Posts Tagged ‘Kaizen’

USE practice time. Don’t use it UP!
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 25th, 2010

The best way to improve your swimming is to shift from following arbitrary “formulas” for training, to planning sets that produce insight and steadily expand your “critical framework” for planning practices.

When pain or injury is a gift
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 24th, 2010

Pain or injury occur more frequently as we age. They don’t have to be an inconvenience. Instead we can use them to guide us toward more mindful movement.

How to Improve through Balanced Perspective
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 20th, 2010

There are four key metrics in swimming – Efficiency, Effort, Tempo and Time. Most people use only one. That limits improvement and increases potential for frustration. Expand your perspective and you have more opportunity to improve.

Free Air: How to Stroke Better while Breathing
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 19th, 2010

Stroking the lead hand prematurely, and “slipping water,” while breathing, is an almost universal technique error in freestyle. Here is how I’m working to improve on it.

Will you be Swimming-to-Improve at 87?
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 18th, 2010

Jazz pianist Hank Jones, who died Sunday at age 91, was still learning new material and trying to ‘make his lines flow smoothly’ at age 87, if not later. Do you practice swimming like Hank practiced music?

How I Measure Improvement: Examples from 3 Practices
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 10th, 2010

A description of 3 practices showing how to measure improvement by tracking 4 key variables or metrics.

Purposeful Variety: One Practice, Two Ways
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 4th, 2010

There’s a difference between purposeful variety in training and variety planned only to relieve tedium. Here’s an example of purposeful variety.

Much Faster Tempo while increasing Stroke Length
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on April 23rd, 2010

While practicing with the Tempo Trainer, I increased my tempo by .2 sec/stroke, yet subtracted 1 stroke from my total for 50 yards. Priceless!

What’s Your Swimming Goal
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on April 22nd, 2010

Three succinct goals for improvement-oriented swimmers.

Three Old Friends – Still Athletes and Achievers
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on April 15th, 2010

I visit with three athletes who I coached decades ago still pursuing lofty goals today.