Preparing Age Group Swimmers

Overview of Presentation

Genetic Jackpot?Development PhasesTraining DevelopmentMental skills DevelopmentWhat is SuccessHow Should You Plan Your development?Freaks! And How to Make One!Don’t be NormalStrength Training / FlexibilityNutritionLTD (Long Term Development / Goal Setting

CHARACTERISTICS

MENTAL TOUGHNESS – HATE TO LOSE

PHYSICALITY – ANTHROPOMETRY / SHAPE

PHYSIOLOGY – TYPE AND SIZE OF THE ENGINE

AQUATIC BALANCE – BUOYANCY /CENTRE OF MASS / %BF / MUSCLE DENSITY / BODY SHAPE / FLEXIBILITY

SO…ARE THEY BORN OR MADE??

Genetic Jackpot – Are Olympians Born or

Made?

AQUATIC COMFORT

LEARN TO SWIM

MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT

CARDIOVASCULAR DEVELOPMENT

RACE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT

Development Phases

GREATEST PREDICTOR - HARD WORK – SELF GRADE

365 DAYS A YEAR – AGE GROUP ‘BREAK POINT VOLUME• MEAN ANNUAL VOLUME (BILL SWEETENHAM)

SKILLS AND DRILLS• STARTS / UNDERWATER TURNS / FINISHES

Training Development

LEARNING•CODING AND PROGRAMMING – AFFINITY WITH THE WATER•CONNECTION + LOOKING BIG IN THE WATER•BALANCE AND TEMPO•CONTINUOUS KICKER (LAST SUCCESSFUL NON KICKER LATE ’80’S/EARLY 90’S)•NEED RANGE (DPS)•HOW TO THINK AND CONCENTRATE

THINKING•SWITCH ON / SWITCH OFF

GETTING IT PERFECT•BUILDING PRESSURE } PRESSURE IS A GOOD THING•HANDLING PRESSURE }

Training Development

PRIMARY MENTAL SKILLS•GOAL SETTING•SELF TALK•VISUALIZATION•ACTIVATION / RELAXATION•FOCUS / CONCENTRATION

BENEFIT•PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT•CONSISTENCY•PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE (PHELPS MONTREAL ‘05 17TH)

Mental Skills Development

Who said its not possible?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc9bA-hvqHU&feature=PlayList&p=AF571F596AAA0D32&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1

NOT JUST P.B.’S

STROKE RATESDISTANCE PER STROKE

TURNSSPLITS

ATTITUDETEAM SPIRITATTENDANCE

What Is Success?

Swimmer Development

1. DO NOT FOCUS ON JUST 1-2 EVENTS PER SESSION AT A MEET. DO MORE AND PLAN FOR LONGER TERM.

2. THINK AT LEAST 4 YEARS AHEAD

3. WHAT CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH TODAY?

4. START BY LOOKING AT YOUR OWN RACE ANALYSIS

5. SELECT A COMPETITION THAT YOU WILL TARGET

DON’T COUNT THE DAYS, MAKE THE DAYS COUNT

How Should You Plan Your Development?

FREAKS

FREAKS ARE NOT SATISFIED – INSATIABLE DESIRE TO BE SUCCESSFUL

HOW DO YOU LOOK AT A SITUATION IN TRAINING / COMPETITION?

LEARN TO BE A FREAK!

Making Freaks

NORMAL PEOPLE - GET AVERAGE RESULTS

NORMAL PEOPLE - DON’T TRAIN HARD ENOUGH

NORMAL PEOPLE - DON’T DEVELOP THE RIGHT SKILLS

NORMAL PEOPLE - DON’T LIKE PRESSURE

NORMAL PEOPLE – DON’T GO TO THE OLYMPICS

Don’t Be Normal!!

STRENGTH TRAINING

IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTH TO WEIGHT TO RATIO

CORE STRENGTH IS KEY

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN

MUST BE ABLE TO REPLICATE MOVEMENTS – EVERY SESSION

Strength and Endurance

1. REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF INJURY CAUSED BY UNSTABLE JOINTS AND REPETITIVE JOINT AND MUSCULAR ACTION

2. IMPROVE JOINT RANGE OF MOTION AND THE LENGTH AT WHICH STRENGTH IS PRODUCED

3. LEAD TO IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNIQUE BY:- Providing the strength and mobility to get into the required

positions… such as combined elevations for streamlining or ankle mobility for kicking propulsion.

- Being strong and stable to hold the aquatic specific positions.

How Strength Training Can Assist Swimming

Performance

4. IMPROVE SUCH TARGETED AREAS AS BLOCK START FORCE PRODUCTION, STREAMLINING, UNDERWATER AND BREAK OUT AND TURNING POSITIONS AND SPEED

5. IMPROVING BODY AWARENESS6. IMPROVE SWIMMING ENDURANCE AND OR SPEED AS A RESULT

OF LESS MAXIMAL FORCE BEING USED DURING SUB MAXIMAL EFFORTS OR HIGHER FORCE LEVELS MAINTAINED AT SUB-MAXIMAL EFFORTS, THUS ENSURING BODY MAINTENANCE AND FASTER SWIMMING PERFORMANCES.

7. PROVIDES A VARIETY IN THE MENTAL STIMULUS.

How Strength Training Can Assist Swimming

Performance

Are you Pushing the Limits?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SixgX9blf3Y&feature=related

IF YOU ARE FACED WITH LIMITATIONS – FIND SOLUTIONS TO

THE PROBLEMS

INJURED? FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO, NOT WHAT YOU CANT

INJURIES IN EVERY SPORT

TEENAGE YEARS

MOST SHOULDER AND KNEE ISSUES ARE RELATED TO RESTRICTION IN THE HIPS

Flexibility / Injury Prevention

Make Stretching a Part of Your Day

Nutrition

1. PROTEIN AROUND RESISTANCE EXERCISE SESSIONS

2. ENSURE STARTING IN A SUITABLY FUELLED STATE –

1. Drink Gatorade 15mins before NOT after the main set

3. CARBOHYDRATE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER HIGH INTENSITY SESSIONS: (30-60G DURING HIGH INT. SESSIONS

1. Help Maintain Intensity2. Help Reduce immune function depression

Nutrition for Maximal Support Model

1. TARGET CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE BEFORE THE MAIN SET

2. ENSURE EUHYDRATED STATE

3. ENSURE STARTING IN A SUITABLY FUELLED STATE

4. POTENTIAL FOR USE OF SPECIFIC SUPPLEMENTS DURING SPECIFIC TRAINING BLOCKS:

1. Creatine / Whey Protein / Carb drinks / iron etc…

Nutrition for Maximal Support Model

THE MANIPULATION OF NUTRIENTS TO MAXIMIZE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION TO TRAINING STIMULUS

1.NUTRITION TO INCREASE LEAN MUSCLE TISSUE –

1. Timing of carbs and protein ingestion.

2.NUTRITION FOR RECOVERY – MOST IMPORTANT??

1. Friday Night Carbs! Recovery from hard week.

3.NUTRITION TO ENHANCE ACUTE TRAINING PERFORMANCE

Nutrition for Adaptation

CONCEPT OF MATCHING NUTRITIONAL INTAKE TO THE GOAL OF THE TRAINING MICRO CYCLE

TAKES A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF SKILL TO CARRY OUT

NEEDS CONSULTATION WITH SPECIALIST TO ENSURE OUTCOMES ARE ACHIEVED

SHOULD ONLY BE TARGETED FOR SENIOR ATHLETES (COLLEGE AGE)

Nutrition Periodisation

1. MUST BE INDIVIDUALIZED

2. THERE IS NO ON-SIZE-FITS-ALL NUTRITION MODEL

3. SWIMMERS SHOULD NOT BE EATING THE SAME THING BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER EVERY SESSION – RELATE TO INTENSITY OF TRAINING

4. MONITOR BODY COMPOSITION

5. SUITABLE RECOVERY NUTRITION AND NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS TO AID ADAPTATION

Nutrition Overview

COMPETITION NUTRITION

1.INCREASE CARB INTAKE A LITTLE 36-48HOURS OUT OF COMPETITION2.AFTER 1 EVENT – STORES SHOULD NOT DEPLETE3.A COMPETITION SHOULD NOT BE A BUFFET OF SPORTS FOODS4.DURING SWIM DOWN – FROM LAST EVENT OF THE SESSION:

1. Protein plus 2000ml (250-300ml sports drink)2. 1hour later – yoghurt and fruit or peanut butter sandwich3. 1hour later – lunch back at the hotel

Nutritional Overview

Nutrition – Eat Well in the Off-Season!

AVERAGE AGE AT THE OLYMPICS - MALE = 24 YRS

FEMALE = 23 YRS(DARA TORRES 40+!)

• COLLABORATION – THE ALL IMPORTANT ‘TRIANGLE’• PERFORMANCE CONFIDENCE –

• Build on the controllable• FEEDBACK IS DANGEROUS!

• Block out external expectations• Discuss balance of social / life / school / athletics• Maintain communication

Long Term Development

ATHLETE MODEL OF SELF – CONCEPT 

POOR PERFORMANCE = DECREASE IN SELF CONCEPT = NEGATIVE SELF

ASSESSMENT

PERFORMANCE CONFIDENCE

•WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLE•TASK SPECIFIC CONFIDENCE – SELF EFFICACY

SKILL V’S MENTAL?

Performance Confidence

WINNING RACES IS ACHIEVED BY SWIMMING NEXT YEARS TIMES NOW.

BALANCE:SCHOOL / TRAINING

OTHER SPORTSSOCIAL LIFE / FAMILY

ATHLETE – SECURE FUTUREATHLETE – POPULAR

UNDERSTAND YOUR SITUATIONCLEAR PLAN

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR SWIMMINGEASIER THAN EVER NOW

Athlete Essentials

HKASA DIVISION I AND II STANDARDS

HKASA POINTS STANDARDS

USA SWIMMING STANDARDS

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A MEET / NATIONAL TEAM?

WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS

***TRAINING CHARTS***

Time Standards

DON’T BE NORMAL – BE DIFFERENT

DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF

EXPLORE THE SPORT OF SWIMMING

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR OWN DESTINY

CONSIDER NUTRITION / FLEXIBILITY AND STRENGTH TRAINING AS PART OF OVERALL SWIM TRAINING PACKAGE

BE ACCOUNTABLE

What Do I Want You To Take Away From This

Presentation?

?

Born or Made??