Backstroke for Every Body
Better Fly for Every Body
Breaststroke for Every Body
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Outside the Box:
Triathlon Swimming: Made EasyI predict: “How Swimming Changes Your Brain” will be the most important discovery of the coming decade. This post explains why.
Archive for the ‘Smart Training’ Category
Kicking: Is Downbeat or Upbeat more important?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 26th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 26th, 2009
On one of the swimming web sites, I found this statement: “The strength of the kick comes on the downbeat. Very little propulsion, if any, is generated with the upbeat of the kick.” I am curious to know if I should even be trying to get propulsion on the upbeat, or return stroke of the kick. Any thoughts?
Sample #1 of “Practices that Grow Brain Cells”
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 18th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 18th, 2009
Most distance and marathon swimmers believe the most important thing is to “get the yards in.” I believe there’s much unexplored potential in shorter, well-crafted practices that actually create more direct benefit than long grind-it-out sessions.
How Far Should You Swim?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 17th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 17th, 2009
Most swim workouts on the web or in magazines prescribe fixed and formulaic repeat sets. They probably won’t work for you! Here’s how to design a personalized improvement program.
Free Air: How to Breathe Easier
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 16th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 16th, 2009
If you feel breathless, or lose form when breathing, it’s hard to swim any distance without tiring. Here is a stepwise series of 5 “stroke thoughts” that will have you breathing easier in crawl.
Why swimmers can improve with age.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 15th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 15th, 2009
If you depend on effort and physical capacity, you will slow down with age. If you learn to “solve problems” you can continue improving almost indefinitely.
Learn from Direct Experience
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 15th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 15th, 2009
Principles for improving your swimming (and almost anything else you value). Don’t overthink. Seek new experience. Learn from it.
What if infants slithered, rather than crawled?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 10th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 10th, 2009
The fact that, as infants, we first move about on land by crawling might have much to do with our massive inefficiency – later in life – at swimming. If human infants were to slither instead, we might become much better swimmers.
You can’t overtrain your brain
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 8th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 8th, 2009
Nearly all endurance athletes risk overtraining – i.e. training-induced fatigue that stops improvement and undermines race performance. But when you focus on training your brain and nervous system, the risk of overtraining disappears.
Swimming to Create Brain Cells
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on November 30th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on November 30th, 2009
Most of us exercise for the physical workout and benefits, but the real value is in how it creates new brain cells and strengthens neural networks.
The greatest number of new brain cells will result from swimming that’s acutely focused on improving skill.