
44
45
46
47
21-Jul
7-Jan
29
47
7-Jul
31-Dec
28
14-Jul
24-Dec
27
30-Jun
17-Dec
26
23-Jun
3-Dec
10-Dec
25
9-Jun
26-Nov
24
JUL
16-Jun
19-Nov
23
2-Jun
5-Nov
12-Nov
22
26-May
29-Oct
21
JUN
19-May
22-Oct
20
5-May
19
12-May
18
MAY
28-Apr
17
21-Apr
16
14-Apr
15
7-Apr
14
31-Mar
13
APR
24-Mar
12
17-Mar
11
3-Mar
10
10-Mar
9
MAR
25-Feb
8
18-Feb
7
4-Feb
6
11-Feb
5
FEB
28-Jan
4
21-Jan
3
14-Jan
2
15-Oct
JAN
8-Oct
DEC
1-Oct
WEEK
BEGINS
NOV
24-Sep
1
OCT
17-Sep
MICROCYCLE
3-Sep
SEPT
10-Sep
DATES
MONTHS
41
42
43
44
45
46
DOMESTIC
CALENDER
OF MEETS
INTERNAT
LOCATION
www.usaswimming.org
coaches – training/workouts – seasonal planning spreadsheet
TRAINING
PHASE
PERIODIZATION
STRENGTH
ENDURANCE
SPEED
GENERAL
DRYLAND
TESTING DATES
1
VOLUME
120
110
100
90
80
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
SEASONAL TRAINING BALANCE
SKILL WORK IS CONTINUAL
WEEKLY PLANNING
TURN IN TO HEAD COACH ON MONDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
STROKE DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Use the word TRY
Say the same thing MANY different ways to trigger understanding.
CORRECT skills from warm-up to warm-down 1:1 during rest periods AND while
swimming.
Teach OVERCORRECTION – weird, strange, different, crazy, unusual to be RIGHT
OVERLEARN: repeated correction for ONE WEEK for a NEW skill to become a
habit.
Create the TEAM progression, squad to squad, based upon the Senior Level
coach’s plan
Teach to learn to RACE not to train.
Correct HAND positions for minimal resistance, maximum catch
Teach Proprioceptiveness (Feel)and Pressoreceptivity (Anchoring) with rope
climbing
ARM PATTERNS are the same for all strokes and understood with manipulation
or DVD.
Create MENTAL PICTURES through dry-erase drawings, pictures, video,
demonstrations, flip charts and refer to it during practice for one week.
Teach using the whole method vs parts. Use parts to improve specifics with every
swimmer knowing the 4 drills for 5 strokes to use on drill sets.
Teach the Boomer Balance Drills for better streamlining, body position, comfortable
stroke, pain-free joints, and control.
Seek undisturbed water.
REINFORCE skill change with a flashlight, mirrors, thumbs up, being demonstrative
Make older partners responsible for YOUNGER PARTNER’S improvement
Total Team Practice or Overlap 20:20
Wear a NEON GLOVE during practice coaching free from the side and strokes from
the end.
Get in the water with a mask and snorkel to MANIPULATE hands, fingers, legs and
feet.
Use a GEAR-HEAD CIRCUIT at least twice a week without swimmers knowing what
day.
TRANSFER OF TRAINING – dryland specificity DEVELOPS proper patternstubing/bench. Draw stroke pattern on deck with chalk.
TEACHING SEQUENCE
Explanation
Demonstration – swimmers looking underwater
Practice for Mastery
Evaluation
+Reinforcement - IF CORRECT
*Re-explain w/new words
Demonstration Practice for Mastery
Evaluation
+Reinforcement w/flashlight…..
GEAR – HEAD
CIRCUIT
EQUIPMENT THAT FORCES CHANGE
age group
SEND-OFFS
PURPOSE
10 and Under
11-14
15 – Over
TAIL WAGS THE DOG
40 sec.
30 sec. SO w/10 sr
finishing
perfecting
fitness
twice a week but don’t tell them what days for
PERFECT ATTENDANCE!
GEAR HEAD CIRCUIT STATIONS
3-5 minutes per station – SO=tale wags the dog
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ALL STROKE SESSIONS START WITH OLYMPIANS UNDERWATER MENTIONING KEY POINTS
FREESTYLE (9 )
BACKSTROKE (9)
BUTTERFLY (6)
BREASTSTROKE (6)
swim parachutes swim parachutes
timed turns wall/f- spin drill
tech paddles
balance pole
balance pole
catch-up at top
turn tubes fast feet turn tubes fast feet
clickers
time starts w/noodle
Stationary
clickers
v kick tubes-head up timed turns wall/f-f
catch-up w/band catch-up w/band
world trials video world trials video
V kick tubes
start tarp scored
red paddles 1 arm
drill u/w recvry
kick 6 u/w breathe
vertical kick
timed turns wall/f-f
stationary
monofin
world trials video
vertical kick
v kick tubes
rope-a-dope
stationary (?)
start tarp scored
pull band-kick fly
parachutes
timed turns wall/f-f
pull w/fins
world trials video
SCORE PRACTICES
While swimmers are dressing after practice.
Considerations: listening, trying, learning, effort, accuracy…
Catch them doing things right with a positive comment…
Scoring:
1 – 10 on squad roster
Color code: Magic Marker on roster
Red
Not very good
Yellow
OK
Green
Really good
Post outside locker room or where parents pick-up the swimmers.
REPORT CARD – 100 IM
FLY
BACK
BREAST
PROBLEM
Recovery
Entry
Push
Kick
Breathing
Body Position
WILL FAX IF ASKED?
FREE
CORRECTION TIP
TONS OF THINGS TO TEACH
DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO?
HERE ARE 220+ THINGS THAT DEVELOP SWIMMING ATHLETICISM
Work on skills every practice. Possibilities include BUT are not limited to;
Strokes; 2 Fly 2 Backs, 2 Breast, 3 Free, with more variety with breathing patterns.
Underwater kickouts; big-fast, small-fast, side-fast, big to small fast,
Turns; 1 fly, 2 back, 2 breast, 3 free
Starts; grab, fore-track, back-track,
relay wind-up w/ foot forward, one-step, two-step, hop
Finishes; Fly, Breast. Back , Free
Breakouts; Free (feet/flags), Breast (Mid-pool or further), Back (K 10), Fly (K 10)
IM turns; Fly-Back, 3 Back-Breast, 2 Breast-Free
Breathing patterns; 3 Fly, Back, Breast, 4 Free, ????Race patterns (2331)
Creative movements; Front flips, Back flips, Log rolls R/L, Surface Dive, Jumpees, Treading…
Gear-Head Circuit; Forces development, correction and/or change at some 20 stations.
Skill Drills-this adds about 100+ things to teach.
“What Every Age Group Swimmer Should Learn”
by Marc Boerner – Houston Dads Clubb
MOTIVATING TO LEARN/TRAIN
1.Training Log; post sheet for kids to record times with all squads.
(average, best, every time, skill scores, etc…)
2. Score Practices and Post; colors (red, yellow, green) OR scores (1 to 10)
3. White Board; record ave and circle with 75% better to change practice
4. Signals; flashlight, thumbs-up, blaze orange gloves,
5. Learn it NOW so it dosen’t have to be re-taught or re-learned at Senior
level
6. Thanks for a great practice. I hope tomorrow’s harder! (handshake /Hi 5)
7. Say something POSITIVE to EVERY swimmer, EVERYDAY.
8. Learn to be coachable
9. When they’re all talking say Shhhhh! Have them all say it too and they’re
quiet.
10. Listen with your EYES. If not looking stop and stare at talkers.
11. Compete on skills by lane equal in ability and in line by ability for points.
SUCCESS IN EVERY SPORT depends upon: Skill – Fitness - Motivation
SKILL GIMMICKS
Pull-buoy Starts-throw pull buoy with hands out over the water to get arms forward.
Rules Set-give something different to add to the swim on each repeat in the set.
Alternate Breathing R/L – L/R – CHOICE- same side of pool for whole length
Peer Stroke Set ( 2 deep/1 shallow) – 1 swims to the single person for evaluation and it continues from those two
Push – outs-build power for a long finish by doing push-outs vertical from the water to the deck between swims
Score skill drills- Make score cards from file folder or diving score cards and score learning drill 25’s. Place names on
whiteboard and erase name when wrong. Then do “shifting gears” and then swims with corrected stroke.
Technique Meets-combine time and stroke count OR just use your score cards (prepare the parents cause the fastest may
not win)
George Washington slept here-put a $1 bill between the cheek and shoulder to keep the head in line and down
Fly-lying on kickboards-place the waist on a stack of three kickboards with the legs on the boards and the chest on
thedeck to feel the proper pulling position
Core reaction with hands on butt-warm-up with the body moving in many different ways to feel differences
Breast timing- swim widths one stroke/lane and glide into the next lane with the back and seat touching the laneline
MORE GREAT IDEAS:
“THE NEW BOOK OF GAMES AND GIMMICKS FOR SWIMMING COACHES”
September release
WRITING A WORKOUT
CONSIDERATIONS
Philosophy: Team’s Mission – Senior Coach’s – Age Group Coach’s (Level of Expectation)
Commitment: Swimmers Level of Aspiration or Inspiration. PLANNING *
7-10 11-12 13-O
Warm-up- all muscles - all strokes – all speeds w/ FUN (slow to fast) X
X X
Set #1
Aerobic early – Anaerobic mid – Speed mid/late
X
X X
Recovery Sculling - Skill Drills –Technique
X
X X
Set #2
Anaerobic all - Race Specific mid/late
X X
Recovery DPS early/late - Turns all
X
X
Set #3
Sprint all - Aerobic mid/late
X
Recovery Gear - Turns – Starts all
X
Kicking and Pulling Straight -Sets – Team - Challenges – Gear all X
X
X
FUN
Games - Relays - Challenges – Contests
EVERY
X
X
X
Warm-down Team – Drills - Scull – EN1 - Buoys – Breath’g Pattern all X X
X
* ALL ITEMS USED ALL SEASON TO VARYING DEGREES
SKILL SETS
Warm-ups – Recovery-Warm-Downs - Psyche
6 x 100 (4Drills) @ 1:40
6 x 100 (4sculls) @ 2:15
6 x 100 (Drill/Swim) @ 2:00
YARDAGE CONSIDERATIONS
Challenge two or three energy systems per practice.
Have practice (lesson plan) written for the day/week. Submitted to head
coach on Mondays .
Morale is more important than a few hundred yards.
If more is good, a lot more is NOT always better.
Learn terms and routines and habits so they have to be re-taught at the next
level.
Turning the corner on APATHY or “My mother made me come to practice.”
The same training effect occurs with drills as with training.
Make certain there is a stage of readiness for whatever is being assigned.
Place swimmers in the highest squad they can handle and then EXPECT TOO
MUCH.
ATTEND: “Adapting Workout Plans for Different Ages and Abilities”
Sunday-8 AM
USING A PACE CLOCK
Send-offs; 0 (down on 9) and 5 (down on 4)
Clueing; next wave to go yells out, “9” or “4”
No Cheaters; early on teammates-late on self
Timing; clock readers lead and help others with regular
coach driven or take-home quizzes
Lane Etiquette; touch target (not gutter) and move to
left along laneline in a horseshoe, then back with
leader in left corner to start next swim, no excuses
for stopping before touching target.