Week 16 Attendance

MB - 4/86
LF - 1/81
MM - 2/75
OS - 4/58

...it's complicated...

This weekend's meet, that is.  Links:

Warm-Up/Timing Assignments

Timelines

Lots of important info at those links!

Our swimmers' prelim schedules are below.

Race times are approximate!

Friday

ShAC warm-up - 7:50 a.m.

400 free (MB) - 11:52 a.m.

Saturday

ShAC warm-up - 7:00 a.m.

100 fly (OS) - 8:40 a.m.

200 free (MB & OS) - 9:27 a.m.

100 breast (MB) - 10:37 a.m.

50 free (MB & OS) - 11:10 a.m.

200 medley relay (MB*) - 11:47 a.m.

Sunday

ShAC warm-up - 7:25 a.m.

200 back (OS) - 9:31 a.m.

100 free (MB & OS) - 9:56 a.m.

200 breast (MB) - 10:45 a.m.

200 free relay (MB*) -  11:44 a.m.

800 free (MB) - 12:44 p.m.




*ShAC coaches will let us know about relays

Titmus vs. Ledecky (edited)

Edit:  Ledecky has since scratched both the 200 free & 1500 free due to illness.

Titmus with a great kick and the race's fastest last 50 (:29.51) & Ledecky with 2nd slowest (:31.34):

Quote of the Week

Sports do not build character.  They reveal it.

Heywood Hale Broun

Week 15 Attendance

MB - 10/82
LF - 8/80
MM - 10/73
OS - 10/54

Looking Ahead to August

First, I hope everyone's pleased with our kids' performances this past weekend.  They put up plenty of best times and were able to perform at a very high level all the way through.

Next, I've tried to look into the old crystal ball and come up with a practice schedule through the end of August.  I've added that very tentative schedule below.

We'll be in pre-taper mode (plenty of quality work) this week, then get the kids some rest next week.

The expectation is that everyone will make sure they get some time off in August.  That might mean taking a week (or two) off, or maybe a day (or two) off each week.

Finally, we'll take the first week of September off and then get back on our regular schedule after that.  If there are any new additions to the program for the short course season, we'll give them an opportunity to try out and register that second week of September.

Monday 15^th – 5-7

Tuesday 16^th – 7-9, 5-7

Wednesday 17^th – 7-9, 5-7

Thursday 18^th – 7-9, 5-7

Friday, 19^th – 7-9, 5-7

Saturday, 20^th – 9-10:30

Monday, 22^nd – 5-6:15

Tuesday, 23^rd – 8-9, 5-6

Wednesday, 24^th – 8-9, 5-6

Thursday, 25^th – 8-9, 5-6

Monday, 29^th – 5-6

Tuesday, 30^th – 5-6*

Wednesday, 31^st – 5-6*

Thursday, 1^st – 5-6*

Friday, 2^nd – 5-6*

Monday, 5^th – 5-7

Tuesday, 6^th – 5-7

Wednesday, 7^th – 5-7**

Thursday, 8^th – 5-7**

Friday, 9^th – 5-7**

Monday, 12^th – 5-7**

Tuesday, 13^th – 5-7

Wednesday, 14^th – 5-7

Thursday 15^th – 5-7

Friday, 16^th – 5-7

Monday, 19^th – 5-7

Tuesday, 20^th – 5-7

Wednesday, 21^st – 5-7

Thursday, 22^nd – 5-7

Friday, 23^rd – 5-7

Monday, 26^th – 5-7

Tuesday, 27^th – 5-7

Wednesday, 28^th – 5-7

Thursday, 29^th – 5-7

Friday, 30^th – 5-7

Note:  Check ShAC schedule for opportunities when in Houston

*A.M. practices w/Aquacats (I’ll be there w/swim camp)?

**Athlete Directed

Week 14 Attendance

LF - 8/72
MB - 8/72
MM - 8/63
OS - 6/44

Quote of the Week

The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy.

Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz

Swim Camp Change

We're moving our FREE swim camp to July 30 to August 2 (Tuesday-Friday). We'll swim from 8 to 10 each morning. Let's get all our returning high school swimmers out to help!

Weeks 12 & 13 Attendance

LF - 10/64
MB - 13/64
MM - 13/55
OS - 9/38

Schedule (& more)

Kids all looked very good this a.m.!

I've asked each to give me a list of all the workouts they swam while I was out of town.

We'll be using a mini-taper plan this week.

Modified workout schedule for the rest of the week is below.

Also including tapering guidelines.

If y'all haven't yet paid July lap swimming fees to the city, please get to that ASAP.

Tuesday

5-6:30 p.m.

Wednesday

8-9:15 a.m.
5-6:15 p.m.

Thursday

8-9 a.m.
5-6 p.m.

Friday

8-9 a.m.

Tapering Guidelines

• Cut back on the caloric intake (you will be burning fewer calories than you were during heavy training)
• Cut back on outside activities (we'll rest at the pool - you rest while away from it)
• Pay more attention to the "little things" (training intervals will be easier and you'll have a chance to "sharpen" while getting more rest)
• Conserve energy (you'll have excess energy that you've not had for months - don't waste it)
• Stay positive (both about your upcoming races and your teammates')
• Visualize races (take yourself through your races from before the start to after the finish)

Finally, not sure if anyone is planning to shave for this weekend.  If so, here is shaving info:

Shaving Guidelines

• Allow plenty of time and take breaks while shaving for your championship meet
• Electric shavers, Nair, &/or wax are not used in this process
• Have plenty of new razors/blades available before you begin
• Start by using clippers on exposed body hair
• Carefully shave exposed body hair
• Be especially careful around shins, wrists, elbows, knees, forearms, and ankles
• Change blades/razors often

USA Swimming in Bay City

via Stephanie Koenig

During the 80's and 90's, Bay City had a stand-alone USA Swimming team that was affiliated with the Bay City summer league CCAA/TAAF team.

That team was Bay City Swimming.  One member of that team, Keith Hill, represented us at USAS Junior Nationals.

At the time, all three programs (summer team, USAS team, and high school team) used the Bay City Swimming "wave" logo we still use with our high school program.

Swimmers in Bay City have also represented other programs over the years.

Here's a list of our "satellite" teams/coaches, by their Houston-based parent clubs:

?-1985 - Space City Aquatics Team (SCAT)/Bob Lara
1985-00 - The Woodlands Swim Team (TWST)/Eddie Adams, Keith Nathan, Bob Button
2007-08 - Aquastar Swimming (STAR)/Bob Button
2019-present - Swim Houston Aquatics Center (ShAC)/Bob Button

We had numerous TAGS, USAS Junior Nationals, & USAS Nationals qualifiers who represented SCAT, TWST, & STAR.

Breaststroke: Then & Now

Much has changed in breaststroke over the years.

Are you taking advantage of those changes?

The first video is from the 1964 Tokyo Games, while the second is from the 2012 London Games.




Second video won't embed, but link is here.  Note:  Micah Lawrence is from Pflugerville.

In Tokyo, the guys were swimming the 200 LCM breast in the 2:30's.  In London, a gal took the event under 2:20.

While better blocks, lane ropes, gutters, etc. have made a difference, it's rule and technique changes that have been most important in the advances in breaststroke.

Pullout rules now allow us a dolphin kick (since '12 we've learned to take it before the pull).

Elimination of the "head must not go below surface" rule has allowed for tremendous improvement in distance per stroke.

We're now able to extend into the streamlined position after kicking in order to get that efficient speed we're always seeking.

We now know that a "clean" entry is much better than the flat belly-buster.

We take much more advantage of streamlining on starts & turns than in the past.

Check out underwater shots (4:44 in first video) to see how much we've learned about narrowing both the pull and kick!

Quote of the Week

Throughout my career I swam for
form.  Speed came as a result of it.

Johann Peter Weißmüller,
a.k.a. Johnny Weissmuller

Week 11 Attendance

LF - 9/54
MB - 3/51
MM - 7/42
OS - 8/29

Tentative Two-Week Plan (Edited)

Here's a tentative plan for late June and early July.

I'll email athlete-led workouts.  The pace clock will be available (female staff restroom) daily.

I've asked a couple of Aquacat coaches to arrive early enough for our athletes to get started on time.

Athletes will be asked to keep track of attendance and give feedback on workouts.

Link to ShAC summer workout schedule is here.

If you're able to make it up to Houston, Gilbert & Karol would be happy to have our kids practice with the parent club.

Please check with Matthew B on what group (Junior I, Junior II, or Pre-Senior) he'd suggest.


Monday 6/24

5-7 p.m.

Tuesday 6/25

7-9 a.m.
5-7 p.m.

Wednesday 6/26

7-9 a.m. (athlete-led)
5-7 p.m. (athlete-led)

Thursday 6/27

7-9 a.m. (athlete-led)
5-6:30 p.m. (athlete-led)

Friday 6/28

8-9 a.m. (athlete-led)

Saturday 6/29

ShAC 12 & Under
CCAA Champs

Monday 7/1

5-7 p.m. (athlete-led)

Tuesday 7/2

7-9 a.m. (athlete-led)
5-7 p.m. (athlete-led)

Wednesday 7/3

7-9 a.m. (athlete-led)
5-7 p.m. (athlete-led)

Thursday 7/4

Off

Friday 7/5

7-9 a.m. (athlete-led)
5-7 p.m. (athlete-led)

Saturday 7/6

8-10 (at ShAC)

Adding More Links

ShAC is currently ranked 10th in the Gulf LSC in the USA Swimming Virtual Club Championship, and 216th in the nation.

Also adding the current SCY & LCM TAGS standards.  New standards will be released in the fall for 2020.

Josh Davis

Rauch, Davis, Goldblatt, & Dusing all swam for Eddie Reese at UT.  Imagine having half the field in the Trials Finals from one school!

400 LCM

Quote of the Week

Of course I work hard.  Why shouldn't I?  Who

am I to think I should get things the easy way?

 

(via Jewish Women's Archive)

 

Judith Tuvim, a.k.a. Judy Holliday

Week 10 Attendance

MB - 5/48
LF - 8/45
MM - 8/35
OS - 8/21

Underwater Breaststroke

A great drill, both on front and on back!

Ear Mix Solution

Years ago, Dr. Ron Karnaugh had a simple solution swimmers used to prevent ear infections.

We used to squirt some in each ear after each practice.

50% rubbing alcohol + 50% vinegar = 100% prevention?

Want to learn more about Dr. Karnaugh?

How about Olympian Ron Karnaugh?

Check out his connection to the New York Yankees here.

Front Starts (w/o wedge)

Showed this to my high schoolers this year.

One of the best videos on front starts I've found.

Adding Links

Each of these links will be added to the list on the right side of this page:

Individual Time Search (commonly known as SWIMS) - Once meet hosts have sent results to USA Swimming, times for each swimmer will be searchable here.

Swim Time Conversion - Input time (SCY, SCM, or LCM), event, & gender to get an ESTIMATE of time in another course.

Dressel 200 LCM Fly

Check out Caeleb Dressel in the Atlanta Classic last month:



Splits:  :25.81-:30.53-:31.90-:28.86

Dry-Land OYO

I'm going to throw a lot out here and hope y'all can do this on your own.

Y'all have wheels & jump ropes and have been using them, right?

During high school season, our crawl series went well in the gym.  Unfortunately, the pool deck has gotten worse since we did our crawls there a couple of years ago.

We use the same Crawl Series as Carmel, Indiana:


Beyond our regular set of Planks, here are some variations (not so sure about last few):


Check your email for a Crunches checklist.

As with the planks, start out just a little on the conservative side and gradually build up.

Below are a few videos to help you learn proper technique.

Penguin:


Chair:


Legs up:


Superman:


Regular, streamline, and flutter kicking should be self-explanatory.

UT Swimming Strength Coach Trey Zepeda on crunches:

This Week

Monday

5-7 p.m.

Tuesday

7-9 a.m.
5-7 p.m.

Wednesday

7-9 a.m.
5-7 p.m.

Thursday

7-9 a.m.
5-7 p.m.

Friday

7-9 a.m.
5-7 p.m.

Saturday

9-11 a.m.

Quote of the Week

Always have fun but stay hungry.  Find that balance.

Ronald William "Ron" Artest Jr.,

a.k.a. Metta World Peace

Shoulder Maintenance