{"id":456535,"date":"2020-12-09T04:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=456535"},"modified":"2020-12-08T14:56:03","modified_gmt":"2020-12-08T21:56:03","slug":"swimming-world-presents-how-they-train-weymouth-club-waves-thomas-hagar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-presents-how-they-train-weymouth-club-waves-thomas-hagar\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World Presents – How They Train: Weymouth Club Waves’ Thomas Hagar"},"content":{"rendered":"

The latest issue of Swimming World Magazine<\/em><\/span>
\nis now available for download in the<\/span> Swimming World Vault<\/span><\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n

Non-Subscribers Can Download This Issue Here<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How They Train: Weymouth Club Waves’
\nThomas Hagar
\n<\/span><\/h1>\n

By Michael J. Stott<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas Hagar is a sophomore at the Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, Mass. He could be a poster child for talented young men who buy into the swim program of a process-oriented coach. From age 13 to 15, his time drops for his best events are impressive: 100 yard back, 8.86 seconds; 200 back, 21.74; 100 fly, 6.82; and 200 fly, 16.66.<\/p>\n

Hagar and Coach Michael Brooks began working together in August 2018 shortly after Brooks arrived at Weymouth Club in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, he was a tiny 13-year-old boy with high spirits and high energy who talked a very big game,\u201d says Brooks. \u201cInitially, his mouth outran his accomplishments. However, it was heartening to know that I had a swimmer with big goals who wasn\u2019t afraid of making them public. And he wasn\u2019t afraid of working for those big goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cA related challenge was when he fell short of his expectations\u2014whether at meets or practice\u2014he would pout and have an existential crisis. Two years later, he has practiced resilience, and he is progressing nicely. He is learning to understand that he isn\u2019t going to be great every second of every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a key moment a year ago when Thomas decided to become a leader. He had been holding back for a while, following the older kids\u2014because that\u2019s what younger kids are \u2018supposed\u2019 to do\u2014even if he was strong enough to pass them. After some encouragement, prodding and mild irritation on my part, he stepped up and assumed the mantle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt truly was like flipping a switch from off to on. His practice performance elevated overnight and has stayed that way,\u201d says his coach.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To read more about how Thomas Hagar trains with coach Michael Brooks, <\/a><\/strong><\/span>
\ncheck out the Swimming World December 2020 issue…<\/a>Click here to download now<\/a>!<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"SW<\/a>[PHOTO CREDIT: PETER H. BICK]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Get Swimming World Magazine<\/em> and Swimming World Biweekly<\/em> FREE When You<\/span>
\nBecome A Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

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Non-Subscribers can click here to download this issue for only $5.94<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Swimming World Magazine December 2020 Issue<\/span><\/h2>\n

FEATURES<\/p>\n

012<\/span> SWIMMERS OF THE MILLENNIUM\u2019S FIRST 20 YEARS (2000-19)<\/strong><\/span>
\nby John Lohn, David Rieder, Andy Ross and Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong><\/span>
\nWorld & American: Michael Phelps & Katie Ledecky
\nEuropean: Pieter van den Hoogenband & Inge de Bruijn
\nPacific Rim: Ian Thorpe & Leisel Jones
\nAfrican: Chad le Clos & Kirsty Coventry<\/p>\n

019<\/span> PROVING THEIR METTLE<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Andy Ross<\/strong>
\nAfter the South African media made several disparaging comments about the women\u2019s swimming team in 2016 when none of their swimmers had qualified for the Rio Olympics, Tatjana Schoenmaker and her South African teammates have been supporting one another and working together to show just how good they can be.<\/p>\n

021<\/span> FIT TO BE TIED<\/strong><\/span>
\nby John Lohn<\/strong>
\nAt the 1972 Munich Olympics, Sweden\u2019s Gunnar Larsson was awarded the gold medal in the men\u2019s 400 IM, edging USA\u2019s Tim McKee by 2-thousandths of a second. Subsequently, international swimming rules were changed to record results to 1-hundredth of a second, allowing for ties among swimmers with identical times.<\/p>\n

034<\/span> MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH CLAIRE CURZAN<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Shoshanna Rutemiller<\/strong><\/p>\n

COACHING<\/p>\n

010<\/span> TOUGHEST WORKOUTS (Part 2)<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Michael J. Stott<\/strong>
\nSwimming has had its share of taskmasters over the years. In the second of a two-part series on workouts designed to push swimmers to their limits are some sets from respected authoritative figures at Germantown, Arden Hills, Bluefish and Florida who have trained exceptional athletes that have excelled on the international stage.<\/p>\n

038<\/span> SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: BREASTSTROKE BREATHING HEAD TIMING DELAY<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Rod Havriluk<\/strong>
\nIn breaststroke, most swimmers learn to synchronize their head and arm motions to breathe and to recover to the non-012 breathing position. However, a delay in the head motion both to breathe and to recover affords benefits of less resistance, more propulsion and a faster stroke rate.<\/p>\n

040<\/span> SPECIAL SETS: DAVE SALO\u2014THE MAN AND THE METHOD<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Michael J. Stott<\/strong>
\nDave Salo has represented the United States as an Olympic, World Championships and Pan Pacific Championships coach and has guided the USC Trojans to 18 NCAA Top 10 finishes in 14 years. But his enduring legacy will most likely be his training mindset that emphasizes race-pace training and quality over quantity.<\/p>\n

043<\/span> Q&A WITH COACH MICHAEL BROOKS<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Michael J. Stott<\/strong><\/p>\n

044<\/span> HOW THEY TRAIN THOMAS HAGAR<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Michael J. Stott<\/strong><\/p>\n

TRAINING<\/p>\n

037<\/span> DRYSIDE TRAINING: POSSIBLY THE 5 BEST DRYLAND EXERCISES EVER!<\/strong><\/span>
\nby J.R. Rosania<\/strong>
\nIf done properly and regulary, these exercises can enhance your stroke, technique, power and speed.<\/p>\n

JUNIOR SWIMMER<\/p>\n

047<\/span> UP & COMERS: ERIKA PELAEZ<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Shoshanna Rutemiller<\/p>\n

COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS<\/p>\n

008<\/span> A VOICE FOR THE SPORT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

009<\/span> DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT THE ART OF SWIMMING?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

026<\/span> HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

036<\/span> DADS ON DECK<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

046<\/span> HASTY HIGH POINTERS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

048<\/span> GUTTERTALK<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

049<\/span> PARTING SHOT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n