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Swim Coaches or those trying to give swim advice
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 2011-06-14 6:54 PM |
Master  1441    North edge of nowhere |  Subject: Swim Coaches or those trying to give swim adviceI've always been a horrible swimmer. When I started training for triathlon a year ago, I could barely make 250 meters before I was completely exhausted. My technique was horrible!! I'm pretty sure it's from T.I., but I can't swear to it, but somewhere I heard "lower your head". I did, by bending at the neck. No improvement. My feet were still dragging. I got more advice, this time about "planing". I couldn't fit it in with what I was doing. After a year of (bad) training, I did my first tri and barely made it through the 500m swim. I literally almost quit after 200m. I did the last 200m backstroke because I was so exhausted. My girlfriend was afraid I'd never swim again because I panicked in the water, but I was able to push through it. So, fast forward to today. I got back in the pool and did my usual 2:25/100m. I slowed myself down and wasn't feeling good about my swimming. Then I remembered something having been said about "bring your butt up higher in the water". That little change in phrasing dropped 26 seconds off my 100m time with me expending 85% of the effort. For the first time, I look forward to my next swim session. What I'm getting at is that I've had coaches and teachers say the same thing 100 times and not understand why I didn't get it. A small change in phrasing can make a huge difference. I instruct in a very different capacity and I've seen it there; I find a different way to phrase what I'm trying to get across, and suddenly the student gets it. If I can't figure out another way to say it, I invite another instructor to work with my student on whatever the challenging part is, so that another perspective may find another way to get the idea across. I really appreciate everything everyone has tried to get through to me, but so much of it was said in a way that I didn't get. It was that one change in phrasing, from "lower your head" to "raise your butt" that made a gigantic difference. If your student or friend or whatever isn't getting it, try to find another way to say it and they might see a huge improvement. It's not always that we're THAT dense, sometimes we just don't get it the way you're saying it. Thanks, that's all. |
| 2011-06-14 7:27 PM in reply to: #3549403 |
Champion 7595   Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Swim Coaches or those trying to give swim advice Yes, phrasing matters a lot, and sometimes a novel turn of phrase does trike home in an amazingly helpful way. At the same time, for swimming, I think that there is no substitute for a coach who is watching you and is capable of seeing how you are reacting to the advice, and adapting his or her instruction accordingly. I'm about as far from a swim coach as one can be, but if I told you to lower your head and saw you doing that by bending your neck, I'd immediately know that we were not communicating and I'd try some other way of getting the point across. Congrats on your progress and new-found enthusiasm. Keep it up! |
| 2011-06-14 8:09 PM in reply to: #3549403 |
Pro 6011 Camp Hill, Pennsylvania | Subject: RE: Swim Coaches or those trying to give swim advice Another way to phrase it that I use on occasion is to "push your chest down so it feels like you're swimming downhill." |
| 2011-06-14 8:37 PM in reply to: #3549403 |
Master 1441 North edge of nowhere | Subject: RE: Swim Coaches or those trying to give swim advice I'd heard the "swimming downhill" phrasing before and what it brought to mind was similar to what I experienced with bending at the neck. When I push my chest down, butt up, for me the sensation is different. I believe that I comprehend what is intended by the phrasing, but it just doesn't work for me. As for having a coach right there watching me, I'd love to but I live in the middle of nowhere and I'm lucky there's a decent pool available an hour away. The local pool is less than optimal. I'm trying to dig-up a swim coach in the region, but this region is more cycling-oriented, and just barely at that. |
| 2011-06-15 7:22 AM in reply to: #3549403 |
| New user 104 | Subject: RE: Swim Coaches or those trying to give swim advice As I grow older I see the percentage of people who can teach another human something is actually pretty small. Lets face it, the # of people who can step outside of themselves for long enough to actually assist someone is not that high. It isnt a phenomenon of the western world either, its a human condition. Anyway, I heard the magic 8 ball how should I tell them to swim "put your head down", "gliiiiiiiiiiiide", etc for quite a while before I took matters in my own hands. These things that they kept telling me were not working for me so I stepped back from masters for a while and am working on my technique. What I have noticed is that I cannot "lean on my chest" and obtain what feels like a balanced position. I can however, lean on my core (which to me feels the same as having a surfboard under me) and feel balanced. It also helps me stay taught and with that, connect my pull to my kick. It kind of goes against the relaxed swimming you hear ingrained but I am interested in getting faster and although I have not raced since I noticed these things, I hope I get some positive results. It sure looks like the bottom is moving faster. |
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