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Tuesday Tip Archives for Tuesday Tips #1-24 2nd Archive- Tuesday Tips #25-45 |
#99 Tuesday Tip
BELIEVE
After working with athletes in a variety of sports over many years, perhaps the strongest determinant of success is belief. Belief in yourself and belief of someone or a group of people around you, the athlete. It is amazing how strong an impact the belief or lack of belief can have on performance, motivation, determination, persistence… An athlete develops a belief - or lack of belief- in themselves at an early age by the words, looks, and feelings of those around them. The people who can have an enormous impact are parents, siblings, coaches, teachers, teammates, friends and relatives. That belief from others can be shown in many ways- words of support that really carry a feeling of strength and belief, looks of love, approval and care, interest in training, skills and performances, support when setbacks - big or small- occur. And perhaps most importantly, the feelings of belief and support. We have an innate ability to sense the feelings of others; we know when someone believes in us or not. Words can rarely cover the feelings we sense or the actions we see.
Belief can be built or destroyed by the simplest of words- often not intended to help or hinder but felt deeply by the athlete. We can all remember a situation in a classroom or at a training when a very impactful event occurred - a teacher or coach said something to support or to maybe humiliate (correct, belittle, or discourage) us. The power of one interaction when the athlete is vulnerable can have long lasting affects.
Champion athletes are not always the most confident people, but they are confident in their ability to work hard, to be persistent, to be determined. And one of the simplest things that happened for many is that “nobody ever told them they couldn’t.” No-one ever said; you are not good enough, you will not make it, that goal is too hard, the Olympics is just a dream…
Nobody ever stopped their dreams. For the athlete, surround yourself with someone or a group of people that really believe in you- believe in your dreams, your strength to persist and your motivation. For the coach, show your belief in your athletes and understand that some will not have that belief and support from others around them.
BELIEVE
After working with athletes in a variety of sports over many years, perhaps the strongest determinant of success is belief. Belief in yourself and belief of someone or a group of people around you, the athlete. It is amazing how strong an impact the belief or lack of belief can have on performance, motivation, determination, persistence… An athlete develops a belief - or lack of belief- in themselves at an early age by the words, looks, and feelings of those around them. The people who can have an enormous impact are parents, siblings, coaches, teachers, teammates, friends and relatives. That belief from others can be shown in many ways- words of support that really carry a feeling of strength and belief, looks of love, approval and care, interest in training, skills and performances, support when setbacks - big or small- occur. And perhaps most importantly, the feelings of belief and support. We have an innate ability to sense the feelings of others; we know when someone believes in us or not. Words can rarely cover the feelings we sense or the actions we see.
Belief can be built or destroyed by the simplest of words- often not intended to help or hinder but felt deeply by the athlete. We can all remember a situation in a classroom or at a training when a very impactful event occurred - a teacher or coach said something to support or to maybe humiliate (correct, belittle, or discourage) us. The power of one interaction when the athlete is vulnerable can have long lasting affects.
Champion athletes are not always the most confident people, but they are confident in their ability to work hard, to be persistent, to be determined. And one of the simplest things that happened for many is that “nobody ever told them they couldn’t.” No-one ever said; you are not good enough, you will not make it, that goal is too hard, the Olympics is just a dream…
Nobody ever stopped their dreams. For the athlete, surround yourself with someone or a group of people that really believe in you- believe in your dreams, your strength to persist and your motivation. For the coach, show your belief in your athletes and understand that some will not have that belief and support from others around them.
#98 Tuesday Tip: Improve Every Day
Improve Every Day
Stay focused on the “DOING”. Immerse yourself in every lap, drill, figure, stroke, hybrid, etc.
What does that mean?
Stay focused on the task at hand- get better at every task. Use a complete strategy of visual, auditory and kinesthetic aspects. See it, say something to yourself, and feel it.
For example:
Swimming freestyle-
When you swim a lap of freestyle, repeat one or two strategies for each stroke. For example, say reach or extend, see your fingertips reaching toward the end of the pool, and feel the extension from your hip out through your fingertips.
More for Members- Click Here
Barracuda Thrust
How can you work on improving your thrust on every repetition?
See your body unrolling rapidly. See your toes shooting up to the ceiling or sky. See maximum height with your hips, waist and chest above the surface.
Say to yourself: “Up, Extend, Quick.”
Feel the rapid rise to height. Feel the lightness of your body.
Every repetition of a barracuda, use one or more of these strategies. The mind can move quickly between strategies- or distractions. If a distraction enters your mind, allow it and then move back to the strategies.
Improving on every repetition is not an easy task but the habit can be developed. It is ok to wander momentarily and then come back to the task. Do not be too difficult on yourself if you wander in your thoughts, just return to the strategies. Begin with simple laps, drills, and skills and gradually progress to the longer combinations of figures, technical elements, routine parts and eventually entire routines.
Stay focused on the “DOING”. Immerse yourself in every lap, drill, figure, stroke, hybrid, etc.
What does that mean?
Stay focused on the task at hand- get better at every task. Use a complete strategy of visual, auditory and kinesthetic aspects. See it, say something to yourself, and feel it.
For example:
Swimming freestyle-
- See yourself extending through your fingertips to the opposite end of the pool.
- Say to yourself- reach or extend.
- Feel your torso and arm lengthening from your hip out to the end of the pool.
- See your hand and forearm “catching” the water.
- Say to yourself “grab or pull”
- Feel your hand and arm establish catch as if holding onto something solid.
When you swim a lap of freestyle, repeat one or two strategies for each stroke. For example, say reach or extend, see your fingertips reaching toward the end of the pool, and feel the extension from your hip out through your fingertips.
More for Members- Click Here
Barracuda Thrust
How can you work on improving your thrust on every repetition?
See your body unrolling rapidly. See your toes shooting up to the ceiling or sky. See maximum height with your hips, waist and chest above the surface.
Say to yourself: “Up, Extend, Quick.”
Feel the rapid rise to height. Feel the lightness of your body.
Every repetition of a barracuda, use one or more of these strategies. The mind can move quickly between strategies- or distractions. If a distraction enters your mind, allow it and then move back to the strategies.
Improving on every repetition is not an easy task but the habit can be developed. It is ok to wander momentarily and then come back to the task. Do not be too difficult on yourself if you wander in your thoughts, just return to the strategies. Begin with simple laps, drills, and skills and gradually progress to the longer combinations of figures, technical elements, routine parts and eventually entire routines.
#97 Tuesday Tip: The Contradiction of Mind Set
The Contradiction of Mind Set
Champion athletes rarely have a set mind. They are adaptable, open to new ideas and change. Champions make adjustments. Goals are fluid and flexible on a daily basis- going further when progress is quick and perhaps slowing down when progress inches forward.
A mind set is only an asset if it makes you productive. The more important thing is DOING. What are you doing to become successful and productive? A positive mind set can help you feel better, and this may help you be more successful, but only if you are doing something.
More for Members Click Here
Champion athletes rarely have a set mind. They are adaptable, open to new ideas and change. Champions make adjustments. Goals are fluid and flexible on a daily basis- going further when progress is quick and perhaps slowing down when progress inches forward.
A mind set is only an asset if it makes you productive. The more important thing is DOING. What are you doing to become successful and productive? A positive mind set can help you feel better, and this may help you be more successful, but only if you are doing something.
More for Members Click Here
#96 Tuesday Tip: Achieve your 2020 Goals
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Positive: Positive goals, positive inner voice, positive instruction.
Persistent: Work diligently and with focus toward your goals. Realistic: Set realistic goals, set achievable goals over which you have control, set goals for training and competition. Humble: Recognize the skills of others and the contributions of all toward an individual's and a team's success. More for members Click Here |
#95 Tuesday Tip: The Mindset of a Champion Part 2
Positive and Realistic
A positive mindset is obvious. Your mindset is your mental approach to everything, but more importantly it is the controller of your physical approach. It is the physical actions that are most important. A positive mindset is not very good if it does not lead you to take positive actions toward achieving your goals.
Be positive about:
More for Members Click Here
Positive and Realistic
A positive mindset is obvious. Your mindset is your mental approach to everything, but more importantly it is the controller of your physical approach. It is the physical actions that are most important. A positive mindset is not very good if it does not lead you to take positive actions toward achieving your goals.
Be positive about:
- Practices
- Training
- Working hard
- Swimming laps
- Drills
- Routines
- Land work
- Teammates
- Coaches
More for Members Click Here
#94 Tuesday Tip: The Mindset of a Champion
Strong, persistent, flexible, ability to cope with setbacks and overcome obstacles, strong will to succeed…..
All of these characteristics contribute to the success of an athlete. Your mindset determines your performances at a competition, but more importantly, your mindset dominates how much you train, how you train, what you do and how you do it every day at practices.
Are you born with the mindset of a champion? Or can you develop the mindset of a champion?
Certainly there is a genetic component, but the human influences that surround an athlete create an environment of growth and limitless possibilities. Parents, teachers, coaches, trainers, teammates, classmates, siblings and friends all have an impact on the mindset of an individual. The mindset of an athlete develops through what they see, the examples of those around them- what they do, how they do it, how much they do; and what they hear, words of encouragement or discouragement, goal setting, making adjustments or staying firm, mental flexibility or a fixed mindset, a calm approach to everyday situations or irrational reactions to minor setbacks, etc.
Successful athletes are provided the opportunities in which to continually improve. This does not imply just the time necessary, but more importantly the environment created by coaches and teammates.
Persistence
How do you learn to be persistent? To continually work to improve skills and fitness levels? To not give up when a new skill is difficult? To work harder at cardio, flexibility, strength and speed? To firmly continue working toward your goals despite setbacks or obstacles.
You learn persistence through the team and training environment.
Is hard work expected?
Is hard work rewarded?
Is hard work encouraged?
When an athlete achieves a goal in training or a skill, do you set another goal that is a little better? A little faster swimming, a little higher vertical, a straight ballet leg more often?
Is it important for an athlete to do everything that is asked of her/him? Yes! Do not cheat on training- you are only cheating yourself. We always hear that you have to do more than expected. If training is planned appropriately, just do everything. Champions do every part of training. And do every part of training with the physical effort and mental intensity to improve on nearly every repetition. When a skill is difficult, the champion continues to work at it- not just for one day, but continually returning to the drills and skill day after day and week after week.
More to come!
Strong, persistent, flexible, ability to cope with setbacks and overcome obstacles, strong will to succeed…..
All of these characteristics contribute to the success of an athlete. Your mindset determines your performances at a competition, but more importantly, your mindset dominates how much you train, how you train, what you do and how you do it every day at practices.
Are you born with the mindset of a champion? Or can you develop the mindset of a champion?
Certainly there is a genetic component, but the human influences that surround an athlete create an environment of growth and limitless possibilities. Parents, teachers, coaches, trainers, teammates, classmates, siblings and friends all have an impact on the mindset of an individual. The mindset of an athlete develops through what they see, the examples of those around them- what they do, how they do it, how much they do; and what they hear, words of encouragement or discouragement, goal setting, making adjustments or staying firm, mental flexibility or a fixed mindset, a calm approach to everyday situations or irrational reactions to minor setbacks, etc.
Successful athletes are provided the opportunities in which to continually improve. This does not imply just the time necessary, but more importantly the environment created by coaches and teammates.
Persistence
How do you learn to be persistent? To continually work to improve skills and fitness levels? To not give up when a new skill is difficult? To work harder at cardio, flexibility, strength and speed? To firmly continue working toward your goals despite setbacks or obstacles.
You learn persistence through the team and training environment.
Is hard work expected?
Is hard work rewarded?
Is hard work encouraged?
When an athlete achieves a goal in training or a skill, do you set another goal that is a little better? A little faster swimming, a little higher vertical, a straight ballet leg more often?
Is it important for an athlete to do everything that is asked of her/him? Yes! Do not cheat on training- you are only cheating yourself. We always hear that you have to do more than expected. If training is planned appropriately, just do everything. Champions do every part of training. And do every part of training with the physical effort and mental intensity to improve on nearly every repetition. When a skill is difficult, the champion continues to work at it- not just for one day, but continually returning to the drills and skill day after day and week after week.
More to come!
#93 Tuesday Tip: Learning about Lift & Drag- Part 2
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Drag & Lift in Torpedo
Drag forces are forces created in parallel to the direction of travel, i.e. pressing the arms overhead to create foot first movement.
Lift forces are forces created at an angle close to perpendicular to the direction of travel, i.e. "sculling" the arms in and out to create foot first movement.
In swimming, both lift and drag forces contribute to forward movement:
Both should create footfirst movement:
Decide which is more:
Drag forces are forces created in parallel to the direction of travel, i.e. pressing the arms overhead to create foot first movement.
Lift forces are forces created at an angle close to perpendicular to the direction of travel, i.e. "sculling" the arms in and out to create foot first movement.
In swimming, both lift and drag forces contribute to forward movement:
- Lift force from the pitch angle of the hands and the path of the arms in a S curve
- Drag forces from the backward path of the arms pressing water backward to move the body forward.
Both should create footfirst movement:
Decide which is more:
- efficient
- effective
- effortless in appearance
- smoother
- stronger
More tips for Paid Members Only Here
Tuesday Tips #48-95 in the 3rd Archive Tuesday Tips
Tuesday Tips #25-47 in the 2nd Archive Tuesday Tips
Tuesday Tips #1 - 24 in the Tuesday Tips Archives