The philosophy behind the Engagement Factor is simple: it is an easy, practical way to incorporate a focus on mental skills into swimming workouts and thereby make workouts more efficient and effective. When combined with the P.A.C.E. system of managing training intensity, the Engagement Factor provides a simple, practical way for young swimmers and their coaches to ensure the optimal stimulation and integration of physiological and psychological factors in training and preparation.

1. L.T. for kids: Losing Time Wayne Goldsmith www.swimcoachingbrain.com www.sportscoachingbrain.com

2. What will we be talking about? L.T. – not for kids: Losing time. P.A.C.E. Engagement

3. LT for 12 and under…the case for. It looks like they are training hard so everyone feels good about the workout; It keeps the noisy and disruptive kids quiet; Their parents like it because the kids are too tired to argue with them, and they sleep! Check this out!!

4. LT for 12 and under…the case against. Lactate is not the name of the game; They don't race over distances requiring high level L.T. adaptation abilities; Most of the events they race over are approximately 50% dives, turns, underwater swimming and finishes; Leaves them fatigued and impacts on their ability to swim at max or near speeds in training during speed development training; L.T. is the proverbial metabolic "no man's land" for swimmers aged 12 and under; Slow work too fast and their fast work too slow - developing neither endurance or speed.

5. So why do it? Because it is easy to do it

6. Old way…Better way Old way - push the kids as hard as possible at or above L.T. in every workout for a few months, taper them for a few days and hope it all comes together on race day or...... Better way - adopt a common sense, practical, sensible approach that helps develop the swimmers' physical, mental, technical and tactical abilities in a way which is relevant and appropriate to their competition goals.

7. And now…a change of P.A.C.E.

8. The real world……….. 67 kids in four lanes. 1 assistant coach. 2 heart rate monitors. 3 kids trying to drown each other. 1 kid picking his nose and flicking it at the girls in lane 2. The boys in lane 3 trying to pull each others goggles off and throw them up to the backstroke flags. 25 swimmers not finishing on the wall. 4 swimmers getting out to go to the toilet mid set. 16 of the swimmers didn’t listen to your instructions. 17 don’t know how to take heart rate accurately. 22 would prefer to be somewhere else. 9 of them had cross country at school today and are fatigued. 7 of them didn’t eat lunch.

9. P.A.C.E. System P = PREPARATION AND PRACTICE PACE = easy swimming - around 50-60% max speed for warm up / warm down / drills / skills / recovery; A = AIR-ROBIC = endurance development - around 70-80% max speed; C = COMPETITION SPEED = training done at target race speed with race mechanics, race quality skills and race breathing patterns; E = ELECTRIC SPEED = neural stimulation, speed development training - max/ supra max speed. Little kids NOT little big-kids

11. P.A.C.E Explained PACE ONE - Practice and Prepare Pace. Pace one is slow, easy, relaxed swimming (but with good technique and skills of course). It is the ideal pace for warm up, warm down, skills, drills and recovery; PACE TWO - Air-robic Pace. The core of most age group programs, Pace Two creates, builds and develops endurance capacities for the short and long term; PACE THREE – Competition Specific Pace. Pace three is about preparing swimmers for the specific demands of competition swimming - i.e. to swim at the pace targeted to perform well at their next meet; PACE FOUR - Electric Pace. Electric Pace is speed development. It is work performed at maximum speed over short distances with the aim of developing real speed through stimulating neuro-muscular adaptation mechanisms.

12. And now, to Engage you…. Please stand up. Give yourself as much space as possible. All the usual disclaimers – don’t do it if you have an injury or illness. We are going to breathe together.

13. Some stuff you have to get into… Psycho-physiology – the future. Sports mindfulness Unchain your mind, coaches.

14. For example, 5 x 200 – current thinking. 5 x 200 (volume) at a pace of 75% maximum speed (intensity) on a 3:30 cycle (intensity) - which are all physical variables. 5 x 200 on 3:30 holding 75% maximum speed / stroke count of ABC and stroke rate of DEF.

15. The Engagement Factor Engagement Factor 1: Warm up (early stages) / swim down / recovery: Focus on relaxation, ease of movement and slow, steady breathing; Engagement Factor 2: Warm up (later stages) / long endurance work: Focus on relaxation, flow, "switching on" to the workout; Engagement Factor 3: Most conditioning work: Combination of relaxation and rhythm whilst focusing on skills execution and technique; Engagement Factor 4: Drills and skills work. Focus on attention to detail, purposeful movements, quality in execution; Engagement Factor 5: Competition preparation work and speed development - i.e. total concentration and focus to stimulate neural adaptation mechanisms and simulate competition conditions.

16. Physiology based workout Warm up - PACE 1 (see P.A.C.E table ): Easy 400 freestyle on 6:30 / 8 x 50 Back kick in streamline on 1:30; Drills and skills - PACE 1 (see P.A.C.E table ) 8 x 25 lateral freestyle kicking drill on 45 / 8 x 25 lateral 6 x 6 freestyle drill on 40; Main set - PACE 2 (see P.A.C.E table ) 8 x 200 metres freestyle on 3:15; Sprint development - 6 x 50 metres as (20 metres best stroke at maximum speed PACE 4 / 30 metres recovery freestyle PACE 1); Swim down - PACE 1 (see P.A.C.E table ) 400 as alternate 25s backstroke / freestyle.

17. Psycho-physiology workout Warm up - PACE 1 (see P.A.C.E table ): Easy 400 freestyle on 6:30 / 8 x 50 Back kick in streamline on 1:30 - Engagement Factor 1-2; Drills and skills - PACE 1 (see P.A.C.E table ) 8 x 25 lateral freestyle kicking drill on 45 / 8 x 25 lateral 6 x 6 freestyle drill on 40 - Engagement Factor 4; Main set - PACE 2 (see P.A.C.E table ) 8 x 200 metres freestyle on 3:15 - Engagement Factor 2-3; Sprint development - 6 x 50 metres as (20 metres best stroke at maximum speed PACE 4 / 30 metres recovery freestyle PACE 1) - Engagement Factor 5 on sprints / Engagement Factor 1 on recovery; Swim down - PACE 1 (see P.A.C.E table ) 400 as alternate 25s backstroke / freestyle - Engagement Factor 1.

18. Old method – Bettermethod. Old method: 12 x 100 metres on 1:45 holding the target intensity level for example PACE 2: New method: 12 x 100 metres on 1:45 holding the target intensity level of PACE 2 at an Engagement factor of 3 - or 12 x 100 on 1:45 P2 E3.

19. Summary Coach more – LT Less; Adopt an integrated approach; Simplifyyour training zones – P.A.C.E; Engage your athletes: work with them not at them, through them or around them; Mind andBody..the key.

20. Thanks. Wayne Goldsmith www.swimcoachingbrain.com www.sportscoachingbrain.com www.businesscoachingbrain.com Email: wayne@moregold.com.au