1. Swim- in the pool right now we are focusing ONLY on drill work. It may seem tedious, but this is why our athletes come to swim practice. They get to train with other athletes of equal ability, but they also get a chance to work on their weak aspects of the sport without the fear of competition. This week we really focused on breathing and the proper way to breathe underwater. Have you tried to work on breathing out your nose and emptying your lungs while you swim? Try it next time you are in the pool. Next week, we will begin to teach flip turns-breathing properly will be crucial!
2. Bike Classes- this was definitely a week of stepping it up. The challenge in class this week was the focus of cadence, pedaling efficiency and strength. I taught the morning class (which was a great group!) and we really focused hard on staying below the hard efforts on the heart rate zones, and instead played with different cadence drills, spin ups, and most importantly, muscle tension drills. In the past 4 weeks these athletes have learned a new way to pedal and we look forward to 4 more weeks of technique work!
3. Strength Class- the athletes really are learning about core conditioning, overall strength and endurance. Coach Vic has written a well rounded program to touch on all the tight areas, weak areas and help athletes learn more about how to strength train.
4. Run Class- Coach Vic is working closely with the small group of athletes on form, body positioning and pace. It is difficult to force yourself to truly work on technique when you run alone. Vic spends time with each athlete watching them run and guiding them towards better running efficiency.
In all, the first 4 weeks have been really fun and a test of patience, endurance, overall strength and technique. The next 4 weeks of base will continue to build upon what we have done thus far and start to truly challenge the athletes!
