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December
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
What
a year!! O2 SWIMMING officially passed the
500 athlete mark - thanks to all of you! The
year started off by sending swimmers to PIAA
States, Zones, and Regionals. We sent one
boy in the "over 30" class to swim
in San Francisco Bay with the sharks as he
Escaped from Alcatraz! We had another great
year all over the world of IronMan ~ one of
our other "over 30" boys went well
under 10 hours in Florida! Next, we had another
"over 30" boy swim the little gap
between Europe and Asia in the Hellespont
Swim. Two "under 30" swimmers of
ours won overall 1st male and 1st female at
Steelman in July, my daughter swam with her
old man and we both were lucky enough to bring
home a 3rd place beer stein (she is still
upset about the "trophy"!).
As
we enter the fast part of the year - SWIM
SEASON 2013/2014, we are once again ramping
up to throw down challenges in every pool
we swim in. Keep up the good work gang, you
all rock.
My
theme for this month is :The
Wall
For
swimmers : This is traditionally
an area that I stay away from due to the Endless
Pool being wall sensitive! However, just like
the ultimate area sin of POOR CATCH UP DRILL
that is so prevalent around here, we have
too many swimmers forced to do 6 dolphin kicks
off the wall... Most are not strong enough
to be ACCELERATING to break out. They are
forced into decelerating because...._____________.
I agree with most aspects of training, but
I race to WIN. I want you to race to WIN.
You cannot win if you decelerate at every
wall. It is YOUR job to determine (through
trial in practice) exactly how many underwater
dolphins (or better yet, fish kicks - like
an Olympian) you can actually do that keeps
you accelerating into your breakout. Everyone
is different. Know who you are and then race
to win.
Do not rush the wall so that you begin to
swim while you are still wound up in a half
screwy position.. Take the streamline fully
out so your line snaps tight as you begin
to stroke. Your best friend is the wall, as
it is a hard surface to GAIN MOMENTUM from.
Have you ever noticed how much faster short
course records are than long course records?
The wall matters. Spend some time learning
how it will help you, as opposed to how much
it interrupts you!!
For
Triathletes - Use the wall. The wall
can help you become PERFECTLY streamline every
25 y/m. Don't rush the wall and take half
the pool to get right again. Come off your
walls like a swimmer - you do not have to
do a flip turn, but use the hard surface to
create both momentum and streamline. I see
triathletes every day that have very poor
wall skills translating into struggle as they
swim. Fix many of your issues easily with
the help of the wall. My pool (LAF in Warrington)
was just closed for 2 weeks for re-plastering;
so I swam in the Endless Pool for the duration.
I had decent workouts (I count my strokes
to do my sets), but my re-entry to the big
pool was a shocker. I was getting off the
wall like a 3 legged dog... BAD! It has taken
me 3 swims of 3,200 (close to 10,000 yards)
to get that skill retrenched in my mind again.
I am hearing lots of "talk" around
here about big plans for 2014 - Lake Placid
IM, The Princeton Half, etc. Stop taking a
smoke break at your walls !!! You know who
you are, keep the rhythm going. Right now,
I would rather have you swim 10 X 100 with
some speed, than 2 x 500 getting slower as
you go..... Long rest stops at the walls,
looking at the clock, fixing your goggles,
etc.... I have been swimming a while, I know
all the tricks. Keep it moving. Hit the wall
and come off in a long, tight streamline...you
might even get some hypoxic training too :)
Happy
Holidays and some Housekeeping points:
1)
There are many great discounts available through
my website. If I could recommend one product
for swimmers and one for triathletes, it would
be:
swimmers = Finis alignment kick board
triathletes = Finis agility paddles
We also have discounts through Pure Sport
Drinks = developed around Phelps, Hansen,
and our Olympic swimmers. **Safe and competition
legal everywhere in the world!
I got on INFINIT Nutrition this year for my
3+ hour workouts, it is custom blended for
YOU only and thus cost effective. I take nothing
else on a 5 hour bike ride!!
My O2 NUTRITION side offers you a discount
on RX grade supplements that work! **Everyone
should be on: Gender specific multivitamin,
EPA/DHA, Vit D and PROBIOTICS for ALL swimmers
******
2)
The schedule is crazy - thank you and sorry,
all at the same time.... Please CALL me to
schedule, I am not always "on line".
Thank you!
3)
We have only a few slots left this year, if
I owe you time.... Otherwise, all Tri packs
wrap up at year end and we start fresh on
Jan 1. ***This does NOT apply to any swimmer
currently with me on a Tri pack purchased
in the last few months.... Call with any questions.
4)
Thank you for all your participation on Facebook
this year. I enjoy the interaction and camaraderie.
I post many of my workouts, as well as 7 time
IM, Mark Dean. What are you doing? How can
I help?
5)
O2 NUTRITION always has room for swimmers
or family members - at a discount, in the
New Year. Can't figure it out? I can make
it simple and put you on the right path -
that YOU want to take!!
Last,
thank you for yet another year of allowing
me to coach such a tough bunch of athletes.
You have taught me much and kept me on the
path as well...we are a team at O2 SWIMMING.
Have a great holiday and enjoy the time with
your family. Just because your boy or girl
swims, does not preclude YOU from embarking
on a new years commitment to a sport we all
love.
Good luck.
Be well.
And
one more time, just because it still makes
me VERY HAPPY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVZrne7X5ww
Men's 4 X100 free relay - Best Swimming in
history !!!!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
November
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
This is
the official change over at O2 SWIMMING
from a mixed group of swimmers and triathletes
to 95% swimmers! We sent one boy to IronMan
Florida, but apparently he didn't like the
course - he was back to the hotel in UNDER
10 HOURS !!!! Congrats AY.
2013 is a strong year at O2 SWIMMING.....once
again, not a great year to be a 12 or under
girl - mostly because they are about the
toughest people that show up in the Endless
Pool Studio! No slight on the boys either,
many are JO qualified already and we only
had 1-2 meets so far this season. Good job
everyone.
I will continue to teach and focus on my
IM based program this season as we dial
into areas of improvement for ALL swimmers.
There is no end to what you can do in the
pool - trust me. Since I formally switched
over to speed workouts (more of a traditional
swimmer workout than a long distance open
water program) my SPL has hit 12 fairly
consistently for my first check in (yard
pool). Speaking of, how is your SPL? Still
checking your SPL 3 X in every session?
The daily goal is to be no more than +1.
Your lifetime goal is simply to be 1 less....!
You cannot make a poor stroke go faster
- other than by fitness and the decreases
are small. YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD STROKE GO
FASTER. Great swimmers have "easy speed".
Although I am not a great swimmer, I love
the days when I too am granted "easy
speed". When I push the gas pedal down,
I go! During the winter swim season, each
of those days is a major victory for me
- and for you. Aim for that marker. Begin
with focus. Build it. Improve it. Challenge
it. Crush it.
This month's
focus will be LENGTH.
I spend time in every session on the importance
of the catch-up drill and yet I see people
"rushing" their strokes. How many
races are won or lost by well under ONE
second? How many times has the incomprobable
Michael Phelps won by less than 0.10? Would
he (or you) win if you lost 8" off
just one stroke coming down the home stretch?
NO!!!!! You would lose. I am right here
gang. Length also tightens your lines and
increases streamline. The puzzle comes together....
FEEL your length as you swim this month.
Work the catch up to death. Take one off
your SPL this month. All of this develops
longer muscles, a better core and better
habits that will pay you back once you step
atop the block and the gun goes off.
For all you triathletes who insist that
Mr XYZ has a "popping" stroke
and he won..... QRS race.... Here is a real
Olympian in a longer race -winning with
his long reach. Mr Hackett gives up NOTHING
as he powers to his reward of the ultimate
victory = best in the world on that given
day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6qIhkuzTx0
Grant Hackett WR swimmer demonstrating L-O-N-G
front end
Thoughts?
It all matters.
If you are a swimmer, don't let the yardage
wear down your stroke. KNOW your SPL and
focus as you get stronger. Getting stronger
does NOT automatically make you faster....
A good stroke can ALWAYS go faster, a bad
stroke suffers further disintegration as
you push the limits. Ever know a swimmer
who hits a long plateau around mid season?
The #1 cause is high mileage makes the stroke
deteriorate allowing strength to become
the only asset. Water is thick and heavy....you
loose.
If you are
a triathlete, let's spend the "off
season" focused on REAL improvement..
Water is therapeutic, not a chore. ENJOY
the pool this winter. Make a plan, I will
help you in any way that I can. There is
nothing more fun to me than coming out of
the pool on a snowy day and just feeling
great for the luxury of having spent 1.5
hours in the water.
For each
of you ~ plenty of resources within the
O2 SWIMMING community. We have a nice group
on Facebook and a solid link to FINIS on
my website. If you need nutritional help,
O2 NUTRITION does that too. Winter can be
a bore,or it can be your ticket to the next
great racing season - your call.
***All tri
packs purchased prior to the fall of 2013
must be wrapped up by 31 Dec 2013 so that
we can all move forward. Thank you for your
business and dedication to swimming through
a healthy lifestyle!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
October
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
I have chosen
this month to review my thoughts on 2 basic
concepts that I see much folly in:
1)
Workout structure
2) Pool tools
Workout
Structure-
If you are on Facebook and linked to O2 SWIMMING,
you already know where I am headed.... If
not, it is really quite simple; however, most
of what I see flies in the face of conventional
wisdom! Here is the basis:
WARM-UP phase
: this should be loose and include plenty
of drill/swim EVERYday. Depending on your
cyclical training phase, this should range
from 10-40% of the totals for the day. Based
on a normal 4,000 yard workout for me, here
is a page in my daily calendar:
300 free EZ....just loosen it up
300 drill/swim...focus on the FEEL of the
water and what the drill is trying to show
me
300 kick/drill....stretch out the legs and
ankle joints. CONNECT power throughout the
torso !!!!
100 IM...because I still like to act like
a swimmer!
___________1,000 or 25%_________________________
MAIN SET : this depends on if you want to
be fast or long or mixed....
solid 500 free with paddles and buoy to set
the tone of the day. Work it!
mile set with very little rest (less than
10 seconds anywhere) 400 free, 4 X 200 free,
4 X 100 free....keep it moving. This set has
a nice break as you decrease.... Stay solid
on work.
50-100-200-100-50....I will usually mix in
some backstroke for the 2...100's
4 X 50s....build to make #3 the fastest, finish
the 4th second fastest.
______________2800 or 70%____________________________
COOL DOWN: my daily goal here is to return
to my lowest SPL for the day :)
100 very lazy IM (fly, back, breast, free)
100 free trying to stay at my best and longest
SPL
____________200 or 5%_____________________________
****All of
my workouts look something like this. I see
MOST of you show up and just go right into
pounding out yardage. This is a huge mistake.
Phelps does his drills daily..... "Nuff
said?
Do not strap on everything you own in your
swim bag and go.... The tools are used to
FEEL something better and assimilate improvement.
They are not a crutch.
Equipment
Review-
As most of you know, O2 SWIMMING is a preferred
team with FINIS and you all get my coach's
discount of 30% off. The details are on my
website..... EVERYTHING is 30% off - from
suits and goggles to the tools listed below.
My gift to you and another benefit of being
part of O2 SWIMMING :)
As any good
guide will tell you, you need not go beyond
what is in MY mesh bag:
1) the smallest
pool buoy you can get. The purpose of the
pool buoy is to keep your legs tucked under
your hips to improve streamline and help work
your upper body strength more. It is NOT to
float your hips! Think small here - I have
a child's version and I am 5'10" and
weigh 178 lbs (today, at least)
2) FINIS finger
or sculling paddles. These paddles just cover
your fingers (not your hand) and therefor,
will never strain you - regardless of age...9
year olds, 79 year olds...all good! These
will help you feel the fingertips down position
I preach. They improve the catch phase with
no side effects.
3) FINIS Agility
paddles. Miracles! These paddles have no straps.
If you take a full stroke, they stay on -
no problem. If you exit the water early in
the back, they will fall off. If you hit the
front at odd angles, they fall off. I have
NEVER had them fall off - not bragging, just
to say they are not tricky or finicky. You
will benefit. They come in 3 sizes - go NO
LARGER than your real size. If you are a 'tweener',
pick the smaller size.
4) FINIS freestyle
snorkel - this is the #1 training aid at the
USOC. Even our Olympians love these because
they remove the obstacle of breathing for
you and allow you to focus on swimming. Get
the standard model - no frills, restrictors,
etc. I used this after my ribs cracked in
July to get back in the pool without necessitating
a need to roll ( OUCH!) to breath. For certain
people, these are the game changer!
5) SWIMITTs
- O2 SWIMMING has a local company that manufactures
these for us. They rock. In essence, they
are a restrictive bag over your hand allowing
you to FEEL the catch phase through your forearm
- because we eliminate your hand with the
SWIMITT !! You will not like using these,
but you will love what they do for you AFTER!!!!!
I use mine every week..... ***hint
6) Z-II fins.
This is my shocking discovery from the summer
of 2013. I am also excited that I CAN still
be shocked by things in the pool :-) Essentially,
I don't use any pol tools in the summer as
I prepare for my outdoor long distance season.
I just show up and swim. A few weeks back
, I took my FINIS Z-II fins out and started
an "easy" set. OMG!! I could not
believe how tight my achilles, legs, and ankles
were from the thousands of miles on the bike
(If you know me and love me, you know I don't
run....) . This got me thinking about all
of you who DO run - - a lot for many of you.
You are WAY TIGHTER than me and the Z-IIs
were hurting me! Good lesson. We all need
the stretch a good fin design will give us
and YOU need it more than me.
These are my " GO TO" fin for distance
swimming and dolphin or fish kick sets off
the wall. They are totally different that
the next pair - ZOOMERS....
7) ZOOMERS
- also from our friends at FINIS. This fin
is a rocket ship - of pain and speed, You
will feel like Michael Phelps, but you will
pay for the new level of speed! This is a
short, sprinter style fin that will nealry
launch you out of the pool. Feeling slow?
Strap these on.... Can't make districts or
zones by a second? Strap these on? Getting
dropped at Masters? You will lead the lane
with Zoomers on!!
***I have both pairs and use them about 30%
ZOOMERS to 70% Z-IIs.
Enjoy. Use
any/all of the above, but have a plan. FEEL
the new skill, then take them off and try
to feel the same way without. Always finish
up with nothing - just you!
So, the focus
for October will be to GET A PLAN and work
toward making it happen. If you need help,
reach out for me. O2 SWIMMING is at its busiest
this time of you, but we always have time
for you.
Keep up the good work.
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
September
2013 Newsletter
I
can't believe I had to move inside today...
always a rough day for me. Despite the copious
amounts of rain, we had a decent summer outdoors.
To recap the summer:
-
Commanded the podiums at Steelman OWS and
Tri. Congrats!
-
100% finishers at Lake Placid IM and Mt TremBlanc.
Congrats!
-
Several OLD pool records fell to O2 SWIMMERS
this summer. One of the records was older
than the kid that broke it !!! Congrats!
-
One of our boys went for an 11 mile swim -
for fun! Congrats!
-
One of our boys swam the Hellespont Swim...from
Europe to Asia. Go look it up...very cool
!!!! Congrats!
I
think we all did a fantastic job of getting
the job done so far in 2013. Now, we ease
into the traditional fall swim season and
the Tri gang is winding down - for the most
part. This weekend, we have athletes at Quakerman
and Skylands Tri's as well as several lining
up to do Florida and Wisconsin IronMan later
in the fall. Inspired? Consider yourself warned....the
pressure NEVER lets up around here! What are
you planning?
Coach
Ken is now transitioning into more of a swimmer
style workout: shorter/faster sets. There
are literally thousands of swim sets available
to you. O2 SWIMMING Facebook is a good start,
as most triathlete inspired sets are too light
(in my humble opinion). Work on your stroke
in the "off season" but work to
get faster too. Speed going short CAN translate
into speed going long in the spring - if you
manage it correctly. The golden rule will
always be your SPL - it is HOW you swim. All
of our solid O2 SWIMMERS range between 16-18
SPL. If you are not there, you are working
too hard for your efforts. EVERYTHING builds
directly on this platform.
My
focus for you this month is NOT DECELERATING.
Lots of swimmers can go fast. Most fade terribly
and then fight like a human...thrashing....struggling....head
up....slapping the water. Not decelerating
requires excellent focus and thoughtful sets
that break just in time to allow the brain
to jump out of survival mode and back into
smooth mode.
If you look at splits from great races; you
will see consistency that is machine like.
Do you feel like that? Can you reproduce your
stroke for along time? How long is a long
time for you? If you are not racing, you are
training. What is training? How can YOU make
it more productive?
-
get a buddy
- buy a buddy- - - FINIS Tempo Trainer...I
love/hate mine!
- watch better swimmers
- study video
- GO TO A SWIM MEET this fall. ***They are
free (no money in swimming:(
- get some new tools : www.o2swimming.net
***Finis gives us 30% there entire line up!
O2 uses: finger paddles, agility paddles,
pool buoy, alignment kickboard, Z-II fins
and Zoomers
- get out of your comfort zone....go race
in a foreign country!! OK, Carl, not everyone
can swim from Europe to Asia, but there are
races in the Caribbean, etc.
For
Parents of Swimmers
- do you appreciate how much work your kid(s)
do? How good they really are? Maybe you should
race them! Time to get back in shape? I am
here for YOU too! No one is ever too old to
swim. There are some 90+ year old world records
that I plan to go after someday....a goal
of mine has always been to outlive most of
my competition and eventually climb the podium
a little higher:)
Resources:
O2 SWIMMING proves an endless pool to swim
in - besides the actual coaching program.
We have a website with discounts available
for all my favorite players: FINIS,, Pure
Sport, Emerson Ecologics, Infinit Nutrition.
O@ SWIMMING is on Facebook with a great community
of contributors ranging from workouts, to
tips, to races, etc. Get involved.
As
the days get shorter, put your plan together
- in writing. Send it to me. I will help you.
We have an incredible network of talent in
this area - use it. Because of you, when I
was smacked by an SUV on my bike and told
I had 4-6 weeks of rest before I could function
again- I just laughed. 4-6 weeks, people recover
from open heart surgery in less time!!! I
was in the endless pool with a borrowed FINIS
freestyle snorkel (Thanks Roger!) in days.
I was swimming 2000 in 10 days, 3000 in 20
days and was hitting my 13 SPL long before
the 4th week. On the 4th week, I put in 124
miles on the bike too...because YOU never
give up, I don't either. Thank you. The moral
of the story: sport makes you healthy and
swimming is the most healthy sport we can
do. Run too much? Swim. Need a break from
the bike? Swim. Getting older? Swim. You get
the idea !!
I
look forward to this fall. O2 SWIMMING has
the most late high school swimmers ever this
year - beware. They are serious and getting
ready early this year. It's going to be a
great season :)
Sept Addendum
I
came home a little early today to do some
work and noted that I forget to mention one
very salient point as we head gale force into
the traditional fall swim season....I get
even busier (thank you!). I always find slots
if you have some flexibility, but we need
to work together and cancelled appointments
at the last minute really hurt everyone...
Point
of note: As has been my policy for almost
10 years now, NO SESSIONS WILL BE CARRIED
OVER FROM YEAR TO YEAR - unless, of course
you sign up for a 3 pack in the later fall.
If I owe you, NOW is the time to schedule
that last session you have let hang. I will
have decent weekly availability until around
the beginning of Oct when the season starts
in earnest. Please call now, there are only
a few of you in my file that are owed time
from earlier in 2013. Trying not to be a pain,
but when an athlete is in serious learning
mode and they can't get in because I have
a casual appointment left over from 6 months
ago....it is hard on everyone. I like to have
continuity with you when you need it most.
***If any of this causes an issue, please
call me sooner than later!
Thank
you for your understanding and cooperation.
Looking forward to a record setting fall season
:)
Remember,
this month's theme is NOT DECELERATING !!!!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
August
2013 Newsletter
Dear Swimmers and Triathletes:
Lots
to discuss with you this month, we are full
of congratulations, new ideas and hopefully
inspiration!
1)
Congratulations - This year ALL of
our O2 SWIMMERS finished at Lake Placid IronMan
and many had completely awesome times. Special
shout out to the freshman class of 2013 on
becoming IRONMEN !! I believe our highest
place finisher again this year was Mark D
(4th) - thanks for keeping everyone moving
forward all year long buddy. Mark is responsible
for the WOD (workouts of the day) religiously
posted to O2 SWIMMING's Facebook page 3X a
week.
Special
shout out to Zach "the Hammer" C.
who decided to do the Steelman Open Water
Race the night before and then had to volunteer
to get "in". The Hammer was 1st
overall in for the 1.5 mile race!!! I believe
we had about 10 podium spots full by the end
of the day including my own daughter who grabbed
a 3rd place spot ONLY because the OVERALL
1st female was in her age group... Congrats
to Kristen S - also an O2 SWIMMER going back
a few years! Apparently, our current breed
of 16 year olds can swim :-) Very proud of
all of you.
2)
New Ideas - As some of you may have
heard, I was hit on my bicycle by an attorney
in an SUV. The incident happened within a
mile of my house on the way home from our
last 50 mile "frisky" ride the weekend
before Placid. The only reason I know the
"gentleman" that ran into me was
an attorney was because those were his first
and only words to me as I lie in the street
after impact..... How does this relate to
swimming? EVERYTHING in my life relates to
swimming....!
I find it difficult to do certain things with
cracked ribs (like breath), so my first foray
back into exercise was of course - SWIMMING!
I eased into the Endless Pool and set the
current on a lighter setting and began a few
"soft strokes". The first day, I
managed to do 4 X 100 with plenty of rest
in between. ***I know I did about 100 yards
because I stroke count. My YARD SPL is 13
and my meter SPL is 14, so I use 15 as my
multiplier. A 100 yards/meters would be 4
lengths X 15 SPL = 60 strokes.
Today (4 days later) I did 4 X 100 and 4 X
200 = 1200 y/m.
My
learning occurred as I cannot roll to breath
very well. Another of our veteran swimmers
(thank you Roger H), let me borrow his FINIS
Freestyle Snorkel so I could stay straighter
and not roll so much to breath.... IT IS HARD!
I am finding out how utterly difficult it
is for those of you who land FLAT on your
stomach during every stroke. The additional
power requited to move through the water is
amazing to me. Apparently, I roll THROUGH
the bottom very freely from one side to the
next and thus facilitate an "easy"
rhythmic stroke cycle. The old LAW #3 WEIGHT
SHIFT comes into play very easily for me.
I get a larger amount of "free"
power/speed by creating the high side to low
side dynamic as I head forward. O2 SWIMMING
has always preached that the "magic"
of good swimmers is the ability to generate
"free" power simply by rolling from
side to side and gaining momentum from ROTATIONAL
VELOCITY. While swimming flat, I am amazed
at the additional power required to overcome
this poor position.... **STAY OFF THE BOTTOM.
Keep rotating through the bottom. Watch any
of the swim videos I have sent you over the
years and you will see it clearly. Learn from
my tough love session.....
3)
Inspiration - This year, Steelman
OWR allowed me to "age up" in the
10 year swimming bracket - lucky me, huh?
I decided to take a short break from my obsessions
with each of you and focus on my own bad self
for a few special weeks.... I put in an improved
stretch of 30,000 yards over a 14 day period
and actually starting feeling REAL IMPROVEMENT.
(One problem of this plan was I started to
late and thus "peaked about 10 days past
Steelman). My workouts got harder, yet easier.
I became inspired again to live what I tell
each of you ******YOU are not a triathlete.
YOU are a SWIMMER. YOU are a CYCLIST. YOU
are a RUNNER. A few times every year, you
happen to put them all together on the same
day and call your self a "triathlete".
NONSENSE!!! BE A SWIMMER. THINK like a swimmer.
TRAIN like a swimmer.
Here
is how I will help you.... Yes, it's going
to cost you:( Go buy Michael Phelps' book
NO LIMITS
We
all need a hero, someone to inspire us....
This book is a quick read and is great for
swimmers, parents of swimmers and certainly
triathletes. Each of the 8 chapters is a Gold
Medal story that may start when he was 5 or
12, etc. and carry you to the feel of the
actual race. The 9th chapter was an add-on
that takes us from Beijing to Rome to London.
AquaMan is human. He trains. He puts out.
He is focused. Bob Bowman has abilities far
beyond swimming. As he says, "I will
get yo to the ballpark, IT IS YOUR JOB TO
PUT YOUR HAND ON THE WALL". Apparently,
they left out some flowery adjectives as he
referred to Michael's "lack of effort"
on a particular day.....
This book was good enough to be New York Times
Bestseller's list. I was happy to see the
goals of the Michael Phelps Foundation laid
out for everyone:
- Set goals
- Take responsibility
- Practice Discipline
Is
that how you are raising your kids? Are those
ideals you can live with?
Get the book. Be inspired. Swimming IS "all
that"....!
In closing, we are just finishing up the summer
Champ meets - good luck to all of you left
in the A races!
****Another special shout out to Ryley F for
blowing up a pool record at NorGwyn recently
- THAT is what I am taking about. Commitment.
Setting goals. Taking responsibility. Practicing
discipline.
Hope
to see you soon. I will be training hard as
my rehab gives way to the new me:)
August and Sept should offer everyone ample
opportunities to get in the Endless Pool Studio
- reach out for me.
Keep up with all the action on Facebook.com
O2 SWIMMING. Add your races, observations,
inspiration. We are a community - - O2 SWIMMING
!!
SwimStrong. SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net
| www.o2nutrition.net
|
July 2013 Newsletter
Dear Swimmers and Triathletes:
This
is a huge month!!! July is my busiest month
of the year - sorry if I do not get to all
of you, but as of 05 Aug 2013, life returns
to just normal busy:)
We have Lake Placid IM this month, Steelman
- a top local racing venue, and the summer
swim teams are racing 2 days a week. Best
of luck to all of you. Have confidence in
your training and go kick tail !!!!!
My
focus for this month is: Practice
Sessions
It has come to my attention (repeatedly) that
many swimmers and triathletes do not get the
most out of their valuable practice time.
This is like pouring water in your gas tank
and expecting it to go fast..... Let's go
over some of the basics of a good swim practice:
1)
FORMAT:
- Warm up: this should be about being long
and relaxed and remembering how to "be"
horizontal. Should incorporate your drill
to swim work in the warm up, and there should
be no clock here, just perfection.
**sneak
in a little stretching now!
-
Main set(s): these should be a moving target
daily, weekly and seasonally. You are teaching
yourself to swim SLOW if you do about the
same workout all the time. You are NOT a triathlete....you
are a SWIMMER, a cyclist, and a runner. I
post many workouts on the O2 SWIMMING Facebook
page that you can borrow or cut and paste
versions of. Other swimmers from Mark Dean
(multi IM finisher and Kona boy) to the SwimChicks,
will post workouts for you. YOU can post to
this page too - it is for all O2 SWIMMERS!
-
Cool down: just like it says....no clock....easy
up on the throttle. Get back to your lowest
SPL. Regain your flexibility and feel good
with your time in the water.
2)
PURPOSE:
- Have one. Yes YOU. All swim team members
have a coach, but YOU are responsible for
some mental tuning as you enter practice every
day. Have a focal point every day. Do you
really think Phelps just got in the water
and slogged out whatever Bob Bauman had in
his mind every day? NOT!!!! You can solve
most problems before they magnify just by
FEELING the water and listening to its feedback
of your flow.
If you are a one sided breather, maybe you
can work on breathing on the "weak"
side sometimes?
Is your catch as dynamic as it could be? Should
be?
Do your legs add or subtract from your speed?
Really........?
*****The definition of insanity is doing the
same thing every day and expecting a different
result !
3)
COMFORT ZONE:
- Get out of it. You do not have to kill yourself,
but you need to push the razor's edge often.
Make one set really hard?
Time yourself and commit to writing down your
fastest (100?, 500?). Race this like your
life depends on it!!!!
Get a FINIS Tempo Trainer and prepare to learn
about what your pace really looks like - I
HATE MINE....................Actually, I love/hate
it:)
Leave you with 2 little thoughts:
1)
I am not sure how many of the new O2
SWIMMERS know we are on FACEBOOK.
Please check out the page, post your results,
share a workout or tip... USE it for the benefit
of swimmers everywhere. We have people from
the UK, Asia, etc watching us......!!
2)
One of my all time favorite pieces of inspiration
to get you stirred up this month:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVZrne7X5ww
Men's 4 X100 free relay - Best Swimming in
history !!!!
Very
Last - if you need anything: suits, goggles,
paddles, nutrition, etc ~ go to my web page
and get your O2 SWIMMING discount directly!!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
June
follow-up
Dear Swimmers and Triathletes:
Just
a quick follow up on some business related
stuff:
1)
Please CALL me or text me to schedule your
appointment - I am not always at the computer
and neither are you!!
2)
My recommendation is for you to do your 3
pak within 6 weeks - for about 200 reasons.....
Stretching them out for half a year is non
productive - the rhythm is gone.... I have
always offered a straight single hour session
if you want one prior to an event , but have
used up your "pak". As times goes
on, I lose track of you and my schedule gets
full. ***All packages must be taken prior
to year end (unless you are a swimmer in season
and are working through the Nov/Dec time frames).
3)
Summer is by far my busiest time of year -
reach out for me ASAP to get what YOU want:)
I always have room, but it gets very tight
now......
4)
As per each year since 2009, I have opened
up MON-WED-FRI mornings for you - time is
by mutual agreement!
5)
2013 marked the second price increase in 11
years. Please note the prices for 2013 are:
$54 for a single session and follow up
$135 for a TRI pak and follow up
***All
swimmers and triathletes are eligible (for
life) to get all O2 discounts offered on the
website !!!! This is a nice benefit I have
worked on for 10 years. All the products are
tested and THE BEST for our group of athletes.
Enjoy.
Thank
you for being a huge part of the most fun
part of my day!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
|
May 2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
YEAH,
summer is here. Locally, Fanny Chapman warmed
up from 64F last wednesday to 77F on friday.....!
With the heat clearing out this week, I am
sure it will remain "cool", but
swimmable. O2 SWIMMING is in full swing as
usual with Eagleman Half IronMan just days
away - my swimmers are ready!! This past weekend,
we had 2 of our boys complete (severe understatement)
the Potomac 7.5 mile swim. We want to send
them both a huge CONGRATS!! And, one of our
younger swimmers broke all kinds of PRs at
her meet - way to go Joy!! Could you swim
100 fly when you were 10 in 1:33? OK, can
you swim 100 fly now??? This kid is one to
watch!!
So,
as we open the outdoor season, let's keep
in mind that summer swim teams are supposed
to be FUN. Yes, you are going to work, but
ENJOY the summer - the traditional fall season
will be here soon enough and all the qualifying
times will go down AGAIN. The summer is a
great time for swimmers to work on technique
and bring other interests in too: running,
cycling, soccer, baseball, etc.
Triathletes
will be hammering now like never before. Not
only is Eagleman just days away, but Lake
Placid IM is just over a month out.... All
the long hours and hard work will be shown
off soon - stay focused. The taper for these
long events is some longer/easy sets and maybe
once a week, some short sprints sets:
4
X 500 easy stretches
or
3 X 800 just stay long
I
wil be doing almost all longer stuff now -
nothing less than a 500, but will sprint the
last 100 or even back half of some of these
sets.
Our focus this month will be on NUTRITION
Nutriton
will differ based on your age and the length
of your event. My boys swimming for 4 hours
last weekend will not look like my girl swimming
100 fly, so here are some general guidelines:
SWIMMERS:
stay hydrated. This is not a huge factor is
the lighter summer swim practices, but is
a factor at outdoor meets lasting 3-5 hours!!
Pick a cold drink you like ranging from water
to gatorade, etc. Those in the know have been
using the Michael Phelps designed drink PURE
SPORT available with discounts on my website.
Eat lighter, but often during the hot summer
- I know swimming is NOT all that you do.
***No need to "carbo load" to go
swim a pool event lasting 60 seconds. Eat
to feel normal and keep drinking...
Triathletes:
you range from 16 year olds doing "sprints"
to old dogs doing the full distance IronMan.
For anything past 2 hours, some carbo loading
will help you - also protein is a must so
that your body does not begin to break down
in search of amino acids. I have switched
over to INFINIT full custom drink for longer
stuff this year and am really loving it. One
drink. Simple. Done. Nothing else. All mixed
according to MY needs for long training and
events. We also have a discount link for O2
SWIMMERS on my website....
Eat lots of veges now - they are awesome and
in season. When it gets super hot, go vege
for a day - try it, it won't kill you. Forcing
your PH up into a more neutral/basic range
will help you build power and last longer.
Dial in your pre-race nutritional protocol
- this is too often overlooked until the day
of. INFINIT has a newer product called MUDD
that many of us love. It is a drink consisting
of a nice amount of calories, electrolytes,
some protein, some caffeine...a little chocolatey
and a wee bit coffee = perfect!!
Of course, oatmeal, bananas, Hammer bars,
cliff bars, etc are all invaluable as pre
race meals. During the race, I got on Honey
Stinger "waffles" last year. These
are great because I can chunk them down (shark-like)
in about 2 bites and still get 100 or so quick
kcal.
There are lots of little tricks, but you must
find out (BEFORE) what works for you. If you
need additional help, reach over to O2 NUTRITION
.net for some extra TLC.
Keep
swimming.
Be long. Do your catchup drills!!!!!!!!!
Keep me posted.....:)
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
May
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
O2
SWIMMING has had another fun month - thanks
to all of you! May is sort of a "tweener"
month for us, but I have been busy. Many local
triathletes are doing Black Bear, Eagleman,
Lake Placid IM and my swimmers are always
interested in improvements when they have
TIME to implement them. My daughter is finishing
up her lifesaving and will be teaching and
guarding at Fanny Chapman this summer; the
only wrinkle is that she will be "reporting"
to her big brother, as Matthew was hired a
the manager this season:)
Before
we get to our FOCUS POINTS this month, I just
want to go over what YOU should be doing now:
SWIMMERS
= this is "off season"
and you should be stretching out again and
working on technique. I know some of you are
bound to practice year 'round, but you CAN
have your own agenda too. Most of you shrink
over the long/hard winter swim season due
to chasing and long yardages. Strength goes
up, but precision suffers - for some, it gets
bad. No worries, NOW is the time to refocus.
Each of you is now a year older and more will
be asked and expected of you - just like life,
eh?
Reach out for me if you need to discuss your
future......
TRIATHLETES
= some of you logged a nice base
of yardage over the cooler months and are
now enjoying the fruits of your labors. Some
of you are just cracking your heads out of
the bear cave..... My workouts are nearly
always on Facebook for you to check on. Mark
Dean (6 times IM) blasts his out to many of
you and also posts on the O2 SWIMMING Facebook
page. NO EXCUSES for not getting it done.
If you SwimStrong, SwimSilent; you will be
well prepared to continue your day of cycling,
running, and general butt whoopin' !
Recommended weekly yardages for your distance:
SPRINT
= 4,000 yards/week
OLYMPIC = 6,000 yards/week
HALF IM = 8,000 yards/week
IRON MAN = 10,000 - 12,000 yards per week
MAY
FOCUS ~ Hand Speed
This
is something I have never touched on, but
have noticed in myself first and many of you
next.
I am referring to the ACCELERATION of your
hand through the stroke. If it is slow, you
will get mostly a push down of your entire
arm - resulting in you traveling UP (NOT forward).
If it is too fast, you will have trouble holding
a long stroke - poor efficiency when you shrink
off the catch-up format. Now what?
I went back to videos and can clearly see
(and FEEL in my own stroke) that the hand
needs to accelerate FASTER than the arm or
elbow as you CATCH water. Stand up, walk away
form the computer screen and try this - all
3 ways - on dry land. I'll wait......
FEEL it?
SEE it?
Definition of insanity - doing the same thing
all the time and expecting a different result.
Start playing with your hand speed. Try out
of the water in front of a mirror, then get
wet and see how this feels.....
The
right answer is somewhere in between, but
trending closely toward ACCELERATION of the
hand. Get the hand moving faster so it hinges
down off the soft elbow into a CATCH position.
***I really like this and have been experimenting
with this for several weeks. If you send me
some interesting thoughts, I will post your
discoveries next month. It is my belief now
that this is a larger component than anyone
thought before..........
FINAL
THOUGHT: I have now been on INFINIT
NUTRITION for a month and through all manner
of testing. I have ridden as much as 81 miles
(with 6500' of vertical climbing) and swum
hard 4,000 sets. It is SO SIMPLE and SO EFFECTIVE.
No more hassle of multi products. Call them
and have INFINIT mix you up a batch today
- it is a game changer. Every client has a
personally tailored formula - mine says "O2
ENDURANCE" on the container. You will
get a discount if you follow directions on
my website. I already know of several of you
that are using and the evidence is clear -
IT IS SUPERIOR.
PS. If you have not done my "silent swimming"
drill in a while, do it the next time you
swim ...... You'll thank me later!
SwimStrong. SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net |
www.o2nutrition.net
|
April
2013 Newsletter - Review & side notes...
Dear
Swimmers & Triathletes:
Just
wanted to take a few minutes this week to
pass along one review of a new product for
us and one housekeeping note:
Review
of INFINIT NUTRITION:
As
most of you know, we have had a nice 20% discount
with Pure Sport for several years. I even
got them to cut the shipping by half last
year - to a reasonable number! Pure Sport
was developed by nutritional doctors around
our Olympic Swim Team - with Michael Phelps
and Brendan Hansen being a major focus and
contributors to the product line. It is simple
and effective - with only 2 products: Workout
& Recovery. It is the only thing made
in one building, so the purity and lack of
contaminants has always been a major focus.
We don't want any of our athletes being DQ'd
at a major event for "doping" because
their drink got some sudafed powder mixed
into an unclean hopper....
My only problem with Pure Sport was the 40
kcal / scope left me hanging on long workouts.
This was never a problem for me in the pool,
as my longest sets are typically around 4,000.
However, a 5-6 hour bike ride or event left
me grossly under fed - imagine me "underfed"
!!
Intro
- Infinit
Infinit
is a company based in Ohio that I looked at
years back and considered it "expensive".
I was wrong. Infinit will custom blend EVERY
formula for YOU. My magic formula is called
"O2 Endurance". You can either do
a self assessment on-line or speak to Ryan
or Ashley for free to help dial in your unique
combo OR, pay $29.95 and get a 30 minute consult
with a Nutritional Doctor. Amazing? The best
part is YOU WILL NEED NOTHING ELSE BUT THE
DRINK. All day, nothing!
I would not write to you until I tested this
myself.... On saturday, I did the 75 mile
Fool's Classic Cyclocross Race here in Bucks
County. I rode over and back from home, so
it was 81 miles for me. It was just over 5
hours of climbing 6500 vertical feet on gravel,
dirt, etc on my cross bike. I finished strong
and had only 4 bottles of my O2 Endurance
with 290 kcal per bottle or 1160 kcal plus
all the endurolytes, minerals, buffers, etc.
My calculation indicates I spent 5115 kcal
over the course of the event. The only thing
I ate was ONE fig newton cookie....it just
looked so darn good...I had too.... That was
it. 5 hours of hellashish climbing and riding
on NOTHING but what was in my bottles. I came
home across River rode pulling 21-22mph through
the 60-65+ mile zone.
This product works. It has been proven and
is the only thing used by Team Mark Allen
and pro cycling team Garmin Cervelo.
Not only will they custom blend for you and
simplify your life, I negotiated a 10% discount
AND all you tough guys can get an extra $5
in INFINIT BUCKS by posting your race picture
on their Facebook page.
At this point, we have solid history. 75+
miles in early April on a cross bike is tough;
INFINIT came through in spades.
Questions?
Like all O2 SWIMMING discounts - they are
for YOU. Just go to my website and get the
directions and codes - all on you now!
Housekeeping:
I
am having some difficulty catching up with
some of you regarding appointments and I do
not wish to frustrate you. However, I am not
in an office as much as I have been in the
past. PLEASE call me or text me to get a time
slot. The email is far too slow and time consuming
for as busy as O2 SWIMMING and O2 NUTRITION
have become. Please don't ask. "what
do you have open" on an email, it can
fill before you receive my answer. I will
greatly appreciate you just calling or texting
me - between 10am and 4pm is the best time
to find me. If you go to voicemail, PLEASE
leave me your best phone number to get back
to you - it will be that day!!!!
Congrats
to all who raced last weekend. Eagleman is
closing on the horizon and Lake Placid IronMan
will be here before you know it.
Keep the fire burning!
SwimStrong. SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
April
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
Very
excited this month - lots of good stuff for
you. I have been working hard and learning
a lot from you:)
As many of you know, I initiated a 10 day
athlete cleanse last month. I worked hard
to wade through all my medical nutritional
classwork to nail down a spring detox that
CAN be accomplished by an athlete; unlike
most cleanses which knock you flat out for
a while. The cleanse is heavily supported
with a Metagenics "medical food"
and some detox/enzyme capsules along with
your diet fish, vegetables, etc. My energy
level was good, but knew I should not push
past the 1-2 hour window in training. What
I learned helped my swimming too.....always
thinkin!!!
The
theme for this month is: Momentum
I
experienced a lack of momentum resulting from
swimming too slow. It was bad. I had not felt
a sinking feeling - ever? I was trying to
conserve energy, but swam so slowly at times
that my tilt meter registered, SINK. As soon
as I lifted the pace a little, the feeling
went away and ...funny thing.... I swam with
less energy. I swam faster with less energy,
as long as I swam fast enough to have FORWARD
MOMENTUM. This got me thinking about many
newer swimmers and triathletes. Perhaps in
your efforts to make it through your workouts,
you are losing enough energy to feel the downward
pull of gravity. The result being that you
worked harder to just stay afloat. Does this
all relate back to the O2 SWIMMING LAW #1
= BALANCE? A balanced boat can move forward
easier than an unbalanced boat, hence they
build them with BOTH balance and streamline
(law #2) in mind. Is the human body immune
to these laws of physics? Me thinks not.
So,
this week, get your mojo up a notch. Increase
your tempo a bit and see if that actually
feels easier. There are many varied forces
at work on you in the horizontal (swimming)
position. Increase you forward momentum. Have
you ever heard an Olympic gold medal winner
say the race was "hard"? They always
say - it felt fast, easy, on fire. Trust me,
they have momentum.
We
are now 2 months away from the Eagleman Half
IronMan and 3+ from Lake Placid IronMan. The
local pools are coming furiously to life.
Have a purpose. KNOW your SPL every day. It
will be worth quite a bit to taper your SPL
down by even ONE when going long distance.
Do some tempo and some actual sprint work
EVERY week. Put as much energy into your swim
workouts as you do in your bike and run.
Brand New Affiliate
Program !!!!!!!
The relationship between O2 SWIMMING and O2
NUTRITION strikes again. I looked at INFINIT
Nutrition years ago when they were new and
prior to my education in 2010 as a Board Certified
Holistic Health Coach. I thought they were
expensive.... After many years of helping
so many people up their game, I went back
to look for a simple nutritional solution
to using 14 different things during long training
and racing. Viola' , INFINIT Nutrition started
looking like a winner. Interestingly, Mark
Allen's athletes use INFINIT as well as the
Garmin-Cervelo Pro Cycling team. I worked
with Ryan and Ashley to order both Mudd and
my personal O2 Formula and more importantly,
set up an O2 SWIMMING affiliate discount program
for all of us going forward. We got the max!!
O2 now has www.infinitnutrition.us
on board with a full 10% discount on all orders,
all the time. Just set up your account and
use the code: o2.
Be clear on how this works: no gels, no bars,
no road capsules, NOTHING. You get your own
custom blended powder to mix with water that
will have all the nutrition you need to go
as far as you can handle - all day for you
IronMen!!!! I am so excited to see how you
dial into this unique nutritional product(s).
I will be putting this up on www.o2swimming.net
as soon as I can, but you are good to go TODAY!
I will be doing a 75 mile cyclocross race
this saturday on nothing but my O2 Infinit
Formula - wish me luck!!!
If you decide to go this route, please "Like"
them on Facebook, as any pictures of you on
race day will earn you $5 INFINIT Bucks each
time.... So, 10% off and $5.00 per race post.
You
can do all this yourself on line, or reach
out for either Ryan or Ashley for special
help. They also have a Nutritional Doctor
consult available for $29.95 if you want to
go "all in".
Excited?
Keep
up the good work, people. Swimmers, don't
get lazy from now till summer season!! Triathletes,
see you on the road and in the pool !!!
SwimStrong. SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
|
March
2013 Newsletter
Swimmers
and Triathletes:
I
am so excited today. March 1 is the WAKE
UP CALL for my tough guy triathletes!!!
My swimmers are in top shape right now and
most are heading to Districts and JOs (junior
olympics) in the next week. Good luck to all
of you who put heart, soul, mind and body
into what you love to do - payback time! Go
kick some serious tail!
On
my regular thursday morning ride today, I
could not believe how warm it was - didn't
even wear my cycling boots, just my regular
shoes. We saw robins everywhere... It is time,
people!!
If
you are a swimmer - don't leave your fastest
swim in the warm-up pool. Get your engine
running and go do what you are trained to
do! Good luck. SwimStrong. SwimSilent.
If
you are a triathlete, here are some guidelines
for March intro season:
Most of you have spent the winter developing
stroke technique and dialing into better habits.
By now, yardage must increase and times need
to challenge you.
Sprint
Gang = should be swimming at least
2 days a week. Workouts in the 600 - 1500
range with at least one 500 yard swim per
week now. Make it count.
Olympic
Contenders = tough distance with
lots of ability and lots of competition. You
need to be doing 3 days a week and averaging
a rock solid 1500; with 2,000 occurring more
than occasionally.
1/2
IronMen and Women = 3 solid days
a week with a range of 2000 - 3000 EVERY swim.
Make sure you get some longer sets in: 3 X
500 or 800-600-400-200. Keep it moving, you
are already fit....
IronMan
= tons of my guys and girls are doing Lake
Placid again this year. The swim is flat,
the rest.....not so much. You need to rocket
out of the water and be ready to go. 3 days
a week is good enough, but yardage needs to
be 3000-4000 with a 1000 thrown in sometimes,
a 1500 sometimes...NOW. Do it NOW. Check in
with yourself. RESPECT THE DISTANCE.
*****No
matter what category you fit into, EVERY swim
starts with drills: catch-up, fingertip drag,
etc. Reach out for me to get a complete list
if you have gone soft on this. Our Olympians
drill 7 days a week.... Questions?
This
month, I also wanted to go back to basics
for some of you that might appreciate a refresher.
O2 SWIMMING 4 LAWS - in order:
1)
BALANCE = without this, you are literally
sunk and starting from struggle. No matter
who you are, this can become an issue because
you are not built like any known aquatic animal....
No ship was ever built out of balance. If
you apply power to something out of balance,
it will resist motion. Nothing is more important.
Are you hitting YOUR UNIQUE BALANCE CORNERS?
2)
ACTIVE STREAMLINE = your ability to swim through
the smallest hole in the water. Most Olympic
coach's favor streamline over strength or
power! This is why many of my girls can beat
their boys.... My Endless Current will always
put this in perspective, a static pool...not
so much. How long has it been since you have
swum in the Endless Pool ?
3)
WEIGHT SHIFT = the ability to control gravity
(free !) in a down/forward momentum. This
will not occur properly if #1 and #2 are not
in good order. This is the magic that all
good swimmers FEEL and many others struggle
with. Simple put, your arms will never out-swim
my core :)
4)
TRACTION = your ability to catch/hold/trap
water. We humans catch best with an open,
relaxed, and downward facing hand. Many ways
to accomplish this..... How dynamic is your
catch? Do you push water down, resulting in
your going UP? Watch the hand position of
any truly good swimmer and you will see what
I mean. Sometimes, by just doing (attempting
?) all 4 strokes once and a while, we gain
FEEL.
This is the end of your wake up call. The
next thing many of you get from O2 SWIMMING
will be on April 1st....or will it?
101
days to Eagleman
150
days to Lake Placid IM
Got
your attention now?
Also
would like to do a special shout out to Cliff.
Cliff is racing escape From Alcatraz this
sunday 03 March 2013 !!! Show ' em how it
is done, buddy:)
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568 | www.o2swimming.net | www.o2nutrition.net
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February
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
I
have seen lots of great swims in the last
30 days - hats off to each of you that works
hard in practice and delivers at meets! Just
last night, CB East raced Pennridge and EVERY
girl was under 59.99 in the 100 free....every
one of them! The only people not overly impressed
with this are my 12 year old girls - because
they are all under a minute this season!!!
I have also noticed the TRI gang has resurrected
themselves and are taking advantage of some
pool time this year - WAY better than last
season where I did not see hardly any triathletes
in the pool until nearly race season....
This month, I have a unified theme for both
swimmers and triathletes:
STAY
OFF THE BOTTOM !
Got
your attention? What is that grumpy old swim
coach talking about now....?
As you know, one of my key reasons for coaching
all of you is my own selfish personal development!
Over the last 30 days, I have witnessed too
many people that land surf board flat at a
bottom position of their stroke. In other
words, they land flat - like a barge. The
overwhelming reason for this seems to be over-dominance
on a single breathing side - high/nice rotation
on that side and then landing flat down. This
trick impinges any ability to create power
on the opposing side. After careful study
of my own stroke, the solution is not difficult
- ALLOW the full rotation to occur. Do not
stop yourself from using the full weight of
gravity (I excel here !) to go past flat and
into a power side down position. This forces
the weak side UP and facilitates an ability
to create power on BOTH sides.
To distil this down for you ADD tri people
- get off the bottom! Move
THROUGH that bottom position - do not land
on it. Use the hips more.......
Picture yourself stretched out and face down
in the water....flat as a barge
Now, picture yourself shoulder down, hips
down and extending on an angle through the
water...streamline as a fish
Your
call...!
SWIMMERS
= best of luck during this champ season. Be
sure you fully differentiate practice pace
from ALL OUT RACE PACE - there is a huge difference!!!!
TRIATHLETES
= check in with your race calendar and be
sure you are putting in focused work and decent
yardage now. Cold outside, use the time in
the pool. Lots of work-outs on my O2 SWIMMING
Facebook page - no excuses.
17.5
mile swimmers...both of you....****** Work
backstroke directly into some of your long
sets now, it will open up your chest DURING
time intensive swims. eg. I did a 1500 straight
warm-up swim today and I rolled over a few
times about 900 yards in and did some exaggerated
backstroke - it felt wonderful!
No
video this month - send me YOURS !!!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568
www.o2swimming.net
| www.o2nutrition.net
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January
2013 Newsletter
Dear
Swimmers and Triathletes:
Happy
New Year to each of you. We had a nice holiday,
but are ready and excited to embark on new
adventures in 2013. Our current group of swimmers
are absolutely destroying the competition
in waves. Interestingly, I took a minute and
looked back on the names over the last few
years and found that MANY of the names of
kids back in 2007, 2008, 2009, etc are the
kids now blowing up record books - congrats
to all of you for "getting it" and
taking steps above and beyond your competitors
to excel in the pool. This fact alone gets
me inspired to take 2013 to new heights!!
I made it to many meets and some larger invitationals
in 2012 and am proud of all O2 SWIMMERS for
their superior skills and positive attitudes
with everyone surrounding swimming.
The
Doylestown gang is sitting like the pole car
at the Indy 500 - engines revving and just
waiting to hit the throttle in 2013. We have
DOZENS of triathletes heading to Lake Placid
IronMan and probably more doing the Eagleman
Half too. Better get on board this train soon
- it is leaving the station at warp speed....!!!
Tricks
for the new years?
Swimmers
- I see lots of hard work, but also some improvements
I can only talk to you about... Please focus
some time on your breakouts NOW. I have watched
many go to the wall in the lead and have a
good turn, but a very average breakout back
into the stroke. FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE as you
leave the wall - it is important. Learn EXACTLY
how many dolphin (or fish kicks) your muscle
and skills can handle. Then EXPLODE into stroke.
Those that consistently do this - - - win.
I take time here, as we cannot do this in
the Endless Pool. Think about this as a real
part of your practice. Free lesson to the
swimmer that sends me the best You Tube video
of a dynamic breakout!!!
Triathletes
- So, we have a whole bunch of "newbies"
cranking out yardage and adding a fresh perspective
AND a bunch of mean old dogs kicking butt.
I love it !! Your focus is on SWIMMING right
now. Here are my January guidelines for yardage
based on your racing plans:
SPRINT triathletes: minimum 2 days a week
with 1,000 - 1,500 yards as your goal. 3 days
would be better, especially now as every pool
is beautiful this time of year (vs tough running/cycling
weather).
OLYMPIC triathletes: 3 days a week with a
1,500 -2,500 yard plan. Mix it up and check
on the O2 SWIMMING Facebook page for workouts
from myself, IronMan Mark Dean, and sometimes
the Swim Chicks....
HALF & FULL IRONMAN distances: We will
treat you both as equals in January - 3 days
a week solid and 2,500 - 4,000 yards. All
of my workouts are posted in this range and
will get your through. Do not get stuck in
a rut - mix it up. Use plenty of time/yardage
to perfect your stroke mechanics. When you
swim races in the 1.2 to 2.4 mile range, a
ONE SPL improvement is monumental....
Let's
take 2013 by storm - a tsunami storm! Find
a partner - a good one. Get help. Get involved
early. Make it your best season ever......!
For
this month only, I am going to cross or combine
O2 SWIMMING and O2 NUTRITION in one newsletter.
Read on.....
ALL
of us need help sometimes with the basics
- including food. This side of my persona
is full of current ideas and the overriding
premise of my recent education : CROWDING
IN. As a board certified holistic health counselor,
my job is to diagnose problems and offer solutions
that are practical and work in the real world.
Since everyone reading this is an athlete
(swimmer), I will confine my comments to only
those relevant to my audience.
Practical
Ideas for 2013 to Implement Now:
1)
NO "dieting" right now. This is
the single biggest "sick time" of
the year, just coming off all the holiday
stresses: too much sugar, too much salt, too
many late nights, etc. NOT a good time to
"diet". O2 NUTRITION suggests you
slide back to normal for about 2-3 weeks,
then if you feel good enough, begin to make
changes in your diet to enhance your plan.
2)
Become a germ-a-phobe. Since most of your
friends and neighbors are dieting and are
unhealthy now - become germ paranoid. Wash
hands. Sleep enough. Eat in. You get the idea....
3)
Take your vitamins. I have already customized
a plan for many of you, but the basics for
all of us living the O2 lifestyle are:
- gender specific multi vitamin and mineral
- cold water expressed fish oils for strong
source of necessary EPA and DHA......only
90%+ of the USA is deficient here....
- Vit D 1,000 IU .......again, over 90% of
the USA north of Atlanta is deficient here
- PROBIOTICS. I have pounded this one for
years. I have not been sick in 20+ years and
this is huge for me. Chlorine is toxic and
I am pickled in it....you? Chlorine destroys
the GI flora and leaves all swimmers susceptible
to invasion. ALL swimmers need to be on Probiotics
and especially now with the high yardage and
compromised diet.
****Please
go to www.o2swimming.net and get access to
my pharmaceutical grade vitamins/supplement
link. YOU get my discount and can buy direct.
Happy New Year!
4)
Eat your vegetables - no limits !!!!!!!! As
a matter of fact, start planning to eat 2
vegetables with most dinners:
- broccoli and a salad
- carrots AND green beans
- a whole plate of mixed salad greens BEFORE
you begin to fill the same plate with dinner
5)
Take care of your sinuses:
- use Aquaphor to wipe the inside of your
nasal membranes before you swim. This is an
awesome preventative barrier to sinus infections.
- use plenty of nasal saline spray IMMEDIATELY
after swimming to flush out anything hiding
out deep in your nasal cavities
- a higher does of Vit C has anti-viral properties.
Try at least 500mg of a quality Ester C to
maintain health while the sun is still in
winter hiding mode
Thank you for allowing me to coach you and
for your continued support of O2 SWIMMING
and O2 NUTRITION !!
SwimStrong.
SwimSilent.
Ken
Holland
Head Coach
O2 SWIMMING
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568
&
Kenneth W Holland HHC, AADP
Director
O2 NUTRITION
Doylestown, PA
267-994-0568
www.o2nutrition.net
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HEALTH
COACHING
Kenneth W. Holland
A unique, exciting innovation in health and
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o2
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