I was driving home today, listening to a TED Talk Radio Hour podcast called Simply Happy. One of the speakers, Matt Killingsworth, has spent years studying happiness as part of his Ph.D. research at Harvard, and this includes a project involving 35,000 interactions with participants (see here). He has arrived at 2 fundamental conclusions. 1)… Continue reading Wandering Minds, Unhappiness, and Lack of Improvement
Tag: Mighty Tritons
Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Women Swim the 200 Butterfly
This is the next instalment in a series that looks at how the elite swim the 200 by looking at their race splits. This time we're analyzing the 200 butterfly for women. In the 200 freestyle and backstroke analyses (here, here and here) we found a number of surprises, or at least things that surprised… Continue reading Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Women Swim the 200 Butterfly
Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Men Swim the 200 Backstroke
This is the next installment in a series that looks at how the elite swim the 200 by looking at their race splits. This time we're analyzing the 200 backstroke for men. In the 200 free analysis (link) we found that the men and women swam remarkably different races. The top women generally had the… Continue reading Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Men Swim the 200 Backstroke
Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Women Swim the 200 Backstroke
This is the 2nd instalment in a series that looks at how the elite swim the 200. This time we're analyzing the 200 backstroke for women. Thanks to a lot of suggestions, and some renewed thinking about the data, I've focussed this a little differently than the 200 Free analysis (link). First off, I've completely… Continue reading Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Women Swim the 200 Backstroke
Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Swimmers Swim the 200 Free
I've long wondered about the strategies elite swimmers use for the 200s. It is perhaps the toughest distance to swim, as it involves a good mix of sprint speed and endurance. I've wondered as to how hard they take it out, or how hard the middle 100 should be? Are there appreciable differences between how… Continue reading Swimming By the Numbers: How Elite Swimmers Swim the 200 Free
How Has Swimming Changed? Swimming in the 70s
One of the nice things about being a both a swim coach and former swimmer is that I have a perspective on swimming that was not available to me when I was a just a swimmer. Two things stand out for me as significantly different back in the 1970s as compared to now. Swimmer Longevity… Continue reading How Has Swimming Changed? Swimming in the 70s
Swimming By the Numbers: The Unfairness of Short Course – Long Course Conversion Rates, especially for Backstrokers!
I'll start off with the teaser. Existing one-size-fits-all course conversion rates are not remotely accurate, especially for backstroke, and there exists a sizable difference in accurate conversion rates between men and women. Finally, any swim governing body that uses a single, artificially low conversion rate is doing a great disservice to its members. Now, on… Continue reading Swimming By the Numbers: The Unfairness of Short Course – Long Course Conversion Rates, especially for Backstrokers!
Faster, Better, Stronger Swimmers?
In March 2014, David Epstein, a sports science reporter, gave a brilliant TED talk, "Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger?", in which he explores some of the principal reasons behind the assault on the record books. I strongly advise you watch it. It's just under 15 minutes, and you can find it here .… Continue reading Faster, Better, Stronger Swimmers?
Why Swimmers Need to Be On Time and Ready For Practice
Swimmers need to be on time for practices and meets, and ready to swim when they get there. Coaches have been telling swimmers this ever since swim practices started. In fact, it's so obvious its a truism. So there isn't much that bothers a coach more than swimmers who are repeatedly late for practice for… Continue reading Why Swimmers Need to Be On Time and Ready For Practice
Should Swim Practices be Open or Closed to Spectators?
I was following an online forum discussion among swim coaches about whether practices should be open or closed, and I was surprised at the diversity of opinion. It reminded me that coaching is not just about training swimmers, but requires a lot of interpersonal skills supplemented with education and experience. Closed Practices I was a… Continue reading Should Swim Practices be Open or Closed to Spectators?
Coach Rick - Mighty Tritons Swimming 