Muscle memory: myth or mastery?
It is vital to remember that muscle memory is a two-edged sword. It can help you become very good at something but equally can train you to be absolutely terrible at something.
Summoning The Genie of Fluidity
If you concentrate too hard on achieving the seemingly impossible, it will remain just that; impossible
Are you having a Dry January? Not likely!
If you want to achieve something or improve something, you don't need to wait until a particular day to start working towards it. Just go for it!
Oi you! Why don’t you push off? I mean, properly push off?
If you’re not practising your push-offs your training is only ever targeted on 80% of the length. For one-fifth of the time you’re mentally and often physically, just drifting.
Short and sweet
When learning a new movement pattern the average attention span is surprisingly short and it is important to stop before the processing power of the brain has been exhausted
Practice really does make perfect
The student must spend time away from the lessons practising by themselves. This is when the magic happens!
How Are You Feeling?
Your swim coach may well get you to perform a drill and then ask you how it felt. And although that sounds like a simple question it's one that many of us are simply not used to answering with any level of detail.
Don't pay attention to your hands. But know exactly what they are doing !
Turning off muscles is often more difficult than engaging them. Go to any public pool and you will see hands doing all sorts of weird and wonderful things...
Encourage Self-Guided Practice
By leading them through this principle-based practice, you are giving them an example of how to practice on their own. You know the principles involved, and over time, you have the opportunity to impart an understanding of those practice principles to your student so that they become a better self-guiding practitioner.