Swimming is my Favorite Recovery!

Swimming is the perfect pairing for almost any sport. Especially for activities like weightlifting and running! When I finished my first half marathon, I’m not gonna lie I could barely walk. This was not due to the half marathon itself but more the crappy running shoes I wore. My legs and knees were in a lot of pain. I thought hobbling around like a penguin won’t get me far. So I choose to get in the pool and just move around.

When I got in the pool, I did low intensity stuff. That means no long distance sets and all stuff on a slower speed. What makes the pool such a great place to recover is that in some ways it gives your body a break. When we run or lift their is a lot of pressure put on your joints in swimming there is some minor pressure put on your joints but it’s so much less then when you're running or lifting. Regardless, swimming is just a great way to stretch out,relax and to change your workout plan. Whatever your training goals are swimming related or not make sure you are recovering or resting in your workout.

After I finished working out in the pool there was still a bit of minor pain but it was much more manageable. So all I’m saying is that if their is a place when your body needs a break listen to it and take a breaK. Your body will thank you later! I’m including a recovery plan for all levels in the pool. That way all you have to do is get the the pool!

Recovery workout:

Warm up: 200(8 Laps) 100-free

                                    100-Kick on your back in streamline position or with a kickboard

Main set: 4X50 25 drill 25 swim

                      Optional drills:Ketch-up, Six-kick-switch, Zipper

            Don’t know what these drills are, check out my video for clarification:

                               Three freestyle drills

        4X50’s-25 kick 25 swim

                                 Numbers 1 and 3 are stroke

                                 Numbers 2 and 4 are freestyle

                       4x50 Regular Swim

100 Choice of Stroke Warm Down

Hope you guys enjoy the workout let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Keep calm and swim on,

Coach Kelcey  

Recovery: What Do I Do After That Long Swim?

I just completed a challenging swim workout so what is the best way to recover?

The first thing you should do is bring a water bottle to practice! You should be drinking throughout practice, that way your already getting a start on your recovery. When your in the water your burning threw a ton of fuel so don't forget to stay hydrated during practice. 

This leads me to my next point refuel. The tank is empty after that workout you feel like you have an appetite that cannot be suppressed. If you need to get your energy back you going to have to eat. Pretzels and peanut butter or apples and peanut butter. Fruit and vegetable are always great because they serve as a sorta two for one. i remember when i was in swimming season they would call me bag lady. and it was cause i rolled outta practice with about 5 ziploc bags. Usually healthy things carrots, nuts but sometimes you just gotta add some trail mix to keep it interesting. This made my appetite easier to handle so, i wasn't like an angry bear when leaving school.

Just cause you drank water during practice dose not mean your not your fully rehydrated! Keep drinking your water. throughout the day or night. if your board of water, chocolate milk  is a good change it got lots of protein in it to support those fabulous muscle you are building. Also you can put fruit and herbs in water to give it a bit my flavor. I like adding cucumbers but the possibilities for this combinations are endless.

Last but not least get a good night sleep! Like i mean if your feeling extra tired go to bed early. it probably one of the best things you can do an you will feel ten times better the next morning. 

Keep calm and swim on 

Coach Kelcey

Cycling Kids Out of Poverty: Team SwimPhilly

So SwimPhilly has partnered up with the non-profit, Children of Vietnam, to help raise money for children in need. This non profit provides basic necessities for the kids of Vietnam.  The organization provides toilets, school supplies, bricks for building houses and so much more.  When I heard about this I had to get in on the fun. the goal of this even is to raise money by biking. you can get family, friends and coworkers to sponsor you. All you have to do is ride, the bike the more miles you log the more supplies that the kids in vietnam get. This event is based on how comfortable you feel on the bike so there are a lot of different ways to access a bike.  For example, If you live in Philadelphia, you may ride a bike to as a prime mode of transportation these are great ways to add a small amounts of donation to the team. Another great idea is using the bikes in the gym. Join a cycling class with a killer playlist and your bound to get a whole bunch of miles. If you got your own bike the ideas are endless.  All I'm asking of you is find a few sponsors, get on the bike and have fun.  At the end of the day we can pedal with a good purpose. how ever many miles you can log is plenty no donation is too small start getting your sponsors now because march ! If you don't have time to bike, thats ok you can still give a gift that you are comfortable giving!

Visit the SwimPhilly team site for more information and to donate the the cause : http://childrenofvietnam.causevox.com/team-swimphilly

Hope to see you guys on the bike !

New Years Resolution: I Wanna Be More Pool Friendly !

1. Identify your goals!: Are you trying to learn how to swim? Are you working toward competing in an open water swim or triathlon? Each goal will take time for you to get outside of your comfort zone and a plan to help you get there

2. There are seven days in a week and 24 hours in a day; if we all have that much time I encourage you to try to get in the pool at least once a week!

3. You don't need to be in the pool for a crazy long time. If you're a beginner, start with swimming for about 20 minutes. As time continues and you get more comfortable in the pool you can add more time onto your workout!

4.  Also as someone who runs and lifts weights, I know that getting in the pool is a great way to give yourself an active recovery.

5. Why not take the chance to get in the pool and impress yourself! I think if you're new to the pool, the chances of that are even higher! 

Keep Calm and Swim On ,

Coach Kelcey

What do I need to bring to the pool for a good workout?

Their are only a few things you need to have a great workout at the pool!

1.. Have Something to eat before you go to the pool!

 I know some people workout very early but,  if you want to have a good workout you have to make sure you eat something before you workout! Try something lite like yogurt or a piece of fruit that way you can fuel that inner beast!

2. A written workout!

Coming prepared allows you to make the most of your time in the pool! I hate to say it but i feel like if I don't bring a written workout, I'm likely to just spend time playing around in the pool. This is fun however it's not really an effective use of time. Your workout can have a theme or a goal in mind to help you focus. You don't need to be in the pool for a long time you just need to use your time effectively and bringing a workout will help do that.

3. Cap and Googles

Googles help allow you to see more clearly and comfortably in water. Just do yourself a favor and buy a comfortable pair. Caps are great and key for anyone who has more then a shaved head.  if your a woman you probably have hair on the longer side, wearing a cap allows you to have long hair without it getting in your face and providing drag. Female or Male if you have long hair wearing a cap just makes it more easy to manage.

  4. A Smile and positive attitude!

You came to the pool to get a good workout so enjoy it! Being in the pool has so many benefits! Burning fat and building lean muscle plus swimming is much less strenuous on the  muscles, meaning much less risk of injury. Regardless of why your getting in the pool enjoy it and have fun!

Three Drills That Make a Killer Freestyle

These drills are designed to help you be more efficient in the water. All three drills emphasize the importance of a long and relaxed body position. If you are longer and more efficient in the water then your stroke count will be lower. I would recommend pairing all three drills to your regular workout as it adds diversity to the workout. Have fun and hopefully more drills will be posted on my page! Got questions or need help with an aspect let me know and maybe I can help with a video!

Keep calm and swim on !!!

Here is the link to the drill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB3ULDt8SnU&feature=youtu.be

You can also find it on my page on the last tab called : Three Drills That Make a Killer Freestyle

Check it out!!!!!

Coach Kelcey 

New to the pool! Here some great resources to help get you started!

New to the pool? 

There are plenty of amazing resources out there to help you get more comfortable and confident in the pool. 
 

US Masters Swimming(USMS):

USMS was designed as a way to give adults and place and opportunity to swim with other motivated swimmers. The great thing about USMS is that it takes the things about swimming that are hard for us and takes them out of the equation. So you basically get access to a pool and get to have a great workout created for you.  Another bonus is that you receive awesome camaraderie. Even though I don't compete in any of the meets with my clubs, these gatherings provide a great workout. Worried about not being up to par? Your coach can make adjustments to create a doable workout for you. Also there are a wide varieties of ages and swim levels involved.  It's about having fun and engaging in something that makes you feel good.

Stroke Clinics

I recently attended the Fitter Faster Tour up in Allentown. This particular clinic focussed on breastroke. Even though I'm fairly familiar with the techniques involved in the breaststroke, clinics tend to bring great insight as they allow you to learn new drills along with going back to the basics. If there is one thing I've learned in swimming, it's that you need a solid foundation to be a good swimmer. The details tend to come later in your development and no matter how experienced you are, reviewing the basics never hurt anyone. Another great thing about swim clinics is that you tend to meet people with the same interests as you. At a clinic you may meet a great swim buddy. Swim Clinics happen around the country on a regular basis. Check out a university or community center to see when the latest ones are happening! I know the Fitter Faster Tour provides all types of clinics all year round In various locations! 

Swimmer:

Swimmer is a magazine that focuses on providing more knowledge to swimmers, so that they can become the best athlete possible. They have tons of great articles geared around nutrition, equipment, and stroke technique. Those are just a few topics that can be found in Swimmers magazine. My favorite part of the magazine is that they tend to give great visuals on what swimmers should look like while doing a stroke or drill. Visual aids are a great aid in the learning process. 

Websites and Apps:

Go Swim Lite (App): From what I have explored from Go Swim they have a ton of drills, which allow you the chance to work on your stroke and make you a stronger swimmer. If you're a visual learner, watching someone do a well executed stroke will be a perfect aid on your swim journey. Plus they have a mobile app so you can access this on the phone at the pool. You can press play and practice in the pool.

Swim Swam (website) : 

Swim Swam is a great website! The site embodies swimmer culture as it gives you a break down on the latest in the swim world. They keep you up to date on what's going on with NCAA swimming and Olympic swimmers. You can really get into the culture of swimming as you have access to interviews from the pros, drills and equipment. All the fun stuff can be found here.

I encourage all my readers to check out various sources. It keeps the learning process enjoyable!!!! Try them all out to find something that works for you!!

Whats the best thing to eat for breakfast?

Whats on deck for practice?

Blog post:

What’s on deck for practice?

What to eat? What not to eat? Swimmers are always wondering this! So when you’re eating breakfast, you have to keep in mind that your food choices need to be easy to digest and should give you plenty of energy for your future workouts. I, myself, am not a super hungry morning person, so initially when I wake up I'm not all that hungry. But if you’re up at the crack of dawn, your body will thank you if you properly nourish it before beginning your workout. Before I go to bed, I like to pack snacks for the recovery phase of my workouts, as well, to have after I have completed my practice.

You have many options for the pre-practice meal:

Greek yogurt

Toast

Fruit or fruit salad

Oatmeal

Apple Sauce

If you’re going home and have the chance to cook after your workout or can “meal prep” the night before, you can make an

English muffin with peanut butter and fruit

or with avocado and/or a sunny side up egg.

Other post workout ideas include: smoothies or omelettes.

You can also pack some snacks, like raw veggies with hummus and/or peanut butter, nuts, raisins, trail mix, or pretzels. And when you’re hungry, you need to eat because you just completed a really hard practice.

Also, don't forget to carry around a water bottle with you at work. It saves you from the feeling of always being hungry. If you feel like you’re tired of water, try mixing in some herbs or fruits; this will give you some flavor. Whatever you do, stay hydrated!

What is the Latest at Swim Philly!

What is the latest with Swim Philly

 August Blog:

Whats been happening recently!!!

So July and August have been a bit crazy as I have been giving lesson during the day. Swim Philly has been an amazing success and I hope that I can keep the movement going as we get to the fall. Remember just because its getting cooler out that doesn't mean the lessons have to stop we just have to move inside.

Swim Philly's founder, Kelcey, has been doing a ton of triathlons. This is when you swim, bike and run, all in one event. Most recently she swam a quarter mile in the Atlantic city bay. She can proudly say she swam a quarter mile in 8 minutes and 49 seconds. No wetsuit needed.  She would like to argue that it was due to her part mermaid self but alas it was just due to a lot of practice and a great attitude.

I have been giving a ton of lessons this summer. I gave a grand total of forty lessons. This means alot of sun, water and smiles from the kids. Its been an incredible season and I just want to thank the Flourtown swim club for allowing me to call their pool home this summer.  It has been a great starting season for Swim Philly and I appreciate the support from all of my supportive friends, family, and everyone I teach. 

Whats Next for Swim Philly!:

Further training from USMS and Happily becoming a zone two certified Coach

Swim Season is Moved indoors! Coaching starts now!

Hopefully moving my lessons Downtown! I would still be happy to teach private lessons downtown if your looking for some please contact me at Swimphilly@gmail.com

Certifications for Swim Philly!

So I can happily say I've attained my US Master's Swimming Level 1 and 2 coaching certification ! This excites me me as it helps give me more knowledge on training triathletes, open water swimmers and those who just enjoy swimming for all of its health benefits. Regardless of how much experience you have  had in the pool,  swimming continues to provide various benefits both mental and physical to all athletes.  I would recommend that any one over the age of 18 look at the USMS site and try out a workout.

I'm also happy to say that starting in September I will be coaching at Friends Select School. This club team has about 80 kids and they are ages 4 threw 17. This is a club team that participates and travels to meets in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. It is also very exciting because to is apart of USA Swimming events. I just cant wait to get to know these kids and see them compete in the pool. 

What I've been doing recently is trying to receive my USA Swimming coaching certification. I need this to make participate and attend events. I've been taking courses to prepare myself to be a coach some of these courses tie with the American Red Cross and USA swimming to make sure swimmers have safe and fun practices.