Posts Tagged ‘neural circuits’

Proof that *Swimming Makes you ‘Smarter.’*
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on July 7th, 2010

Exercise grows new brain cells. New brain cells improve thinking. The optimal situation is a ‘virtuous loop’ in which you use increased thinking capacity to tackle vexing problems in your exercise.

How I learned (maybe) I’m not a Marathoner
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on June 30th, 2010

I swam two marathons in 2002 and 2006. I swam two more in March and April of 2010. I now question whether I have the stuff – mentally, not physically, to swim more marathons in the future.

Struggle–the right kind– Can Be Good.
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on June 29th, 2010

Better skills happen not by trying harder indiscriminately, but by trying harder in thoughtful, purposeful, targeted ways.

How to ‘Work Your Abs’ While Swimming
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on June 27th, 2010

Thinking about Active Streamlining, rather than “Pulling in your Navel’ will produce a more ‘functional’ engagement of core muscles. It will also do more to “grow new circuits in your brain.”

Why “Weightlessness” Is Essential
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on June 15th, 2010

Relaxing into Weightlessness replaces an inborn reflex to fight gravity with a calmly considered choice to cooperate with it. That saves physical, but it saves even more mental energy. Which you’ll use to acquire other skills.

Learning new skills: Repeat, repeat, repeat.
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on June 3rd, 2010

Adults learn new skills more slowly than kids. But they learn them better over time.

Caution: This Could Become Addictive
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 26th, 2010

How I experienced the “thrill” of nervous system adaptation in the precise moment it occurred during my first-ever practice using a Tempo Trainer to swim at precise Stroke Rates.

USE practice time. Don’t use it UP!
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 25th, 2010

The best way to improve your swimming is to shift from following arbitrary “formulas” for training, to planning sets that produce insight and steadily expand your “critical framework” for planning practices.

How Suzanne Improved Her Speed
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 13th, 2010

By Measuring The Right Stuff rather than Going Harder, Suzanne improved her 500 yard PR by 25 seconds. I did the same and improved my 500 repeat time by 50 seconds in one set.

Lessons from Endless Pool Practice
by Terry Laughlin

Posted on May 5th, 2010

For most of 18 months immediately before turning 55, I was unable to train in the usual way – no timed sets in a regular pool. I was able to tune key details of my body position, alignment, etc, in an Endless Pool. What happened next was completely unexpected.