The End of an Era

The 2015 Canadian Age Group Championships held at the University of Laval from July 29 – August 3 served as my final CAGC of my swimming career. The stop at Laval was the 7^th CAGC for me and was a bitter sweet moment diving into the final swim on Sunday morning for the 400 free. For me, this meet wasn’t about best times, finals, or medals, it was about getting in the water and attempting to race my best this season and finish out my age group career on a strong note. I would be lying not to say this last age groups was a bitter sweet moment for me as it was my last one as well to be able to say I swam 7 consecutive CAGC is something many swimmers cannot say.

This meet came with all sorts of challenges from swimming my first national level meet while in recovery from my many preventable injuries that occurred last season, to the things that make your mind wonder like being in an outside lane for every swim, or being the only athlete from your club at the meet, and a new competition pool that you’ve never swam in before seems like a new country or world to step into.

My results for this meet in my eyes were solid. Sure someone from the outside looking at the heat sheets and then proceeding to the result file could say “well he added nearly 9 seconds in the 200 back, that’s not a good swim at all” but when you look at the swim from a season stand point that 9 second add is the least of my worries. Outsiders can laugh and point fingers all they want at my performances, but I know better than anyone else what a good swim for me was. Let’s do everyone a favor and not be so quick to laugh or judge when you yourself didn’t swim so hot. Of course I would love to have gone life time bests and swam all my events in finals, but that was not realistic going into the meet. Heck I could care less about my placings at the meet as it’s just a number where I placed in my age group, the numbers that really count is where my times in this meet scored in my seasons best times.

One thing I was NOT ALLOWED to do at this meet was be upset or mad about my swims. For any swimmer this is the toughest thing to concur in the sport. If someone has a poor swim where they have added time, or didn’t make a final they should have will have that swim on their minds for days, even weeks – I even witnessed swimmers swimming life time best and being upset with themselves which I think is childish. Bottom line is if you swim a life time best you should be proud for the moment and let that new time sink in for a day or two, and then think of ways to get faster. Swimming at this meet I was not 100% in shape or in race ready form (this will come with time and when my body is in proper shape to do so). I know I could not have trained any harder nor done anything different to prepare for this meet. For me, going forward improvement is what it’s all about by getting faster and stronger over the next year by training smarter, continuing to own my technique, and increasing my volume in the pool as well the weight room. These two critical components of my training were modified most of the year and will continue to be different than anyone else in the pool/gym in order for me to stay injury free.

This season has been one that I will remember for years to come. So many things happened this season with some good and some bad. The biggest and best highlight of this season was falling in love with the sport of swimming again after having a poor back half of last season and not enjoying the sport at all because of injuries and unprofessional people I know I made the change at the perfect time, the change that not only saved my swimming career but renewed my love for the sport again. The biggest lesson I learned this season is to NEVER give up and sometimes the bumpy road is the one that leads to the biggest successes, they may not come for a few years but I have set myself up for at least 5 more years of swimming through varsity and club swimming starting in May. This new chapter in my swimming career will be fresh and exciting and I can’t wait for it to begin in a few short weeks.

The end has come to my age group career, it has been a memorable time but I can’t wait to start my new chapter and career as a varsity athlete. Exciting and big things for my career will come over the next 5 years I know that for a fact. I will leave you with my results from my final CAGC, check them out below.

Results:

200 back 2:21.97 – 2:19.50 was my fastest time this year. Struggled on the 3^rd 50 of this race splitting a near 39 but was able to come back home in a 35 mid. If that 3^rd 50 was just a little faster a season best would have been achieved.

200 free 2:06.98 – 2:05.68 was my fastest time this year swum in finals at East Coast Champs. To put things into perspective I was 2:07.05 in the prelims at East Coast Champs and 2:06.13 in prelims at AGI in Etobicoke, this swim sits well on the season considering I wasn’t out as fast as I have been at prior meets.

400 free 4:31.35 – 4:31.05 was my fastest time this year swum in finals at East Coast Champs. My fastest prelims time going into this morning 400 free at CAGC was 4:34.45 swum at AGI in June. So looking at it from a prelims stand point I dropped over 3 seconds in my morning swim and equalled my finals time.

One thing I told my coach after the meet was over if I had another chance to swim these races in finals I am almost certain I would have dropped in each event. Looking at my swims through different perspectives allowed me to better cope and understand where I was at with my swim – this is something I have always done but it was especially important this season given the circumstances I was under. 

Injury Rehab - Case Study

Below is the injury case study written by my coach, Mike Finch, head coach of W Ross Macdonald Swim Club in Brantford. For someone that has been dealing with unnecessary injuries for over a year now it was a perfect time to share my story. Enjoy!

A Rehab Case Study by Mike Finch

Athlete:  Tyson MacDonald – 18

Note: I want to thank Tyson for allowing me to write this “case study”. Our hope is that other athletes facing the same situation will have a better idea of how to both avoid or manage a swimming injury. Tyson’s comments are included in blue.

Swimming injuries do not have to be an inevitable part of our sport.  Training and competing in constant pain is a path out of the sport rather than being a toughness “merit badge”. “Swim through it” (tendon, back and joint pain) at your own risk!

Background: Tyson joined WRMS in September of 2014.  During the 2014 LC season he trained and competed with an increasing amount of pain. His meet swimming was hard to watch; he was turning in very slow performances, and clearly in a great deal of pain after each swim.

Tyson’s rehab process has taken the majority of the 2014-15 season. It has been expensive to the Ontario Health Care System in terms of 2 MRIs and consultations with several specialists.  Many trips to Steve Hill at Kings Cross Physio in Brampton have also been  expensive for the family. It’s likely that Tyson’s injuries were completely preventable as they were almost certainly due to  over-training, poor stroke technique, muscle imbalance and a general weakness in his back.

Note: It’s important to note that Tyson has been meticulous in following all of the directions he has been given –  he has also been very patient which hasn’t been easy – he just wants to train and race! Its likely that many attempts at rehabbing a swimming injury fail based on a lack of patience and or focus on the part of the injured athlete..

MRIs:  The results of his first MRI were inconclusive so a second “Contrasting MRI” was ordered. The results appeared to indicate a Shoulder Joint Tear (Glenoid Labrum Tear) Surgery is often recommended in these cases.

Physio: Tyson’s physio has covered three major areas:

• Tendonitis Treatments: The initial priority was treatment of Tyson’s fairly advanced tendonitis.
  • Dryland:  Tyson was given a number of very basic exercises designed to begin building back stability and strength – the approach at Kings Cross is different as they do not start with all sorts of Rotator Cuff Exercises.
• Development and control of “holding muscles”:  Once the tendonitis was no longer a factor in terms of pain, the work at Kings Cross shifted to teaching Tyson how to hold his shoulder in a stabilized position.
  • Tyson was given a number of dry land exercises that gave him control of the muscle groups that hold his shoulder in a healthy position.
  • We moved Tyson into the clinic’s SwimEx (flume) starting with shoulder positioning against a current (out of the SwimEx), followed by the same shoulder positioning while swimming.
  • The outcome of this section of Physio was to give Tyson awareness and control over shoulder position as well as the muscular endurance required to hold his shoulder in position over increasing amounts of swimming volume.
• General Strength Development:  Tyson as always been an extremely focused and dedicated swimmer but he had some major strength deficits that certainly contributed to his injuries. He is currently heading into Kings Cross every 3 to 4 weeks for strength program updates.  We take technical video of each session at Kings Cross so that Tyson can go back to check exercise technique. Tyson continues to be completely focused on exactly following the exercise prescriptions from Kings Cross.

Progression in the pool:

• September – November:  
  • Technical Analysis:  Underwater video revealed a number of technical errors that had very clearly contributed to his injuries. We knew what technical errors need correction but Tyson kept any swimming to an absolute minimum; initially well under 500 yards/day.
  • Technical Work: Regular use of our underwater video systems (used every minute of every practice) allowed Tyson to make the required technical changes.
  • Training: Almost 100% of Tyson’s early season training was done “hands back – snorkel kicking with and without fins” We swam, Tyson kicked. Absolutely no swim training until Tyson had made the required technical changes – and then – only as much pain free swimming as he could do…..we always stopped before he was experiencing any pain – it was a very conservative approach –
  •  

Tyson: “Watching my teammates swim and race personal best times in practice or in a meet was challenging, but kicking for many practices in the first couple of months of the season only improved my poor kicking and allowed me to discover new leg muscles that I did not know existed. I also gained the rewarding role of coaching my junior teammates at a couple early season meets as well taking meet video and giving immediate feedback on technique to my teammates.”

• December to April
  • Technical Work: Every practice – making sure that he was seeing the exact stroke pattern that would allow him to swim pain free. Backstroke and Breaststroke were added to the technical work. Always with an emphasis on shoulder positioning, swimming with a long neck…keeping the strokes long and relaxed.
  • Swim Training:  Swimming volume and intensity increased over the period – the over-riding rules were listen to your body and be conservative.
  • Kicking: Tyson was and is responsible for monitoring his training and moves to kicking as an intuitive switch from swimming. If he can’t hold his shoulders in position, a swim set is over…so he’s swimming with a high level of self-awareness.

Tyson: “Diving into my first meet near the end of November I knew I could not afford to anything ‘amazing’ or race to ‘aggressive’ – instead I dove in for an easy 50 free, still pulling an impressive time and felt easy, pain free, and relaxed. This was the exact expectation for my first race of the season.”

• May to Current:
  • Technical Work: Continues at every practice
  • Dryland: As prescribed by Kings Cross
  • Swim Training: The progression continues – increased volume and intensity – never any fly swimming – but increasing amounts of back and breast work with the majority of his swim training being freestyle based.
  • Kicking: As needed.
  • Meet Swimming: Tyson has been building out from 50s to 400M – he has absolutely no interest in continuing compete at 800 and 1500M. His times have improved at every competition….

Tyson: “Every time I dive into the water there is noticeable improvement, whether it is time, technique, under water, or faster reaction off the blocks. ‘Constant improvement’ is noticeable in my daily training and racing which helps to keep the confidence levels high and drive to continue to improve. Now that I have a few months of solid racing under my belt I am confident with my new technique in my strokes, being able to just race and not be concerned about my shoulder, and most importantly having ‘fun’ something many swimmers refuse to do.”

End Notes:

• Tyson has been able to train Pain Free since November – he has often experienced muscle soreness but absolutely no pain which would indicate injury onset.
• Tyson knows his limits – everything is improving but it’s at a manageable pace.
• Re. Tyson’s MRI Results:  Tyson clearly experienced some level of shoulder tear but Steve Hill’s advice was that if Tyson could race and train “pain free” surgery was probably not necessary. All of the time and effort needed to teach Tyson how to control his shoulder position has allowed him to avoid a surgical correction.
• We continue to feel that a majority of career ending or damaging injuries are completely preventable. Tyson’s injuries almost certainly resulted from poor technique, an inadequate dry land program, poor posture, over training and trying to continue racing through an existing injury.
  • Swimmers need a physical assessment each year the goal of which it to identify potential problem areas before they create an injury.
  • Proper Technique is easy to teach and easily maintained – but swimmers need to see what they are doing on a regular/daily basis.
  • Swimmers need to understand their limits – pushing into neural fatigue is a perfect way to “tough your way into an injury”.
  • Dry land programs need to focus on developing muscle balance and muscular endurance in “the holding muscle groups”
  • Racing injured makes absolutely no sense as it just leads to a longer or more serious injury!
  •  

Tyson: “Technical training, body awareness, and patients will all remain part of my training methods for the rest of my career to ensure my shoulder stays ‘healthy’ and no further damage is done. I know I’ll never swim an 800 or 1500 free again as well butterfly or I.M. and I am totally fine with that. This injury has allowed me to look outside the box and train in a new way that I thought would never work.”

• Expectations for Tyson’s University Swimming
  • Tyson appears to be fully recovered – having corrected all of the issues that we think contributed to his injuries.
  • As long as Tyson continues to listen to his body he should remain un-injured over the course of his University and Summer swimming.
  • Tyson should get back to Personal best times in free events 50 – 400, and at all distances for Breast and Back.

Tyson:  “Working with WRMS, the many doctors/specialist, and most importantly Steve Hill has been a career saver! Without these people working together and being on the same page nothing gets accomplished. The key to coming back healthy from an injury and STAYING healthy is doing the little things daily, proper warm up/activation, following the training plan accordingly, let your coach know asap when something doesn’t feel right. The worst thing to do is rush back into training/racing and think lifetime bests will come. Instead baby steps and returning to reality are key in order to come back healthier and stronger.”

Hanging up my "Distance Suit"

With June starting and championship season on the heels of many swimmers across the country it's time to set the record straight. Of course many of you know I've been injured for over a year now with various shoulder issues that I'm still recovering from and doing daily therapy for. This is something I'll be doing for the rest of my swim career to ensure I'm sound and not doing anymore damage. It has been a long year, filled with many changes and ups and downs. A year ago I would have NEVER pictured myself in the situation I'm in and lets be real here no one would have predict this change, not even me. Here I am swimming in a new environment, with a new coach, with a different philosophy then most coaches in Ontario and Canada.

This season has been and continues to be a rebuild for me. Going from not being able to swim in September for several months one can't expect lifetime bests. Some people will likely look at the heat sheet and say "well he added 25 seconds to his 400 free" and as I say to those people thinking that 'who cares, and try going through an intense rehabilitation phase and continue to do so daily to ensure I can get better and continue to train. It was said by a couple different doctors I would never swim at the level I am today and even one went as fare as saying surgery would be my only option to fix all the damage caused from last seasons mess.

Many athletes receiving such difficult news would hang up the suit and say forget it, I'm done, it's not worth it anymore. Not this swimmer! Instead I took this head on and took the long road. Facing this uphill battle of kicking for weeks and weeks and building confidence each day to improve and knowing I was doing the right thing. Racing my first 50 free in Short Course meters in London in late November was the best thing for me as I was with the team and my confidence was building heading into Decembers Pointe Clare meet. At this meet I put in entire times that reflected where I was at during the meet and swam a handful of events plus relays with the intention of swimming stress free and if I needed to scratch I would. With swimmer and coach on the same page life in the pool was enjoyable, relaxing, and for once in a VERY long time FUN again, something the sport should have always been but sadly pointless politics and other peoples feelings, ego, and career were in the way of causing for the sport to turn into a hellish mess for anyone in a 50 meter radius.

By December I knew I wouldn't be swimming distance anytime soon. This had been my plan with my coach since September. I had mentioned I wanted to focus on my 200 free & 400 free, as well my sprint 50s 100s and backstroke. After Victoria trials in 2014 I guessed I had done everything I could in my 800 & 1500 free. And to this day my lifetime best is still from Victoria. It wasn't my last 1500 of my career as I swam one in June during Quebec Cup and added a lovely 2 and a half minutes to my best time. If that didn't send alarms and signals something was wrong then I don't know what would. So now that I'm not training for 800 & 1500 free I have been working hard on training for 400 and under races.

To set the record straight, NO I'm not a sprinter! I am a mid distance swimmer who is now specializing in the events ranging from 50 - 400 free and 50 - 200 back. Having previous distance training in my system I am able to go from a 50 to a 400 and be able to preform well all around those events which is helpful in terms of varsity swimming coming up in the fall.

This injury has been a blessing in a strange way. Thanks to peoples poor judgement and terrible listening/seeing skills I turned into an injured, angry swimmer, who didn't want to compete in the sport he once loved anymore. Luckily, I found a coach who understood and knew exactly what to do and when to do it. This rebuilding year has been a rewarding year and something I'll never forget.

So going forward you will see me swimming more and more short distance swims and 50s and 100s. My Regional event line up has nothing over 100 meters which is a huge change for me. I'm looking forward to new experiences and more seeing improvements in my shorter distance races.    

#TmacSwims 'Links of the week' May 18

Links of the week May 18 Happy Victoria Day!

• 10 days till AGI
• 18 days till WOSA Regionals 
• 45 days till East Coast Championships 
• 72 days till Canadian Age Group Championships 
• 79 days till Canadian Swimming Championships 

http://swimswam.com/2015-arena-pro-swim-charlotte-watch-katinka-hosszu-break-200-im-us-open-record-all-day-4-race-videos/

Katinka Hosszu with a blazing fast 200 IM and swims the fastest time in the world this year! She will be one to watch this summer. The excitement from her time in this swim is because it’s May and a lot of clubs are in full training mode and didn’t come down in mileage and if they did it was only a couple days out of the meet. This Arena Pro Swim series meet was used as a stepping stone for competitions this summer as well a measuring stick for next summer’s Olympics in Rio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bWspo2dcSg

Phelps, Phelps, Phelps. It was obvious Phelps is in a tough training block as it was showing in his results in Charlotte, but guess what no one will remember his B final swims on Sunday night in a few months from now. With his second come back in full swing, Phelps just needs to race more and rest more. The rest will come this summer when he swim the US Nationals in August and the hope with his swims this past weekend were he can measure where he is at. Rowdie Gains mentioned in the webcast ‘Phelps is might be swimming angry, but when he does, he can pull off some good swims’ and he swam a solid 200 IM in the B final. The best part (also mentioned by Gains) Phelps was noticeably frustrated with his time because he looked up at the clock and shook his head. It will be interesting to see where Phelps is at come the summer.

http://swimswam.com/2015-michael-phelps-predictions-for-u-s-nationals-gold-medal-minute-presented-by-swimoutlet-com/

Staying with Phelps for a moment, here are the prediction times for Phelps for US Nationals this summer.

MEL PREDICTIONS FOR U.S. NATIONALS

100m butterfly – 50.49

100m freestyle – 47.87

200m IM – 1:54.9

Tyson’s Predictions for U.S. Nationals

100 butterfly – 50:89

100 freestyle 48:05

200 IM – 1:56.54

https://www.swimming.ca/NewsArticle.aspx?newsid=4603

I thought Canada had an excellent showing in Charlotte! With our spring Nationals behind us a lot of the athletes were unshaved and weren’t tapered fully for the meet as it’s a stepping stone towards the summer. With Canada having a strong showing at this meet it made for great international racing opportunities for our athletes as well a taste of what’s to come this summer in a tough training block. 

#TmacSwims 'Links of the Week' May 12th

Back from Sudbury and now catching up on my 'Links of the Week' which features a nice variety of links this week. As the Long Course season is in full swing, hard work and many meets are on the horizon. Below is a look at some important countdowns till major meets!

16 days till AGI

24 days till WOSA Regionals 

51 days till Ontario Provincial Championships 

79 days till Canadian Age Group Championships 

87 days till Canadian Swimming Championships 

Links of the week May 12

http://usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=8846&mid=14491

I think someone like Katie Ledecky has a good chance at giving getting close to men’s WR. Some athletes and reports have said in the nicest way possible she’s like ‘a man’ or she races like ‘a man’ and honestly they aren’t wrong. Ledecky is now the best distance swimmer in the world! Every time she dives into the water the record books are sweating because they may have to be re written when she touches the wall. I admire Ledecky because as much as she is amazing in the 400, 800, & 1500 free, she is proving races like the 100 & 200 free can be done by someone like her. I have found this as well. I remember swimming 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, & 1500 free at a national or provincial meet. Now I just swim 50, 100, 200, 400 free but as I look at it, you need the 200 & 400 for a good 50 & 100 as well this can be flipped by needing a good 50 & 100 for a strong 200 & 400.

http://swimswam.com/8-michael-phelps-quotes-get-fired/

Swimmers no matter how good or bad they are always need a boost in energy or mental wakeup call. These quotes from the greatest swimmer ever will make you feel better about your swimming and help ease the stress of the sports. All swimmers have ups and downs in swimming; it’s all part of the growth and development of a swimmer.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/samstryker/all-the-chlorine#.jsbjMRad2

This article is one of those ‘LOL’ articles I found on buzzfeed one day and made me think there is a lot of lingo or statements swimmers would never say. If you’re having a bad day at the office or in the classroom, take 5 minutes and look at this link, I can guarantee laughter.

http://swimswam.com/7-tips-for-swim-parents-on-the-college-recruiting-process/

This article is based off the NCAA in the States but most of the tips are relatable towards Canadian athletes staying in Canada and Ontario. The most important part of being a successful swimmer is being proactive and responsible for your actions and taking initiative on your future in the pool.  

#Tmacswims 'Links of The Week' May 4th

Another Monday, another Links of The Week with Tyson MacDonald.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul9t_K88TGo

An excellent inspirational video I first saw on SwimSwam regarding the 2015 Pan Am Games. These Games will electrify the GTA and enhance sports in Ontario as well Canada. Thanks to the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games many facilities have underwent extensive renovation or brand new facilities have been built which will serve different sports for years to come.  It’s going to an exciting summer to watch sports on TV, don’t miss a second of it!

http://swimming.about.com/od/swimworkoutsandskills/tp/4-Tips-for-a-Better-Swimming-Start.htm

We can all benefit from a faster start in a race. The worst thing is looking at results and finding out your reaction time off the blocks was over 0.75 and you think if I was 0.65 or even 0.70 I could have went a best time in the 50. Here are some tips on how to have a faster start. The most important goal is to be working on race quality starts often in practice, because whatever you do in practice reflects your performance in a meet.

http://swimming.about.com/od/swimworkoutsandskills/tp/4-Elite-Freestyle-Flip-Turn-Tips.htm

Here is another technical link for everyone to consider. Flip turns are another excellent spot to save time and clean up technique and like starts it’s a technical unit that is overlooked by 95+% of clubs because meters take place of technical work. Another one is coaches will argue swimmers do hundreds of turns a practice. My question to those coaches is “Are all your swimmers doing international quality turns on every single wall during a workout?” The answer is likely no. The next time your coach wants to work on turns make sure they are fast and efficient as well try to work on them often, even if it means taking 2-5 minutes out of warm up to practice fast spins in the mid pool.

 http://swimswam.com/6-questions-to-ask-to-make-yourself-a-mentally-tough-swimmer/

As the season continues on and some people are finding it tougher and tougher to get in the pool or the weight room here are some tips to help put things into perspective. We all have to understand whatever we put into performance in practice is what shows in a meet. If you’re holding 30 seconds for pace 200 50s then it’s likely you will go 2:00 in a meet. It’s important to think about your performance before reacting to it. I’ve scene a lot of swimmers over the years have meltdowns and arguments with coaches (I’m included in this) and it’s unfortunate it has to happen. I’ve learned to take the performance into consideration, where I’m at in the season, and how it lines up with my goals. This has helped me a lot this season as I’ve been dealing with shoulder injuries.

http://swimming.about.com/od/swimworkoutsandskills/tp/5-Tips-for-Massive-Time-Drop-and-a-Faster-50-Freestyle.htm

Looking for a massive time drop in your sprint 50s? This link gives you 5 tips on how to take time off. A 50 is a race where you can’t think about anything and if something goes wrong like a start, under water, turn if it’s short course, or a finish can put you first or tenth.

http://swimswam.com/11-reasons-to-love-swimming-outside/

The weather is finally getting warmer and it will soon be time to train outside. I love training outside, you get sun, you can breathe fresh air, and it’s just all around better than inside. Many championship meets today are outside and having the opportunity to train outside makes competing easier as you are used to it. Training outside allows for different types of training, you may train in sun, cloud, rain, wind, fog, or yes even snow. Next time you swim outside work hard but enjoy the change in venue. 

#Tmacswims 'Links of The Week' for April 27th

It's Monday, which means it's time for another round of #Tmacswims 'Links of The Week'
Have a cool link you've found and want me to share? Send it to me and I'll post it on 'Links of The Week.'

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18366/top-5-foods-to-eat-before-yoga.html

After taking part in a Yoga class on Friday I came across this link on foods you should eat before going to a yoga class. Yoga is a great way to relax the body and loosen out all the muscles in your body after a hard week in the gym and pool and now thanks to this link we add great foods into our pre yoga workout.

http://swimswam.com/5-ways-swimming-is-like-dating/

Swimming is such a demanding sport on the mind and body and sometimes during the year we need to take a break from the water. If you recall I took 5 days off over March break and it was one of the best decisions I made for myself and swimming as now I feel well rested and rejuvenated starting off my LC season. Sometimes taking time off or trying new things in the water or weight room is the best thing you can do for your swimming!

http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/24/bob-bowman-arizona-state-michael-phelps-swimming-olympics/?utm_network=twitter&utm_post=3622966&utm_source=TW%20%40NBCOlympics&utm_tags=srm%5Bolympics%2Carticle%5D

The greatest Olympian of all time is following his coach’s footsteps and moving to Arizona where he will continue to train under long-time coach Bob Bowman. I have always loved Michael and supported him through thick and thin and this decision will only better his career moving forward. I’m excited to see what Michael will be up to over the next several months with a new swim wear line coming, he’s engaged, and now this move in clubs, it’s never a quiet moment for the most decorated Olympian of all time.

 http://swimswam.com/3-steps-to-maximize-your-endurance-for-long-course/

With Long Course in full swing it’s time to dig deep and prep for major meets coming within the next couple months for many. Make sure you are attending every single workout per week and putting in your best effort so you can improve and achieve your goals going forward. Always make sure you’re keeping up with school work, sleep, eating, and drinking to ensure maximum performance in the pool as well the classroom. 

http://www.yourswimlog.com/16-ways-motivate-train-butt-youd-rather-anything-else/

Training can rewarding and hell for all athletes and being able to control our environments allows for maximum performance and outcome in a meet. Now I don’t think doing 10x200 fly LC is a way to prove a point but doing something you haven’t done before or something that your teammates or lane mates aren't doing to improve your swimming will make a world of a difference. I had a swimmer ask me once why he had to do 200 fly for time during workout while another swimmer didn't have to do a 200 fly or 200 back for time. I simply responded by the coach wants you to do a 200 fly to see how you attack the swim and to practice for your 100 fly. It’s not a punishment and it’s only going to make you a faster sprinter at the end of the day. The most important thing is you always want to try and be one step ahead of your biggest competitor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsDmgu-ZR-w&feature=youtu.be

Katie Ledecky has been on fire since the London Olympics and continues to dominate in the pool. Here’s her 200 free final from Mesa where she went an impressive 1:56 in season swim and this happened to be the 6^th fastest time in the world this year. This young lady can swim events from 100 free all the way to the 1500 free and hold World Records in the 400, 800, & 1500 free. She will be one to watch this summer at the World Championships as well next summer in Rio at the Olympics.