Kris GilchristKris Gilchrist

““The Impact of Development on The Impact of Development on Performance”Performance”

The Early YearsThe Early Years

Learn to swim aged 4 Learn to swim aged 4

Competing by age of 8 (in 8 & under) Competing by age of 8 (in 8 & under)

Lots of medals (very few golds - significant?) Lots of medals (very few golds - significant?)

Beaten by closest swimming friendsBeaten by closest swimming friends

Successful group Successful group

Joint tallest/ biggest in class at school but always Joint tallest/ biggest in class at school but always one of the smallest amongst my swimming friendsone of the smallest amongst my swimming friends

Reason for this:Reason for this:

Area? Area?

Earlier developers?Earlier developers?

The Early YearsThe Early Years

Coaches reinforcing 'potential'Coaches reinforcing 'potential'

Focus on technique for late developerFocus on technique for late developer

Being 'primed' (for future success)Being 'primed' (for future success)

Little interest in current successLittle interest in current success

No thoughts of stoppingNo thoughts of stopping

Team-mates success drivenTeam-mates success driven

Lucky to be late developer?Lucky to be late developer?

The Early YearsThe Early Years

How long is a child willing to be a viewed as a good 'potential'?How long is a child willing to be a viewed as a good 'potential'?

How important is 1How important is 1stst taste of success? taste of success?

Club GalaClub Gala

11 & under11 & under

Ranked 2Ranked 2ndnd

Beat the RecordBeat the Record

WonWon

Greater desire to achieveGreater desire to achieve

The Early YearsThe Early Years

New Coach New Coach

Promotion!! (aged 9)Promotion!! (aged 9)

Coach fired/ left (lied on CV)Coach fired/ left (lied on CV)

New Coach New Coach

Demotion!! (aged 9)Demotion!! (aged 9)

Very firm focus on developmentVery firm focus on development

Young squad so no choice but to develop swimmers for futureYoung squad so no choice but to develop swimmers for future

Programme designed for age group swimmersProgramme designed for age group swimmers

Pressure for results (at age group level)Pressure for results (at age group level)

The Early YearsThe Early Years

““Wow! Maybe I'll be as big as him one day!!”Wow! Maybe I'll be as big as him one day!!”

““Kris, when I was your age I was small and puny too. And look at me now!”Kris, when I was your age I was small and puny too. And look at me now!”

The Early YearsThe Early Years

LTADLTAD

Fairly high volumeFairly high volume

Aerobic Base and capacity developmentAerobic Base and capacity development

Skill DevelopmentSkill Development

Training focusTraining focus

Gala every other weekendGala every other weekend

2 Types of Swimmer2 Types of Swimmer

1. People who won all the time and got used to winning all the time1. People who won all the time and got used to winning all the time

2. People who rarely won and got used to rarely winning2. People who rarely won and got used to rarely winning

The Early Years (Final)The Early Years (Final)

Team-mates excelling (girls) – Team-mates excelling (girls) –

Top butterflyer / backstroker / breastroker / freestyler in East DistrictTop butterflyer / backstroker / breastroker / freestyler in East District

8 titles at Scottish Age Groups (one person)8 titles at Scottish Age Groups (one person)

Accustomed to winningAccustomed to winning

Top Squad (with friends)Top Squad (with friends)

Competing at District & National LevelCompeting at District & National Level

Early taste of successEarly taste of success

Highly developed technique and aerobic baseHighly developed technique and aerobic base

PB PB >> Position mentality Position mentality

Teenage YearsTeenage Years

By age 15By age 15

2 swimming competitively2 swimming competitively

Making expected improvementsMaking expected improvements

Coach emphasising potential and hard work ethicCoach emphasising potential and hard work ethic

Early achievers starting to loseEarly achievers starting to lose

City of EdinburghCity of Edinburgh

Feeder squad (1997)Feeder squad (1997)

Bridging pathway to senior programmeBridging pathway to senior programme

Teenage YearsTeenage Years

1. Base aerobic1. Base aerobic

2. Moderate aerobic2. Moderate aerobic

3. Threshold3. Threshold

4. VO24. VO2

5. Lactic Production5. Lactic Production

6. Lactic Tolerance6. Lactic Tolerance

7. Speed7. Speed

PeriodisationPeriodisation

Rest periodsRest periods

7 week cycles:7 week cycles:

Teenage YearsTeenage Years16 Years16 Years

British Age GroupsBritish Age Groups

400 IM focus400 IM focus

Age 100 breast Time 200 breast time 400 IM time

13 - 2.54.0 -

14 - 2.45.6 5.30.7

15 1.12.3 2.36.8 5.04.2

16 - - 4.53.1

17 1.10.1 - 4.49.0

18 1.06.2 2.27.3

19 1.06.7 2.20.3

20 1.04.9 2.16.1

21 1.03.2 2.13.5

22 1.02.4 2.12.7

23 1.02.2 2.10.3

24 1.01.0 2.10.2

25 1.00.5 2.09.0

18 Years18 Years

British Age GroupsBritish Age Groups

BreastrokeBreastroke

BronzeBronze

17 Years17 Years

Bill SweetenhamBill Sweetenham

Freestyle cycleFreestyle cycle

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

City of Edinburgh senior squad at age 18 (2002ish)City of Edinburgh senior squad at age 18 (2002ish)

World Class training partners World Class training partners

Breastroke swimmer training for 2003 World ChampionshipsBreastroke swimmer training for 2003 World Championships

Ridiculous training speed on Breastroke!!Ridiculous training speed on Breastroke!!

The Chase!The Chase!

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

Age 100 breast Time 200 breast time 400 IM time

13 - 2.54.0 -

14 - 2.45.6 5.30.7

15 1.12.3 2.36.8 5.04.2

16 - - 4.53.1

17 1.10.1 - 4.49.0

18 1.06.2 2.27.3

19 1.06.7 2.20.3

20 1.04.9 2.16.1

21 1.03.2 2.13.5

22 1.02.4 2.12.7

23 1.02.2 2.10.3

24 1.01.0 2.10.2

25 1.00.5 2.09.0

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

City of Edinburgh senior squad at age 18 (2002ish)City of Edinburgh senior squad at age 18 (2002ish)

Gregor tait, Chris Jones, Jamie Salter, Kirsty Balfour & Ian Edmond Gregor tait, Chris Jones, Jamie Salter, Kirsty Balfour & Ian Edmond

Breastroke swimmer training for 2003 World ChampionshipsBreastroke swimmer training for 2003 World Championships

Ridiculous training speed on Breastroke!!Ridiculous training speed on Breastroke!!

The Chase!The Chase!

Next season 2.16 (Olympic Trials)Next season 2.16 (Olympic Trials)

Long Term Goal (2010/2012)Long Term Goal (2010/2012)

2.06 LC2.06 LC

1.01 / 1.051.01 / 1.05

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

Using retired training partner training times as a targetUsing retired training partner training times as a target

Training times Vs Competition timesTraining times Vs Competition times

Why am I not swimming 2.10?Why am I not swimming 2.10?

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

Age 100 breast Time 200 breast time 400 IM time

13 - 2.54.0 -14 - 2.45.6 5.30.715 1.12.3 2.36.8 5.04.216 - - 4.53.117 1.10.1 - 4.49.018 1.06.2 2.27.319 1.06.7 2.20.320 1.04.9 2.16.121 1.03.2 2.13.522 1.02.4 2.12.723 1.02.2 2.10.324 1.01.0 2.10.225 1.00.5 2.09.0

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

Using retired training partner training times as a targetUsing retired training partner training times as a target

Training times Vs Competition timesTraining times Vs Competition times

Why am I not swimming 2.10?Why am I not swimming 2.10?

PerspectivePerspective

Recent training partner:Recent training partner:

30.5 average (back to back 50s)30.5 average (back to back 50s)

ImplicationImplication

Target times - National competitionTarget times - National competition

Target times - trainingTarget times - training

Senior SwimmingSenior Swimming

2 types of swimmer2 types of swimmer

People who need to work hard and as long as they achieve their own People who need to work hard and as long as they achieve their own specific intensity / volume threshold, they’ll improvespecific intensity / volume threshold, they’ll improve

People who need to train super fast sometimes. And that is so important People who need to train super fast sometimes. And that is so important that it doesn’t matter how bad or slow they can be at other times. These that it doesn’t matter how bad or slow they can be at other times. These guys are often better if they sack it off a couple of times a weekguys are often better if they sack it off a couple of times a week

Implications:Implications:

Programme focus (training speed)Programme focus (training speed)

Athletes knowing their own needsAthletes knowing their own needs

My ThoughtsMy Thoughts

How do you help create athletes who have complete trust in the coach and How do you help create athletes who have complete trust in the coach and

programme (especially through development) but are also willing to take programme (especially through development) but are also willing to take

their own initiative when they reach maturity and know their own needs? their own initiative when they reach maturity and know their own needs?

How do you keep swimmers in the sport who are early developers and How do you keep swimmers in the sport who are early developers and

accustomed to winning, when they start to lose?accustomed to winning, when they start to lose?

How do you generate appropriate training time targets for swimmers?How do you generate appropriate training time targets for swimmers?

How do you keep swimmers in the sport who are late developers and How do you keep swimmers in the sport who are late developers and

accustomed and accepting of defeat, and create a complete desire to win?accustomed and accepting of defeat, and create a complete desire to win?