Amanda's favorite workouts are fast ones: "I love getting on the block and doing fast stuff, so really anything time we get to do that." She likes that kind of work because it helps here gage where she is in training, her fitness level, and she enjoys sets where she can "get up and go for it."
On the flip side, the type of swimming workout that she finds the hardest to do is IM training. Amanda said "I find doing IM the most challenging. I have to do a 10 X 400 IMs sometimes and its totally exhausting."
When you hit a low spot during a workout, Amanda recommends remembering that "there are always practices that hurt or you don't do well. The trick is to push through, those are the days that make you stronger." One thing that may help her get through those tough days is her favorite stroke, breaststroke: "I find joy in perfecting it." Another may be one of her coaches, Frank Busch: "(he) can get pretty entertaining on the pool deck, he always makes it memorable."
Amanda Beard, Rapid Fire Questions:
What are a few of the thoughts that go through your mind during a swim workout:"Whats for dinner?"
"How much longer?"
Share a breaststroke technique tip:
"Pretend to reach for your ears with your shoulders, that will help you keep your front half small through the water to stay more hydro dynamic."
Favorite:
Pre-workout drink? "Coffee"
Workout drink? "Water"
Post-workout drink? "Protein shake"
Guilty pleasure drink? "Juice"
Amanda Beard is a featured athlete with USA Sports Clinics. USA Sports Clinics has unique and independent programming for Swimming, Gymnastics, Open Water Swimming, and Triathlon. Not only do they have terrific one day, high energy, once in a lifetime experiences with some of the greatest athletes and coaches each sport, but they offer the ability to fully customize a program, clinic, camp, fundraiser, motivational speech, new facility grand opening and/or personal appearance.
