The battle of the sexes
Men and women can often learn much from each other in their basic approach to swim coaching and teaching mixed groups or couples can often be very beneficial. Men may learn that, maybe they don't know it all after all, whilst women may find that a little bit of belief in their abilities rubs off on them from the men.
Taking responsibility for safety
Most people have very little idea which movements are likely to be harmful and which aren't.
Can a frog on a bicycle help you swim better?
In order for a cue to be effective, it must be clear, achievable and measurable. If it isn’t, the effects on the stroke will be at best negligible and at worst detrimental.
Filming Swimmers: An Opportunity with Challenges
With heightened awareness of child protection and data privacy rules one has to be mindful of the situations where filming is restricted or simply not allowed. The rules are vital for protecting the rights of the swimmer but there is no doubt that they present difficulties for those people who have legitimate reasons for filming.
Mastery In An Unstable Environment
In a 'stable environment, under very easy conditions, in a relatively short amount of time we can teach someone to swim with a particular stroke style and they can be successful for the simple test swims set for them. But if that swimmer needs to use this stroke in competition, or in serious open water, they have not yet done the work to master that skill for the unstable environment.
Let's Hear It For Ears
Only by talking to, and more importantly, listening to our swimmers can we tailor our sessions accurately to their needs and abilities. And the more accurately we are able to do that the more beneficial our instruction becomes and the more likely they are to return. It’s a perfect virtuous circle – but one which often needs to be initiated by the coach.