The latest issue of Swimming World Magazine
is now available for download in the Swimming World Vault!
Non-Subscribers Can Download This Issue Here
Special Sets: Tough Sets the Don Swartz Way
By Michael J. Stott
Don Swartz, now at North Bay Aquatics, was Rick DeMont’s coach at Marin Aquatic Club in the early 1970s when he set world records in the 400 and 1500 meter freestyle.
The halcyon era was a time of mega yardage being done by the likes of DeMont and fellow Olympians Brian Goodell, Bobby Hackett and Australia’s Steven Holland. When it came to designing tough sets, you could say that Swartz had a front row seat.
Don Swartz began his club coaching career at Ladera Oaks Aquatic Club in northern California. However, he is best known for coaching Rick DeMont to a 1972 Olympic team berth and world records in the 400 meter freestyle (3:58.18, Aug. 6, 1972, U.S. Olympic Trials) as well as the 1500 (15:52.91, Sept. 9, 1973, Belgrade World Championships).
These days, ASCA Hall of Famer Swartz coaches at North Bay Aquatics with his former swimmer (and brother of Rick) Ken DeMont. A deep, introspective and inspirational thinker, Swartz is credited with introducing cycle training to the aquatic world. It is a process that he still employs with impressive results.
Swartz coached two Olympians: DeMont and Robin Backhaus. “I wrote down every workout that whole crew ever did,” he says. “A swimmer makes a set tough by rolling up his sleeves and being willing to take advantage of the opportunity. We only trained hard three days a week. I was more interested in athletes exploring the boundaries of their uncomfortableness.
“One set we did was done with a one-minute buffer—i.e., if you could do 100 on 1:10, you could do six in seven minutes. If you could do 100 on 1:02, you’d get 30 done. If you could average 1:01, you could do 60.
“Rick did 60 once. Remember: This is in the early ’70s. Two weeks later, he attempted it again to see if he could do more. It was that kind of experimentation we thrived on,” says Swartz.
[PHOTO BY MINE KASABOGLU/ISL]
Get Swimming World Magazine and Swimming World Biweekly FREE When You
Become A Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
New! 30 Day Membership to ISHOF AND Digital Swimming World Subscription for just $10 a month!
Want more? Get a 1 Year ISHOF Family Membership With Swimming World Print AND Digital Subscription Order Now!
Non-Subscribers can click here to download this issue for only $5.94-
Swimming World Magazine January 2021 Issue
FEATURES
011 A YEAR LIKE NONE OTHER
by Dan D’Addona
The top story of 2020—the COVID-19 pandemic—impacted all of the year’s stories in aquatics…from age group, high school, college and Masters competition all the way to the Olympics!
012 THE TOP 10 PERFORMANCES OF THE MILLENNIUM’S FIRST 20 YEARS (2000-19)
by John Lohn
One month after we selected the Swimmers of the Millennium (to this point), we have picked the top 10 performances of the millennium’s first 20 years. The swims that were selected were not just based on speed, but carried a certain level of significance or marked a defining moment in the sport.
020 TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
by David Rieder
Michael Andrew has been the target of criticism the last seven-and-a-half years for his decision to turn pro at 14, his unique training style (USRPT), his training plan and more. But he’s also enjoyed success along the way and is ready to move to the next level as he prepares to qualify for the 2021 Olympics.
024 WHO “SHOT” THE SWIMMERS?
by Bruce Wigo
This is the first part of a series that highlights an International Swimming Hall of Fame exhibit showing the history of swimming through the eyes of the photojournalists who have covered the aquatic sports for more than 150 years.
028 A SHOOTING STAR IN SEOUL
by John Lohn
American Matt Biondi had it all. The physique. The pure talent. The inner drive. Add those traits together, and it is no surprise that Matt Biondi—over the span of three Olympiads—cultivated one of the finest careers the sport has ever seen.
031 2020 WORLD & AMERICAN RECORD PROGRESSION
compiled by Andy Ross
033 NUTRITION: IF YOU WANT TO BE AN OLYMPIAN OR WORLD CHAMPION, THEN TRAIN LIKE ONE!
by Dawn Weatherwax
A strong immune system means fewer days out of the water.
038 MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH OLIVIA SMOLIGA
by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COACHING
015 SELLING PROCESS TO SWIMMERS (Part 1)
by Michael J. Stott
In 1993, Swedish cognitive psychologist Anders Ericsson wrote that greatness wasn’t born, but grown. His ideas later formed the basis for the “10,000-hour rule” described in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Outliers” (2008), which holds that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a skill or field. Known by the term, “process,” to coaches, Swimming World details how they use that learning curve to improve the performance of their swimmers.
036 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE FOR SPRINT AND DISTANCE (Part 1)
by Rod Havriluk
Many sources suggest that swimmers use a different freestyle technique for sprint and distance events. However, science (both physics and research) shows us that a swimmer can optimize performance in events of all distances by using the same arm motion with a different arm coordination.
040 SPECIAL SETS: TOUGH SETS THE DON SWARTZ WAY
by Michael J. Stott
Don Swartz, now at North Bay Aquatics, was Rick DeMont’s coach at Marin Aquatic Club in the early 1970s when he set world records in the 400 and 1500 meter freestyle. The halcyon era was a time of mega yardage being done by the likes of DeMont and fellow Olympians Brian Goodell, Bobby Hackett and Australia’s Steven Holland. When it came to designing tough sets, you could say that Swartz had a front row seat.
043 Q&A WITH COACH KATIE ROBINSON
by Michael J. Stott
044 HOW THEY TRAIN MIRIAM GUEVARA
by Michael J. Stott
TRAINING
035 DRYSIDE TRAINING: RESOLUTIONS FOR SWIMMING FASTER IN 2021!
by J.R. Rosania
JUNIOR SWIMMER
047 UP & COMERS: LEVENIA SIM
by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COLUMNS
008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
027 DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT SPORTS CARTOONS?
042 THE OFFICIAL WORD
046 GUTTERTALK
048 PARTING SHOT
Swimming World is now partnered with the International Swimming Hall of Fame. To find out more, visit us at ishof.org