Andrew Sheaff’s Post

Many swimmers focus on the arms and legs, pulling and kicking. While having an effective pull and kick is important, making it all work together is key. The connection between the arms and the legs is critical, particularly across the body. When everything works together, more speed for less effort. The challenge is that any skill related to rhythm, timing, and connection is particularly difficult to improve. It’s not what swimmers do but how they do it, and the specifics are hard to communicate. Timing requires precision and trying to slow it down and feel it out is not very effective because the rhythm is lost. Worse still, onnection and timing change with changes in speed, so it’s even harder to describe exactly what it is. To overcome these challenges, I like to have swimmers wear one paddle and one fin on opposite sides of the body. The extra resistance and surface area on the limb creates tension across the body. Swimmers can feel the connection from foot to finger. They can create leverage with the tension and create speed. They can feel how the body works as a unit. Rather than coaching, you can help swimmers FEEL key skills. Make it more effective by asking for performance, whether stroke counts, stroke rates, or speed. You can really increase the sensation and awareness by using resistance. To change up the skills have swimmers alternate sides and integrate regular swimming. In these sets, swimmers get the chance to perform in different contexts, from an aerobic set to a race set to a speed set. In every case, they’re challenged with finding the connection between the opposite hand and foot and using that connection to create speed and efficiency. Training and learning, all at once. Want to quickly learn how to develop skills while training hard? Grab my free mini-course. www.buildbettersets.com Better skills and better fitness, all at once.

10 things that runners and cyclists AREN’T doing with their strength training, That they should be to improve their fitness, performance and reduce their risk of injury: (most runners and cyclists make these mistakes…) 1. Strength training at all ↳ It’s a proven training modality to improve performance and reduce your risk of injury. 2. Training consistently ↳ Strength training isn't just for the winter or the "off-season", it's a year-round endurance enabler. 3. Using RPE/Reps in Reserve ↳ Guides your sessions and the weight choices that you use. 4. Progressing their training ↳ Static sessions = static results. Strength training needs to be progressed and regressed alongside your running and cycling. 5. Working to different tempos ↳ Elicits different results 6. Working to different ranges of motion ↳ A training tool that can be used in different ways in your season, eg. to prime the body for a race. 7. Working in different planes of motion, eg. side lunges vs reverse lunges ↳ Challenges the body in new ways 8. Actively asking and acting on feedback ↳ Continuously improves performance and addresses your needs 9. Plyometrics ↳ Develops endurance economy and sprint power (just 2 benefits). 10. Single leg work ↳ Develop each leg independently, regardless if the weight is lower than what it would be for both legs together. I’ve made all the mistakes when starting out. But after working with 100s of recreational > elite athletes, it’s become clear what to do and what NOT to do. Learn from my mistakes. Save yourself years and improve your performance.

https://lnkd.in/gqhTjK2w 👍👍Carmichael Training Systems The only 10 things you need to know about CYCLING Training … applies to 🪣#6 Stamina (Steady & in-Spurts) for other sports AND a Healthy Endurance Capacity: 1. No Individual Workout Is More Effective Than Working Out Consistently. ✅ “Ramp up or dampen down; just don’t quit.” 2. Intensity Must Have Purpose. ✅ “Sucking wind just to feel ‘wiped out’ in any activity can prove counterproductive over time.” 3. Adaptation Takes Time. ✅ HIIT & SIT provide a bigger bang per minute investment. BUT, adequate recovery is a non-negotiable. 4. Only Sweat The Small Stuff After You’ve Sweat The BIG Stuff. ✅ ROCKS in FIRST; pebbles & granules (hacks) do NOT build a solid foundation. 5. Fitness Matters More Than Bodyweight. ✅ “Eat for what you are going to DO; replenish accordingly.” Don’t TRAIN because of what you ate/drank.” 6. If You Want To Get Better On The Bike, Ride Your Bike. ✅ … on the XC skis, XC ski… on the trail runs, run trails… ✅ SAID Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands! ✅ KEEP ALL 7S Functional Freedom Training 🪣s full … that is if Robust Aging for future decades grabs you. 7. Cyclists Spend Too Much Time At Moderate Intensity. ✅ IF the goal is to compete or improve performance (time); already at a HEALTHY VO2max, still include HIIT-SIT 1-2X/week. 8. The Best Time To Train Is Whenever it Fits In Your Schedule. ✅ Optimal timing is not optimal if rarely DOable. 9. Eating ENOUGH Matters More Than WHAT You Eat …. CRAP food not included! ✅ If fat loss is a desired outcome WITH better performance, there’s a fine line between fueling-replenishing and a slight deficit in energy balance. (RED-S) 10. No Matter How Good Or Bad You Feel, It Won’t Last Long ✅ Highs and lows will pass! Persist! 99% of the time, you’ll feel better after! 👍🏔 Perform Better MedFit Network National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Functional Strength Coach MBSC Thrive American College of Sports Medicine #icaa

Butterfly timing can be difficult to improve, especially when swimmers are struggling with full stroke. And by sticking with full stroke butterfly, there’s going to be a lot less volume, which means swimmers are going to get fewer opportunities to improve their skill and their fitness. Let’s do something different. I like one arm butterfly because it retains the essential rhythm of butterfly, but it’s much easier to perform. That means swimmers can get more practice and they can work it in an aerobic context. To improve both skill and fitness, the trick is to ask for speed and effort during the drill. Here, they’ll be descending and building so that they can feel the timing at different speeds, and to challenge their fitness. And throughout the set, they’ll get plenty of opportunities to put their skills to the test during full stroke butterfly. We’ll even throw in some head up work to put extra pressure on the second kick. While full stroke swimming is often the way to go, by using one arm instead of two, we can accelerate skill development and fitness development to help swimmers accomplish their goals faster.

Dive into the Future of Swimming with Form Smart Goggles! ♀️✨ Are you tired of fumbling with watches during your swim workouts? Say hello to Form Smart Goggles, the revolutionary way to train smarter, not harder! https://lnkd.in/dBnemi3z Imagine this: Seeing your pace, distance, stroke rate, and even heart rate displayed right before your eyes! No more stopping and checking! Just focus on perfecting your form and crushing your goals. Form Smart Goggles uses AR (augmented reality) magic to give you real-time data without interrupting your swim. They're also comfy, sleek, and leak-proof, so you can conquer the pool in style. Here's what swimmers are raving about: Effortless tracking: Metrics displayed right in your line of sight! ♀️ Seamless integration: Syncs with Strava, Training Peaks & Apple Health! Crystal clear vision: Anti-fog coating for perfect clarity, every stroke! ✨ Long-lasting battery: Up to 14 hours to keep you going! Ready to take your swimming to the next level? Upgrade your gear with Form Smart Goggles! #FormGoggles #SwimTech #AR #FitnessInnovation P.S. Have questions about these smart goggles? Could you drop a comment below and let's chat?

Poor timing means less speed for more effort. A lot of swimmers have ONE gear. They don’t know how to lengthen it out. They don’t know how to ramp it up. They DEFINITELY don’t know how to change timing strategically. Better swimmers have control over what they do and when they do it. They use the right timing for the right task. Many swimmers just think ‘effort’ to go faster. More speed through better timing is not on their radar. They have ZERO control. We need to help them learn it. Timing is about precision. Small differences in execution lead to big differences in outcome. It’s also tough to improve timing because it’s hard to see, and thus ‘coach’. Further, timing is about relationships not actions. It’s difficult to tell them what to do. I like to help swimmers improve their timing by exploring the extremes. Stroke rates and stroke count changes can help here. Drills work, too. To work the longer end, I like SABE, or Straight Arm Breathe Every Stroke. To work the shorter end, I like Alligator which is head up/tarzan/water polo freestyle, but with the eyes JUST out of the water, like an alligator. With SABE, swimmers learn to ride out the front of the stroke and they learn how to exaggerate the rotation of the body. With alligator, they learn to start creating propulsion right away and to exaggerate the rotation of the shoulder. By working the extremes, swimmers can figure out how to do everything in between. Here’s how you can help swimmers better explore their freestyle timing. Perform at a variety of speeds High speed SABE Slow motion alligator Use stroke rates Use resistance Use training aids Switch it up a lot These sets demonstrate how to use these strategies to help swimmers explore the extremes of timing. The purpose isn’t just to use the drills as we want to challenge them as well. These sets do just that, playing with speed to create the right type of challenge. Want to quickly learn how to develop skills while training hard? Grab my free mini course. www.buildbettersets.com Better skills and better fitness, all at once.

Trail-Running Form and Technique Tips ⛰ Actually, trail running is just obstacle course running—an apparently never-ending frolic over roots and rocks. A highly technical trail may have unpredictable hills, convoluted terrain, and unstable footing. You have to make snap decisions about where to position your body and where to draw your line. This article provides advice on how to improve technique for crossover road runners and recently muddy trail runners. Although you won't become a trail dancer overnight from a stumblebum, you can improve your running technique and lower your risk of injury. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gyK9_KKM #BeFearsome #wellness #TrailRunning #Outdooractivies

Whilst recuperating post #Cycling Crash , I am missing my regular dose of #Running #Cycling. Here is an article synopsis which I wrote days before I had to go on a long break. #Running can change your #mindset, improving your perception of things and thoughts. Regardless of your physical fitness level, running can positively impact how you approach your day, view others, and feel internally. Whether you're a veteran runner, returning after a long break, or a novice just starting, running can elevate your mood. Veterans might aim to increase distance or speed. As someone who was an avid runner during adolescence and adulthood, took a long break, and recently returned, I've found immense joy in every running session. For beginners, it may be painful initially, but the instant gratification at the end of each run makes it worth it. #HowtoStartRunning: #SetaTarget: Establish goals like distance or speed. Fail a few times; it will keep you motivated. Share your achievements on social media with like-minded people. #PlanYourRoute: Start small and keep jogging, even if it's as slow as walking. Completing the route without breaks gives a sense of accomplishment. #ReversetheRoute: Switching the route can add variety and challenge. Choose a cross-country route for a more engaging run. #TrackProgress: Use apps like Strava to monitor your runs and gradually improve your distance and speed. #ShareActivities: Share your runs with supportive groups to get encouragement. It helps fuel your next run. #EncourageOthers: Support fellow runners and cyclists on your path. Encouraging others also motivates you. #WhyRunatAll? Running boosts #cardiovascular health, #endurance, and #strength. The #dopamine effect provides instant gratification. Once you start, you’ll run for the dopamine shot rather than just the tangible benefits. Running has its cycle: warm-up, running phase, sprint, and cool down. Breaking through the warm-up phase is crucial to enjoy running fully. As your fitness improves, this phase shortens, making running more enjoyable. Running elevates your mood, helping you see things and people differently. It provides an intense feeling of accomplishment, similar to a session of yoga or pranayama. Running also helps with weight loss and serves as a foundation for other sports. It teaches you to conquer #challenges in real life by drawing analogies from the phases of running. Nothing gives a better dopamine shot than running. Despite participating in other physical activities during my running sabbatical, nothing matched the high from running. Choose your reason to run and lace up your shoes every morning. #Running #Fitness #Wellness #MentalHealth #Cardio #Endurance #Motivation #Mindset #Health #Exercise #RunnersCommunity P.S- Also check the comment box for the link to full article.

💦 Balance a Paddle, Balance Your Swim: A Fun and Effective Drill 🏊♂️ Ever seen a swimmer with a paddle perched on their head and thought, “What in the world are they doing?” Well, here’s the scoop: It’s not a new Olympic sport, but a clever way to master that elusive neutral head position! Why Paddle-on-Head Works (and Works Well!) 🔹 Steady as You Swim The paddle is your not-so-silent accountability partner. Move your head too much? BAM—it falls! (Trust me, the splash is humbling.) 🔹 Instant Feedback, Zero Drama Drop the paddle? No need for a coach's whistle—gravity’s got you. It's a gentle nudge (or a loud plop) to remind you to keep that noggin aligned. 🔹 Streamline Superstar Keeping your head neutral means better body alignment, less drag, and faster, smoother swimming. Who doesn’t love being a sleek aquatic ninja? 🔹 Universal Appeal Whether you're just learning or fine-tuning your butterfly, this drill meets you where you are. Paddle on the head? Challenge accepted! But Before You Paddle… 🔸 Choose Wisely Heavy paddles? Nope. Go for lightweight and flat. We’re balancing, not weightlifting. 🔸 Keep it Chill Start small. Short sets keep the frustration at bay—this is swimming, not Cirque du Soleil. 🔸 Avoid the Tsunami Zone Choppy water makes the paddle game harder. Save this drill for calm, poolside zen. Pro Tips to Paddle Like a Pro: ✔️ Start slow—freestyle is your friend. ✔️ Visualize success (or, you know, the bottom of the pool). ✔️ Challenge yourself with kicking drills or stroke variations. ✔️ Progress at your own pace—Rome wasn’t balanced in a day. 🎥 VC: swimplifly IG 😊 I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out with any questions or share your thoughts in the comments below.

Did you reach a fitness plateau or seek change in your cycling training? If you are a well-trained cyclist you may consider block periodization. What is well-trained? Rather than the height of your FTP, the number of serious training years counts. If you have at least three years of structured training under your belt you have my permission to go for block periodization. Compared to traditional periodization with two weekly HIT sessions, block periodization throws general training principles out the window by overloading the initial week of the block with FIVE HIT sessions and performing just 1x HIT in the following weeks. Due to the tough first week, however, block periodization is an advanced training technique. But the research looks very promising. If done right it can transform your fitness and you’ll arrive at your goal race in the best shape ever. To help you master block periodization I wrote a whole article about it and created training plans to make the best out of your block periodization. https://lnkd.in/eB4twgTb