HASA Newsletter
December 2014
USRPT
www.USRPT.com
At the banquet last Spring we
discussed that we were
implementing USRPT
training. At this time the
following groups are training
USRPT: Gold, Senior, Senior
Elite, Junior Elite, and Senior
Prep. Silver has begun
training USRPT a couple of
times per week to prepare the
athletes for the transition to
the higher groups.
What is USRPT
USRPT, short for Ultra-Short
Race-Pace Training, is
an evidence-based training
program/stroke curriculum
developed by Dr. Bent S.
Rushall for the sport of
swimming. It is very important
to note that USRPT is
evidence-based and not a
theory. While theories are
mere speculation the results
of USRPT have been proven
to be consistently superior to
that of traditional swimming
training.
Ultra-Short
Ultra-Short refers to the brief
and strictly monitored work
and recovery intervals that
USRPT swimmers are
required to hold. Swimmers
training with USRPT are
never allowed to rest for more
than 25 seconds on any set.
Training on such short
intervals allows the
swimmer’s body to maintain a
low level of lactate in the
blood while keeping a high
level of glycogen in the
muscles. This key
feature gives the following
benefits to USRPT swimming:
Neuromuscular patterning –
Traditional swimming training
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Vol 1, Issue 10
depletes glycogen levels and
as a result drastically hinders
and/or prevents the neural
learning needed for quality
performances. USRPT
remedies this flaw.
Shorter recovery times – With
shorter work intervals, the
body is able to sufficiently
repay accumulated oxygen
debt (AOD) and restore the
body’s energy systems in a
relatively short amount of
time.
There are various other
benefits to a USRPT format
such as deliberate practice
sessions, very organized
practices, and a greater
number of quality repetitions.
Race-Pace Training
Race-pace training is based
on the not so recent
discovery that the best way to
train the body for a particular
activity is to replicate that
activity as closely as possible.
This is called the principle of
specificity and it not only
applies to specific swimming
velocities, but also to the
techniques required for those
velocities. With this principle
in mind, USRPT swim
coaches always design sets
with a very specific pace and
race in mind. This allows the
swimmer to develop an innate
understanding and feel for
specific races and it trains
their body’s energy systems
accordingly. This
neuromuscular training is
invaluable.
History of Swimming
(Continued)
Wikipedia
In this newsletter I will be
introducing to you to 2 of the
greatest American swimmers
from the 70’s and 80’s. John
Naber and Sippy Woodhead.
John Naber
John Phillips Naber (born
January 20, 1956) is an
American former
competition swimmer, fivetime Olympic medalist, and
former world record-holder in
multiple events.
Naber was born and raised
in Evanston, Illinois. After
high school, he attended
the University of Southern
California, where he
completed his bachelor's
degree in psychology in 1977.
While he was at USC, Naber
helped lead the USC Trojans
swimming team to four
consecutive NCAA Men's
Swimming and Diving
Championships.
Naber won four gold medals
at the 1976 Summer
Olympics in Montreal,
Quebec. Each of these
victories was swum in worldrecord time.
One of Naber's gold medals
was for the first 200 meter
backstroke swam in under
[1]
two minutes, and his
winning time of one minute
and 59.19 seconds set a
world record that stood for
seven years. His world record
of 55.49 second in the 100
meter backstroke also stood
[2]
for seven years.
For these accomplishments in
Montreal and elsewhere,
Naber won the 1977 James
E. Sullivan Award, which is
presented to the top
American amateur athlete of
the year. He was inducted
into the International
Swimming Hall of Fame as an
"Honor Swimmer" in 1982.
Following his swimming
career, Naber worked as a
sports broadcaster,
motivational speaker, and
[1]
professional writer.
In May of 2104, John Naber
was inducted into Woodside
High School's Community
[3]
Hall of Fame.
HASA Newsletter
May 2014
Sippy Woodhead
Cynthia Lee Woodhead (born
February 7, 1964), commonly
known by her family
nickname "Sippy", is an
American former
competition swimmer, world
champion, Olympic medalist,
and former world recordholder. She won three gold
medals at the 1978 world
championships, when she
was only fourteen years
[1]
old. She set seven world
[1]
records during her career.
Career
Woodhead received gold
medals in the 200 m
freestyle, 4×100 m freestyle
relay, and 4×100 m medley
relay, and two silver medals
at the 1978 World Aquatics
Championships in Berlin,
when she was only 14 years
[1]
old.
At the 1979 Pan American
Games in San Juan she
received five gold medals.
She won the 100 m, 200 m
and 400 m freestyle, as well
as being part of the winning
U.S. teams at the 4×100 m
freestyle relay and 4×100 m
medley relay.
Woodhead had qualified for
six events at the 1980
Summer
Olympics in Moscow, and
was regarded to be among
the favorites in the four
individual distances, as she
was ranked world number
one in 100 m, 200 m, 400 m
and 800 m freestyle. Due to
the American boycott of
Moscow Olympics, she did
not get the chance to
participate. This was a great
disappointment for her, and
she has said that the boycott
may have triggered her later
[2]
health problems.
In late 1981 and 1982 she
suffered from several health
problems—mononucleosis, a
[1]
broken leg, and pneumonia.
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Vol 1, Issue 4
Woodhead competed at
the 1984 Olympic
Games in Los Angeles,
where she received a silver
medal in 200-meter
[3]
freestyle.
She improved the 50-meter
freestyle world record (long
course), April 10, 1980, but
the record was further
improved by Jill Sterkel the
same day. She improved
the 200-meter freestyle world
record (long course), three
times, in 1978 and 1979, her
last result remained a world
record until 1984. She was
also a member of the U.S.
team that held the 4×100 m
freestyle relay world
record from 1978 to 1980.
Awards
Woodhead was
selected USOC Sports
Woman of the Year 1979.
She was inducted into
the International Swimming
Hall of Fame in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida in 1994.
16 Breakfast Ideas for
the Young Swimmer
www.usaswimming.org Jill
Castle, MS, RDN
To eat, or not to eat,
breakfast? This is the
question young swimmers
may struggle with as they
scurry out the door to make
morning practice or catch the
bus and get to school on
time.
For growing kids and teens,
starting the day with breakfast
has its benefits. Breakfast
consumption has been linked
to better nutrient intake,
mental function and academic
performance. Skipping
breakfast has it drawbacks. A
2010 National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES 1999-2006) survey
of children aged 9-18 looked
at self-reported breakfast
eating patterns and the types
of breakfast foods eaten.
Researchers found that 20%
of children and 35% of teens
skipped breakfast, 36%
children and 25% teens ate
cereal, and the rest ate a
variety of different breakfast
foods. Interestingly, breakfast
skippers had higher body
mass indices (BMIs) and a
higher prevalence of obesity,
while cereal eaters had the
most favorable nutrient
intakes and weight scores.
We have less data for young
athletes and their breakfast
consumption patterns,
particularly about what
constitutes the perfect
breakfast amount, and
composition. However, it is
known that carbohydratebased foods are needed as
fuel for athletic performance,
and protein sources help
build and repair muscle
tissue. So it makes sense that
young athletes may benefit
from the healthy habit of a
daily, balanced breakfast. To
make getting breakfast on
board for your young
swimmer easier, check out
these breakfast ideas
categorized by preparation
method:
REFRIGERATE
OVERNIGHT
1. Peanut Butter and
Chocolate Swirl Overnight
Oats
2. Greek Yogurt
Parfait: Layer vanilla Greek
HASA Newsletter
May 2014
yogurt, fruit, and granola in a
glass or Mason jar.
GRAB-N-GO
3. Nut butter sandwich on
whole grain bread: Make
this the night before. Add jelly
if you like.
4. Trail mix: Use a
commercial trail mix or make
your own with nuts and dried
fruit.
5. Nut butter and fresh
fruit: Can you say banana or
apple and peanut butter?
Vary your nut butters with
almond, cashew and try
sunflower seed butter too.
There are many small
convenient packets of nut
butter available.
6. Gorp: Mix dry cereal, nuts,
raisins/other dried fruit, carob
or chocolate chips together in
a baggie.
7. String cheese and whole
grain crackers
8. Hard-boiled eggs
PREP IN 5 MINUTES…
9. Smoothie: ½ cup 100%
juice or nectar; ½ cup milk; 1
cup frozen fruit; ¼- ½ cup
Greek yogurt
10. Bagel sandwich: Layer
ham and cheese on a bagel.
Zap in the microwave for 30
seconds to warm.
11. Egg and cheese on an
English muffin: fry an egg;
toast the muffin; assemble
with a slice of cheese into a
sandwich.
12. Breakfast burrito: Take
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Vol 1, Issue 4
a whole grain tortilla, fill it with
scrambled egg or tofu, add
cheese, avocado, leftover
veggies and salsa, and roll it
up.
13. Walking waffle: Toast
two whole grain waffles,
spread with nut butter or
cream cheese, top with fresh
fruit or jam, and assemble as
a sandwich.
14. Instant oatmeal: Mix hot
water and oats in a to-go
coffee cup; top with walnuts
and blueberries. Don't forget
the spoon!
FREEZE AHEAD
15. Egg and veggie
cups: Make these over the
weekend and freeze them.
Heat them in the microwave
in the morning and grab a
piece of fruit as a side.
16. Breakfast cookies: Try
these Pumpkin breakfast
cookies or these dried fruit
and peanut butter cookies.
Toss in a milk box or 100%
juice alongside.
MIKE GUSTAFSON:
THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF
HOLIDAY TRAINING
www.usaswimming.org
Mike Gustafson
About ten years ago, I
embarked on my final, last
training trip of my collegiate
career. My college swim team
stayed home in Evanston -- a
cold, very un-holiday place to
stay and train while other
college swim teams trek off to
Hawaii or Florida. But even
though Chicago was
particularly cold, we all
embraced and (somewhat)
enjoyed it. The campus was
deserted, and with snow and
cold, it made for a very
“Rocky” esque training
atmosphere. We had no other
obligations other than to eat,
sleep, play video games, and
of course, swim.
Those two weeks, I trained
the best I had ever trained.
And it wasn't because of the
training.
It was because I didn't take
my usual “four-days nonswimming vacation” after
holiday training.
See, in college, when you
return from a training trip, you
get a few days at home. You
return back from wherever
you went to train, and you go
home, you celebrate the
holidays with your family. The
last thing you want to do after
slogging miles after miles in
the pool is go back to the pool
and slog mile after mile.
So you don’t. You take three,
four, maybe even five days
off. You don’t swim. You take
a “non-swimming vacation.”
You don’t even think about
the pool. You scrub that pool
scent off you as good as you
can. Or maybe you swim
once about 10 minutes inbetween, just to ease your
conscious.
For the first three years in
college swimming, that’s
exactly what I did. I would go
back home after a successful
and intense training trip -after training the best I ever
had in my entire life -- and I’d
take four days completely off
from swimming. I won’t lie: It
was glorious.
HASA Newsletter
May 2014
Vol 1, Issue 4
When I returned to the pool,
however, my experience was
decidedly un-glorious.
Anyone who swims knows
the horrors of taking four
consecutive days off from the
sport. When I returned to
swimming and to campus, it
felt like I had never even
swum before. I’d have to
spend at least a few days
getting back into shape. Then
I’d have to spend a few more
days getting back to where I
was on that final day of
holiday training. By the time I
finally caught up, I’d already
lost a week or so.
most consistent. We trained
hard, but it wasn't impossible.
So I never got burned out.
When I went home, I didn't
take four days off. I swam –
not a crazy amount, but at
least 30 minutes each day –
so when I returned to campus
five days later, I felt good. I
felt refreshed and ready for
the season. Which was a
fortunate thing, since the first
week of January, we had a
meet against Arizona, which
was then ranked in the Top-5
in the nation, a meet I actually
ended up going in-season
best times.
That “non-swimming
vacation,” that extended
weekend away from the pool,
had nearly the same effect on
my body as getting the flu.
So many swimmers right now
are tackling, or about to
tackle, or have already
tackled, winter training. That
mid-December period where
you begin to get off school,
trek to the pool, and slog
miles after miles. And after
doing so, after finishing all
your finals and all your miles,
all you want to do is take
some time off, close the door,
and sleep for days.
The most important part of
holiday training – whether
you’re a collegiate swimmer
or a high school swimmer or
a club swimmer simply
training at home – isn't
necessarily the holiday
training part. It isn’t the cold
mornings or the long distance
sets or the incredible physical
feats you accomplish.
Honestly, the most important
part is not letting yourself take
those four days off.
I've never been a huge fan of
holiday training because you
endure these insane, long
practices, and then, most of
the time, you burn out by the
end of training. You burn out
so much that you actually
need those four days off just
to stay sane. The ironic thing
is, when you do take those
three or four days off, you
return to your pre-holiday
training physical state. The
overall physical gain is
minimal.
That final year of my college
holiday training trip wasn't the
most intense, but it was the
Page 4
But I've learned that the most
important part of holiday
training isn’t necessarily the
training part. It’s that “not
sleeping for days” part. It’s
that long, extended weekend
away from the pool, when
you’re sitting around,
wondering, “Should I swim
today?”
THE SECRET TO
ACHIEVING THAT
ALL-IMPORTANT CUT
BY ALAN
GOLDBERG//COMPETITI
VEDGE.COM
THE PROBLEM
I was talking to a swimmer
just this morning who shared
with me a familiar, incredibly
frustrating story. She was
very close to her Olympics
Trials cut for the last
Olympics and hoping to make
the team to represent her
country. Everyone around her
– her teammates, coach,
parents and even this athlete
herself – were convinced
she'd qualify. This was
because she was easily doing
the time in practice.
However, with each meet that
went by, she kept missing the
cut by a second or so. And
with her last chance to
qualify, the very same thing
happened, only this time she
missed the cut by just .3
seconds! Two weeks later,
when it no longer counted,
she swam her Olympic Trials
cut time.
WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?
If you're like most swimmers,
then you can easily relate to
this story. How often do you
find yourself going faster
when it doesn't count than
when it does? The key
question here is, “WHY,
when you desperately want
a certain time, does it
remain maddeningly just
out of your reach, but then,
when you no longer need it,
it comes loudly knocking
on your front door?” Within
the answer to this important
question lies the secret to you
consistently swimming fast
when it counts the most!
The main reason swimmers
so often fail to achieve a
cut that they really want is
because they tend to overthink it before their race
and focus on it during the
race. This is very different
for the swimmer when
they're in practice and not
HASA Newsletter
May 2014
pressuring themselves with
a certain time, but instead
are concentrating on
moving through the water,
one stroke at a time.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
PRE-RACE:
Your pre-race thoughts and
focus on getting that cut
make you nervous
inside. You are now making
this race and your cut time
too important. As a result, you
begin to feel a sense of inner
urgency, i.e. “I have to,” “I've
got to!” “I should!” “Oh my
God, what if I don't?” When
this happens, your muscles
tighten, and your breathing
gets faster and
shallower. These two critical
physiological changes are
absolutely devastating to
your race performance.
Why?
•
•
Page 5
Tight muscles
shorten your
stroke, making it
much less efficient
and kill your
endurance,
insuring that you
will be distracted
by and struggle
more with the pain
& fatigue of oxygen
debt.
Faster, shallower
breathing
contributes to your
tiring prematurely
during the race,
(even when you are
in excellent shape)
and throws off
your rhythm and
breathing pattern,
further tightening
your muscles!
Vol 1, Issue 4
The secret to swimming fast
when it counts the most is
being able to remain loose
and calm pre-race. You can
NEVER remain loose and
calm behind the blocks if you
are focusing on and/or
thinking about your cut.
Instead, you need to distract
yourself from the time by
focusing on your pre-race
ritual, talking with friends or
listening to music.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
DURING YOUR RACE:
Swimming fast can only
happen when your race
focus is on the FEEL of
how you're moving through
the water. This could mean
that you are focusing on the
feel of how much water you're
pulling each stroke, staying
long, your catch, your chest
pressing into the water each
stroke, your kick, your pace,
etc.
•
•
When you focus on
feel during your
swim, you stay loose
and increase the
chances that you will
go as fast as
possible.
Thinking about your
time/cut is NOT
focusing on FEEL. It
is instead, focusing
on THINKING and
when you focus on
thinking while you
swim, you will get
nervous, tighten up
physically and slow
way down.
So if you REALLY want that
cut, then put away your focus
on time, and instead pay
much more attention to
theFEEL of your swim, one
stroke at a time. Then you will
be pleasantly surprised at the
end of the race to find your
cut greeting you at the wall.
THE MOST
EFFECTIVE
SUPPLEMENT
BY DAN
MCCARTHY//HIGH
PERFORMANCE
CONSULTANT
www.usaswimming.org
Cheri Mah’s unexpected
discovery during her initial
research in 2002 at Stanford
has taken root in professional
and collegiate sports, forcing
coaches and administrators
to rethink their approach to
helping their athlete’s
recover. What athlete would
not benefit from being
sharper, having a more
positive mood and
possessing quicker reaction
times? When she narrowed
her study to find specific
responses, she turned to the
Stanford Men’s Basketball
Team for a three-year study.
Her published work suggests
that when supplementing for
five to seven weeks, the
player’s specific skills
improved as well. They ran
faster, their three-point
shooting improved by 9%, as
did their free-throw shooting.
Did I mention it is free,
organic, non-GMO and
available to everyone? The
supplement in question?
More Sleep!
More specifically, Mah’s study
HASA Newsletter
May 2014
examined the concept of
Sleep Extension. The players
in the basketball study got
their normal amount of sleep
for two to four weeks. For the
next five to seven weeks they
added naps to their schedule
and tried to get 10 hours of
sleep each night. Scientists
are now researching exactly
why extra sleep seems to
produce such improvements.
Some interesting and useful
investigations have turned up
great insight for all athletes,
including swimmers.
•
•
•
Page 6
The neural pathways
of activities from the
day’s practice are
reinforced at night
during sleep, but it
seems as if the big
benefits don’t begin
occurring until seven
hours of sleep.
Teen athletes that
regularly get eight or
more hours of sleep
each night are 68%
less likely to get
injured than those
that regularly slept
less than eight
hours.
Eliminating certain
practices helps
athletes get a better
night sleep. On the
list? Bright lights,
iPads and lattes, to
name a few. Dim the
lights for a ½-hour
before going to
sleep to help create
a more restful
atmosphere; no
blue-light emitting
electronics in bed
(the blue light tricks
the brain into
thinking it is
daytime); and no
caffeine or other
Vol 1, Issue 4
stimulants after 4:00
PM.
The USOC, the NBA and the
US Army have all invested
money in sleep research and
either changed or proposed
changes to the way they do
things, not only to help
athletes and soldiers get
quality rest, but to improve
their performance when it
counts.