Courtesy of IKKOS, designers of IKKOS Swimming Pro. Using IKKOS, a swimmer can model her stroke off the stroke of a gold medalist. The results are rapid – often visible in minutes.
1
Go to practice.
There are cool stories out there about gold medalists who don’t go to practice. The stories aren’t true. All of them put in a lot of work at some point.
2
Be coachable.
One of the most consistent attributes of elite performers, which coaches name when interviewed about top athletes, is coachability. Listen to what the coach says and try to do it. They’re the coach for a reason.
3
Find the right coach.
This is possibly viewed as being in conflict to #2, but it isn’t. If you don’t believe in the coach, or they don’t believe in you, go somewhere else. Note: That doesn’t mean if you had a bad season, or you haven’t listened deeply to the coach previously, ‘go somewhere else’. It means, do the work, listen, learn, try, observe, discuss, then decide what is best.
4
Take responsibility for your skills.
It’s the coach’s job to teach. It’s your job to learn. Both coach and swimmer are responsible for you developing world class skills.
5
Develop a willingness to fail.
No one likes to fail, but top performers in sport, business, and the arts consistently display a willingness to fail. A different way of putting it? If you aren’t willing to try new things, you’ll get the same results you have now.
6
Believe.
At some point, YOU may be the only one who believes you can go to the top levels of sport. Having a positive outlook when practice isn’t going well, or when you’re getting frustrated over a new skill, means you’ll be willing to stick it out until you overcome the difficulty. That determination is critical. If you don’t believe it, no one else will either.
7
Fix weaknesses.
Over time, your strengths will reach their limits. Maybe your dolphin kick can only get .01 faster? Or, your start can only get so much better? Or, you are lifting the entire gym? At that point, turning other areas’ weaknesses into strengths offers greater possibility for improvement.
8
Be healthy. You may find your way to the top of your current level eating poorly and not sleeping enough, but, at some point, poor nutrition and missing sleep will catch up to you. This shows up in anything from a loss of happiness, to poor training and recovery, or even injury. Food is fuel to the brain and the body.
9
Educate yourself.
Understand your sport. How many strokes does per 50 does the world record holder in your event take? How fast is a good underwater kicker? What parts of your stroke make you go fast (or slow)? Ask your coach. Do research. You should know.
10
Do everything right all the time.
If Michael Phelps needs to warm up properly, implement coach advice, warm down correctly, and take active steps for recovery, it’s a good idea for you to do it as well.
And, the (+1)
Have a dream.
Getting far in the ‘being amazing’ game of life requires a big dream. Think of what you want as clearly as possible. Write it down! And, go do it.
IKKOS Black Box
About IKKOS
We believe Olympians are made, not brought down from the heavens by the ‘Hand of Zeus’.
The IKKOS Swimming Pro App and our VR Devices have tens of thousands of positive experiences, from Olympians to beginners.
How does IKKOS work?
IKKOS Black Goggles
IKKOS is built upon the most recent research behind principles of neuroplasticity – the ability for the brain to adapt to new environments, tasks and stimuli. Leveraging advances in accelerated learning, highly detailed video footage combined with proprietary audio software helps individuals mirror movements with great precision.
Using IKKOS, a swimmer can model her stroke off the stroke of a gold medalist, or a soccer player can model his kick off the kick of a star from his favorite pro team. The results are rapid – often visible in minutes.
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ikkos-swimming-pro/id970324238?mt=8
Android link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ikkos.swimmingpro&hl=en
Get IKKOS Swimming Pro / Virtual Trainer here
Learn about IKKOS from the CEO and Founder, former Olympic Swimming Coach Sean Hutchison:
Swimming Tech News is courtesy of IKKOS, a SwimSwam Partner.