Tony Pearce FIOS, FIOS (C) LEVEL 4 COACH, CIMSPA
Tony is available for coaching sessions or one-off events
Below is a precis of his experience, and underneath that some examples of his coaching programs and ideologies.
Tony has successfully coached at Junior Age Group, Open and Senior and master's Age Group. He taught swimming and water polo in London Schools: namely Battersea Park School (State) and St Paul's Boys School in Barnes (Private).
He was educated at the University of Loughborough in P.E and
Sports Science (Full-Time)
Tony, also a world-class master's swimmer, was a Founder Member of
the Spencer Swim Team, one of the clubs that pioneered master's Swimming in this
country.
He was Head Coach for the Centre for Excellence Swim Squad at the
Crystal Palace National Sports Complex, producing swimmers to international
level.
Tony was then appointed as Director of Aquatics for St Paul's
Boys School, now a leading school in London Schools Swimming and Water Polo.
It was at this time, as part of the school's Community Links
Programme that Tony began his masters swimming coaching career by being made
the Head Senior and master's Coach for Wandsworth Swimming Club. The club
achieved world class status.
Be the Best that you can be.
Words exist because of their meaning. When you've got their meaning, you can forget the words. So, how does one really understand the language of the masters swimming coach? For instance, "anaerobic threshold training"? So, where is there a masters swimming coach that I can really have a word with?
Well, according to a definition of the term "anaerobic threshold training" it is defined at the speed at which a swimmer can train without a significant build-up of lactic acid. This involves training at a heart rate of 20 to 30 beats below the swimmers’ maximum heart rate.
We are now well into the Competition Phase of our training, that is May to October. We have completed both our Off-Season, November to December and Pre-Season Training, January to April. Now, what I call from the deck should make you better, each swim practice must be a successful experience for you. Now is the time where you really learn what works and what doesn't. Now only through your own careful planning and monitoring will the swim practices really achieve what they should achieve. But nothing is learnt until it is taught.
Just do it.
In my opinion anaerobic threshold is not a measurement. It is a philosophy. So, whatever I now call from the deck must work and I will do everything in my power to make it work - for you! The philosophy of Progressive Overload is the real key to improvement. Under Load, Pressed Load and Overload.
Now, pulse rate counts - Maximum HR = 220 minus Age - can be somewhat variable so read the pace clock. Yes, swim faster until you eventually swim in no time at all. Yes, that's it, no limits.
The main swim sets outlined below should really control the quality of your swims. Now let's have a try shall we:
1. Distance Easy Endurance. Recovery from anaerobic threshold work i.e., main sets of distance or sprint work.
2. Distance Basic Endurance. Working at 60-70% of Maximum HR for between 15 minutes to 1 hour i.e., Swim 5 x 400 30 secs R.I.
3. Distance Threshold Endurance. Working at 80% of Maximum HR for between 15 to 45 minutes. e.g., Swim 10 x 200 15 secs R.I.
4. Distance Overload Endurance. Working at 90% of Maximum HR for between 15 to 30 minutes. e.g., Swim 3 x 400 20 secs R.I.
5. Sprint Lactate Production. Maximum Pace. e.g., Swim 5 x 100 3 mins R.I Broken 50/50 10 secs R.I.
6. Sprint Lactate Tolerance. Maximum Pace. e.g., Swim 3 x 100 5 mins R.I.
7. Sprint Power. e.g., Tethered Swimming.
What is.......is
What I am now really seeing is those swimmers who are attempting to see what is really on the other side of them .......to be realistic and to aim for that perceived impossible!
Tony Pearce.
Copyright September 2021
MASTERS
SWIMMING and
COACHING
MODULE
The stress of
coaching and managing one’s own time
Programmes and
periodisation for Masters swimming
Differentiation
The stress
of coaching and managing one’s own time
“Rarely
do you ever have to tell a Masters swimmer to work harder. It’s harder to
control their intensity because they’re so enthusiastic about what they’re
doing!”
Scott
Bay, USMS Daytona Beach Masters - Florida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP8TiODVj7w
1. The stress of
coaching
The intensity of enthusiasm
Yes, the stress of coaching in Masters
swimming is dealing with the intensity of
enthusiasm. You need the ability to deal with any emotional situation that
might come about during challenges faced in training and competition. Coaching
in Masters swimming involves taking on many roles, including that of counsellor
and arbitrator. It is dealing with the what, when and how of adult education.
You have a group of swimmers who you don’t have to motivate. It’s not about
being a technical swimming coach as such. It’s not about calling sets - it’s
more like making suggestions. In Masters swimming the coaching process is truly
a partnership where an appreciation of method acting overrides the
educationalist or sports scientist.
However, believe it or not, there are
occasions when you are dealing with upsets. Here, coaching the ‘self’ is all
important. Stressful situations need to be dealt with effectively at training
and competitions.
Now you are about to walk onto the
poolside and begin your Masters coaching career.
The vision thing
Visualisation (imagery) has long been a
tool that swimmers have used to help them see and feel the competition
environment prior to the actual competition. This helps them deal with the
stress and anxiety which often undermines successful performance. However,
visualisation (imagery) is just as effective with coaches who, with a little
patience and a little practice, can use visualisation techniques and their
imaginations to learn, grow and win.
Yes, it is here that invaluable
experience is a determining factor of success in coaching Masters swimming.
Here, for many coaches, you learn what is needed is a way to live the experience,
to feel the experience, to ‘see’ the experience without actually doing it, so that you are prepared to manage
the emotion of the moment when it comes for real. And that’s where
visualisation comes in. You can see it before you have to be it. Here are some
examples that you might consider:
- Imagine what you would do if your swimmers were about to swim their
critical race. How would you plan the week? How would you prepare for each
training session? How would you address your swimmers before their big race?
Spend time visualising how you would coach at your best during this period
of time.
- If you have a big event coming up and you need to be calm,
composed, clear and confident for your swimmers, try some visualisation.
Imagine yourself on the poolside. See yourself as being calm and composed.
Feel your body language as being positive and powerful. See your swimmers
performing and imagine how you will respond i.e. with clarity and
confidence.
2. Managing one’s
own time
More often than not, being a swimming coach
is an additional job. Invariably one cannot help but try to squeeze in too much
in one day. You therefore need to manage your stress by learning time
management skills. In other words:
- Learn how to begin to prioritise, plan and take action.
- Use some type of planning aid and list the tasks based on a
priority that you would like to, or have to, accomplish for each day of
the week.
- Estimate how much time it will take you to finish each one. This
will help you see just how much you can realistically do each day, week
and so on.
- When setting goals make sure they are achievable.
- Remain organized in your home and work life.
“Being
married coaches, we get to talk about swimming all the time. The drawback about
being married coaches is we talk about swimming all the time!”
Commentary
by Masters Coach Stu Kahn (with wife/Masters coach Mary Kahn), USMS Davis
Aquatic Masters California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo8kuedNdVA
Before
you move on, remember:
- The
intensity of enthusiasm can sometimes need containing.
- Utilise
visualisation tools to help you as a coach.
- For
optimum time management, follow the mantra ‘organisation, organisation,
organisation’.
Programmes
and periodisation for Masters swimming
“We have slow lanes. We have fast lanes. It’s Masters.
You come and go as you please. I just say ‘Get in the pool’...”
Chad Durieux, Head Coach, USMS Rose Bowl Masters
Swimming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7OQ9B86kkU
1. The
programme
At present,
programmes for Masters swimming comprise two main categories of swimmers -
non-competitive and competitive. Within these two groups there are four main
categories of Masters swimming:
Fitness swimmers - want a coach who will help them meet their fitness
objectives. Interested in competing and with encouragement invariably do.
Competitive pool swimmers - are in your programme for purely competitive
purposes.
Open water swimmers - may have backgrounds as fitness swimmers, pool
swimmers or triathletes, but prefer to compete in open water events.
Triathletes - priority is triathlons and therefore they only seek
freestyle technique in order to improve the swimming portion of a triathlon.
2. Periodisation
in Masters swimming
Periodisation
is a systematic planning of athletic training where the aim is to reach the
best possible performance in the most important competition of the year. The
roots of periodisation come from the stages of general adaption to stress (Hans
Selye)[1]
which are:
1. The alarm
stage
2. The
resistance stage
3. The
exhaustion stage
The foundation
of such periodic training is keeping the body in the resistance stage without
ever going into the exhaustion stage. By adhering to this system of cyclic
training - preparation; competition/performance; recovery - the body is given
adequate time to recover from significant stress before additional training is
undertaken.
Application
The periodic
cyclic training system applies to all the categories of Masters swimming and
their time is typically divided up into three types of cycles:
- Micro
cycle - for the non-competitive Masters swimmer. Lasts for around a week.
- Meso cycle
- for the competitive Masters swimmer. Lasts for typically a month.
- Macro
cycle - refers to the overall career training plan of the improver Masters
swimmer. Usually lasts for a year.
3. The annual
plan
It is here that
an overall annual plan is important in that it directs and guides training over
a year. With the training principles of progression, overload and specificity
the objective of peak performance in major competition is reached. Here is an
example of such an annual plan which is divided into three different phases:
Pre-season phase (January until
April)
Preparation
Training
emphasis: this phase is meant to build a general endurance base increasing the
ability to swim at a steady rate for extended periods of time. Swimming
alternative swim practices of freestyle and individual medley. Competitions
e.g. SER Long Course and Bracknell Short Course Meets.
In-season phase (May until October)
Competition/performance
Training
emphasis: this phase is for swimmers who are training for specific
competitions. Progressively increases the amount of time that can be swum at a
race speed. Competitions e.g. GB Long Course, World or European Masters
Swimming Championships, Open Water Swims and Triathlons, SE Region followed by
ASA Short Course Championships.
Off-season phase (November and
December)
Recovery
While still
maintaining an adequate level of fitness, this phase is used to allow the body
to fully regenerate so that it is prepared for the following year.
Psychologically, this is a time to set and reassess goals. It may also be an
ideal time to introduce or refine (under qualified direction) a stretching and
core land conditioning programme that may complement the work in the pool as
well as cross-training. Stroke technique work including the relative starts,
turns and finishes, must have focus throughout the year.
Competitions
e.g. Barnet Copthall 1500 Freestyle and Half-Hour Postal Swim.
Before you move on, remember:
- To have an understanding of the categories of
Masters swimmers.
- To help with the systematic planning of athletic
training, refer to Selye’s stages of general adaption to stress.
- An annual training plan will help to guide
training throughout the year.
Differentiation
1. By individual needs
“Our
team ranges from fitness, fun, very serious
and
everything in-between.”
Jim
Sites, Coach, USMS Ford Aquatic Masters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu-9-KJ-5J4
A Masters swimming programme should not
only consider the swimmer’s potential in training or competition but should
also be flexible so that its content can be modified to meet the swimmer’s rate
of progress, commitment and, above all, enjoyment. All ability groups, from the
adult learning to swim to the most accomplished competitive swimmer and
triathlete, are included.
2. By process
Differentiation by process refers to how
a Masters swimming coach groups the swimmers into ‘ability’ groups based on
their readiness via special drill progressions. Bearing in mind that the
swimmers are at different levels and learn in different ways, it is essential
that reinforcement through the opportunity for individual stroke technique is
utilised. Here, the use of video by suitably skilled and authorised club
personnel could be put in place.
Stopping the swim practice for stroke
work can become non-productive, although soundbites during the swim training
itself act as the reinforcement of feedback for the final acquisition of the
whole skill. It is important that individual stroke work is set up as part of
the training programme and not as an extra. Keeping the group together in terms
of social cohesion is an important aspect of learning.
3. By keeping your distance
The process of placing people in
swimming training lanes in order to enable them to attain sufficient overload,
together with the methods of measurement and evaluation of training intensity
during training, requires discussion.
Although the standard T30 swim and the
2000m swim are indicators, there are two main methods of measuring training
intensity.
- Heart rate monitoring. Digital measurement equipment has made
identifying the target training heart rate, expressed as a percentage of
the maximum heart rate, significantly simpler. In addition, tracking
resting heart rates can indicate a recovery swim practice or a complete
day of rest.
- Threshold pace. When exercising, lactate accumulates in the muscles
and bloodstream and perceived effort is indicated as lactate threshold.
4. By just doing
it…
It’s not another swim team – it’s an
aquatic fitness programme for adults who choose to swim as their form of
exercise for living a healthier lifestyle. Adults with disabilities and
physical challenges are also encouraged to participate in such a programme.
Before you move on, remember:
- Be inclusive: consider all ability groups when
creating training programmes.
- Individual stroke work should be a central part
of any training programme.
Text and
illustration copyright Tony Pearce 2015
Coaching
I have been coaching for over 30 years, so please call me for advice or to book my expertise
1. Initial Chat & Development
Happy to provide a free consultation
2. Design Brief
Coaching Masters swimmers encompasses a lot more than age-groups, so I will design a programme to suit all ages and abilities
3. Functional Sessions with deck side options
These could be a one-off, or as part of a program
4. Bepoke and Tailoured to your needs
Whether it is just for fitness, technique or for a specific goal
5. Something & something
etc etc
6. Implementation
etc etc