Power In Age Group Swimming

1. 8/25/2012 1 Power In Age Group Swimming Brian Brown Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics

2. 8/25/2012 2 Introduction All sports in our era have gravitated toward increased Power through training methods or equipment. The greatest difference between world-class swimmers and good swimmers is the ability to generate and transmit power both internally and externally, that is, from within one�s body and to the water. Assuming the basic training of endurance, technique and speed have been adequately addressed as an athlete matures, Power is the missing component necessary to allow younger, developing, age group swimmers to compete with older, fully-grown athletes. Purpose today is to share some ideas and methods we have developed at Asphalt Green for age group swimmers.

3. 8/25/2012 3 What is involved in developing Powerful swimming? North / First Thought�Resistance South / Opposite Idea�Flexibility East / Related Thought�Explosiveness West / Hidden Aspect�Timing

4. 8/25/2012 4 Resistance Hard Water, Soft Touch The holy grail of fast swimming The faster you go through it the more the water resists you The harder you press against the water the harder it becomes Tension ruins everything North / First Thought�In-Water South / Opposite Idea�Dryland East / Related Thought�Amphibious West / Hidden Aspect�Teach �Mind�s Eye-training�

5. 8/25/2012 5 In-water, Out-of-water, and Amphibious Resistance Training Stretch cords 4 per lane, 25 yards/meters Long and short sets Resistance and assistance Power racks / power towers / power wheels / power line Weighted swims Scuba weights , arm weights T-shirts and shoes Parachutes Flume Against flow Swimming tethered with the flow and pulling against the force of the stream

6. 8/25/2012 6 Resistance Training (Continued) Neanderthal Bricks and paving stones Chairs Paddle fetish Demonstrate limitless variations Dryland Stretch cords Medicine Ball � kicking and punching TRX Amphibious Training Bands in hands/feet in and out of water Wall kicking / Lilly pad kicking Under lane line kicking

7. 8/25/2012 7 Mind�s Eye Point of View�Resistance Training Imagination is empowering Why not? What would a sub-1:50/2:00 200 Meter backstroke look and feel like? Dreaming is living Decisiveness is creative Teach athletes to make up their minds who and what they want to be �Just Be It� The power of history Autobiographies�Surround yourself with accomplished friends Real historical events�Tell them what people actually did �Recreations��Ways for athletes to live it themselves Loan books and judge their reviews��It was good� vs. �That was insane� From a bird�s perspective the horizon is much greater than from the ground Limitless thinking

8. 8/25/2012 8 Flexibility To increase the Power of yourself, your athletes, your program, and your team seek the maximum amount of flexibility possible without compromising the goal. Greek Ideal�The first Olympics 776 BC Arete -- Excellence Original definition -- Body-Mind Modern definition -- Body-Mind-Spirit-State Think of what motivates your athletes; bring it into your coaching and build it into your program somehow (if possible) Communication�Text messaging (OMG!) Decision-making�Having a say Skateboarding and gaming

9. 8/25/2012 9 Explosiveness �Faster Than Humanly (or Humanely) Possible� swims In-Water < 20 Yard sprints Running-start swims �Hang-on-for-dear-life� flume sprints Dryland Mini tramp running Physio ball kicking and punching Amphibious Specific motions done intensely on-deck and immediately transferred into the water Fast Thinking Spell �amphibious�!

10. 8/25/2012 10 Timing In-water Tempo devices Music Banging on the backstroke flags Dryland �Swimming� on mats (with weighted hands sometimes) repeating a specific tempo Amphibious Catch up drill on broomstick Pool stick swimming Mentality Can they tell a good joke�essence of timing

11. 8/25/2012 11 Next Steps Thank you Questions