Any swimmer knows that caps will rip and goggle straps will break, it's just a matter of when and where. Be prepared by having two sets of each, along with an extra suit, in your swim bag. Also, the swimmer should be packing his or her bag for practice and meets as this serves as a valuable lesson in responsibility. 

  What is the easiest way to drop a couple seconds in a race? Some of the top swimmers around will tell you it's as easy as having a good, tight streamline. It is not enough to put your hands above your head and call that a streamline. Many swimmers will initially need to work on flexibility and strength to be able to create that "needle" from the fingertips to the elbows to the shoulders where the head is squeezed by the arms. Keep practicing everyday and you will see the results!
 

When completing a flip turn, remember to straighten your legs and move your entire body into a streamline (think "torpedo"). Push straight or slightly deeper. Think about your kick - if you have watched the Olympics you have seen swimmers perform several quick, strong dolphin kicks called a "shimmer" while on their back for backstroke or through the rotation process for free. Practice your shimmer whenever you swim free, back or fly.

Remember to make stretching part of your daily routine. Below are 3 of the most beneficial stretches for swimming. Obviously there are a lot more, but these are a great place to start. Please make special note of the instructions beside each stretch.
Swimming stretch for the shoulders:
Reaching-up Shoulder Stretch: Place one hand behind your back and then reach up between your shoulder blades.
Swimming stretch for the rotators: Arm-up Rotator Stretch: Stand with your arm out and your forearm pointing upwards at 90 degrees. Place a broom stick in your hand and behind your elbow. With your other hand pull the bottom of the broom stick forward.
Swimming stretch for the calves: Single Heel-drop Calf Stretch: Stand on a raised object or step. Put the ball of one foot on the edge of the step and keep your leg straight. Let your heel drop towards the ground
REF: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/stretches-swimming.php:
 

Top 10 Mental Skills of Fast Swimmers

1. Self-Confidence: You must believe you can do something before you do it.
2. Goal-Setting: Set realistic but challenging goals.
3. Detailed Imagery: Make mental tapes. Imagine the race the way you want to swim it.
4. Focus: Do you worry about your competitor OR do you pay attention to YOU?
5. Positive Thinking: Find good on a daily basis, then  it should come easy at a big meet.
6. Desire: Remind yourself of your goals, and why you are training.
7. Energy Management: To swim fast, you must have the energy and excitement to do so!
8. Self-Talk: Take control of your thoughts so that they are contributing to your success.
9. Stress Management: The best swimmers have the ability to re-focus, stay positive, and relax even when everything seems to be going “wrong.”
10. Keeping Perspective: Enjoy the highs, ride out the lows, and know that you are not defined by what you   do in the pool.

courtesy of
http://www.swim.com/swimming-guides/top-10-mental-skills-of-fast-swimmers-48/

This week I would like to focus on some helpful tips for butterfly. Two things to think about are timing your kick and breathing. There are generally two kicks per cycle. There is generally a kick as the pull begins and a second kick just prior to hand exit. The kick and the chest position must work together or you will be moving up and down instead of forward. With your breathing you want to keep your body as low and flat/forward as possible. As your head tips up enough for your face to clear the water, inhale, then allow your head to follow the natural flow with your arms into the water.

This week's tip is all about breaststroke. Here are some things to ask yourself while you are practicing. Remember, good habits in practice equal a good race. Is my head in line with my spine and am I looking down but forward without bobbing my head? On the pull, am I using my hands as paddles to scull out, then sweep in, then shoot forward? Am I finishing my kick and getting a good glide out of each stroke? Do I get my elbows under me as they sweep in and do I get up as I take a breath?

This tip focuses on backstroke. Sitting up in the water is the biggest mistake made in backstroke: if your hips drop too low, your body creates resistance which slows you down. Imagine you are lying in a bed with your head on a pillow and push your stomach up to the ceiling, keeping your body flat. Although the arms provide power, the legs still help you to move forward. Keep your legs close together throughout a stroke and use a long, shallow kick from the hips, not the knees. Keep your knees underwater and bent a little. Ankles should be floppy, not flexed.

Referance: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/backstroke-swimming-technique
 

Coaches are often asked if we can work on turns in practice. It is true that we need to occasionally take the time to break down the mechanics of the turn, but usually our response to the swimmers is that they should always be working on turns in practice. There are a number of things swimmers should be thinking about each time they approach the wall. Swimmers should be thinking about their breathing into and out of the turn. They should also think about hand and foot placement. The wall is not a place to rest, and a great turn can make or break a race. Remember, "practice makes habit" and if you execute your turns in practice as you would like to do them during a race you will see the results of what has become another good habit.