What a Week!

We did manage to get a few swims in! We also welcomed Tony back. He ran two great sessions with the senior squads focussing on the core. We also had our first yoga session with Valerie this morning. It was great! See below regarding Saturday's workout.
The haze has given us an opportunity to get in some much needed practice on starts. 

We have worked on getting a solid and strong platform with a long (neutral) spine, and drive from the glutes and quads. This is shown well in this photo (right) of an olympic lifter beginning the snatch lift - the most powerful movement in sport.

 The photo below shows the importance of upward drive with the hands in order to create powerful drive from the legs - the same is true for the dive - the hands must move first: forward and upward.

From this position (with the legs split) we have worked on maintaining our angle of attack beyond the surface of the water, not allowing the feet to drop out of the body-line creating resistance or drag.






To do this effectively, the body must be rigid and not arched upward like a banana.

The plan for this week was speed and recovery.We have had that; perhaps a little more recovery than I had hoped, but we will be fresh for our second cycle to begin on Monday.

NO SWIMMING FRIDAY

Saturday Swimming
Regular practices are planned for Saturday.7-9:30am for senior squads (everyone 6th grade and above), and 8-9:30am for junior squads.
I will check the air quality at 5am. If the PSI level is above 100 at that time, I will post on the blog. This should give everyone plenty of notice. Please be sure to check the blog as some posts are being very delayed in their delivery (several hours!)