We had a very productive lesson #4 this past Saturday at Kerr YMCA.  The class reviewed the spearswitch, formerly called underswitch, with a focus on the pause.  Where does it occur?  In the periphery of the goggles next to face. Why is the pause so important?  Because it allows the swimmer to mentally examine their skate position, ensuring they have proper body alignment and balance.  For many of the swimmers, it was challenging to wait to spear.  Rarely does an athlete naturally take the time to maximize technique by a thoughtful pause.  The desire to achieve and perform can be counterproductive, at this point. 

In my previous career, I was a regular public speaker.  Frequently, I was encouraged to pause between significant points in my speech.  Why? To ensure the first comment effectively sunk into the mind of the listener.  If there’s no rush to quality public speaking, there does not have to be a rush when learning and "practicing" TI focal points.  Successful swimming is defined by effortless and efficient technique, and the pause is an essential tool.