8th Annual HOUR of POWER

The Sharks, along with 150+ other collegiate swim teams participated in the 8th Annual Hour of Power on Tuesday, November 12th.

The Hour of Power is an effort to remember a fellow Division III swimmer, Ted Mullin, Carleton College, who died of Sarcoma Cancer in 2006.  Since his battle with Sarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer, his family and friends created this event to rally camaraderie among collegiate swimming programs, and to raise awareness of Sarcoma Cancer (and to raise funds to support related research).  The workout is a dynamic 60-minute relay that requires all-out efforts on every swim.

There are three primary objectives that must be met throughout the Hour of Power:

1. Each swim must be done with an all-out effort - "leave it in the pool!"

2. At any given moment, all the relays need to be on the same length.  Any stroke may be used and team members need to shift from one relay lane to another to help maintain the same length objective.  This will require constant communication and teamwork!

3. For high levels of performance to occur throughout this hour, equally high levels of enthusiastic encouragement must also occur!

We were shooting for one hour of the highest level of collective energy on deck and in the water!  And we achieved it!

I am proud that Simmons participated again this year.  Everyone knows that CANCER SUCKS - but it felt great to join our fellow collegiate swimmers to send a bold reminder!  

2013-2014 Season off to a Great Start!

Simmons Swimming & Diving: Season Preview

The Simmons Swim and Dive Team has been training hard for the past month, and finally our first dual meets have arrived!  Our season home-opener was Saturday, 10/26 versus Westfield State.  The Simmons women were eager to race!  Last year's match up with Westfield came down to the last relay, where Simmons finished first and second to secure the win.  Needless to say, our opponent was looking for retribution, but Simmons planned on remaining dominant... And SUCCEEDED!  Simmons won the meet by a broad margin, finishing first in 12 out of 16 events.

Conference honors were earned by J. Collins, a Senior Freestyle and IM specialist, and M. Swisher, a rookie Backstroker.  In addition to sweeping the GNAC polls for week 1, the Simmons women set a new school and pool record in the 200 Medley Relay.  With her lead off 50 Backstroke split, M. Swisher also set an individual school record.

The second match-up for Simmons was a double dual meet with Elms College and Gordon College on Saturday, 11/2.  Simmons beat both opponents and continued to add top times to the NEISDA's top-32 report.    

For the past few years, our program has been gaining a more competitive reputation.  The team appears hungry to keep climbing the ranks.  In addition to defending our Conference title, the team is hoping to improve the dual meet record and settle the scores from a few of last season's close losses.  The next big meet will be against the University of New England on Friday, 11/8.  

There is no question that the Simmons roster is full of competitors. Everyone seems to share a mindset of striving to be the best.  As their coach, I certainly know what these women are capable of, now it's just a matter of broadcasting that potential to our opponents.  Stay tuned... www.simmons.edu/athletics

Already a couple changes!

Team:  I sent (through the mail) some important dates for the upcoming season (also listed below).  There are ALREADY a couple changes regarding the October Swim Fest (the masters meet that our team hosts as a fundraiser) and our Blue & Gold Meet (our traditionally fun and quirky intrasquad meet).  Please make note of the following three changes:

• Saturday, October 5th: Practice from 7:00-9:00am (Swim & Lift) was originally going to be the October Swim Fest.

• Friday, October 18th: Blue & Gold Intrasquad Meet (in lieu of practice) 3:30-6:30pm was originally going to be a regular practice 2-5pm

• Saturday, October 19th: Lift 7-8am, October Swim Fest 8:30am-12:00pm was originally going to be our Blue & Gold meet and Alumni lunch (Alumni lunch will be rescheduled).

You will receive a very easy-to-follow season calendar in September, so don't worry about retaining all this information now... just want to keep you all in the loop!

Hi Team!  I've enjoyed reading Nancy Clark's (Simmons Alum) Sports Nutrition Guidebook this summer.  There is some GREAT information in there... I'm sharing two articles from this text that I feel are very relevant to our team.  The first refers to fueling before morning workouts - something I know a lot of us struggle with, and the second refers to cramping (which we always seem to encounter during September and October while we're transitioning).

Fuel Before Morning Workouts
(extracted from Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 2008)

Skipping breakfast is a common practice among people who exercise early in the morning.  If you roll out of bed and eat nothing before you jump into the swimming pool, you may be running on fumes.  You will probably perform better if you eat something before you exercise.  During the night, you can deplete your liver glycogen, the source of carbohydrate that maintains normal blood sugar levels.  When you start a workout with low blood sugar, you fatigue earlier than you would have if you had eaten something.

How much you should eat varies from person to person, ranging from a few crackers to a slice of bread, a glass of juice, a bowl of cereal, or a whole breakfast.  If you had a large snack the night before, you'll be less needy of early-morning food.  But if you've eaten nothing since a 6:00pm dinner the night before, your blood sugar will definitely need a boost.  Most people get good results from 0.5 gram of carbohydrate (2 calories) per pound of body weight one hour before moderately hard exercise, or 2 grams of carbohydrate (8 calories) per pound of body weight four hours beforehand.  For a 150-pound person, this is 75 to 300 grams of carbohydrate - the equivalent of a small bowl of cereal with a banana to a big stack of pancakes.

Defining the best amount of pre-exercise food is difficult because tolerances vary greatly from person to person.  Some athletes get up two hours early just to eat and then go back to bed and allow time for the food to settle.  Others have a few bites of a bagel, a banana, or some other easy-to-digest food as they dash out the door.  Then there are those who habitually run on empty.  If that's you, an abstainer, here is a noteworthy study that might convince you to experiment with eating at least 100 calories of a morning snack before you work out.

Researchers asked a group of athletes to bike moderately hard for as long as they could.  When they ate breakfast (400 calories of carbohydrate), they biked for 136 minutes, as compared with 109 minutes after only drinking water.  Clearly, these athletes were able to train better with some fuel in their tanks. Pre-exercise morning fuel will likely for you, too.

Four hundred calories is the equivalent of an average bowl of cereal with some milk and a banana; it's not a pile of pancakes.  You need not eat tons of food to notice a benefit.  Eat what's comfortable for you, and learn what is the right amount of food to fuel your workouts but still settle well.


Cramping Your Style? 
(extracted from Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 2008)

Muscle cramps are often associated with dehydration. If you have ever experience the excruciating pain of a severe muscle cramp, you may fearfully wonder if it will strike again.  Because no one totally understands what causes muscle cramps, these unpredictable spasms are somewhat mysterious.  Since cramps occur when muscles are fatigued, the problem may be related to a nerve malfunction that creates an imbalance between muscle excitation and inhibition, which prevents the muscle from relaxing.

Although cramps are likely related to overexertion, other predisposing factors may include fluid loss, inadequate conditioning, and electrolyte imbalance.  The solution often can be found with massage and stretching.  Other times, nutrition may be involved.  Although the following nutrition tips are not guaranteed to resolve this malady, I recommend that people who are predisposed to getting cramps rule out these possible contributing causes:

• Lack of water.  Cramps commonly coincide with dehydration.  To prevent dehydration-induced cramps, drink enough fluids before, during, and after you exercise.  Always drink enough fluids daily so that your urine is clear, pale yellow, or copious.  During a long exercise session, a target for a 150 pound athlete might be about 8 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes. 

• Lack of calcium.  Calcium plays an essential role in muscle contractions.  Some active people report that their problem with cramping disappears when they boost their calcium intake.  Athletes plagues by cramps should consume dairy products or other calcium sources at least twice a day. 

• Lack of potassium.  Electrolyte imbalance, such as lack of potassium, may play a role in muscle cramps.  But a potassium deficiency is unlikely to occur as a result of sweat losses because the body contains much more potassium than even a marathoner might lose during a hot, sweaty race.  Nevertheless, you can rule out this issue by eating potassium-rich foods on a daily basis. [Some potassium-rich foods: spinach, bananas, apricots, cantaloupe, white beans, acorn squash, avocado]

• Lack of sodium.  Active people who restrict their sodium intake during exercise may be putting themselves at risk of developing a sodium imbalance that could contribute to cramps.  This circumstance is most likely to occur in athletes who exercise hard for more than four hours in the heat.  The risk increases if they consume only water during the event and have eaten no foods or beverages that contain sodium.  Endurance sports drinks and salted pretzels would be wise snack choices during exercise.

• Lack of magnesium.  Just as muscles need calcium to contract they also need magnesium to relax.  Magnesium helps reduce leg cramps that occur in the middle of the night.  Whether or not magnesium can also help with exercise-related cramps is unclear.  Many people do not meet the RDA for magnesium: 320 milligrams/day for women.  The richest sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and legumes.  

PRACTICE SCHEDULE & OTHER IMPORTANT DATES (aside from the meet schedule!):

Hello Team!

I hope you are enjoying your summer break!  

In just about TWO months, the 2013-2014 swim and dive season will be underway!  The first official practice will be Monday, September 23rd.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Mondays: 6:00-8:15am OR 4:15-6:30pm (Swim & Stretch Cords/Vasa)

Tuesdays: 6:00-8:15am (Swim & Lift)

Wednesdays: 6:00-8:15am OR 4:15-6:30pm (Swim & Stretch Cords/Vasa)

Thursdays: 6:00-8:15am OR 4:15-6:30pm (Swim & Lift)

Fridays: 2:00-5:00pm (Swim & Dryland Circuit)

Saturdays:  See Below…

• 9/28        7:00-9:30am (Swim & Lift)
• 10/5        7:00-12:00pm (Lift & Work the October Swim Fest)
• 10/19      12:00-2:00pm (Intrasquad Meet & Alumni Lunch)
• 11/9        Practice on your own – pool open 9:00am-12pm                  
• 11/23      7:00-9:30am (or possible meet – details to come)                           
• 1/4          Winter Training TBD    
• 1/18        7:00-9:30am (or possible meet – details to come)                           
• 2/8          7:00-9:00am *NE Qualifiers only                                       

OTHER IMPORTANT DATES

• August 1........ ATS Online Portal opens for Sports Medicine Paperwork
• September 20........ Sports Physicals (w/ Health Center) must be completed
• October 11........ Training Trip Payment #1 due ($135.00 - full cost: $540)
• November 1........ Training Trip Payment #2 due ($135.00)
• November 25........ Training Trip Payment #3 due ($135.00)
• Novmeber 27........ Mandatory Pre-Thanksgiving Break Practice 6-8am
• December 1........ Mandatory Post-Thanksgiving Break Practice 6-8pm
• December 14........ Training Trip Payment #4 due ($135.00)
• January 2......... Return to campus for Winter Training (& Training Trip)
• January 2-9........ Winter Training Trip (San Juan, PR)
• January 13........ Spring Semester Classes start
• February 23........ End of Season Dinner & Celebration
• March 19-22........ NCAA DIII Championships (Indianapolis)... for qualifiers

WHAT ABOUT...?

Columbus Day Weekend... Practice Friday, 10/11 (2-5pm), no practice Sat, Sun, Mon.  Practice Tuesday, 10/15 (1-3:30pm)

Thanksgiving Break... Practice Tuesday, 11/27 (6-8:15am), no practice Thurs, Fri, Sat.  Practice Sunday, 12/1 (6- 8pm)

Final Exams... Practice 12/10 (reading day 9-11am), no practice during exams 12/11-12/17

Winter Break... Practice on your own 12/17-1/1, return to campus for practice 1/2 (4-6:30pm). Late Flight to PR on 1/2

Hi Team!  I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend.  Here are a few more workouts to keep you feeling motivated (or guilty!).

WORKOUT #9:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

4 x 200 S/K/P/S (by 200)

Rev Set:

8 x 75 K/D/S (IM Order by 2)

Main Set:

4 x 150 (#1-2 = Pull, #3-4 = EZ/Mod/HD by 50)
4 x 125 Rolling IM (push through the 50)
4 x 100 (#1-2 = Hard Middle 50, #3-4 = Hard Outside 25s)
4 x 75 IM (100 IMs minus your worst stroke)
4 x 50 Free Descend (#1 = very EZ, #4 = very Hard)
4 x 25 IM Order (4 all out stroke cycles off each streamline)

Drill Set: 
(2 x)
5 x 50 Breathing every 3/5/7/9/as few breaths as possible (by 50)
3 x 100 Kick

Cool Down:

150 EZ...............................................................4750 Total Yards

WORKOUT #10:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

800 Swim, every 4th 25 = Drill

Rev Set:

3 x (75 EZ + 50 Moderate + 25 Hard)
3 x (25 EZ + 50 Moderate + 75 Hard)

Sprint Set:

(4 x)
100 Pull DPS
4 x 25 (IM Order by cycle) -
      #1 = 8 Hard strokes, #2 = 6, #3 = 4, #4 = 2

Main Set:

50 Free (R:10) > 100 Choice (R:20) > 50 Free (R:30)
100 Free (R:10) > 200 Choice (R:20) > 100 Free (R:30)
200 Free (R:10) > 400 Choice (R:20) > 200 Free (R:30)
100 Free (R:10) > 200 Choice (R:20) > 100 Free (R:30)
50 Free (R:10) > 100 Choice (R:20) > 50 Free 

Cool Down:

150 EZ...............................................................4650 Total Yards

WORKOUT #11:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

300 Swim, 300 Pull, 300 K/D by 25

Rev Set:

100 Free EZ > 4 x 25 Stroke Moderate > 100 IM Hard
100 Stroke EZ > 4 x 25 IM Order Moderate > 100 Free Hard
100 IM EZ > 4 x 25 Free Moderate > 100 Stroke Hard

Main Set:

250 Free Pull > 2 x 125 @ R:30
250 Free Pull > 5 x 50 All Out @ 1:00
200 Free Pull > 2 x 100 @ R:30
200 Free Pull > 4 x 50 All Out @ 1:00
150 Free Pull > 2 x 75 @ R:30
150 Free Pull > 3 x 50 All Out @ 1:00

Cool Down:

200 EZ...............................................................4400 Total Yards

WORKOUT #12: 

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

400 Swim
600 Alt (50 Free/50 Back/50 Kick)

Rev Set:

5 x 50 Descend Free
4 x 25 Build Free
5 x 50 Descend Non-Free
4 x 25 Blast Choice

Main Set:

3 x 150 (#1 = FL/BK by 75, #2 = BK/BR by 75, #3 = BR/FR by 75)
3 x 100 IM (#1 = Kick, #2 = Drill, #3 = Hard Swim)

3 x 100 (#1 = FL/BK by 50, #2 = BK/BR by 50, #3 = BR/FR by 50)
3 x 100 IM (#1 = Kick, #2 = Drill, #3 = Hard Swim)

3 x 50 (#1 = FL/BK by 25, #2 = BK/BR by 25, #3 = BR/FR by 25)
3 x 100 IM (#1 = Kick, #2 = Drill, #3 = Hard Swim)

Cool Down:

200 EZ................................................................3700 Total Yards

Stay active, Team!  Here are four more workouts...

WORKOUT #5:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

4 x 200 S/K/P/S (by 200)

Rev Set:

8 x 25 (odd = Build, even = Drill)
8 x 50 (odd = Fast turn Free, even = Fast turn Choice)

Main Set:

(2x)
300 Free (R:15) 200 IM (R:15) 100 Specialty (R:30)
300 IM (R:15) 200 Specialty (R:15) 100 Free (R:30)
300 Specialty (R:15) 200 Free (R:15) 100 IM (R 1:00)

Cool Down: 

150 EZ...............................................................5150 Total Yards

WORKOUT #6:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

800 Swim, every 4th 25 = Kick on Back

Rev Set:

(2 x)  
50 Kick
100 Pull
150 Free Breathing every 7/5/3 by 50
200 IM Drill

Main Set:

4 x 200 IM (#1 = Drill, #2-3 = Mod, #4 = Hard)
50 EZ Free + 1:00 Rest
4 x 150 IM (no Free) (#1 = Drill, #2-3 = Mod, #4 = Hard)
50 EZ + 1:00 Rest
4 x 100 IM (#1 = Drill, #2-3 = Mod, #4 = Hard)
50 EZ + 1:00 Rest
4 x 50 IM Order (Hard/EZ by 25)

Cool Down:

150 EZ...............................................................4100 Total Yards

WORKOUT #7:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

300 Swim, 300 Pull, 300 K/D by 25

Rev Set:

4 x 50 Build Choice
4 x 50 Free (1 breath down/2 breaths back)
4 x 50 Choice/Free by 25 (work the choice)

Main Set:

400 Swim EZ Pace
4 x 100 (3 Hard Free, 1 Hard Specialty)
400 Swim Mod Pace
4 x 100 (2 Hard Free, 2 Hard Specialty)
400 Swim Mod+ Pace
4 x 100 (1 Hard Free, 3 Hard Specialty)

Cool Down:

200 EZ...............................................................4100 Total Yards

WORKOUT #8:  

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

400 Swim
600 Alt (50 Free/50 Back/50 Kick)

Rev Set:

4 x 75 K/D/S Free
4 x 125 Rolling IM (Roll through 50 of stroke, keep everything in IM Order)
4 x 75 K/D/S Choice

Main Set:

6 x 250 Free (150 Hard + 100 Active Rest)
4 x 50 Kick @ 1:10
6 x 250 Free (100 Hard + 150 Active Rest)

Cool Down:

150 EZ................................................................5450 Total Yards

Off-Season Training

Hello Team!  I realize that with classes wrapping up next week, exams starting, and graduation looming, staying in shape is probably the furthest thing from your minds!  HOWEVER, for those of you looking for productive study breaks, I've posted a few short workouts below that I hope will inspire you.  During May, June and July, I will continue to post new workouts every few weeks, but as we discussed a while back, off-season training is completely up to you.  The more you are able to do, the easier the transition will be in September.  But if taking a few months off from swimming will rejuvenate you and help you get psyched for the upcoming season, then I support that approach as well.  Bottom line: Maintain your cardio and continue lifting so that we can avoid early-season injuries and start the season strong.  Check the blog periodically for workout ideas!  (Rookies, I will post a quick, easy, 10-minute stretch cord routine that will keep your shoulders strong during the summer months.   Stay tuned...)

WORKOUT #1:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

4 x 200 S/K/P/S (by 200)

Rev Set:

4 x 50 Build @ R:10

100 DPS (Distance Per Stroke)

4 x 50 HD/EZ by 25 @ R:10

100 DPS w/ 4 UW Dolphin Kicks off Each Wall

Main Set:

4 x 200 (Last 50 of each = Hard, otherwise Moderate Pace) 

3 x 150 (Last 50 of each = Hard)

2 x 100 (Last 50 of each = Hard)

1 x 50 All Out

Cool Down: 

150 EZ...............................................................3050 Total Yards

WORKOUT #2:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

600 Swim, every 4th 25 = Kick

4 x 75 K/D/S by 25 

Rev Set:

4 x 50 Freestyle Descend, 50 EZ Back

4 x 50 Choice/Free by 25 Descend, 50 EZ Back

4 x 50 Choice Descend, 50 EZ Back

Main Set:

4 x 50 Choice, 4 x 100 IM, 400 Free Pull w/ Paddles

3 x 50 Choice, 3 x 100 IM, 300 Free Pull w/ Paddles

2 x 50 Choice, 2 x 100 IM, 200 Free Pull w/ Paddles

1 x 50 Choice, 1 x 100 IM, 100 Free Pull w/ Paddles

Cool Down:

150 EZ...............................................................4300 Total Yards

WORKOUT #3:

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

400 Swim

300 Pull

200 Kick

Rev Set:

3 x [25 Hard (R:05), 50 EZ (R:10), 75 Hard (R:15), 100 EZ (R:20)]

Main Set:

3 x 200 Free Descend 1-3

3 x 100 (25 Specialty + 75 Free)* work the specialty

3 x 200 Free Descend 1-3 (match first set)

3 x 100 (50 Specialty + 50 Free)* work the specialty

3 x 200 Free Descend 1-3 (match first two sets)

3 x 100 (75 Specialty + 25 Free)* work the specialty

Cool Down:

150 EZ...............................................................4500 Total Yards

WORKOUT #4:    

choose intervals that are appropriate to the type of workout you want!

Warm-up:

300 Swim 

300 Pull w/ Paddles

3 x 100 IM (#1 = Kick, #2 = Drill, #3 = Swim)

Rev Set:

3 x 25 Fly (#1 = Drill, #2 = EZ, #3 = Hard)

125 IM (50 Hard Fly + 25 cruise other 3 strokes... keep IMO)

3 x 25 Back (#1 = Drill, #2 = EZ, #3 = Hard)

125 IM (50 Hard Back + 25 cruise other 3 strokes... keep IMO)

3 x 25 Breast (#1 = Drill, #2 = EZ, #3 = Hard)

125 IM (50 Hard Breast + 25 cruise other 3 strokes... keep IMO)

3 x 25 Free (#1 = Drill, #2 = EZ, #3 = Hard)

125 IM (50 Hard Free + 25 cruise other 3 strokes... keep IMO)

Main Set:

4 x 400 @ R:30

(#1 = EZ Free, #2 = Hard IM, #3 = EZ IM Drill, #4 = Hard Free)

Cool Down:

150 EZ................................................................3450 Total Yards

2012-2013 Records Set by Simmons Athletes

Congratulations to Liz, Joleigh, Jen, Maddy, Chloe & Amy for their efforts in re-writing the Simmons Swimming and Diving Record Board!  New school, pool and Great Northeast Athletic Conference records are outlined below. Fantastic work, Team!

200 Free Relay (SCHOOL Record): C.Davis, Ferro, A.Davis, McDonald - 1:43.17

400 Medley Relay (SCHOOL Record): C.Davis, Zamagni, A.Davis, McDonald - 4:19.59

200 Free Relay (POOL/GNAC Record): A.Davis, C.Davis, McDonald, Collins - 1:43.26

800 Free Relay (GNAC Record): McDonald, A.Davis, C.Davis, Collins - 8:32.86

100 Free (GNAC Record): Collins - 54.94

200 Free (GNAC Record): Collins - 2:00.66

200 IM (GNAC Record): Collins - 2:17.82

Congratulations Simmons Swimmers and Divers on earning Scholar All-American Honors from the College Swim Coaches Association of America for the 9th consecutive semester.  For Fall 2012, the team earned a cumulative GPA of 3.24!  Keep up the good work, team!

2012-2013 Simmons Swim Team

Evening of Champions!

Team - Just a reminder that the All Sports Banquet, our "Evening of Champions" will be on Tuesday, April 30th at 4:30pm in the LKP.  Dress nicely and come celebrate all of the Athletic Department's achievements throughout the past eight months!

Holistic Athlete Wrap-Up

Professors Randi Lite (Exercise Science) and Nancie Herbold (Nutrition) hosted a wonderful end-of-season team dinner for the Simmons swimmers and divers.  Thanks to everyone that was able to join us!  The Holistic Athlete Project, a collaboration between the Exercise Science Department, the Nutrition faculty, Sports Psychologist, Dr. Bacon and the Simmons swimmers and divers, has been a huge success during the past two years.  As a "thank you" for our participation in the project, the Holistic Athlete team has given a copy of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook to each of the Simmons swimmers and divers.  For those of you that are unaware, Nancy Clark is a Simmons Alum, and one of the TOP authorities on sports nutrition in the country.  Her book is full of great ideas and advice about balancing great nutrition with peak performance.  If you missed the dinner, swing by my office and pick up your copy!