Swimming Drafting – What is Legal? Dear friend, I’m re-printing this article from Alex Kostich on drafting, because I think it is so important to the enjoyment of our sport! Drafting is one of those things in swimming that would be hard to police, so it is race-legal. But does that make it sportsmanlike? Find […]
Avoiding Burnout and Over Training – Issue #158
Posted NewslettersAvoiding Burnout and Over Training Dear Triathlete, Everyone is so excited about the 2011 triathlon season, which is great to see! However, sometimes people will overdo it when training for a race. Today, I want to share a few tips on how to avoid this common issue in triathlon training. Enjoy, Kevin “If we are […]
Swim Golf Drill – Issue #157
Posted NewslettersSwim Golf Drill Newsletter Dear Friend, A belated Happy 2011! I wanted to revisit the idea of improving your freestyle through a favorite game of mine, freestyle golf. The reason this is such a good set is that, instead of simply counting your strokes and attempting to lower your stroke count as many coaches will […]
Triathlon Swim Training Workout
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swim Training Workout It seems that a lot of people are confused about exactly what they should be doing in terms of their swim workouts. Most of the guides out there don’t get very specific. And online, it’s tough to find pool workouts structured to help improve one’s open water or triathlon swim. So […]
Beginner Triathlon Swimming Workouts – Issue #155
Posted NewslettersBeginner Triathlon Swimming Workouts Dear Friend, I was doing a natural movement-type workout this morning and I’ve been working on my balance lately. Improving balance helps in so many areas of sports and life. In order to do some of the balance practice I was doing, I had to be 100% focused on what I […]
Beginner Triathlete Swim Training – Issue #154
Posted NewslettersBeginner Triathlete Swim Training Newsletter Dear friend, I’m often asked who my site and information is geared towards: the pure beginner swimmer, or the triathlete with a few races under their belt that wants to slash their race times? The answer is of course both! If you are just starting out, the 5 lessons you […]
Triathlon Preparation – Issue #153
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Preparation Dear friend, This past weekend, I watched an all-women’s triathlon in Spicewood, TX (just outside of Austin). It was a very positive race, sprint distance and not super-hard core. It was also a fundraiser for cancer research. The swim was interesting. It was a 1/2 mile swim around 3 buoys in a lake. […]
Triathlon Wetsuit Tips – Issue #152
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Wetsuit Tips Dear Friend, These days, we’re all trying to make the most out of our time, especially when it comes to training. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your swim sessions when time is tight: 1. Know what you’re doing before you get in the water. If […]
Open Water Triathlon Swim Tips – Issue #151
Posted NewslettersOpen Water Triathlon Swim Tips Newsletter You may have improved your freestyle, using the Tri Swim Coach programs, to the point where you feel like you can swim endless laps- or at least the distance of your next triathlon swim- without getting tired, but when it comes to open water, it feels like a whole […]
Efficient Triathlon Swimming – Issue #150
Posted NewslettersEfficient Triathlon Swimming Dear Friend, You may have been training for weeks or months already, but now it is 2 weeks before your race and it’s time to think about resting. Many triathletes find this more difficult than swimming 5,000 yards, biking the hills, or running a half marathon! Here are some things to keep […]
Freestyle Stroke for Beginners – Issue #149
Posted NewslettersFreestyle Stroke For Beginners Dear Friend, What a month! We just last week finished the re-launch of TriSwim Pro…we now have quite a group of triathletes putting in the work to make swimming easier and get faster. We had a great chat last night with some members. I’m loving some of the progress so far […]
Head position in freestyle swimming – Issue #148
Posted NewslettersHead Position in Freestyle Swimming for Triathlon Dear, I just did an underwater video swim clinic last weekend and came across an issue with head position in freestyle that seems to be more common than I thought. The typical problem with head position is that the swimmer looks forward instead of looking down. The second […]
Tips on Getting Faster At Swimming – Issue #147
Posted NewslettersTips on Getting Faster at Swimming Newsletter Dear Friend, If you’ve gone though the basics of swimming improvement, i.e. drills, endurance, and speed work, and you have a basic grasp of what you need to be doing to be prepared for a triathlon swim, what else is there for swimming? The so-called “extras” include: 1. […]
Swimming Improvement Tips for Triathlons – Issue #146
Posted NewslettersSwimming Improvement Tips Newsletter Dear Friend, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I guess it’s a day when some guy drove some snakes out of Ireland, according to the mythology. Not a lot to reflect on other than a pint of Guinness! (which, if you didn’t know, is actually a light beer, despite the dark color!). Anyway, […]
Training for an Ironman Swim – Issue #144
Posted NewslettersTraining For an Ironman Swim Dear Friend, One thing that I’ve learned in business is that if you do what everyone else is doing, and you follow the crowd, you are destined to fail. I’m currently making some changes in my life and they are requiring me to completely go against my previous patterns of […]
Sprint training for triathlon swimming – Issue #143
Posted NewslettersSprint Training for Triathlon Swimming Dear, In preparation for a half marathon I’m doing January 24th, last night I did a sprint workout which consisted of 5 miles alternating 3 1/2 minutes at about 95%, and walking/jogging for 3 1/2 minutes. It’s the first sprint workout of any kind that I’ve done in years, and […]
Intermediate Level Swimming Workouts – Issue #142
Posted NewslettersIntermediate Level Swimming Workouts Newsletter Dear Friend, This time of year can be stressful for many people, even though it’s supposed to be a happy time filled with close family and friends and the joy of giving! One thing that I think gets lost and overlooked every year at this time is the way we […]
Perfectionism in Sports
Posted NewslettersPerfectionism and Sports Last time we discussed procrastination and it’s negative affects on our mental health, and how beating yourself up usually results in being demotivated and loss of enthusiasm. Today let’s take a look at procrastination’s cousin- perfectionism! If you look at a couple of the great physicists, only a tiny percentage of their […]
Procrastination and Health – Issue #139
Posted NewslettersProcrastination and Health Newsletter Dear Friend, All of us procrastinate in our lives at some level. Lately I’ve been reading up on procrastination and how it affects people’s health. Many people have the attitude of “I’ll have time to worry about getting healthy later”. When you think about it logically, it makes zero sense to […]
Staying Motivated to Train – Issue #138
Posted NewslettersStaying Motivated to Train in Triathlon Dear Friend, Motivation is defined as “the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose”. Here in North America, the triathlon season is beginning to wind down, and many triathletes are deciding what to do in […]
Triathlon Training Programs for Beginners – Issue #136
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Training Programs for Beginners Dear Friend, Over the weekend, I tried stand up paddle boarding for the first time, here on Mission Bay in San Diego. It’s surprisingly easy (especially without waves), and surprisingly fun! It was a good reminder to me to slow down in life and enjoy the present moment. It was […]
Triathlon Swimming Workout for Improvement – Issue #135
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swimming Workout Dear Friend, Thanks for subscribing to the Tri Swim Coach newsletter! I think most of us just want to know what works in swimming, and do that. In other words, let’s not get too fancy, but instead get a nicely bundled package that explains exactly what to do, then implement the plan […]
How to Be Successful in Swimming – Issue #134
Posted NewslettersHow to Be Successful in Swimming Dear Friend, As you make progress in triathlon, fitness level, or life in general, it’s important to recognize and honor your own successes. Have you been able to lower your stroke count by 1 stroke per length? Have you moved to a faster cruise or base interval? Have you […]
Fat Burning Tips for Triathletes – Issue #133
Posted NewslettersDear Friend, Thanks for all the feedback I have received from my email on challenges in weight loss and achieving fitness goals! If you did not get a chance yet, I’m still looking for some input on what your weight challenges are, and what you think current “diet plans” are lacking. Please sign up for […]
Waterproof Swim Workout Cards – Issue #132
Posted NewslettersWaterproof Swim Workout Cards Dear Friend, I’m just wrapping up the heavy duty endurance phase this week for my race at the Trans Tahoe Relay at Lake Tahoe (11.5 miles, 6 team members, each swim 30 minutes and then 10 minutes until we reach the finish line on the west shore). I’m definitely ready to […]
How to Swim Straight in Open Water – Issue #130
Posted NewslettersHow to Swim Straight in Open Water Dear Friend, How do I swim straight in the open water? This is a major challenge to open water swimming (and even swimming in a pool with lane lines!), and the key lies in one of our other fun challenges in swimming: breathing! Here’s a quick guide to […]
Endless Pool Review – Issue #129
Posted NewslettersEndless Pool Review Newsletter Dear Friend, Yesterday I had the pleasure of trying out an Endless Pool at the Triathica training center in Orange County, CA. An Endless Pool is basically a swimming treadmill. The feeling is similar to swimming upstream in a river. You can set it for whatever pace you’d like. We taped […]
How to Prepare for a Triathlon Swim – Issue #128
Posted NewslettersHow to Prepare For A Triathlon Swim Dear Friend, Last Sunday, I participated in the La Jolla Half Marathon. My training was going very well through March, my long runs consisted of 10-11 miles, and I felt better than ever. Then, I got a cold that lasted 10 days. I lasted about 5 days being […]
Tri Swim Workouts – Issue #127
Posted NewslettersTri Swim Workouts Dear Friend, Thanks to everyone who picked up a set of waterproof drill cards last week during the launch! Hopefully, you’ve received yours by now and are putting the drills and workouts to use. If you did pick up a set, let me know your thoughts when you get a chance…just shoot […]
Pool Workouts for Triathletes – Issue #126
Posted NewslettersPool Workouts for Triathletes Dear Friend, Recently, Yahoo news posted an article about the health risks of doing a triathlon. Being the typically alarmist mainstream media, I immediately was suspicious. Two days later I saw an article by Dr. John Martinez, who works with a lot of triathletes here locally in San Diego, which gave […]
Swim Workouts for Triathletes- Issue #125
Posted NewslettersSwim Workouts For Triathletes Dear Friend, The new site is finally here! I’m really excited about it and have received a lot of great feedback. To check it out, go to www.triswimcoach.com. The plan is to make it more interactive and create a community of triathletes, with RSS feeds, comments, and discussion forum. This means […]
Getting Faster in Triathlon – Issue #124
Posted NewslettersGetting Faster In Triathlon Dear Friend, These days, we’re all trying to make the most out of our time, especially when it comes to training. Here are some general tips on how to get the most out of your swim sessions when time is tight: 1. Know what you’re doing before you get in the […]
Bilateral Breathing for Swimming? – Issue #123
Posted NewslettersBilateral Breathing for Swimming Dear Friend, This topic is always swirling around the triathlon and distance swimming world: should you be bilateral breathing in swimming? What is it? Simply, it means breathing to both sides when you swim freestyle, typically every 3 strokes. 1 stroke=1 arm pull or every time your hand enters the water. […]
How to Swim Faster for Triathlon – Issue #122
Posted NewslettersHow to Swim Faster For Triathlon Dear Friend, I recently finished the Carlsbad Half Marathon here in San Diego and beat my best time by 4 minutes! Thinking back to my training for this event, I did not train very hard. Most of my runs were done at below my maximum aerobic heart rate (I […]
Triathlon Mental Training – Issue #121
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Mental Training Newsletter Dear Friend, As I’ve been working on some self-improvement here at the beginning of 2009, I came across an interesting concept. You hear people say (and maybe you’ve said this yourself) “That’s just not me!”. But the question is, who is “me”? Most people that aren’t involved in the triathlon world […]
Triathlon Swim Tips for Beginners – Issue #120
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swim Tips for Beginners Dear Friend, Happy New Year! 2009 will be an interesting one for Tri Swim Coach. Soon we will be introducing the Waterproof Drill Cards, later we will be revamping the blog and creating a community site with an active discussion forum. If you are new to swimming, always keep in […]
Freestyle Kicking Technique – Issue #119
Posted NewslettersFreestyle Kicking Technique for Triathlon Dear Friend, The kicking topic came up in my local tri club’s discussion forum, and I wanted to address it here. Here is the original post: “Another tri friend of mine and I were having an argument (however absurd it sounds) about the swimming portion of the tri. He insists […]
Off Season Triathlon Program – Issue #118
Posted NewslettersOff Season Triathlon Programs Dear Friend, Here we are once again in the midst of Holiday Season. In continuing the theme from last issue, we will stay on the topic of off season training. However, this time I want to emphasize the need to pay attention to overall health this time of year. You will […]
Off Season Triathlon Workouts – Issue #117
Posted NewslettersOff Season Triathlon Workouts Dear Friend, Many things may happen in the triathlon off season, which typically here in North America consists of the months of November through about March or April. You can lose motivation, get fat, or lose track of your goals. However, if you go into it with a plan, you can […]
Strength Training and Triathlon – Issue #116
Posted NewslettersStrength Training And Triathlon Newsletter Dear Friend, Imagine having the strength you need to finish the swim with energy, the power you want to blast through the bike, or the endurance required to not just complete your run, but to have plenty of fuel left by this point in the race to finish strong. Think […]
Swimming Training for a Triathlon – Issue #115
Posted NewslettersSwimming Training for a Triathlon Newsletter Dear Friend, Last night in the beginnertriathlete.com chat, someone asked me what he should do for his swim training with only 6 weeks before his Ironman race. Of course the answer to this will depend on how much the person has done to that point. Ideally, a minimum 12-week […]
Hydration and Triathlon Swimming – Issue #114
Posted NewslettersHydration and Triathlon Swimming Dear Friend, Tomorrow, I’m heading off to Austin, Texas for the Longhorn Ironman 70.3. No, I’m not competing, but I will be there with a booth to discuss swimming for triathlon with anyone who stops by. If you are going to be there for the event, stop by and say hi! […]
Open Water Swim Tips for Triathlon- Issue #113
Posted NewslettersOpen Water Swim Tips for Triathlon Dear Friend, Last weekend, I participated in the La Jolla Roughwater Swim (1 mile) here in San Diego. I both proved what I preach, by swimming my own race and getting away from the crowd, and also did not take my own advice and got about 5 hours of […]
Caffeine and Swimming – Issue #112
Posted NewslettersCaffeine and Swimming Dear Friend, Without enough energy, we not only will have a tough time making it through the workouts required to compete in (or just complete) a triathlon. Proper swimming requires both physical and mental energy, especially as a beginner. Many triathletes take supplements to support their bodies during times of demanding physical […]
Olympic Mania – Issue #111
Posted NewslettersDear Friend, Lately, everywhere I go I hear people discussing the swimming in the Olympics. I’ve been thrilled watching some of the events (wasn’t that 4×100 relay something else?), especially with the underwater camera angles. Should we as triathletes be studying these Olympic freestylers for some stroke ideas? Four years ago I wrote an article […]
Triathlon Training Psychology – Issue #110
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Training Psychology Dear Friend, Even with all the information out there about swimming and swim training, some swimming myths just do not seem to want to die! Often, we base our decisions on “what everyone else is doing”. Typically in life, I’ve found that if a huge mass of people are headed one direction, […]
Triathlon Swimming Improvement – Issue #109
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swimming Improvement Dear Friend, There seems to be a triathlon of some kind every weekend this time of year here in southern California. After reading an article in the latest Triathlete magazine on late season burnout, and listening to the beginnertriathlete.com beginner triathlete of the month interview this month (trixie), my conclusion is that […]
Triathlon Swimming Tips – Issue #108
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swimming Tips Dear Friend, First, if you’ve missed past issues of the Tri Swim Coach newsletter, click on Newsletter Archives to go through and pick up lots of great tips, workouts, and information on how you can breeze through your triathlon swim! And now for a common problem. Do you find that your arm […]
Swim For Triathlon Tips – Issue #107
Posted NewslettersSwim For Triathlon Dear Friend, Swimming is a great sport in that there aren’t many injuries. Shoulders tend to be the main grievance among competitive swimmers and triathletes, however. I recently got back from a 2.5 month trip out of the country where I did very little swimming. I’m now in the midst of getting […]
Sharks and Triathlon – Issue #106
Posted NewslettersSharks and Triathlon Dear Friend, A month ago, I was horrified and saddened to read about the death of 66-year old triathlete Dave Martin of San Diego, CA after being attacked by a Great White shark off the California coast in Solana Beach. Although I did not know Dave, he was a member of the […]
Swimming for health: Can Swimming Slow The Aging Process? – Issue #105
Posted NewslettersSwimming for Health Dear Friend, Just so you know that all the swimming you are doing (or are about to do!) is for a good cause, beyond just improving your triathlon times, or being able to finish a race, I think it’s important to mention the health benefits we get from swimming. I’m coming up […]
Swim Technique for Triathlon – Issue #104
Posted NewslettersSwim Technique for Triathlon Dear Friend, I’m often asked who my site and information is geared towards: the pure beginner swimmer, or the triathlete with a few races under their belt that wants to slash their race times? The answer is of course both! If you are just starting out, the 4 lessons you get […]
Triathlon Swim Tips – Issue #102
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swim Tips Newsletter Dear Friend, 10 days ago while traveling around New Zealand, I stumbled upon a women’s triathlon at Lake Hays near Queenstown. The race had about 200 participants and was a sprint with a 300-meter swim. I got to talk to a few of the finishers and came up with some common […]
Triathlon Swim Drills – Issue #101
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swim Drills Dear Friend, As I am in the middle of building a new web business, juggling several coaching projects, and planning a 2.5 month trip to New Zealand and Australia, I am reminded that when doing something new, each successful step will help build your confidence to the next level, little by little. […]
Mental Training for Triathletes – Issue #100
Posted NewslettersMental Training for Triathletes Dear Friend, 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 […]
Swimming Setbacks and How to Deal With Them – Issue #99
Posted NewslettersDear Friend, With swimming as with life, you will have to deal with setbacks every now and then. I’ve had to deal with a whiplash injury that flares up every now and then. This month has been especially painful! After a few chiropractor visits however, things are turning around. It’s been a challenging month for […]
Swimming Tips for Triathlon – Issue #98
Posted NewslettersSwimming Tips for Triathlon Dear Friend, Welcome to the new year! Here at Tri Swim Coach, we’ve got a new logo, new DVD, and next week will have a new website! I hope you are planning new things for the year. I’d like to make a swimming suggestion: how about learning how to do a […]
Motivation for Triathlon Training – Issue #97
Posted NewslettersMotivation for Triathlon Training Dear Friend, If you’re bored, you’re boring! Swimming is the most fun sport out of the three disciplines to train for. Sure, endless laps in the pool looking down at the black line can be about as thrilling as watching paint dry. But the goal here is to have fun, right? […]
Nutrition for Triathlon Training – Issue #96
Posted NewslettersNutrition for Triathlon Training Dear Friend, Now that the holiday season is officially here, nutrition becomes more important than ever! Did you know that the #1 cause of colds and flus this time of year is not cold whether or stress, but over eating? Next biggest cause of sickness is sugar. Both sugar and over […]
Off Season Triathlon Training Tips – Issue #95
Posted NewslettersOff Season Triathlon Training Tips Newsletter Dear Friend, November here in North America is the so-called “off season” for the sport of triathlon. A break from swim, bike, run is of course a good thing but complacency is not! So what’s the plan? For swimming, it’s simple (yet complex as usual!). Focus on two things […]
Swimming Faster for Triathlon – Issue #94
Posted NewslettersSwimming Faster for Triathlon NewsletterDear Friend, The short answer is, No, it is NOT necessary to be fast in the water to have a great race! Swimming is the shortest part of the race, and no matter how fast your swim is you can easily be caught by lots of people in the rest of […]
Triathlon Transitions – Issue #93
Posted NewslettersDear Friend, Considered the fourth sport in triathlon, transitions can make or break your race. I just watched the new DVD Triathlon Transitions. It’s a great tool to learn the secrets to lighting fast transitions taught by the pros! It includes tips from elites Joanna Zeiger, Conrad Stoltz, Karen Smyers, Greg Bennett, Matt Reed and […]
Goal Setting in Triathlon – Issue #92
Posted NewslettersGoal Setting in Triathlon Dear Friend, Whether you to one race a year or 10, or you have yet to compete in a triathlon, it’s vital to always have fitness goals. For most people, a goal of simply “losing 10 pounds” is not enough to keep them coming back to the pool three times a […]
Pool vs Open Water – Issue #91
Posted NewslettersPool Vs Open Water Swimming Dear Friend, As summer is turning into Fall, here in Southern California this means a drop in ocean water temperature. Triathlon is a sport that doesn’t have much of an off season. You always have something to work on! So, as the weather and the water cool down, it’s a […]
Interview with Lisa Anderson – TSC Podcast #55
Posted PodcastsOn this podcast, I interview age group triathlon, coach, Tri Swim Coach subscriber, and overall motivator Lisa Anderson. References: Email me with your comments: kevin at triswimcoach.com Please comment on this podcast (I will read the new comments on the next podcast!): Tri Swim Coach podcast comments: Click here to open up itunes and add […]
Kicking in Triathlon Swimming – Issue #90
Posted NewslettersKicking in Triathlon Swimming Dear Friend, Happy end of summer already if you are in the northern hemisphere! When I work with beginner swimmers (especially in a masters workout setting), it’s often difficult to zero in on one aspect of their stroke to focus on. When you try to focus on two or more stroke […]
Taper for Swimming – Issue #89
Posted NewslettersTaper for Swimming Dear Friend, I often get calls from triathletes who have a race coming up in 2 or 3 weeks, and they want to take a swim lesson. The problem with this is, 2 weeks before your even would be the worst time to make any changes! If you have gone this far […]
Triathlon Training Plan – Issue #88
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Training Plan Newsletter Where’s the time? Dear Friend, First I want to apologize for sending out an older newsletter on July 4th! That was a mistake on my part! Perhaps it had to do with being too busy?? This leads me to what I wanted to talk about today. The concept of time management. […]
Swimming Program for Triathlon – Issue #86
Posted NewslettersSwimming Program for Triathlon Dear Friend, Overwhelmingly, when I talk to triathletes and aspiring triathletes, I hear a similar theme when it comes to their view on swimming. It usually goes something like this: “I could to a triathlon, if it weren’t for the swim!” or “My training is going well- except for my swimming- […]
The Secret of Swimming – Issue #84
Posted NewslettersThe Secret of Swimming Newsletter Dear Friend, I recently ordered a seminar program by the teachers in the movie “The Secret”. I was so inspired by that movie that I wanted to bring more of that kind of thing into my life, and have even become an affiliate for this “SGR Seminar”. What is it […]
Snorkel for Freestyle – Issue #83
Posted NewslettersSnorkel for Freestyle Swimming Newsletter How do you think about your swimming? Dear Friend, The Ides of March are here! I have received a lot of questions lately from people who are struggling with swimming, and they want to improve, but continue to feel frustrated as the drills and strokes do not come easy. In […]
Triathlon Training Schedule – Issue #82
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Training Schedule Newsletter Dear Friend, Time management has always been a challenge to me. Lately I feel like time is flying by…even within the day! One of the biggest challenges of triathlon is figuring out how to squeeze in the right amount of training for all 3 sports, plus do a little strength training […]
Triathlon Swimming Equipment – Issue #81
Posted ArticlesTriathlon Swimming Equipment Find Your Next Race Dear Friend, It’s that time again in North America…triathlon race season! I recommend finding a race or races now and getting entries in for 2 reasons: 1) Many races fill up fast, and getting entries in now for summer races will allow you to do the one or […]
Triathlon Swimming Technique – Issue #80
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swimming Technique Newsletter Dear Friend, Welcome to Tri Swim Coach if you are a new subscriber! As my subscribers that have been with us for a while know, this newsletter is foremost about swimming as it relates to triathlon. However, I like to include a little more than just that information, as many of […]
Swimming and Fat Burning – Issue #79
Posted NewslettersSwimming and Fat Burning Newsletter Tri Swim Coach in Hawaii Dear Friend, I hope you had a nice holiday! For the first week of the year I visited Kona, Hawaii- the birthplace of the Ironman, in addition to being one of the best places on earth! From incredible hiking to 80 degree ocean water to […]
Beginner Triathlon Swim Workout – Issue #78
Posted NewslettersBeginner Triathlon Swim Workout Dear Friend, Congratulations if this was the year you took on triathlon or began training for swimming. If you are an old pro at it, good job staying with your sport and doing what you can to improve! Enjoy, Kevin “Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.” -William […]
Triathlon Training Motivation – Issue #77
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Training Motivation Newsletter Dear Friend, This December has been especially busy for me, with the combination of several projects I have taken on and the usual Christmas shopping and preparation. I am often at my computer between 8-5, maybe squeezing in a coaching session here and there when I can. As I look out […]
How to Structure a Swim Workout – Issue #74
Posted NewslettersHow to Structure a Swim Workout Newsletter Dear Friend, It’s Halloween today and for many, the end or near the end of the triathlon season. The off-season is a great time to really focus on technique. Drills and workouts structured around a specific focus are the way to go. Today I will go through the […]
Tips for Triathlon Swimming – Issue #73
Posted NewslettersTips for Triathlon Swimming Newsletter If you’ve ever considered joining a masters swim team or have recently joined one and are wondering what you should know about masters swimming, read on. It’s unfortunate, but many triathletes I run into never attempt masters swimming for one reason or another. If they only had the right information, […]
Freestyle Rotation – Issue #72
Posted NewslettersFreestyle Rotation Newsletter Starting with this issue, I will be adding a new section to the newsletters called “Subscriber Questions.” I will pick out a question once per month, either one that comes to me over email, or one on the message boards, and answer it here on the newsletter. So have no fear if […]
Open Water Swimming Tips for Triathlons – Issue #71
Posted NewslettersOpen Water Swimming Tips Newsletter I hope you’re having a great start to your September. As I have just competed in the La Jolla Roughwater Swim here in San Diego last weekend, another important point about race strategy and pacing came to my mind. First, at the start, many competitors crowded towards the left side […]
Open Water Swimming Technique – Issue #70
Posted NewslettersOpen Water Swimming Technique Newsletter The Mental Side of Open Water Swim As we are in the midst of race season here, I’m hearing a lot of talk about panicking during the open water portion of a triathlon. I’ve talked to people who have made vast improvements in their stroke, go into the race in […]
Fins for Swimming Training – Issue #69
Posted NewslettersFins for Swimming Training Newsletter Thanks again if you filled out the survey and provided feedback. I received a lot of data that will help me get you the information you are looking for, and also received helpful critiques and suggestions. Whoever wrote in the suggestion, “More hotties!”, please email me at [email protected], as I […]
Swim Training for a Triathlon – Issue #68
Posted NewslettersSwim Training for a Triathlon Newsletter Greetings from hot and humid San Diego, California! Normally our summers are dry with low humidity levels, but the last couple of weeks have been sweltering! It just makes getting in the pool that much more essential. Last time I mentioned the struggle to train while traveling. Doing some […]
Swimming Pool Workouts for Triathlon – Issue #67
Posted NewslettersSwimming Pool Workouts for Triathlon Newsletter Today I am writing you from Boise, Idaho on a short business trip, and I am developing lots of empathy for many of you who travel and struggle to find pools to keep up on your swim practice and workouts in! I know there are a few pools here […]
Triathlon Mind Training – Issue #65
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Mind Training Newsletter An often neglected aspect of triathlon training in general is the mental part of training. Completing an Ironman even takes an incredible amount of “mental toughness”. Even finishing your first race of any length is not possible if you aren’t mentally prepared! The swim in particular can be challenging in a […]
Triathlon Race Tips – Issue #64
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Race Tips Newsletter As we head into summer, we also enter the peak racing season for those of us in the northern hemisphere. Let’s look at some frequently asked questions when it comes to triathlon racing, particularly as it relates to swimming. Also, I have another exciting announcement but it will have to wait […]
Triathlon Swimming Drills and Workout – Issue #63
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Swimming Drills Newsletter So I just completed my first Aquathlon over the past weekend here in San Diego. I had a blast! Aquathlon is a swim followed by a run, no biking involved. Since I’m not much of an equipment guy, I like this event. This one was a 1000 meter swim followed by […]
Zoomers Swimming Fins And Triathlon Swimming – Issue #62
Posted NewslettersZoomers Swimming Fins and Triathlon Swimming Newsletter As I have mentioned, in the past few months, I’ve been educating myself and experimenting with the Finis line of equipment for potential use on beginner level swimmers to help with stroke technique as well as intermediate-advanced swimmers looking for both technique improvement and more speed in the […]
Swim Paddles for Triathletes – Issue #61
Posted ArticlesSwim Paddles for Triathletes Newsletter In the past few months, I’ve been educating myself and experimenting with the Finis line of equipment for potential use on beginner level swimmers to help with stroke technique as well as intermediate-advanced swimmers looking for both technique improvement and more speed in the water. Over the next few newsletters […]
Avoid Sinking While Swimming – Issue #60
Posted NewslettersAvoid Sinking While Swimming Newsletter It’s spring in southern california but you wouldn’t know it by the weather! For an area used to nearly constant sunshine, we’ve had a rough last couple of months with rain, wind, hail, and overcast skies much of the time. But, the sun is out today, and I got a […]
Intermediate Level Swimming Workout – Issue #59
Posted NewslettersIntermediate Level Swimming Workout Newsletter I have finally finished my review of some anti-chlorine products (you can read about it below). I will be heading to Austin, TX for a few days mostly for vacation to see the SXSW festival and hopefully enjoy some warm weather! If anyone knows of anything that’s a “can’t miss” […]
Triathlon Over Training Issues – Issue #57
Posted NewslettersTriathlon Over Training Issues Newsletter As a swimmer for over 26 years (daily growing up, now about 3 times per week), I have been exposed to a lot of chlorine in my life! It has never affected me much, except for turning my hair a lighter shade (even green at times!). However, lately I have […]
Should you Have a Long Stroke in Freestyle – Issue #56
Posted NewslettersLong Stroke in Freestyle Newsletter Today’s issue will further explore lengthening the stroke, what it means, and how best to do it, along with another fun & productive stroke tip! Enjoy, Kevin Will Having a “Long Stroke” Help in Triathlon Swimming? By Kevin Koskella www.triswimcoach.com There is some debate going on in the triathlon world […]
Getting in shape for swimming – Issue #55
Posted NewslettersGetting in Shape for Swimming Newsletter If anyone has taken some time off and is trying to get back into shape right now, read the article below- it’s a repeat from a previous issue of Tri Swim Coach, but it includes some useful tips on getting back into swimming as quickly as possible, so it’s […]
Triathlon Health: 5 Tips to Stay Healthy While Competing – Issue #54
Posted NewslettersYesterday, I went to my masters swim workout and two people in my lane were sick and both said they had been suffering from a cold for 2 weeks! It’s the season for joy and happiness and also clearly for getting sick! This phenomenon is mainly the result of: Eating too much sugar Eating too […]
Swim Workout For Triathlon Training – Issue #53
Posted NewslettersSwim Workout For Triathlon Training Newsletter Workout of the Month: Technique Focus Here’s one that will help to lengthen out your stroke. Not a lot of yards but definitely a quality workout! WARMUP: 6×100’s Odd 100’s: Freestyle Even 100’s: Count strokes and desend stroke count within each 100. MAIN: TWICE THROUGH: 3 sets of 4×50’s […]
Winter Triathlon Training – Issue #52
Posted NewslettersWinter Triathlon Training Newsletter Dear Friend, For many of us, November marks the start of the “off season” in triathlon. Leaves are falling, the weather is cooling down, pools are closing, and motivation may be losing steam! Don’t lose hope just yet! Fall and winter can be fun times for training no matter where you […]
Cross Training for Swimming – Issue #51
Posted NewslettersCross Training for Swimming Newsletter Well, my trip to Europe did not involve much swimming as it turned out. I did get in a public pool one day in Frankfurt, Germany. Much to my surprise, I walked in the locker room and saw men and women! There were individual changing rooms, thankfully, but it was […]
Tapering for a Triathlon – Issue #50
Posted NewslettersTapering for a Triathlon Newsletter Dear Friend, Tomorrow I am off to Switzerland for a little vacation, so this one will be a little shorter than usual (I have yet to pack and feeling a little unprepared!) By the way, if you are a subscriber living in Switzerland, or if you have been there and […]