Insights

Come to Your Senses — Fast Forward

Figure 10. World Champions Claire Curzan and Kate Douglass (right) (Credit: Mike Lewis) In Douglass, K., Lamb, A., Lu, J., Ono, K., & Tenpas, W. (2024). Swimming in Data. The Mathematical Intelligencer, 46(2), 145-155.

“Force applied in any direction other than forward is not helping an athlete achieve their dream of Olympic gold.”

—Kate Douglass, Professional Swimmer, 15-time NCAA Champion, 5-time Olympic medalist.

 

I love this quote from Kate Douglass. It is like the singular, simplistic phrases we have talked about previously. “Keep eye on ball”, from Hashim Khan, the champion squash player. “Keep your mind in the boat”, from George Pocock, champion boat builder and rowing coach.

There is magic in simplistic phrases. As always, there is magic in words, and to prompt change, there is importance in the accuracy of the message. The message benefits from being logically astute. Phrases that often leave the brain saying, “Of course, why would you do anything else!?”

Knowing what to do, in competitive swimming don’t use any force other than forward, is certainly important. Using the phrase to transform your movement, behavior, or performance to something new can be game changing. Doing it regularly and for many things can be life changing.

The curious gap between what we know, in competitive swimming don’t use any force other than forward, and what we do is the challenge. Filling the gap usually involves combinations of decisions and practice. One of the most influential areas is our sensory awareness.

In Kate Douglass’s swimming preparation, they use body sensors, video interpretation and mathematical algorithms to calculate areas to improve a swimmer’s performance. If you are interested in the complexity of this training read Douglass’s paper, Swimming in Data (linked here). The paper is fascinating. It is essential that Douglass see, hear, and feel the information from the data and then see, hear, and feel the needed changes for her movement.

Figure 8. Kate Douglass in streamline in October 2023.(Credit: Ken Ono) In Douglass, K., Lamb, A., Lu, J., Ono, K., & Tenpas, W. (2024). Swimming in Data. The Mathematical Intelligencer, 46(2), 145-155.

Keenly, Douglass relates that the data did not help her swim better and faster, but that the data helped her be aware of what she needed to do to swim better and faster. She was tuned in to what she needed to do, and she could make the needed changes.

We cannot control our current physical or mental abilities. What we can control is our sensory awareness. The more you train your ability to see, hear, and feel, the better you will see, hear, and feel. The better you see, hear, and feel influences your ability to make needed changes for your performance.

What performance or activity would you like to improve?

What are you doing to train your sensory awareness?

A good start is to re-read the sensory awareness chapter of The Power of Doing What Matters or the sensory awareness training section.

Kate Douglass has used her ability to “tune in” to use forces that only move her forward. Her precision is remarkable and has led her to become one of the most successful women swimmers in history.

In the coming weeks we will continue to explore concepts and practice of sensory awareness that can have you using your forces for no other direction than forward.

 

Reach for the stars,

Clayton Skaggs

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