With the second stop of the TYR Pro Swim Series only a few days away, we decided to dedicate this week’s blog to all things travel.

From packing to training, Team TYR’s finest are on a mission to help you have your best trip yet. So grab your suitcase and read on below.

Packing

When it comes to packing Molly Hannis is giving you an inside look at what she brings and where she stores it.

In her carry-on bag she typically includes the following:

• 1) Extra suits, caps and goggles in case of lost luggage
• 2) Entertainment: headphones, iPad (or laptop), books, movies, etc.
• 3) Snacks
• 4) A spare change of clothes

In her checked bag she usually brings:

• 1) General clothing
• 2) Training equipment: mesh bag, fins, pull buoy, etc.
• 3) Miscellaneous must haves: compression pants, fins, a large tea mug and a framed picture of her family.

For Ashley Twichell, having a comfortable pillow is essential. So one thing she never leaves home without is a pillow pet. This is a perfect size for long flights, as well as for general use wherever she ends up.

To Leah Smith, travel is all about being comfortable, relaxed and stress free. Aside from packing recovery gear and entertainment, she loves to throw fun beauty products like face masks, lotions and hydrating mists into her carry-on.

Takeaway: Preparation = Comfort

Eating

In the words of Leah Smith, “places like Cinnabon can be tempting.” However, as a general rule of thumb every athlete stresses the importance of packing healthy snacks. For Leah, that typically means fruit or nuts. Similarly, Molly, Katie, Ashley and Ryan all suggested light, nutrient dense treats.

Takeaway: Don’t Skimp On The Snacks.

Recovery  

A day of travel can be exhausting both mentally and physically. To set herself up for success Ashley tries to sneak in a pre-flight workout. If you can’t get in the water before heading out of town, she suggests trying an easy at home stretch or something you can find on your phone.

Much like Ashley, Ryan emphasizes the importance of movement. However, he tends to opt for a post travel stretch.

Another hot tip from Team TYR? Drink a ton of water. Hydration helps to aid in recovery, and keeps your body feeling healthy and energized.

Takeaway: Show Your Body Some Love.

Training

Prior to a big trip, Katie commits to upping her sleep schedule. This gives her body extra time to prepare for the taxing nature of travel. To help minimize potential jet lag, she recommends implementing this tactic a few days before heading out of town.

Similarly, Molly tries to get a head start on her time away by creating a plan for the week. She suggests communicating with your coach before traveling to ensure you bring exactly what you need. Plus, knowing your schedule ahead of time will likely help you to stay on track with your workout regimen.  

Takeaway: Preparation Is Key.

Mindset

With rest always at the forefront of her mind, Katie uses her travel time to relax as much as possible. Being flexible and prepared helps her to adjust plans as needed, so she can remain calm and comfortable. To aid in this process she recommends having fun things to do on the flight. Some of her favorites include listening to music, watching movies and taking naps.

Another tip for getting your mind right while in route to a big meet? Visualization. Sometimes during flights Katie and Leah will each block out some time to focus. For Leah this is an important balance that allows her to feel prepared and happy before a meet.

If visualization, meditation or quiet focus feels uncomfortable for you, Katie suggests  physically writing out reminders to yourself about how you want your race to go.

Takeaway: Believe It To Achieve It.

When it comes to juggling athletics and school, striking a balance between the two worlds can often seem easier said than done. So, if you’re feeling the pressure, we’re here to tell you, you’re not alone.

From knowing where to focus your efforts to making time for rest and recovery, every student athlete must learn to manage their responsibilities in a way that feels most productive for them.

However, it never hurts to hear from others who have been or are currently in your shoes. So, in an effort to score some tips and tricks, team TYR athletes Simone Manuel and Katie Ledecky sat down to discuss their experience. As two of Stanford’s finest, both Simone, who is finishing up her final units, and Katie a current undergraduate student, have a ton of experience juggling packed schedules.

For their top tips on finding success in and out of the pool, read on for their conversation below.

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Only fitting to procrastinate on my post about my last first day of school EVER!!!

A post shared by Simone Manuel (@swimone) on Sep 25, 2018 at 12:33pm PDT

SIMONE: For me, the most important thing was taking advantage of any free time I had. The class syllabus was always such a helpful tool because it allowed me to plan ahead and really stay on top of my work.

KATIE: I agree, proper preparation is so important. It also helps a lot to communicate with your teachers.

SIMONE: Absolutely. At the start of the semester I definitely suggest that athletes be proactive with their professors in discussing when will they be out of town for meets.

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Ringing in the new school year 💍#nattychamps @stanfordwswim

A post shared by Katie Ledecky (@kledecky) on Sep 29, 2018 at 11:17am PDT

KATIE: In my opinion another major component to balancing a packed schedule is taking care of yourself. I rely on proper sleep, recovery and healthy eating to keep me energized, especially when I’m moving through a busy week.

KATIE: I’m also a huge proponent of packing nutrient dense snacks in your backpack for those days you’re on the go.

SIMONE: Yes, when you’re feeling fueled and healthy, the entire experience feels much more manageable.

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That was fun!

A post shared by Simone Manuel (@swimone) on Feb 24, 2018 at 11:17pm PST

SIMONE: I also think it’s important to foster friendships outside of swimming. When you create relationships with your classmates you not only add balance to your life, but you also increase your support circle. Plus, on a practical level, your classmates make the best study buddies.

KATIE: Building those friendships is so special. I really value the relationships I have built with my classmates so far, and I do think it’s been a major benefit to me as both an athlete and a student.

SIMONE: Another thing I learned throughout my experience as a student athlete is that sometimes your efforts just can’t be evenly distributed. This was a hard concept for me to accept, but at the end of the day, it taught me to trust in myself. It may sounds simple, but doing your best is what really matters.

KATIE: That’s so true. Once you begin navigating both school and sports, the process does get easier. You begin to find your groove and learn to show up for everything as best as you can. It’s not about being perfect or competing with anyone else, it’s about becoming the greatest version of yourself- in and out of the water.

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My favorite Christmas Tree. Another quarter in the books @stanford! 🌲➡️🎄

A post shared by Katie Ledecky (@kledecky) on Dec 15, 2018 at 1:32pm PST

At TYR, we believe the work never stops- which is why we’ve designed our series of How to videos to help athletes properly take their training to the next level.

This week we’re doubling down on all things turns. So whether you are looking to perfect your flip turn or hoping to better understand a proper open turn, Team TYR has got you covered.

Check out the videos and our tips below, plus stay tuned for more tutorials to come!

How to: Proper Flip Turn

The flipturn is the most efficient way to change direction during your stroke.

Start the initial movement of your flip during your last stroke coming into the wall. To do this begin by dropping your chin to your chest.

Next, drive your forehead towards your knees, curling up into a ball.  

Finally land both feet on the wall to prepare for your push off. Be sure that both legs are shoulder width apart and in line with your hips while your arms are in a tight, streamline position. Then push and twist your body onto your stomach and continue your swim.

Practice Tip: Knowing when to start your turn takes practice! Use the “T” at the end of the pool’s blue/black line to help you gauge when to begin.  

How to:  Proper Open Turn in Butterfly

Butterfly and Breaststroke turns are very similar. To ensure the turn is legal touch with two hands. The faster you approach the wall the faster you will get off the wall.

Touch the flat part of the wall with both hands shoulder width apart. Lift your head so that your eyes are facing the hand that will stay on the wall.

Bring your knees up to your chest keeping both legs together with one foot on top of the other. Keep the hips low.

Finally, drop one elbow while bringing the other arm over the top of the water. As your arm is coming up, sink the hips and push off into a streamline position.

Practice Tip: To practice proper technique in your open turn, try floating in a streamline position on your stomach. When you’re ready pull your knees up to your chest as fast as you can. Stay in a tight ball until you naturally come to lay on your back in an equally streamline position from when you started. This exercise will help you to practice rotating from front to back.

At TYR, we believe the work never stops- which is why we’ve designed our series of How to videos to help athletes properly take their training to the next level.

This week we’re deep diving into all things breaststroke. So whether it’s the pull down or the kick, you’re totally covered.

Check out the videos and our tips below, plus stay tuned for more tutorials to come!

After propelling off the wall from a push, turn, or start a breaststroke swimmer should complete a proper pulldown. Here is how to ensure you do this with strong technique:

To begin, initiate a dolphin kick. Then separate your hands and sweep the arms out to a point slightly greater than shoulder-width, holding the palms angled toward the pool walls.

Bend elbows, open armpits and reach deep into the water with your fingertips. Sweep your hands in and down toward your feet while maintaining a high elbow position and straight body line.

Once your pull is complete sneak your arms up underneath your torso and chest then over the head, keeping them as close to the body as possible. Then lift your heels and begin your kick.

Practice Tip: Body position is vital to a breaststroke pulldown. To practice, focus on keeping your head, neck and spine in line throughout your pull down. This will ensure proper technique as you swim.

Proper kicking technique is critical to swimming the breaststroke. To ensure you’re using correct technique, there are three critical points to cover- the recovery, the catch and the propulsive phase.

Recovery: Draw your heels up toward your glutes, keeping your legs behind your hips to minimize resistance.

Catch: Turn your toes outward flexing toward the knee, and position your heels just under the water. Keep your knees close together.

Propulsive phase: Keep your heels just under the surface of the water. Use the insteps of your feet to sweep the water back, closing the legs and touching the big toes together to finish.

Practice Tip: A common struggle for athletes swimming the breaststroke is that their kick tends to be too big. To avoid this problem, try practicing your swim with a buoy between the thighs. This will help you to keep your kick tight and narrow.  

There are three phases to the breaststroke pull. The outsweep, the insweep and the recovery. Technique is incredibly important and ensures that you move properly as you transition from one position to the next.  

Outsweep:

-Angle your hands slightly with your thumbs pointing down

-Sweep your hands below the surface, pushing the water outside the shoulders.

Insweep:

-Reposition your hands with fingers pointed down and elbows just under the water

-Shoulders and head should rise

-Take a breath

Recovery:

-Shoot your hands forward into a streamlined position

-Do not begin the next stroke until your first kick is completed

Practice Tip: When breathing during the insweep phase squeeze your shoulders and bring them up to your ears. To insure that you are throwing your body forward through the water into the recovery phase imagine yourself rotating your shoulders over your ears.