By Coach Mackenzie M, MV2. With many meets under their belts heading into the final weeks of the season, it is extremely important that VIK swimmers have some sort of awareness of what they plan to do in their races at Regionals and Provincials.
Muscle Groups Used in Swimming (Coaches’ Corner, July 22, 2019)
By Coach Sam W, MV3. When it comes to an overall workout, there is nothing that compares to swimming. Cardio, strength and range of motion are all vital parts of swimming. Nobody has ever completed a full swim workout and hopped out of the pool feeling great. It tears you down and wipes you out, but we always come back …
Understanding the Science (and the Art) of the Taper (Coaches’ Corner July 18, 2019)
By Coach Lauren, INT2. Woohoo! It is the most wonderful time of the year! It is TAPER TIME – like Christmas in July! You have made it through almost three months of hard training in the pool. You have survived Challenge Week – the most demanding week of the year. Now, during your taper, your coach will finally take the …
Swimming Smarter, Not Harder (Coaches’ Corner, July 8, 2019)
By Coach Alex, INT1. We are more than halfway through the season and, at this point, swimmers should be revisiting their goal sheets, adjusting, and refocusing where necessary. The Vikings have developed a strong aerobic base, from which we can now focus on working on speed and race tactics. However, in order to swim faster, we need to swim smarter, …
Managing Stress (Coaches’ Corner July 2, 2019)
By Coach Kiersten, SR2. It is well known that 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week is beneficial to maintaining a positive mood as well as reducing stress. However, what if this exercise, ie competitive summer swimming, is the source of your stress?!
You Can Do It: The Power of Positive Thinking (Coaches’ Corner, June 24)
By Coach Mackenzie G, MV1. When Michael Phelps stood behind the blocks before his Olympic races, he was not saying to himself, “I can’t do this” or “This is too hard, I should give up.” Because, how would telling himself that have helped him become the greatest swimmer of all time? Three words: it wouldn’t have.
Why Morning Practices are Awesome: From the Pool to School (Coaches’ Corner, June 17)
By Coach Hadley, MV2. After swimming many seasons with the Vikings, I know personally how hard it can be to wake up and jump into a freezing pool at 6 am. However, as gruelling as these morning practices seem, here are 3 reasons they are beneficial for you:
But I’m not ready for this race, Coach! (Coaches’ Corner, June 3)
By Coach Mackenzie M, JR. With the first month of the season completed and the competitive portion of our season upon us, I think a lot of swimmers are starting to get those pre-race jitters and, in particular, are not feeling confident in themselves to swim certain races.
Does My Swimmer Really Need an Expensive Racing Suit to Succeed? (Coaches’ Corner May 28 2019)
By Coach Lauren, INT2. Over the last couple of seasons, the Coaches’ Corner has been a great venue for VIK coaches to pass on our knowledge to help our swimmers compete at their best. We have addressed important issues such as nutrition, sleep, pre- and post-race management (cooldown and warm-up) and developing a winning mental approach.
Warming-Down for Faster Swimming (Coaches’ Corner, May 20, 2019)
By Coach Alex, INT1. With the first meet of the season fast approaching, I thought it would be fitting to discuss the importance of warming-down after a race. By now you have all heard the coaches talking about the importance of warming-up and activating before a practice or a race, but what about after?
