In America, the first monday of September is dedicated to “Labor Day.” For many this means a day off of work (ironically), backyard cookouts, the beginning of the school year, and the closing of outdoor pools (unfortunately). The origins of Labor day goes back to when working conditions in factories were dismal and workers began […]

Read More →

Swim coaches talk a good deal about “balance” in the water, but they rarely talk about what swim balance is and how achieving it can help you. It is one of those vague terms like “metabolic efficiency” that everyone but few are able to define. In the Tri Swim Coach dictionary, balance in the water […]

Read More →

The big news in the triathlon tech world this fall will be the Suunto Ambit3, which is rethinking the sports watch industry. One of the coolest features is a heart rate (HR) monitor that works while swimming. Until now there has not been an accurate swim heart rate watch on the market. There are a […]

Read More →

When it comes to the final week or week and a half before your pinnacle race, there is not much you can do physically to improve fitness or give yourself an edge over the other athletes. You have done the work (or all the work that you can do) and now it is time to […]

Read More →

If your training volume is high or your life is simply hectic, it can be hard to include lots of vegetables into your diet. Swimmers in particular seem to let vegetable intake go by the wayside favoring more a heavier refined carb and protein heavy diets. However, vegetables are very important for swimmers and athletes […]

Read More →

Open Water Swim Speed vs Pool Swimming in open water can be as different from lap swimming as the bike trainer is to the road. Many times skilled swimmers struggle with translating their fast pool splits to the open water. When swimming in the pool, you are in a nice, controlled, and placid environment (unless […]

Read More →

Swimmer’s bodies seem to vary across the body type spectrum. On the one side, you have ultra-lean and muscular athletes like Michael Phelps and on the other you have well insulated (to put it politely) ultra swimmers. In the middle, you have your average master’s swimmer who may not look like amazing athletes, but once […]

Read More →

Recently, I was able to try out the Vasa Swim Ergometer. Vasa trainers are a type of swim bench on which you lie down and stroke like you would in water; it operates and feels very much like a rowing machine except instead of sitting you lie down and instead of a bar that you […]

Read More →

Until recently, I was an average swimmer. There certainly was nothing special about my times. I would comfortably swim in the middle lane at masters and usually come out the water towards the back of the pack at races. I say until recently, because over the past three weeks, I have shaved off 1 whole […]

Read More →

Triathlon Transition mastery Many triathletes overlook the importance of a quick T1 transition, but wasted time in transition can cost you a personal best, podium, Kona qualifications, or even winning the race. Last year at Ironman Lake Tahoe the female winner had slower swim, bike, and run splits but she won because she transitioned quickly. […]

Read More →

For all of you in the northern hemisphere, welcome to summer, and it is getting hot out there. I am currently in Phoenix, Arizona, and for the past week, it has gotten over 100 degrees (38 Celsius). This heat though has not hindered my training, which right now is being kicked into overdrive. With proper […]

Read More →

Triathletes and full time swimmers take very different approaches to the same sport. It is sometimes hard to believe that they can share the same pool let alone be on the same Master’s team in peace. Some differences are comical some just make sense because of each athlete’s race specific goals. Nevertheless there are a […]

Read More →

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “that’s just the way I am”, then you are holding yourself back! Stop that negative thinking right now. 🙂 Far worse swimmers than you have been able to master the triathlon swim and “laugh at the water”! Start expanding what you think your limits are in the pool or […]

Read More →

Every year around this time, we at TSC receive a deluge of questions about wetsuits, so I want to spend this week tackling the most common ones: Q: Do I have to buy a wetsuit: A: Ultimately no. For short races like sprint triathlons that happen in pools or typically warm water races like Eagleman […]

Read More →

3 focus points for perfect swim form Let’s say you have had your swim analyzed, and your swim instructor has given you a laundry list of things to work on, which may include items like unilateral breathing, wiggling head, sinking ankles, crossing over, low catch, and premature hand entry. It seems like a daunting, Herculean […]

Read More →

Head position in freestyle is one of the key focus points that beginners need to focus on when learning how to swim properly. If your head is not properly positioned in the water it sets off a chain reaction down your body and messes up your form. If your legs or lower body tends to […]

Read More →

Back when I started swimming (when dinosaurs ruled the earth), we did not have swim watches; in fact the only time information we had was the race clock and our coaches yelling at us from the pool deck. We could use a Timex watch, but those were frowned upon. No one wanted to be “that […]

Read More →

Breathing might be the hardest part of the stroke for a beginner and intermediate swimmer to master, so why would you want to make it harder by restricting your breath? Hypoxic training means limiting your breath to every 3, 5, 7, 9 or even holding your breath for a full length. This does not mean […]

Read More →

I had a training client who raced a 70.3 this past weekend. He had a great swim but the moment he came out of the water and began to swim towards T1, his right calf cramped up. He collapsed on the ground and had to wait 5 minutes to massage away the pain. When he […]

Read More →

Many think drills are included in a workout so that you can become more efficient and improve your form in the water. This would be true for drills like finger tip drag and shark fin drill which you are supposed to do slowly and methodically with complete focus. However, some drills can also build strength […]

Read More →

As a coach, I often hear my athletes telling me that they were not “feeling” a workout. I often read in training logs: “I was really tired and could barely hit my splits…” “I was dragging today…” “It took all my energy just to get started…” “I did the workout, but my heart and mind […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, The other day a non-triathlete friend of mine asked me why I swam so much. “The swim is the shortest distance of the three. Shouldn’t you spend more time biking and running?” He has a valid point, but I am not ready to cut back my swimming quite yet. In fact, I […]

Read More →

Triathlon Race Prep Triathlon racing season is here! With Ironman Melbourne, Abu Dhabi, Wildflower, and Oceanside 70.3 all scheduled to occur in the coming weeks, chances are your race is right around the corner. Before each race season, I like to do a few things to get my mind, body, and gear ready so that […]

Read More →

Swimming Terminology Many of you have been asking us what does “Zone 2” mean or what is “tempo pace” when we specify them in workouts. To clear up some of this language confusion I have compiled a list of the eight most common terms that I use in my workouts and posts: Zone 2: I […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, What if I told you that you could improve your main set times by 5s per 100 almost instantly? Or that instead of having your splits trail off towards the end of your swim you could hit those more consistently? Or that, you could reduce your injury risk significantly? AND that you […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, I am sure you have all experienced this at least once in your swim career: you have gotten up at 4:30am, stumbled out of the house with your cup of coffee in hand, then driven to the pool only to realize that you have forgotten your goggles, swim suit, towel or change […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, On Thursday of this past week, I went to the pool like I usually do, but when I opened my bag I discovered that I had left my Garmin swim watch at home! “Well I guess I cannot swim today,” I thought to myself. Then it occurred to me that I was […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, As we settle into 2014, many people are thinking about what races they are going to do. Nothing motivates you more to get out of bed on a cold morning, drive to the pool, then submerge yourself for an hour or more, than knowing that you have a race coming up. But […]

Read More →

It is hard to believe that not only December but also 2013 is coming to a close. Now if you think back eleven and a half months chances are you were making some large and elaborate New Year’s resolutions to get faster in the water, swim at least three times a week, lose weight, tackle […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, This past week one of my lovely students gave me a very early Christmas gift: the stomach flu. It was a nasty illness that left me unable to do anything but lie on the couch for five days groaning and cursing the kid who gave it to me. Needless to say, my […]

Read More →

Dear TSC crew, If you live in the US, chances are you will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday and thus “Black Friday” on Friday. I hate the commercialism of Black Friday with its bargain sales starting at midnight and the ensuing chaos; people running over each other in an effort to grab that uber sized […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, My coach always tells me, and I firmly agree, to give 110% in every single practice that I do. Why shouldn’t I? I am my spending valuable time and resources (i.e. sleep, time with family, and money), so there is no point in squandering my time by only giving 50% of my […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, It is hard to believe but 2014 is right around the corner, so it’s time to start planning your 2014 schedule. A good athlete needs to start planning early. Why so early you ask? Well, if you do not start planning now, then your goal race will creep on you before you […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, Continuing on with odd American customs, the moment that Hallowen ends, an even weirder American tradition begins. In an effort to raise awareness for prostate cancer, men refrain from shaving for the entire month of November; hence it has been called, “No Shave November” or “Movember.” Women too participate in the “festivities” […]

Read More →

Happy Halloween if you celebrate it! Halloween is the only day of the year when it is completely acceptable if not expected that kids take candy from strangers. It is a holiday that is pretty scary. From the kids’ costumes to the pumpkin decorations, to the paranormal activity that occurs, this holiday is all about […]

Read More →

The third week of our “21 day challenge” has dawned and the end is in sight! We have loved reading about everyone’s gains, losses, and struggles over the past weeks through personal emails and through the Facebook page. The question remains though — what should you do after the challenge is done. How can you […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, The first week of our 21 day challenge is in the books. I hope you all are enjoying it. Many of you have posted that you are a little upset with your first and second session results. Do not be discouraged! Everyone has to start somewhere and as long as you continue […]

Read More →

Last Friday was the offical kick off to the first of many TSC 21 day challenge. This one was about Swim Golf (or Freestyle Golf). There are two ways to win in Swim Golf: decrease your time (i.e. get faster) but also decrease your stroke count. Obviously, if you decrease both then your score will […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew, If you read last week’s newsletter, you may remember that I did have the greatest of races at Worlds the other weekend. However, that is in the past and it is time to move on. Easier said than done. Especially in the sport of triathlons, endurance swimming, and marathon running, where we […]

Read More →

Hey TSC crew! As promised, I want to give you a brief race recap of my time in Vegas. From the responses we got from last week’s post, it sounds like many of you were there either racing, spectating, or volunteering (a HUGE thanks if you fall into the two latter camps and a huge […]

Read More →

Dear TSC crew, This past weekend, I participated in the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas, NV. Since I am writing this the day before the race, I cannot give you a race report yet, so that will have to wait till next week. However, I have already learned a lot this weekend about racing, […]

Read More →

Dear TSC crew, I am sure you have been told that triathletes and swimmers should never swim “straight,” meaning hop into the pool and go for 45 minutes to an hour without stopping. For the most part, I agree with this age old belief. For one, swimming straight without rest or real intention is not […]

Read More →

Hey TSC team! This is the final installment of my tips on getting a “feel” for the water. When I say “feel,” I mean being aware of your body in the water and knowing exactly where your body is as you go through each stroke. If you know what your body—from your head all the […]

Read More →

Hey TSC team, This is the second installment of my successful swimming series in which I giving you my tips to make swimming more natural. Last week, I talked about how the frequency and consistency of your swim sets is one of the most important parts of making swimming seem like second nature. Just as […]

Read More →

This is one of the most dangerous parts of any triathletes’ season. No, it’s not because the cooler of beer is constantly calling your name. I am talking about an even bigger danger: the mid season slump. For athletes who race from March through late September and beyond, this time of year can drag. Your […]

Read More →

Dear Coach, When I have two workouts in a day. Which one should I do first? Does it matter? -Double Day Debbie Thanks for the question Debbie. In my opinion, workout order typically does matter. If you have two easy workouts on one day (like an hour easy spin and an easy jog) then it […]

Read More →

“This was a disaster, an absolute, unequivocal, and undeniable disaster…how could this have happened…my race is ruined.” I sat on the side of the road in Middlebury, Connecticut a few yards shy of mile 10 of the Rev3 Quassy bike course. My bike lay beside me with its front wheel taken off and two busted […]

Read More →

After that Triathlete magazine article on how kicking is the most important part of the swim, it’s a good time to bring up the issue of the kick and in particular, fins. At TSC, we are not big fans of pool toys per se. Don’t read us wrong, we think pool toys are fine when […]

Read More →