Your Start Sets the Tone

This Game is Mental

You were made for this victory and it's glorious

Let's celebrate completion of the warmup phase

Have you ever had a real snow-day?
If you didn’t grow up in a snowy midwestern area
You might not fully understand the joy of snow days

“Snow Day” means
No school, stay home
No homework, no tests

There are no jobs - just fun

It is critical to understand the "vacation first" concept
This is in relation to doing the moving-rest laps
We just completed 10 laps for warmup

Eleven is your first lap (11) out of 5-set (11-15)
Consuming sets of fives helps you count
It also helps you regulate your stamina

Lap-Eleven starts you with a snow day
Your own job is to chill out
Keep your heart rate low

Keep moving
Don't take a rest
Let the kickboard be your rest

If kickboard hurts your back - discontinue immediately
There are other ways to find rest within your workout
The key is that you're still moving but not out of zone

The reason we do kickboard laps is very simple
It's like adding extra fiber to our diet
The idea is to extend distance

The way to do that is to use a lot of rolling rest breaks
So the rolling rest break occurs first lap in every five-set
You start each five-set with a vacation - that's why it's a snow day

Out of the 40 or so laps we're about to do
If we arrange to "every fifth" with kickboard..
That would mean 8 laps, which is 1/4 of the mile

8 laps out of 36 laps are done in a resting stroke
You don't need to make 40 laps to hit your 8th rest
It's something you can stand by and feel great about
Plus the hidden benefit is that it helps you keep your lap count

Forgetting where you are in the overall progress is so aggravating
I find that doing a mandatory rest lap helps with stamina, motivation and lap count
When you walk out of this gym you need to feel like it didn't take everything you have

You need to feel like you still have enough ambition to complete the rest of your day
That's the thing again about doing these laps - we're not breaking ourselves over it
The physical activity component is the smaller component of body change!
The bigger component is that you are what you eat - win it in the kitchen

Lesson Summary

Your start sets the tone for your performance in this mental game of swimming. Remember, you were made for victory, and it's a glorious achievement to celebrate the completion of the warm-up phase. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

• Understanding the joy of snow days from your childhood.
• "Snow Day" signifies a break from school and responsibilities.
• Embracing the concept of "vacation first" when doing moving-rest laps.
• Completing laps in sets of five to help with counting and stamina.
• Using a kickboard to add variety and rest within your workout.

Remember, the goal is not to exhaust yourself but to maintain a steady pace and focus on your form. Balancing physical activity with proper nutrition is key to achieving body change. Your workouts should leave you feeling energized and motivated for the rest of your day. Always remember the importance of rest, both in swimming and in life!