Play Time is Over

If I close my eyes and had to think of what defines mental toughness, what might pop into my cranium?

Joe Montana?

Hank Aaron?

Wilma Rudolph?

Chuck Norris?

Regardless of your inspirational figure, there may be a moment or two in your training where you find yourself asking how your sports superhero managed to be so super.  Maybe today's afternoon training regiment conjured images of taking the place of these larger-than-life gods and goddesses of their respective arenas.  Mental toughness is perfected in practice so it can be summoned when the stakes are highest.  No athlete has ever arrive at a precarious position in a contest and handling it with composure and success without rehearsing that situation when an audience wasn't looking.

INSIDE of the FGCU Facility:

2:00PM - Warm-up

2:15PM - 16x50s(100s) - Dive, Swim, Climb Out, Jog, Repeat on 1:30 - see video of #7-8
• #1, 5, 9, 13 = Free Swim
• #2, 6, 10, 14 = Lengthy Underwater Kick, Short-Axis remainder
• #3, 7, 11, 15 = Non-Free Swim
• #4, 8, 12, 16 = Free FAST

2:44PM - Station I - 3x200s on 5:05 
• 50-meter Medicine Ball Passes Above/Down pool with partner
• 100 Swim - 50 Non-Free, 50 Free
• 50-meter Medicine Ball Passes Above Water

3:01PM - Station II - 5x200s with Fins on 3:20
• odd =10 sec. streamline verticals, then 50 Kick, then 150 swim
• even = 200 IM swim

3:20PM - 100 Loosen

3:24PM 2x300s - closing skilled 200 at 200 pace
3:34PM 4x200s - all at 200 pace

Kelvin rolls the med-ball to his feet while Omar, Steven and Damjan complete the push-up on the sphere

OUTSIDE the FGCU Facility
Competition I - Med-Ball Push-ups/Rolls - each swimmer has one minute to complete push-up, first while grasping the medicine ball with your hands and then rolling it to your feet for an inclined push-up.  You may only do one push-up at a time with either your arms or feet.
Winners: Omar / Kelvin / Aaron / Darell / Keely / Lauren / Summer / Nandi / Goins
High Point: Darell with 28

It always helps to have the Citizen of the Year offering you words of encouragement.

Competition II - Russian Twists w/Medicine Ball - Another grueling test of core strength:  for every time each Bison touched the ground on the left side while keeping their legs up and moving the medicine ball from side to side, he/she was awarded one point.
Winners: Damjan / Steven / Darien / Frank / Monique / Cassy / E'lan / Chelsea
High Point: Darien and Steven with 65

Since both teams looked impressive in their physical skills and since it looked like each might maim their opponents, we dubbed everyone worthy of a first place prize...a all-expense paid trip to Five Guys!  Originally, the losing team would have had to go to Subway, which was worse to some of us than repeating the entire practice.

Our Three Stars of the Afternoon:
#3 - Darien Washington - best practice of the trip - great 200s to close the routine after being the first in his group to arrive behind the blocks after the 50s of jogging.
#2 - Citizen of the Year Darell Hungerford - complete day defined: Chalice Champion in the morning...extra push-ups post practice...great physical dominance in water, especially with stations...High Point Gladiator in Med-Ball Push-Ups/Rolls (7.5.)
#1 - Monique Major - better with every practice - super work in 50s/100s...great 200s to end practice...Lady Bison high water mark in Russian Twists with 59 (8.)

Russian Twists done right.