And...We're Off!

Hello SPP!

Baseline testing is over!  Foundation Training will begin Monday morning, January 21, at 6am at Norman Johnson Aquatic Center in Arcadia.  I want to thank everyone who participated in the control group.  Your individual SFE numbers will be sent to you with an explanation and a key to understanding them. 

Basically, in a quick snapshot of the program, we took a baseline time with your heart rate low; then repeated drills at higher and lower heart rates. These times were put into a mathematic equation that eliminates the majority of variables that timing only can effect.

0-5 is expert level (highly efficient and strong technique).  6-10 is very good.  Shooting for 1-10 is the goal.  The higher the number, the more work we need to do.  You'll receive one number for each stroke and kicks sets.  And you'll get an overall number to track your gains in a broader sense.  

These numbers can help diagnose and pinpoint individual needs through different strokes, fitness level, endurance, legs, and technique.  With this information we can develop person specific and group specific workouts for all four strokes.  You may share your numbers with your teammates as you wish; I will not share your individual numbers with other teammates.  Some have expressed an interest in having a challenge for the team during this process.  I would love to see everyone get excited and get numbers under 10.  We have already had two "zeros" thus far.

There will always be a drill set, at least one kick set, and at least one set focusing on the theme for the day.  There will be lanes set aside for those in the control group to work on specific needs.  SFE is how you'll track your gains through this program.  There will be even more testing at the end - and then we'll repeat the cycle.  

I'm excited to share this program with you all.  I worked very closely with five coaches in Florida, Colorado, and Southern California.  Two were age group, two were D1 and one US Masters (me).  We developed three programs, bounced ideas off each other and made each other nuts.  It takes threshold training and HIIT training to the next level.  The science behind these workouts is very well tested and is not experimental.  Everyone can participate regardless of your swimming skill level.  

The control group will be providing the data to not only track our needs, but track needs in age group and division one swimming.  If the success rates are as high as we hope, then we can market this program to other clubs.

Five teams - including us - start training tomorrow.  It's program specific for the needs of each team.  Kind of a funny note - the four other coaches think that Masters Coaching is the hardest job within the group.  I do believe you guys are going to excel by leaps and bounds.  

Another benefit of being in the control group includes receiving an individual dry land workout and a swim workout that you can do on your own if you desire.  This program works best when you come to more practices; the fewer practices you attend, the less gains you will make.  The program was designed for 3-4 swim workouts a week.  

There will be a calendar of the daily specifics; please don't worry if you are not proficient at a certain stroke.  There will plenty to gain from each workout for everyone.  Early data is telling me that I should have been writing more leg work into our training; we will be adjusting the workouts accordingly.  

Thank you all for participating!  Please feel free to ask questions as they come up!  I look forward to seeing you at the pool!!