AGA Blog

Positive Affirmations

2010-05-17T21:45:00.001-07:00

Rainbow Classic

2010-02-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had three people in our group that competed at the Rainbow Classic. All three swam very well, Austin Barnard just missed Age Group Sectional cuts in the 100 Fly and Free by five tenths. Stephen Boden and Ian Carpenter had lifetime bests in all six of their events. Over the next two weeks we have meets at Kamiak High School, this weekend is the distance meet, and the following weekend is the Age Group Invite. It's time to start gearing up to swim fast as our championship season approaches. We need to remeber that eating right and getting plenty of sleep are an important side of our silent training.

2010-02-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

The last month has seen an increase not only in yardage but output in effort. You guys should be very pleased and excited about the work and performancee that we have had over the last month. Our attendance has been fantastic and shows the level of deedication that you have toward the sport.

Eating

2010-01-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

Eat Early and Often to Recover Well

Knowing how much carbohydrate, protein and fat to get in a day is good. But knowing when you should be getting those nutrients is even better. When it comes to optimal nutrition, timing really is everything.
In general, following these guidelines for incorporating carbohydrate, protein and fat into your day:

Spread carbohydrate intake out over the course of the day (i.e. smaller meals and frequent snacks). This keeps blood sugar levels adequate and stable.

Eat some carbohydrate before morning practice. Note: This can be in the form of juice.

Eat carbohydrate in the form of a carb-electrolyte drink, such as Gatorade or Powerade, during workout IF workout is 90 minutes or longer. Gels are also acceptable.

Eat carbohydrate and protein within the first 30 minutes after practice. This enables the body to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue. This is perhaps the most important time to eat!!!!

Eat again (something substantial, like a real meal) before 1 hour post-practice has elapsed. This is critical to maximizing recovery!!!!

Incorporate fat into the day at times that are not close to workout. Fat is necessary, but contributes little to the workout or immediate post-workout recovery period.

First Breath off the Wall...Faster Freestyle!

2009-11-17T08:37:00.001-08:00

Reach for the Stars!

2009-11-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.”
James Cameron

Victoria Day 2.5

2009-11-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

Not only was finals exciting, it was exhausting just watching!

Lavinya (The Bulldozer) Yap swam the 200 free relay, 100 freestyle (1st), 100 backstroke (2nd), 200 fly (1st), and 200 IM (1st)!!!
Heidi VanderWel swam the 100 freestyle (5th), 100 backstroke (1st), 200 fly (2nd) and 200 IM (1st)!!
Austin Barnard swam the 200 free relay, 100 freestyle (4th), 200 fly (2nd), 100 back (2nd), 200 breast (2nd)!!
Cole VanderWel swam the 200 free relay, 100 freestyle (8th), 100 back (8th), 200 IM (6th), 200 breast (3rd)!!

Other finalists were Matt Williamson in the 200 fly (5th), Alec Barnard 200 fly (5th), Brianna Lucien 200 fly (8th) & 200 breast (6th), Clara Cannon 100 back (8th) and Conner McGinnis 200 fly (8th)!

All in all, a very good day for WEST here in rainy Canadia!!

Follow the rest of the meet live here!

Victoria Day 2

2009-11-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

It’s raining hard here in Victoria but we still managed to pull off earning 22 swims in finals this evening!

Alyssa is nursing a sprained ankle she acquired while making the short walk from the hotel to the pool yesterday but she’s in good spirits and still participating in warm ups to keep sane!
She and her roomies learned about the ice bucket method of healing an appendage...not very fun, but very effective immersion in an ice bath for 10 minutes a shot does a great fast job at accelerating healing as well as killing pain and inflamation...

We got to deal with lots of nervousness and anxiety and being away from homeness but everyone is pulling together and doing great!
Our meet entry software does very fast conversions from short course yards to short course meters and our WEST swimmers are showing they are up to task in taking on those fast entry times!
Lot’s of best times going on here as well as hard work and learning to focus on racing when in a foreign environment...we’re setting these swimmers up for future successes!

More in a bit but now on to finals! Please enjoy the picture show above...

Victoria: Day 1...

2009-11-05T21:59:00.000-08:00

International exposure to our swimmers is something to keep them interested, motivated and open to learning about other cultures and people...and to enhance their racing experience of course!

We had quite the day planned: travel by hydrofoil on the Victoria Clipper to Victoria; walk about Victoria and have lunch, then practice at the meet pool....then bad weather cancelled the Clipper trip. Off to Victoria by bus, lunch at the ferry terminal and ferry to Victoria...no worries...a bit longer travel then planned but still funnish and we didn’t have to drive!

Everyone still in good spirits on the trip and upon arrival we headed over to the pool for a warm up before dinner.
We walked over to an italian restaurant for dinner and pigged out before settling in at the hotel for socializing, homework and much needed rest after a long days travels.

Cheri and Margaret, our chefs de cuisine, headed over to Costco and got enough food and supplies to last a month for a normal family or 3 to 4 days for 15 swimmers!

Competition starts in the morning with prelims at 9 AM so swimmers get to sleep in a bit the first day!

Last room check is done and everyone is in dreamland...my turn now.....more tomorrow after the first day of swimming!

Warm Up/Warm Down...

2009-11-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

Warm-Up Tips
BY DAVID SWENSEN//Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Warm-up. A proper warm-up may do more than just increase body temperature, which makes the muscles more pliable, and brings more blood (and therefore oxygen and nutrients) to the muscles when swimming. It also appears that warming up helps improve the efficiency of the nerves that control your muscles. A study compared a group of swimmers who warmed up by actively swimming (active warm-up) compared to a group that warmed up by using a heated room, hot tub or hot shower (passive warm-up). The active warm-up group performed better than the passive warm-up group during their first event.

What? No warm-up pool? While it is best to actively warm-up for your race, your body will benefit from staying warm if you don’t have access to a warm-up pool. One finding of the study may help you in between events when you have no access to a warm-up pool. The researchers found that there was a greater performance benefit to keeping the body warm in-between events. When there is no warm-up pool, this can be accomplished by taking a warm shower, or just wearing your team warm-ups.

Warm-down. Several research studies have looked at the effects of warming down. Resting after an event by just sitting or lying down is known as passive recovery. Active recovery is when you perform exercise during a recovery period, such as when you swim down after your event. Did you ever wonder how fast you should swim during your warm down? Researchers found that it is better to swim at a faster pace during warm down than to just cruise and splash around. It was found that warming down at a pace that is equivalent to your lactate threshold will help you recover more quickly and will result in better performance in your next event. If you don't have a high-tech lab at your pool to figure out how fast you have to swim to reach your lactate threshold, a good estimate of your lactate threshold would be to swim at the fastest pace which you could steadily hold for an hour.

Breaststroke Pullout

2009-10-31T03:36:00.000-07:00

Breaststroke Pullout

BY Kelsey Savage Hays The breaststroke pullout, or the underwater stroke that begins a lap of breaststroke, is a key factor to any breaststroke event, especially longer ones.

“In a 200 yard breaststroke, pullouts make up 40% of the race,” said coach Pat Murphy, head coach and owner of the Chattahochee Gold Swim Teamd. “It’s really important for swimmers to be able to hold their breath and complete strong pullouts off every wall.”

For weak breaststrokers, mastering the pullout can immediately improve their races.

Since pullouts are made up of three separate steps (the glide, where body position is key; the pull, which mimics butterfly’s underwater movement; and the kick, the most powerful part), Murphy teaches a progression drill to swimmers hoping to improve their pullouts.

Step 1 Starting with just a push and glide, swimmers see how far they can get off the wall while maintaining a tight streamline, with their necks aligned and abdomens taut. Toes should be pointed and feet together. While pushing off the wall, swimmers should aim to move forward in a straight line – deep enough underwater to comfortably complete the pullout, but not diagonally towards the bottom of the pool. After practicing a few push-offs, swimmers can begin to add the arm pull, gliding off the wall with a tight streamline and using their arms just before they have lost momentum from their push. The arm movement for breaststroke pullouts is the same movement used in the butterfly. During their pull, as their hands pass by their shoulders and chest, swimmers do a quick butterfly kick.

Step 2 After mastering the pulling movement, swimmers are ready to add a kick and complete their pullout. Murphy sees many swimmers rushing to get the kick and recovery finished in order to get to the surface and breathe, a mistake that lessens the impact of their kick, which should be the most powerful part of the pullout and needs to be strong and unrushed. After pulling their arms down to their waist and completing a butterfly kick, swimmers do a frog kick, making sure their feet are turned out, and then push back completely. Simultaneously, their hands sneak along their body and their heads remain in line with the rest of their body until their hands are in front of the face and beginning the first above-water stroke.

Step 3 For the last step of the drill, Murphy has his swimmers dive from blocks into the water and then do one full pullout, coming up wherever they are in the pool when finished. Swimmers should also practice doing a pullout and breaking the surface of the water sprinting. Murphy emphasizes that it shouldn’t take several strokes to get into a race-rhythm; the first stroke after breaking the water sets the rhythm for the rest of the race.

October Challenge

2009-10-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

The second meet of the season was a great success. I think you should all give yourselves a big pat on the back. With a very high number of best times, and new PNS times, it was a very successful. Get ready for some great practices and even better meets.

Hydration

2009-10-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

Stay Hydrated

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF, PhD, RD//Correspondent As a swimmer, you spend your workouts surrounded by water. Surprisingly, swimmers are at increased risk of dehydration. Adequate fluid is needed inside your body to function as a coolant. Consume fluids before, during and after exercise to ensure success in the pool. Follow these guidelines to ensure that you are always well-hydrated.

HOW MUCH AND WHEN?
·         Drink at least 2 cups (16 ounces) of fluid, preferably water, about two hours before exercise. Fifteen minutes before exercise, drink one-half to a cup of water.
·         During exercise, drink about 6-12 ounces every 15-20 minutes. An average “gulp” is about one ounce. When your workouts are less than an hour, plain water will keep you hydrated. When your workouts are more than an hour, consume a sports beverage that contains fluid, carbs and electrolytes. Soda and fruit juices should not be consumed because they contain too many carbs for hydration during exercise and may lead to stomach discomfort.
·         After exercise, replace fluids as quickly a possible. For every pound of body weight lost during a workout, drink three cups of fluid.
·         Drink fluids at regular intervals throughout the day.

HOW DO I MONITOR HYDRATION?
·         Check your urine color first thing in the morning. When well-hydrated, urine is pale yellow and does not have a strong odor.   Dark yellow, infrequent urine suggests dehydration.
·         Don’t rely on thirst. Instead, drink before you feel thirsty. If you are thirsty, it is too late.

ENERGY DRINKS: NOT A GOOD CHOICE!
Energy drinks are popular among teenagers and young adults. They are marketed as a quick way to boost mental energy and improve performance. These beverages are NOT appropriate for fluid replacement during exercise. They are full of caffeine and other stimulants that may make you feel jittery and lead to dehydration. They also contain too many carbs to be used for fluid replacement and may lead to stomach distress if consumed too close to the beginning of exercise.

Kathleen Woolf, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian and a member of the American Dietetic Association, the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionist Dietetic Practice Group, and the American College of Sports Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University.

Pasta PIg Out!

2009-10-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Get ready to swim FAST at our

First Challenge Meet of the Season

Pre-Meet Pasta Pig Out!!

FRIDAY – OCTOBER 16TH

5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

WEST Swimmers & Families Invited to attend!

Questions?

Contact Elaine … LarryLaurent@Verizon.net

Training Journal Suggestions

2009-09-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Keeping a Training Journal

BY DR. LENNY WIERSMA//Correspondent
The beginning of a swimming season is a great time to start a training journal, which is a written record of your performance and a consistent, positive and concrete reminder to keep you focused. Use the journal to make observations about how you feel physically or mentally, and describe your level of motivation, mood and confidence. By recognizing these things, you have taken the first step in gaining control over them and using them to your advantage. Personalize it however you want, but I recommend the following:

1.   Buy a writer’s journal or spiral-bound notebook. On the first page, write out the following in big, bold print: What are your specific goals for this year? What are the major improvements you want to make during the season?
2.   After each practice, date your entry, then list your practice goal, how you felt during practice (physically and mentally), and how you dealt with distractions or fatigue. End each entry with one positive note about practice, then with a powerful statement, such as, “I am strong,” or “Nothing can stop me.”
3.   After each meet, write down your goals for the meet and the times you swam. Briefly describe how you felt physically and mentally, then what you learned from your performance. List any stressors you faced as well as how you attempted to deal with them. End each entry with a very positive, powerful statement, such as “I love the battle” or “London, here I come.”

Keep the journal simple so it doesn’t feel like homework, and make it as positive and motivating as possible. If nothing else, it will be quite a gift to yourself to look back over your swimming career and keep cherished memories of your experience.

Lenny Wiersma is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, and a member of United States Swimming’s High Performance Network in Sport Psychology.

Fairshare Meetings

2009-09-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

Wed Sept 23rd
6-6:45pm Sr. Dev & AGA

Make Up Meeting - Tues Sept 29th
7-7:45pm All Groups

Dynamic Stretching

2009-09-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

Everyone should become familiar with these:

http://www.swimnetwork.com/videos/v/20090601/the_dryland_workout__dynamic_stretches_to_get_you_loose-16644.html

Having Fun Under Fire!

2009-08-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

Read Me...

Shoulder Stuff

2009-07-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

A good article on stretching (not over-stretching) and taking care of your shoulder....

Buy Stuff, Earn Money for WEST

2009-07-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

Shop Now to Support
West Coast Aquatics

Deep Thoughts...

2009-06-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

long term sight can overshadow short term disappointments unknown

The Journey

2009-06-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

"Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome. Not everyone can be Number 1."
-- Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr.

F is for Fear

2009-06-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

F is for Fear

BY AIMEE KIMBALL, PhD//Special Correspondent
One of the worst four-letter words in an athletes’ everyday vocabulary is “fear.” It is an emotion that most athletes don’t admit to, yet when experienced, is constantly influencing their behaviors. This article will focus on rational and irrational fears, how to accept them and keep them from influencing your performance.

Slaying the Big Bad Wolf
I have yet to meet an athlete who isn’t afraid of something. While a fear of spiders isn’t going to keep most athletes from performing their best, a fear of failure may. If you have a fear that is hindering you from performing your best, you have to examine the source of this fear.

Common sport-related fears are:
Letting down/disappointing others
Making a mistake
Having a bad race
Getting yelled at
Not living up to your potential
Getting hurt
Not being as good as you/others thought
Pain

If you can relate to any of these, take a deep breath, because it’s OK. It’s not all bad when you are afraid of something. It’s how you deal with it that counts.

First, write down the fears that you have and determine whether or not they are realistic. If you have an unrealistic fear, it’s important to remind yourself that it’s not likely to happen. Be logical with yourself, “Come on. I’m being silly. My parents will not be disappointed in me if I have a bad race.”

Second, if there is a level of honest concern (i.e., your coach will never put you in the event again if you mess up) then you have to accept this reality. Nine times out of 10, the more you focus on NOT messing up to avoid the reality, the more likely you are to mess up. If there is a realistic reason you are afraid to swim poorly, then focus on what you need to do to swim well, rather than what you are trying to avoid.

For example, the conversation you’d have with yourself would go something like this:

Negative You: The relay is counting on me. I can’t have a bad race or we’ll lose.

Positive You: Yes, the team does count on me, but I’m pretty good, so I’m more likely to swim well than to have a bad race. I just need to get a good start, have smooth turns, and really kick strong. I’ve done it in practice. I can do it now.

Third, have a routine. When athletes don’t have something they do consistently, there is a greater chance that something is going to feel off or that uncertainty will creep in. By having a routine that you do before every competition — a routine that does not change depending on how your last meet went — you provide yourself with a level of comfort. That is, when you always put your goggles on first or you listen to “Eye of the Tiger” right before you take the block, you feel more in control of your mind and body, the experience feels more familiar, and you will be calmer—all things necessary in keeping those worries at bay.

Swim Your Best Race
When favored to win, athletes who are not mentally tough fear losing and compete that way. They are tentative and don’t do their best. When expected to lose, athletes often do better because they are focusing on causing an upset or because they are more relaxed since they have nothing to lose. If you find you fit into either category, remember who you swim should not determine how you swim. When you swim well against good opponents, you can swim well against lesser opponents. The mindset you have when you swim your best should be the mindset you have against every opponent.

Swim to Win
Fear of the unknown comes because we’re thinking ahead. Stay in the moment and don’t worry so much about negative outcomes. You are out there to do your best, so swim like it. If you swim to win, your focus is on swimming your best and making the most of each stroke. If you’re swimming not to lose, you’re thinking of swimming poorly and the “what-ifs” often get the better of you. Thoughts of losing lead to anxiety, thoughts of swimming well lead to confidence. Which mindset would you rather have?

Choose to be a warrior, not a worrier.

Make it Great!

About Aimee C. Kimball, PhD

2009-2010 Meet Schedule

2009-06-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to next year’s meet schedule. I’m still working out some possibilities but it is generally the way it will be.
http://westcoastaquatics.us/team/meets/2009-10.html

Enjoy!

Dagny Knutson

2009-05-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

Dagny Knutson, Uncut (from Flo-Swimming)
May 21, 2009
“I had a chance to sit down with one of America's newest super stars, Dagny Knutson. What a story! Not only is she training in a state not known for swimming, but she's been training by herself! The sky is the limit for this 17 year old.”