Friday, September 28, 2007

Look who coaches for SCAQ

Clay Evans sent me this:

How Badly Did Your Swimming SUCK This Summer?

Bad? Then you need to SWIM! Start off by joining us in a swim workout/clinic 101 this Sunday 8 AM at LMU, 11 AM at VNSO [Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Pool] or Monday nite at Westwood 7 PM or at the Culver City Plunge at 6:30 PM. You need to RSVP by midnight tomorrow for this Sunday. We do them every Sunday so you can go next week, BUT WHY WAIT?

Pardon my language in the subject line, but seriously, do you think you will get better if you do not swim this fall? Winter? This email is going to our massive list of swimmers and triathletes who have not joined SCAQ (some members are getting it) and we want to give you a chance to really get to know the sport of swimming and be proficient at it.

I am going to brag about SCAQ in this email. I think we have a right to brag. We have just about the best seven pools in LA County and certainly the best coaches. Unfortunately there are many "certified" coaches out there that have done a couple of triathlons, but have never swam on a college team, competed many years in USMS swimming or have never even competed in a sanctioned swim meet . Our coaches have and they truly know the sport of swimming. You cannot get good at swimming by wishing it, watching tech videos and then start up again in Spring. Sorry, you are new and you need to get into the water as much as possible. And why not? Swimming is after all the very best exercise and so you learn and get in shape.

Swimming is very technical and you can only scratch the surface in first year. It takes time and effort and that is why SCAQ has grown into the most successful adult swim program in history, anywhere. Our success is because we coach fun but serious workouts run by some of the following great coaches. And, you will be swimming with the best group of adult swimmers on this planet. Just take a look at some of the fresh faces in the last year on our coaching staff. What a group! When you come in to swim they do not need to make up a bunch of sill things to tell you, they know exactly, in just a few strokes what are your technical issues and what you need to work on.

Tim Murphy grew up swimming for the famous Cincinnati Marlins Team where he was a Jr. National qualifier , a YMCA Nat. finalist, high school All-American and competed for the NCAA div II dynasty Kenyon College where he was All-Conference.

Sangeeta Puri returns to us after her stint in law school. Her international swimming career culminated in the 1996 Olympic Games . She is a Princeton Alumni.

Rada Owen was a 17 time All American at Auburn University and also competed for the USA in many international competitions, including the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Jon Albrecht was a 2005-2006 co-captain of the men's swim team at University of North Carolina, where he was one of their top backstokers.

Jon Carroll swam University of Pennsilvania before migrating to California he is currently the Head Coach for Team Santa Monica. John is currently the Age Group Rep. of the Pacific Section.

Erin Robertson swam extensive team swimming before concentrating on water polo at CSUN , she is also coaching at Team Santa Monica.

Eric Tomalchoff swam for USC from 1999-2003. He competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials and recently qualified for the 2008 Trials ! Go Eric.

SAMPLE OF OUR WORKOUT:

Focus of this example workout:

1) Start off getting to know your own times. Our simpler workout strategy is designed to provide YOU with more COACHING. Our coaches keep track of varying abilities, get times and help set goals in a workout.

2) The set is broken up in different increments, which keeps the "carrot" dangling within reach of the swimmers. This way, you are always encouraged to work a step harder than you thought you could.

MAIN SET: After a good, solid warm up of of 1,000:

ROUND 1 - 3x100's - descend so that each 100 gets faster with an interval that will give you 10-20 seconds rest. Pacing, via descending is critical to good workouts. Then two easy 50s for the fastest guys, one for the middle lanes and none for the beginners so that you can all start the next round at once.

ROUND 2 - 3 x 100's - on the very best interval possible. Less than 5 seconds rest on each repetition. Couple easy 50s between rounds.

ROUND 3 - 7x100's - the first and last are on interval above or even faster than the middle five 100's are. on that interval above but an additional 5 seconds rest per repetition. Easy couple 50s. Slower groups go 6 x 100s and 5 x 100 respectfully with the same theme. Comments: "This is like doing an ocean swim-- going hard to the first buoy and then finishing hard at the last buoy. "

ROUND 4 - 3x100's - 1 and 3 fast, # 2 is easy plus 10 seconds rest. This set should be all lanes starting at same time and all lanes hearing PEP talk from the coach!

100 easy for fast guys, 50 for medium and rest for slow lanes so that next round 5 can also go as one group.

ROUND 5 3x100's 1 and 3 easy, # 2 is the GREATEST of all 100s! Then 100 easy for fast guys, 50 for medium and rest for slow lanes so that the last and final round can also go as one huge group...

ROUND 6 100 ALL OUT!!

See you swimming, Clay

SCAQ website: [Link]

3 comments:

Trevor said...

I think I might know Jon Carroll from Philadelphia...

Amit said...

I really need to move where there is a better Master's swimming scene...
Why did I ever leave AZ/Ca?

Hey Tony, did you see this story?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/health/nutrition/27Best.html?em&ex=1191124800&en=26ae0f603fe927dd&ei=5087%0A

Tony Austin said...

Trev, it seems like all you fast guys are in a union or something. You all know each other. Hope you're swimming.

Ranger, I saw that article on arts and letters daily and it sort of offended me in a way. I am taller than Dan Leonard and he hands me my ass in workouts and open water! Even when I have a wetsuit on.

I think when it comes to fly, all body types are competitive.