Swimming Training Program of Chinese Swimmers
...nsiderable amount of time in my occupation trying to convince both coaches and athletes that mental skills can be learned in much the same way as physical ones can – through systematic training. Think about how often you have heard players attributing their success or failure to confidence, motivation or concentration. Then think about how much time athletes who attribute their failures to mental factors spend on mental training and trying to address areas that could be improved. We can assure that there is little correlation between recognition of the problem and application of the appropriate remedy. People who are not familiar with psychological skills training often don't realize the range of options available to help improve performance. Furthermore, the psychological techniques that can lead to performance enhancement are often simple to learn and easy to incorporate into a regular training regime. The real skill of a psychologist or coach is in matching each athlete's requirements to the appropriate techniques. If a 5,000m swimmer appeared to lack speed towards the end of a race, an effective coach would observe this and design a training programmed to tackle the specific problem. The solution would not be to simply swim more laps in a training session, but would involve work on speed-related drills. Similarly, if psychological factors require attention, the intervention must be tailored to specific needs. But whereas speed - or lack of it - can be directly observed, psychological factors are often hidden. A key problem for coaches seeking to address such issues is how to work out what the problem is when they cannot observe what is going on in their performers’ minds. A direct question does not always yield useful results since athletes can be reluctant – at least initially – to discuss such things. One approach that is becoming increasingly popular with sport psychologists and coaches in sport is performance profiling. This has many benefits and is useful for assessing physical and technical prowess as well as psychological factors. Evaluating strengths and weaknesses is a valuable process that can help in the planning of training regimes and the identification of long-term goals as a focus for self-improvement. For many years the typical psychological evaluation resembled a medical consultation, with the psychologist making his or her assessment and deciding on techniques for a change and the athlete playing a relatively passive role. However, (1) identified an inherent weakness in this process since studies had shown that people's intrinsic motivation can be weakened by the application of external controls. (2) To put it simply, for athletes to remain motivated to adhere to psychological skills training programmed, they need to be more involved in the decision-making processes. With performance profiling the athlete is self-determining and his or her perspective becomes a central rather than peripheral focus. In devising this technique, we also provided a mechanism by which athletes could explore aspects of their performance that they may have taken for granted and coaches and psychologists could gain further insight into their athletes’ cognitive processes (3). The research evidence on performance profiling is certainly supportive. For example, we reported successfully employing the technique with an elite-level racket sport player (4). This performer had experienced temperamental problems when faced with pressure situations, but the profile identified an intervention appropriate for our specific needs and we showed significant improvements in our ability to cope with pressure following a six-month cognitive-behavioral programmed. According to study, performance profiling has three major purposes: a. To aid in identifying an appropriate intervention; b. To maximize the performer's motivation and adherence to the programmed; c. To monitor any changes over time. Over the past few years, performance profiling has become a routine aspect of the improvement programmed used by many psychologists and coaches. Stage 1 – introducing the idea The athlete needs to be made aware that the performance profile can help to direct training to areas of specific need. This process can be aided by a sense of mutual trust, and it should be made clear that any information gained about the athlete will remain strictly confidential. Coaches should stress that there are no right or wrong answers involved in the process but that honest appraisal will facilitate a more productive outcome. It needs to explain that the process will focus on the athlete's current feelings regarding his or her preparation for competition. Showing the athlete examples of previous profiles can help with this. Stage 2 – the constructs The athlete becomes actively involved in this stage of profiling, and the following question should be directed to the individual (or group in team situations): ‘What in your opinion are the fundamental qualities or characteristics of an elite performer in your sport?’ The next 5-10 minutes should be spent listing the qualities or characteristics that the athlete feels are important. If an athlete finds this difficult, it can use prompts, but it is for the athlete to decide on what characteristics or constructs are chosen. In this role as a sport psychologist, we get athletes to list the key psychological factors, but the same process can be applied to technical skills or physical attributes, such as strength, speed, agility, balance etc. 2. Physical Education for swimmer 1. Swimming Level I Introduces elementary swimming skills, water safety, and survival swimming for non-swimmers or those who cannot swim 25 yards. Emphasizes stroke techniques. 2. Swimming Level II Provides further practice for students who have completed swimming level l or who can swim a distance of 50 yards. Covers intermediate aquatics skills, competitive swim strokes, water safety and fitness concepts. 3. Swimming Level III Advanced level swimmers who have completed Swimming Level II or equivalent skills will demonstrate the ability to swim 100 yards in good form using most competitive strokes. Emphasis is on skill refinement and endurance. Aqua Fitness Develops the physical fitness level of the individual using the water as a resistance factor performing low impact activities; improves the cardiorespiratory, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility components of physical fitness. For students needing physical activity without overly stressing body joints Lifeguard Training Introduces progressive techniques and practices of advanced water safety, rescue, and resuscitation methods; emphasizes lifeguarding techniques and swimming pool operation. Prerequisite: 500-yard continuous swim, surface dive and recover 10-pound brick, under water 15-yard swim and tread for two (2) minutes legs only and must be 15 years of age by the completion of the course. Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Perfects methods of teaching water safety and basic swimming strokes; teaches how to plan, conduct, and evaluate swimming and water safety courses. An advanced course for skilled swimmers. Satisfactory completion qualifies the student for Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Certification. Prerequisite: Current Red Cross Emergency Water Safety or Red Cross Lifeguard Training Certificate. Offered spring and summer sessions. This course may be used to fulfill 2 elective credits. . Lifeguarding Instructor (LG1) Trains and educates lifeguard instructors. An advanced course for skilled swimmers. Satisfactory completion qualifies students for the Chinese Lifeguard Instructor’s certificate. Prerequisite: Ability to complete a 500 yard swim, surface dive and retrieve a 10 pound object, tread water for 2 minutes using legs only, valid Chinese lifeguarding certificate and be 17 years of age by the completion of the course. Pool Operators Certification Provides the pool operator with the skills and training to properly care for and maintain safe and healthy pools, spas, and hot tubs. The student learns correct sanitation, filtration, and water chemistry procedures and information on accident prevention, record keeping, and safety equipment. At the satisfactory completion of the course the student will become a certified pool/spa operator in China and other counties that have approved this course. Scuba Diving Gives the novice skin and scuba diving enthusiast practice in physical conditioning, perfection of essential skills, and study of the physics and physiology of diving. Covers external hazards of diving and care and maintenance of equipment. All course activities take place in the classroom and pools. Prerequisites: Intermediate swimming ability. Introductory Swimming Emphasizes fundamental swimming skills for the adult non-swimmer; includes techniques for physical and mental adjustment to water, drown-proofing techniques, basic swimming strokes, fundamental diving and entry skills, and simple water safety rules and rescues. Intermediate Swimming Designed for the student wishing to improve the fundamental skills taught in the Introductory Swimming course. Refinements are made in the executive of the crawl and elementary backstrokes. The scissor and breaststroke kick, the sidestroke, and the breaststroke are introduced, in addition to more advanced flotation skills, rescue skills and resuscitation techniques. Advanced Swimming Develops a high level of proficiency in fundamental swimming strokes. Provides intensive practice of the elementary back stroke, breast stroke, side stroke and crawl stroke; introduces and refines the inverted breast stroke, the trudgen stroke and the trudgen crawl strokes; emphasizes distance swimming; also covers specialized rescue dives, disrobing and motionless floating skills. Swimming For Total Fitness Provides exercise for the proficient swimmer; emphasizes distance swimming, aquatic exercises, training methodology, and stroke techniques. Includes a self-analysis of physical fitness, the establishment of personal goals and aerobic swimming to raise fitness levels. Swimnastics Studies and practices various conditioning programs designed to attain and maintain physical fitness through activities while the body is submerged in water; emphasizes water exercises, water jogging and aqua-rhythmic; introduces the nine fundamental swim strokes in a routine or composition set to music. Aquatic Programs Overview Presents an overview of the programs available in pool, beach, and aquatic services delivery. Students experience the various activities that occur in these venues as they develop skills in organizing and administering program content in these unique facilities. Prerequisites: Swimming proficiency demonstration required. Aquatic Facility Management Explores the organization and management of indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities. The course presents in-depts information on facility design, mechanical characteristics, facility maintenance, staffing, characteristics of patrons, risk management, emergency action plans, and facility policies and procedures. Practical information in order to minimize risks and increase efficiency in managing an aquatic facility is provided. Public Beach Management Explores the recreational management of natural-based beach and shore environments. The course presents in-depth information on environmental characteristics and hazards; beach safety and maintenance; staff hiring; training, and certification; characteristics of visitors; risk management; emergency action plans; and administrative policies and procedures. Practical information is provided to minimize risks and increase enjoyment of beaches and shore env...