Swimming World January 2022 Presents – Before The Beep with University of Minnesota’s Max McHugh

Swimming World January 2022 - Before the Beep with Max McHugh

[ Photo Courtesy: Brad Rempel/University of Minnesota Athletics ]

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Before The Beep with University of Minnesota’s Max McHugh

By Shoshanna Rutemiller

When the University of Minnesota’s Max McHugh was unanimously named the 2021 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year, nobody batted an eye. The then college junior had more than earned the title by sweeping NCAA titles in both the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke with times of 50.18 and 1:49.02.

McHugh’s accomplishment was more than a personal one—it was the first time since 1964 that Minnesota captured a men’s swimming title, and the first NCAA title for all of Minnesota men’s sports since 1996.

“Winning at NCAAs has always been a goal of mine ever since high school,” says McHugh. “I was honored to win for Minnesota and for my family. Afterward, I felt like all the sacrifices I made had finally paid off.”

Those sacrifices are something every swimmer feels—from the strict training and nutrition regimes, to the mental focus every race requires.
“Swimming is just as much mental as physical,” says McHugh. “How someone approaches a meet or a race is so important, and it is something I work on every chance I get.”

The Golden Gopher senior (and team captain) took the time to talk to Swimming World Magazine about his typical pre-race routines and evolving view of mental preparation while on the national stage.

HOTEL
The night before a big meet—or even a dual meet—McHugh typically enjoys a movie or video games to keep his mind off things.
“I love to be around my teammates and enjoy time with them before the meet. I will do my typical recovery on YouTube and make sure to eat and sleep well, but mentally I tend to keep my mind off the meet.”
McHugh admits that there is no special ritual or routine he has except making sure that he eats, sleeps and hydrates well before any competition. His go-to food is often Chipotle because it is so convenient and familiar.

WARM-UP
The day of the big race, McHugh does a very brief wake-up swim during the competition. McHugh admits that it’s nothing special, just the typical warm-up his Gopher teammates do before each practice in addition to a quick dryland stretch. But several hours later, it’s “GO time.”

To continue reading more about how Max McHugh prepares for a big meet,
Click here to download the full January issue of Swimming World Magazine, available now!

[Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports]

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FEATURES

012 THE TOP 5 STORIES OF 2021
by David Rieder
While the pandemic and its massive effects on the sport were the lone top story of 2020, the action in the pool returned to center-stage in 2021. Unsurprisingly, the focus of the year’s top stories centers on Tokyo, where the Olympics produced some amazing performances and historic results.

016 2021 ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
by Dan D’Addona and Matthew De George

Diving: Shi Tingmao, China & Xie Siyi, China
Artistic Swimming: Svetlana Kolesnichenko & Svetlana Romashina, Russia
Water Polo: Maddie Musselman, USA & Filip Filipovic, Serbia
Paralympic: Jessica Long, USA & Maksym Krypac, Serbia

018 THE GREATEST WORLD RECORDS IN HISTORY
by John Lohn
As the 2022 campaign gets underway, Swimming World decided to look at the greatest world records in history. No, this is not a perfect science, but the eight records featured are—plain and simple—spectacular in nature and deserve all-time recognition.

020 ISHOF FEATURE: REMEMBERING SAN FRANCISCO’S SUTRO BATHS
by Bruce Wigo
Located on the ocean side of the southerly entrance to San Francisco Bay’s Golden Gate, the Sutro Baths—built in the 1890s by Adolph Sutro and eventually destroyed in the 1960s—was the world’s largest indoor swimming facility and one of the most amazing recreational and entertainment complexes ever built.

024 2021 WORLD & AMERICAN RECORD PROGRESSION
by David Rieder

026 SWIMMING TOWARD GREATNESS
by David Rieder
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus first beat Katie Ledecky, history’s greatest female distance swimmer, at the 2019 World Championships. She repeated the feat this past summer at the Tokyo Olympics, and now has her sights set on achieving even more challenging goals.

029 NUTRITION: CHILLED TO THE BONE
by Dawn Weatherwax
Bone broth is a home remedy worth adding whether you live in a cold or warm climate.

034 MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH MAX McHUGH
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

COACHING

032 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: MAXIMIZING SWIMMING VELOCITY (Part 7)—OPTIMAL STROKE CYCLE FOR BUTTERFLY AND FREESTYLE
by Rod Havriluk
A swimmer who takes full advantage of the propulsive phase and eliminates the wasted time on the non-propulsive phase can optimize stroke cycle time. This article presents optimal times for both the propulsive and non-propulsive phases of butterfly and freestyle with corresponding predicted performance improvements.

036 COLLEGE SWIMMING POST-COVID
by Michael J. Stott
College swim coaches from around the country offer their thoughts on how COVID has affected their sport.

042 SPECIAL SETS: LETITIA SIM—DYNAMITE TALENT FROM TNT SWIMMING
by Michael J. Stott
Coach Jan Mittemeyer shares some sets he has given to Letitia Sim and her fellow senior swimmers at TNT Swimming in Daphne, Ala. Now swimming for Michigan, Sim was 2021’s No. 1-ranked recruit from Alabama and 15th nationally.

043 Q&A WITH COACH BRENT ARCKEY, SARASOTA SHARKS (Fla.)
by Michael J. Stott

044 HOW THEY TRAIN OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST EMMA WEYANT
by Michael J. Stott

TRAINING

031 DRYSIDE TRAINING: READY, SET, GO!
by J.R. Rosania
With the new year, it’s time to think about what lies ahead and how to begin preparation for winter and early spring racing. This month’s dryland article focuses on exercises for each stroke and some explosive and core training exercises.

JUNIOR SWIMMER

039 GOLDMINDS: THE ART OF SWIMMING
by Wayne Goldsmith
The key to fast swimming is to follow the coach’s leadership and guidance, but it’s also important to choose and make the workout special and unique just for you.

047 UP & COMERS: MAXIMUS WILLIAMSON
by Shoshanna Rutemiller

COLUMNS

008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT

009 DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT OSCAR NORIN, CHAMPION HIGH DIVER OF THE WORLD?

041 THE OFFICIAL WORD

046 MOMS AT MEETS: BETH CURTISS

048 GUTTERTALK

049 PARTING SHOT

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