Man swimming laps with US Master Swimming logo

Mount Wachusett Masters

Mount Wachusett Masters is a US Masters workout group out of Mount Fitness. Are you looking to compete? Are you looking to do a triathlon? Are you looking to add some quality fitness training in your life or learning to swim better? Come give a practice a try! It is for swimmers 18 years and older of all levels. Some compete, some use it to become a more proficient lap swimmer, and some are triathletes who use it to better their swim leg in triathlons. All are welcome (and we have some fun too!).

Ben Tucker and Christine Caruso will be coaching and keeping the team organized! Practice times are listed on the pool schedule.

FAQ

The word “Masters” sounds intimidating. Do I have to be an expert?  
The word Masters was first applied to adults who participated in track and field and was later adopted in organized adult swimming. In swimming, Masters simply means 18 and older.

What if I don’t think I’m fast enough to be a Masters swimmer?
Masters coaches hear. However, most Masters coaches and swimmers don’t care how fast you are. In nearly every program, there are others of similar ability or those who started where you are and have improved. Don’t let your perceived ability, or lack thereof, hold you back. Although it’s important to have a physical examination before starting any exercise routine, you don’t need to be in shape to start Masters swimming—Masters swimming will help you get there.

I’m a triathlete. Why should I join USMS?
Many triathletes, including world-class triathletes Sara McLarty and Ben Hoffman, join USMS programs because training with swimmers is the best way to improve the swim portion of the tri. Masters coaches provide technique instruction and interval training with a group. USMS membership also grants access to the triathlete-specific workouts posted regularly in the members-only Forums at usms.org. In addition, SWIMMER magazine and STREAMLINES newsletters have techniques and training tips in each issue.

Masters Newsletter

Hello swimmers!

Although the temperature was a chilly 10 ° F this morning, it’s time to think spring!  Before we know it, the weather will be perfect for outdoor running and biking, and open water swimming.  One of the many good things about coming to masters practice is the workouts will have you prepared to take full advantage of the beautiful weather.

The next Mount Wachusett Masters Challenge, which will take place over the next three months, is meant to inspire everyone to get in the pool, spend more time in the pool, or dust off your trainers and start logging those base miles.

The challenge is called the Mt Everest Challenge. It’s the distance (in meters/kilometers) from Kathmandu to the summit of Everest.  Each week has a goal distance to swim, as well as a modified goal distance.  To appeal to the triathletes in the group, the goal distance can be attained by running, walking, or a combination of all three.

If you choose to walk or run, it must be outdoors!

The distances (except for the distance from Kathmandu to Lukla) correspond to the actual distances (with some rounding to make them 25 yd pool appropriate).  Kilometers are noted for running and meters for swimming.  Meters and yards will be interchangeable for convenience.

Oxygen, or lack thereof, is a special challenge while climbing Mt Everest, especially above 8000 AMSL which is referred to as the death zone.  So, our journey will include learning about aerobic and anaerobic abilities, and the training needed to build our endurance in each.

Hope everyone is well and feeling motivated!

See you at practiceChristine

Mt Everest Challenge Week 1

Travel from Kathmandu to Lukla

Goal: swim 6000 m, walk or run 6 km, or a combination of both

Modified goal: swim 1500 m, walk or run 1.5 km, or a combination of both

There will be a chart to track your progress at the pool, and there may even be some bling along the way!

 

w/o

 

M

 

T

 

W

 

TH

 

F

 

S

 

S

Schedule Notes

 **Sunday, March 13th Daylight Savings Time Change Begins

*Thursday, March 17th St Patrick’s Day

2/28   3/1  5-7 am
03/07  7-9 pm   5-7 am       **
03/14  7-9 pm 5-7 am * Housekeeping

 Mount Fitness Membership

Check with the front desk about membership options

LMSC (USMS) membership

USMS $48.  LMSC $12.

Club-NEM w/o group MWM

MWMasters dues $200.

Due Jan 15, 2022

 

 Upcoming Events
 March Madness Meet - March 6

Nassau County Aquatic Center

Eisenhower Park off Merrick Avenue East Meadow NY 11554

2022 OCY Unofficial Masters Team Championships

Ocean County YMCA

1088 W. Whitty Road Toms River NJ 08755

2022 BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY MASTERS SWIM MEET At BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY - March 20

Binghamton University (West Gym)

West Dr Glen Bartle Dr and Bunn Hill Access Vestal NY 13902

The Spring Fling Meet - March 27

Bangor YMCA/YWCA - Bangor

17 Second St Bangor ME 04401

2022 USMS Summer Fitness Challenge - April 2

How fast can you swim a 2K? See how long it takes during the 2022 Summer Fitness Challenge with a 2K swim or dryland workout from June 1-30.

Register and receive an event cap and log your results on the Swim.com app.

 USMS Go the Distance - June 1 - 30

GTD is a yearly self-directed event intended to encourage members to regularly swim and track their progress. Distance is the important metric for this virtual event, not speed or time. Certain distance milestones also have prizes attached to them.

GTD is on the honor system—you track the distance you swim. Daily, weekly, or monthly, enter that information into your linked Swim.com app or USMS Fitness Log (FLOG). When you achieve certain milestones, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase GTD awards.

There’s no cost to enter GTD. You can register through your FLOG in the My USMS section of the website. Track your weekly, monthly and annual totals online. Once you've entered GTD, your results are automatically included in the public daily summary reports, and the link to purchase your milestone awards will appear on your FLOG when you reach the various milestones.

 2022 Spring National Championship    San Antonio, Texas April 28 - May 1

U.S. Masters Swimming is excited to finally bring back Spring Nationals to the Northside ISD Swim Center in San Antonio, Texas! Check out the meet preview below to get hyped to compete.

Entry deadline is April 4, 2022 at 11:59 pm Pacific time. See the Meet Information page for more details

24 November Thanksgiving Greater Gardner Turkey Trot.  Ben and Christine are planning to run again this year.  Please join us and bring your friends and family.

We have walking, walk/run and running groups planned.

It’s not too early to start thinking about training for fall activities!   more info to come

Greetings swimmers!

Hope all is well and everyone is enjoying the winter wonderland.

The lunar calendar marks February 4th as the beginning of Spring, and according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), spring is a time for creativity, determination and the expression of inherent mental, emotional and spiritual intelligence.

It’s a time to learn new things and gain fresh understanding.  A time to allow new, good habits to germinate and grow into change that honors one’s body and self.

This month, MWMs created the: Healthy Heart Challenge

Thank you, Claire, for this great idea!

The idea of this challenge is to inspire awareness of personal choices and encourage mindful decision making.  There are no rules; attempt a challenge anyway you wish, but you are encouraged to use this challenge to learn something new, maybe about your health, or maybe about yourself.

Claire created a chart that will be on the board at the pool to track participation.   All swimmers, not just Masters, are encouraged to join.  I hope everyone will participate!

See you at practiceChristine

Practice schedule – February

 w/o  M  T  W  TH  F  S  S Schedule Notes

 *Jan 14 – Valentine’s Day

** Jan 21 - Presidents Day

 

01/31   Feb 2

5-7 am

       
02/07  7-9 pm   5-7 am        
02/14 *7-9 pm   5-7 am         Housekeeping

Mount Fitness Membership

Check with the front desk about membership options

LMSC (USMS) membership

USMS $48.  LMSC $12.

Club-NEM w/o group MWM

 

MWMasters dues $200.

Due Jan 15, 2022

02/21 **7-9 pm   5-7 am        
02/28  7-9 pm   5-7 am

(March 2)

       
 You are capable of things unthought of- Christine D’Ercole

 

UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb 6, 2022

 

 

 

Feb 13, 2022

 

 

 

Feb 18, 2022

 

 

 

2022

 

 

 

 

 

37th Annual Groundhog Meet

Westport/ Weston YMCA

14 Allen Raymond Lane Westport CT

2022 OCY Unofficial Masters Team Championships

Ocean County YMCA

1088 W. Whitty Road Toms River NJ

Catalina Swim Mixer @ The AYCC

Alfond Youth Center Boys and Girls Club

126 North Steet Waterville ME

USMS Go the Distance

GTD is a yearly self-directed event intended to encourage members to regularly swim and track their progress. Distance is the important metric for this virtual event, not speed or time. Certain distance milestones also have prizes attached to them.

GTD is on the honor system—you track the distance you swim. Daily, weekly, or monthly, enter that information into your linked Swim.com app or USMS Fitness Log (FLOG). When you achieve certain milestones, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase GTD awards.

There’s no cost to enter GTD. You can register through your FLOG in the My USMS section of the website. Track your weekly, monthly and annual totals online. Once you've entered GTD, your results are automatically included in the public daily summary reports, and the link to purchase your milestone awards will appear on your FLOG when you reach the various milestones.

I’m thinking of adding in some non-swimming activities and social events, if you have any suggestions please forward them to me – Christine

Healthy Heart Challenge

Nutrition

  1. Sub out one processed food for a non-processed alternative.
  2. Measure your water intake for the day, do the skin pinch test or sweat test to determine your hydration needs.
  3. Substitute a natural sweetener for processed sugar (Natural: honey, maple sugar/syrup, whole cane sugar. Processed: White sugar, agave, corn syrup etc.)
  4. Season foods with unrefined salt instead of iodized salt (Natural sea salt, pink Himalayan salt)
  5. Add naturally red foods to your diet (Apples, strawberries, kidney beans, beets, raspberries)
  6. Add bitter foods to your diet (Tea, asparagus, celery, parsley, leafy greens)
  7. Add warming spices to foods/meals (Cinnamon, ginger, garlic, chili, wasabi)
  8. Try a serving of a super food (Superfoods are nutrient dense foods, walnuts, cod liver oil, berries, raw cacao)
  9. Include a fermented vegetable, condiments, fruit or beverage daily (Kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kombucha, salt-brined pickles)
  10. Prepare cooked foods by steaming, stewing, roasting and grilling (Avoid preparing foods using excessive oil, deep frying)

Lifestyle

  1. Aim for between 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night
  2. Plan a menu or meal prep for a week (include lots of healthy choices)
  3.  Get 30 minutes of aerobic activity (out of the pool, find a new favorite cross training activity)
  4. Add a dynamic warmup before a workout (Dynamic is movement, toe touches, knee hugs calf raises etc. held for 2 seconds or less)
  5. Cool down and stretch after a workout
  6. Spend 10 minutes outside
  7. Know your resting heart rate
  8. Get your blood pressure taken
  9. Try yoga
  10. Try meditation

Meditation Technique to Try:

  • Set a timer for 5-10 minutes
  • Sit or lie down in a comfortable position in a quiet spot
  • Close your eyes
  • Make no effort to control your breath.  Just breathe as naturally as you can
  • Focus your attention on your breath as it passes in and out of your nose.  Notice how your body moves with each inhalation and exhalation.  Observe your chest, shoulders, rib cage and belly.  Simply focus your attention on your breath without controlling its speed or intensity.  If your mind wanders – and it will – return your focus to your breath.

Just a reminder,
• the USMS Winter Fitness Challenge 30 minute swim has started and must be completed by Jan 31st
• the USMS 1 Hour ePostal National Championship has started and must be completed by March 31st
If anyone is looking for a partner to document their splits, let me know. I will try to connect swimmers to help each other out.

Also, there is no practice on Monday the 24th and Monday the 31st, due to GHS swim meets.

Masters Dues are due, $200. Payable at the front desk.
If you will please let me know when you make your payment, I'd appreciate it. (Trying to be a good bookkeeper)

Hope to see everyone at practice on Monday!
The water temperature hasn't been that bad

Have a wonderful weekend - Christine

Greetings swimmers!

I hope this newsletter finds you well, and looking forward to a new year of opportunities.

The USMS Fitness Challenge begins this month, so hopefully you will consider participating by either signing up or simply completing the challenges. It’s a great way to get started if you haven’t been in the pool for a while, or a great way to push your training to a new level if you have been swimming regularly. Several USMS coaches have provided a 6-week training program (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) complete with metrics to help track personal improvements. I’m always a fan of trying a new workout format, it offers an opportunity to learn something new and provides a push to outside the comfort zone.

Laminated copies are available in the Masters Coaching Box for poolside use on a kick board, and a paper copy with a graphic organizer is available for each swimmer to track their own progress.

“What gets measured gets done.”

In addition to the USMS training plan, Ben has come up with the following 6 training sessions to be added to the USMS workout, one each week:

• Hydrodynamics of freestyle and backstroke
• Hydrodynamics of butterfly
• Hydrodynamics of breast stoke
• Starts
• Turns
• Sighting

and will include on-deck instruction as well as in pool application.

Tonight is a great night to come to swimming practice. Hope to see you there!

Keep swimming – Christine

January 2022 Masters Swim Practice

Upcoming Events

January 9, 2022
2022 Bill Heebner Memorial Winter Freeze Masters Meet, Phoenixville Area YMCA, 400 E Pothouse Rd Phoenixville PA

January 15, 2022 
Jason Troiano "Grateful Ducks" Memorial Swim Meet, Mark Twain JHS Pool, 160 Woodlawn Avenue Yonkers NY

January 1 - 31, 2022
SWIM.com 2022 USMS WINTER FITNESS CHALLENGE 30 Minute Swim
Just get in the pool, swim for 30 minutes, earn some great swag!

Winter Fitness Challenge price
Nov. 1–Dec. 15: $10
Dec. 16 - Jan. 31: $12

Fitness Series bundle price (includes Winter, Summer, and Fall Fitness Challenges)
Nov. 1–Dec. 15: $25
Dec. 16 - Jan. 31: $30

January 1 - 31, 2022
USMS 1-Hour ePostal National Championships
Swim as far as you can in 1 hour


Make sure you are a USMS member to take advantage of these fun events! Join USMS here.

Masters At the Wall

Jane Cheney swam 1,000,000 yards in 2021 (Yes, that’s one million yards!) She finished her quest on Thursday, December 30, in addition to swimming the 100 x 100s Challenge.  Congrats on your accomplishments, Jane!

Greetings swimmers!

Hopefully, everyone is getting motivated, and more new swimmers will be attending practices. There’s lots of activity in the events section so if you haven’t found your motivation yet perhaps you will find it there. Ben and I would like to encourage all of you to try something new, something outside of your comfort zone. With a new year right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to explore the possibilities for setting new goals for the coming season.

Ben has created a December Bingo Challenge, and the USMS is offering a 30-minute challenge and a 1-hour swim event, both starting in January. It’s the perfect time to up your game, or maybe just get in the game (or pool).

Either way, I hope you will consider participating in at least one of these opportunities.

One of the squares on Ben’s December Bingo Challenge is setting a swim goal. Goals are not just for hardcore athletes, they’re for anyone. Here are some goal-setting tips to help get you started.

  • Base your goal on a performance outcome. What exactly do you want to achieve?
    • attend 1 swim practice a week for the month of December
    • complete all three USMS Fitness Challenges
    • swim 50 m butterfly by the end of February
    • a 0:55 min/100 yds freestyle pace at the Harvard Meet
  • A goal must have a small bit of doubt associated with attaining it, if not, it’s too easy.
  • A goal must be realistic.
  • A goal is not something you are already able to do; that’s an accomplishment, not a goal. There must be a work component associated with reaching a goal, you want to earn it.
  • Goals have a time limit and must be accomplished by a certain date or in a certain race/meet.

Goals can be large or small, anything from getting more active to smashing a PR; and Masters is here to help you by offering training and support every step of the way.
One of my favorite Peloton instructors, Christine D’Ercole inspires me with one question, “what if I can?”

Wishing you peace, joy and inspiration – Christine

Practice Schedule - December

Masters Schedule December 2021

Masters December 2021 Upcoming Events

Make sure you are a USMS member to take advantage of these fun events! Join USMS here.

Masters At the Wall

  • Added Touch Salon in Rindge, NH has new swimmer-friendly services.
    Christin Pierson, the new owner has added the following new services.
    She is also very willing to meet the needs of all types of athletes, so give her a call,
    I’m sure she will be able to accommodate you.

    • Swimmer’s Special Body Waxing
    • Malibu Hair Wellness Rehab Treatment
  • Christine Caruso has completed the USMS Level 2 Coaches Certification!

Coaches Corner with Ben

In addition to the swim challenges offered by USMS Ben has created his own Bingo Challenge and is inviting everyone to participate.

Simply print out your card, and date and initial your accomplished squares. (honor system, we trust you!)

Come and have fun!

Masters December 2021 Bingo Challenge

Greeting Swimmers!

Hope you all enjoyed your summer, and are looking forward to getting back in the pool. Although we lost Ben as coach for a little while, we have figured out a way to get him back on deck! Hurray!

Practices will start Monday, November 1st. Please see the schedule below.

To help keep things organized and everyone informed, I will send out a newsletter the last week of every month. It will contain the next month’s practice schedule, holiday accommodations and cancellations, and swim events.

Please feel free to contact me if there are other items and/or information that you would like to see included in the newsletter, I am happy to include it. Email me at 8thnoteshark@gmail.com. Please have all inclusions to me by the 15th.

I have also included a section called “At the Wall”, which I hope will inspire all of you to share your accomplishments and celebrations, as well as your concerns and struggles. We are a team after all!

Should other issues or opportunities come up within the month I will send out informational emails. If there is anything you need to share with the team, please let me know. Contact me with questions and concerns, and I will do my best to get you an answer.

Ben and I are looking forward to seeing all of you and having a great season!

Keep Swimming! -Christine Caruso

November Practice Schedule

November Masters Schedule

Upcoming Events

November 7 - 14th Annual Concord Masters Swim Mini-Meed, Concord, MA

November 20 - 12th Annual UVAC Leaf Peepers Masters SCM Meet, White River Junction

Greeting Swimmers!

It's kind of last minute, but it's not too late to join the USMS November 200 Yards Time Trial Challenge.

Even if you are not currently a USMS member you can still do the challenge!  But if you are a member,  you can upload your results at swim.com. and receive recognition for your effort.

Do the challenge on your own, (be sure to forward your time),  or Ben and I can help you at one of the November practices.  We will document everyone's results as a baseline to track improvement.

The challenge must be completed by November 30th, so get in the pool!   It's a great way to start your winter training!

General information is below or visit USMS.org

Hope to see you soon - Christine

Join the Challenge

Ready to test your speed? Try punching out your fastest 200 yards of any stroke in the pool during the month of November. Dedicate the time this month between November 1-30 on the Swim.com app.

All current USMS members are welcome to participate in this challenge for FREE. By completing the challenge, you'll earn a badge on your Swim.com profile.

Log Results in the Swim.com App

We partnered with Swim.com so you can input your results on their app to benchmark your swims for the future, compare against other swimmers, and join in on the social fun. Swimmers can upload swims using a compatible device (Garmin, Apple Watch, etc.), or they can be manually uploaded, so don’t worry if you don’t have a smartwatch!

Here is how it works:

  1. Link your My USMS account and Swim.com account (this is required as the challenge is a USMS member benefit)
  2. Find and join the challenge on the Swim.com app (here is how)
  3. Complete your swim
  4. Log it on the Swim.com app
  5. Bask in the glory of your accomplishment, receive your badge on Swim.com, and see where you rank against others 🙂

Hello swimmers!

Hope everyone is well, and enjoying the intermittent beautiful weather (it is New England after all). There are lots of challenges happening at the pool if you are in need of some motivation.

USMS has the Go the Distance Challenge, Masters has the Mount Everest Challenge, and Mount Fitness has the Swim 100 Miles Challenge. Do one, do them all, or even adapt them to fit your particular
fitness level or goals. There are no rules here. The idea is to get (and/or stay) swimming!

The weather is warming, the days are getting longer and hopefully everyone will come out of hibernation and join us at a practice! We’ve got a good size group of all ages on Monday evenings,
with fun, foolishness and a good workout enjoyed by all. Wednesday morning practices are still happening. It’s perfect for getting in a workout early, and having the rest of the day for other things.

There is talk of planning some open water swims this spring and summer. If anyone is interested, please let me know.

See you at practice!

Christine

 Practice schedule – April

w/o M T W TH F S S Schedule Notes

** 16 April Passover

*17 April Easter

04/04 7-9 pm 5-7 am
04/11 7-9 pm 5-7 am ** *
04/18 7-9 pm 5-7 am Housekeeping

Mount Fitness Membership

Check with the front desk about membership options

LMSC (USMS) membership

USMS $48. LMSC $12.

Club-NEM w/o group MWM

MWMasters dues $200.

Due Jan 15, 2022

04/25 7-9 pm 5-7 am
Replace ‘I don’t have time’ with ‘it doesn’t matter’ and see how that feels.

–Robin Arzon

UPCOMING
EVENTS
9 April

 

9 April

 

 

23 April

 

 

23 April

 

 

1 May

 

 

7 May

 

 

1 – 30 June

 

 

28 April – 1 May

2022 Back in the Swim SCY Masters Meet

Mohonasen High School

2072 Curry Rd Schenectady NY 12303

2022 Back In The Swim SCY Masters MeetSkidmore College

815 North Broadway Saratoga Springs NY 12866

23th Annual Spring Ithaca Masters MeetA&E Center Aquatics Pavilion at Ithaca College

Ithaca College A&E Center, 953 Danby Rd, Ithaca NY 14850-7000

The Jason Troiano Memorial Masters MeetMark Twain JHS Pool

160 Woodlawn Avenue Yonkers NY 10704

2022 SJAC Spring Splash Masters MeetNexxt Level Aquatic Center

333 Preston Ave Voorhees NJ 08043

The Meet 2022Nassau County Aquatic Center

Eisenhower Park off Merrick Avenue East Meadow NY 11554

2022 USMS Summer Fitness ChallengeHow fast can you swim a 2K? See how long it takes during the 2022 Summer Fitness Challenge with a 2K swim or dryland workout from June 1-30.

Register and receive an event cap and log your results on the Swim.com app.

USMS Go the DistanceGTD is a yearly self-directed event intended to encourage members to regularly swim and track their progress. Distance is the important metric for this virtual
event, not speed or time. Certain distance milestones also have prizes attached to them.

GTD is on the honor system—you track the distance you swim. Daily, weekly, or monthly, enter that information into your linked
Swim.com app
 or USMS Fitness
Log (FLOG)
. When you achieve certain milestones, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase GTD awards.

There’s no cost to enter GTD. You can register through your FLOG in the My
USMS
 section of the website. Track your weekly, monthly and annual totals online. Once you've entered GTD, your results are automatically included in the public
daily summary reports, and the link to purchase your milestone awards will appear on your FLOG when you reach the various milestones.

2022 Spring National ChampionshipSan Antonio, Texas

U.S. Masters Swimming is excited to finally bring back Spring Nationals to the Northside
ISD Swim Center
 in San Antonio, Texas! Check out the meet preview below to get hyped to compete.

Entry deadline is April 4, 2022 at 11:59 pm Pacific time. See the Meet Information page for more details

At the Wall

Congratulations Coach Ben!!!!!

Ben is now a full time FireFighter EMT for Gardner Fire Department!

 24 November Thanksgiving Greater Gardner Turkey Trot. Ben and Christine are planning to run again this
year. Please join us and bring your friends and family.

We have walking, walk/run and running groups planned.

It’s not too early to start thinking about training for fall activities! more info to come

 2022 Colonies Zone & NE-LMSC SCY Championships Results

Congrats to Jane, Jen and Ryan!

 (If I missed anyone, or an event, I apologize for missing you and please let me know)

 Results are age group

 W 500 Free Jen 4th

 W 500 Free Jane 5th

 W 50 Fly Jane 4th

 W 50 Free 4th

 W 100 Free Jen 5th

 W 100 Free Jane 5th

 W 100 IM Jane 4th

 W 50 Breast Jane 6th

 W 200 Fly Jane 3rd

 M 400 IM Ryan 2nd

 M 50 Back Ryan 2nd

 M 100 IM Ryan 4th

 M 50 Breast Ryan 4th

Hello friends!

Summer is coming and I’m sure many of you will be heading outside for all sorts of warm weather activities!  Master’s is planning on having Monday evening and Wednesday morning practices throughout the summer.  If the 5am on Wednesdays is a bit early for you, it’s okay to show up later, the workout will be on the board.  For those of you swimming at different days and times, there are, and will be, more laminated workouts for you to use.  These workouts include speed work, aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance, and muscular force.  Used correctly, these workouts can make you a stronger, faster swimmer!

Depending on what you need/want to work on, you can use the following information to select the best workout, or workout combination for your fitness goals.

  • Warm-up All works outs should start with a warm-up.  This gets your body moving and ready to work.   Our bodies like gradual, so take your time in the warm-up.   If you need an extra lap, or 5, take it!

Some coaches recommend a dryland, dynamic warm-up before getting in the pool.  A dynamic warm-up is movement and stretching that is held for 2 seconds.  This warms up the body and loosens the muscles but maintains muscle elastin so the muscles won’t be too loose to perform effectively in the workout.

  • Speed Skills These are drills that help you work on form so you can be a more efficient, and therefore a faster swimmer.  Take your time on drills, they are performed slowly and deliberately, with the purpose of correcting form, not reinforcing bad habits.
  • Aerobic Endurance Aerobic means “with oxygen” and efforts here can be sustained for a long time.  This helps you  build a strong base for other types of training.    Zone 2 swimming is aerobic endurance training.  Experts recommend 80% of your training volume be aerobic endurance.
  • Anaerobic Endurance Anaerobic means “without oxygen” and efforts here can only be sustained for a short amount of time.  It builds strength, speed and power.  Efforts here should have equal amounts of recovery time in the workout.
  • Muscular Force This type of training is also referred to as resistance or strength training. It builds muscle, which supports power and speed.   It is usually the last part of a workout before the cool.  Tired muscles invite poor form, a recipe for injury.
  • Cool A cool down is just as important as a warm-up and allows your body to gradually get back to a state of rest.

Stretching is an important and often overlooked part of a workout.  Long, slow stretching is done after a workout to help the muscles get back to a pre-workout state.   If you don’t have time right after a workout, it’s okay to fit it in later!

There are lots of coaches, opinions, and recommendations out there for training and workouts.  My goal was to provide a basic understanding to help everyone find what works for them.

Matt Wilpers, one of my favorite coaches, says,” Train hard, train smart, and always have fun.”

Smart - having the right work out to fit your needs (not wants).

Hard - showing up and putting in the effort.

Fun – there should always be an element of play in working out.  If working out begins to feel like a grind or a chore, it could be caused by overtraining.  Take a recovery day (or 2 or even 7) and give your body, and mind, the rest it’s asking you for.

You won’t fall behind, and you’ll be a stronger athlete for it!

Recovery days are even more overlooked, and under subscribed than stretching.

We are, and will continue, to work on the different types of workouts to help you reach your fitness goals; please join us.

See you at practice!

Christine

Practice schedule – May

 

w/o

 

M

 

T

 

W

 

TH

 

F

 

S

 

S

Schedule Notes

 

*Mother’s Day

 

**Memorial Day

 

 

05/02

 

7-9 pm

  5-7 am

 

      *
 

05/09

 

7-9 pm

  5-7 am        
 

05/16

 

7-9 pm

  5-7 am         Housekeeping

 

Mount Fitness Membership

Check with the front desk about membership options

 

LMSC (USMS) membership

USMS $48.  LMSC $12.

Club-NEM w/o group MWM

 

MWMasters dues $200.

Due Jan 15, 2022

 

 

05/23

 

7-9 pm

  5-7 am        
 

05/30

**

No practice

  June 1

5 – 7am

       
 

Training is absolutely a privilege.

–Matt Wilpers

 

UPCOMING EVENTS  
 

7 May

 

 

 

28 May – 29 May

 

 

 

17 June – 18 June

  

 

1 – 30 June

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Meet 2022

Nassau County Aquatic Center

Eisenhower Park off Merrick Avenue East Meadow NY 11554

 

2022 Somerset County YMCA Masters Last Chance Meet

Somerset Hills YMCA

140 Mt Airy Road Basking Ridge NJ

 

Empire State Senior Games Swimming

SUNY Cortland Holsten Pool

1 Folmer Dr. Cortland NY

 

2022 USMS Summer Fitness Challenge

How fast can you swim a 2K? See how long it takes during the 2022 Summer Fitness Challenge with a 2K swim or dryland workout from June 1-30.

Register and receive an event cap and log your results on the Swim.com app.

 

USMS Go the Distance

GTD is a yearly self-directed event intended to encourage members to regularly swim and track their progress. Distance is the important metric for this virtual event, not speed or time. Certain distance milestones also have prizes attached to them.

GTD is on the honor system—you track the distance you swim. Daily, weekly, or monthly, enter that information into your linked Swim.com app or USMS Fitness Log (FLOG). When you achieve certain milestones, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase GTD awards.

There’s no cost to enter GTD. You can register through your FLOG in the My USMS section of the website. Track your weekly, monthly and annual totals online. Once you've entered GTD, your results are automatically included in the public daily summary reports, and the link to purchase your milestone awards will appear on your FLOG when you reach the various milestones.

 

At the Wall

Congratulations Coach Ben!!!!! 

Ben will be attending the Fire Academy in Springfield for 10 weeks starting the fourth week in May.

We may or may not be seeing him at practices.

24 November Thanksgiving Greater Gardner Turkey Trot.  Ben and Christine are planning to run again this year.

Please join us and bring your friends and family.

We have walking, walk/run and running groups planned.

It’s not too early to start thinking about training for fall activities!   more info to come

Hello friends!

Hopefully everyone has been enjoying a wonderful summer, and making the most of the beautiful weather.

Masters swimming practice starts tomorrow, Monday September 19th from 7 – 8:45 pm.
Masters still has the Wednesday morning spot from 5-7 am, as well.

Ben and I are looking forward to seeing everyone again, and maybe even some of you we haven’t seen in a while?

We also have at least one new member starting, maybe two!

Workouts will accommodate beginners to advanced swimmers, with plenty of new content to learn at every level. Whether your goal is to learn to swim, swim more efficiently, swim faster, improve your stroke form, or find some workout accountability,
Masters has you covered.

If you have any questions or concerns please ask. I’m always looking for accomplishments, interests and activities for the “At the Wall” section of the newsletter, so don’t be shy about sharing.

See you at practice!

Christine

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

OCT. 20 - 23, 2022 - 2022 U.S. Masters Championship - Waterville, Maine

OCT. 30, 2022 - 13th Annual UVAC Leaf Peepers Master SCM Meet - White River Junction, VT

At the Wall
Congratulations Coach Ben!!!!!
Ben graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on the 16 September 2022!

24 November Thanksgiving Greater Gardner Turkey Trot. Ben and Christine are planning to run again this year. Please join us and bring your friends and family.
We have walking, walk/run and running groups planned.


Interested in Finding out More?

Contact Megan by email or call 978-630-9354

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