Rotation

Worked on rotation today at the Saturday Practice. I like to emphasize the rotation and try to get rid of the flat swimming and the swerving and sliding hips.

I watch videos and listen to a lot of people on how there are new ways to teach rotation, and how they like to drive the rotation with kick or now some like to emphasize the shoulders to drive the rotation. I agree that for higher level swimming when you are dealing with senior swimmers there are different ways to create more force, but these methods are based upon the idea that they understand the basic concepts.

I like to emphasize swimming from the core. Rotation is core driven. So many swimmers put their body weight into their rotation, normally by driving with the shoulders. I agree that this could actually create more force, but if you never learn to use your core, it is really hard to learn later on.

I also like to teach big rotation on backstroke. Sure, the cool new thing is the flatter backstroke, or the sliding of the hips as Aaron Piersol does, but to create the leverage to make power from the armstroke should begin with a big rotation. Once the big rotation is learned, then you can flatten the backstroke if it is better for the swimmer to have more power in the kick or faster tempo rate (rhythm).

So many, new styles and little unique tricks that are learned at the senior level. That is great because they are looking for ways to maximize their stroke as the basics have taken them to a certain point. I do see some flaws in teaching these different ways before the basics.

I know many would argue with me. They would say things like, "well then when would you teach them the other things?" My answer, simply, age doesn't matter, you can learn the basics then develop unique aspects once you've grasped the basics. Younger the swimmer though the more you can develop basics to the max which could be a great tool later on as the new skills will help them improve an already strong and powerful stroke.

This philosophy has made some parents in the past upset with me, as some of my 10 and unders in the past, have not been the cream of the crop at ten, but I believe that I have developed strokes through basics that it won't take much for them to pass by a lot of their competition at ages 11 - 14 (depending on the swimmer).

Rotation basic that I emphasize is trying to recognize what it feels like to initiate the rotation from the core.

Dryland: The Human Knot

I remember doing this activity a long time ago in Yosemite for 6th grade Camp. I never used it before, but I thought about it the other day and I thought it would be good for my group to do.

The situation: The kids were starting to chat a lot more, and they'd get mad at each other over practice etiquette and conduct. There seemed to be no real leaders who knew how to lead, just kids who wanted to lead because they thought they should be the leader.

The Activity: Get the group in a circle. Have them come close enough that they can all grab each others hands, and have them try not to grab the same persons hand as they have in their other hand. Now they had to: twist, duck, step over, climb through, and manipulate themselves to make one giant circle.

What Occurred: The beginning started with a lot of people complaining that it was impossible, and they got no where. Then there was no one doing anything, and again they got no where. They soon figured out that yelling didn't help, and then finally someone told someone else a move they needed to do. They finally listened and followed the directions of the person. They did get to be one big circle, but the communication process changed quite a bit within the exercise.

I explained that leading wasn't yelling at each other, and fighting and bickering would get you know where (as they didn't make progress with the knot by yelling at each other or the coach either). I talked about how practices will be more efficient and more effective if we are able to communicate with each other better. I told them that those who step up to be leaders need to do it in a proper way, and not to bully their way to leadership. I wanted them to realize that a good communicating environment will help others, but also themselves as they'll get more out of practice.

I hoped to accomplish: A little better communication within the group.

Results: Amazing, they did great at practice. Another Coach even recognized it, even without knowing what we had done for dryland. The exercise really did get to the kids, and they understood how much easier it was to get out of the knot when they communicated well.

Long Course Time

It has come to that time, Long Course. I am excited that it is like starting new when it comes to motivation, as swimmers have recognized their progress and realize that they have closed the gap between themselves and a meet like JAG. I think when I got here I had two kinds of mentalities for the most part: the swimmer demoralized because they weren't even close to qualifying for big meets, and the ignorant who felt like if they showed up to practice they'll make JO's. I feel like many of the swimmers now have more confidence as they see they have progressed to be close to a meet like JAG, and then others who have realized that they have to learn and work to make it to the faster swim meets.

Although I haven't overhauled the culture of the team, I feel like I have definitely improved the culture of the Blue Group. Some kids dropped out along the way as they weren't digging the new culture, but it all worked out to help change the group. There are still some that remain who haven't bought into the new culture, and you can definitely tell who those are when you seem them at practice. Some haven't changed though because they don't come to practice often enough to make the changes with the group.

As a swimmer, I wasn't a fan of Long Course, but as a coach, my swimmers have had the tendency to enjoy Long Course more than Short Course. I can't wait to see what happens with this group.

I have to reset my brain, as I know I'm going to be at Ventura this weekend wondering if that swim the kid did is a good time or not, and wondering, how good of time is it? I am always mixed up when it comes to Long Course Times.

Recent practices. They have been stroke development based workouts, but very different than those of January and February. Much more drilling and developing strokes through drills have also led to more swimming and less talking. It reminds me of September, almost to the degree of how I tried to start the group at (before realizing some of the things I really felt they needed to work on) when I got to the team.