Simply Swimming

[geochuck]

A master swimmer, a former Olympian said George! what I like about your coaching is that you make it so simple.

I really believe in just simply swimming. Many of the coaches use terms that you need a guide book to follow what they are talking about. I like to give a work out that is simple and they don't have to look at a board to see what has to be done next.

I never have to go to the end of the pool and explain the workout. This gives me time to watch every swimmer. During the workout I take one or two swimmers out of their group and work their stroke tech.

I like it simple.

George

[Guvnah]

I like your style, George!

Sometimes it's frustrating to join in with a new masters team, and they're doing all these things I've never heard of. "Wazzat? Ten inverse pyramid fartlicks in 2:30 on 2:45, one breath, left leg only..." (Sounds like some of the odd poker games some people call, with all sorts of wild cards (that might change in the middle of the game...)) Sigh...

One team does (what seems to me) an odd series of sets. They don't specify a distance. They specify a time. Then you swim as far as you want in that time and rest the remainder of the time. And it's a series of times that increase and then decrease (such as 1:45, 2:00, 2:15 ... 3:00 and then back down), with 100s on 2:00 in between each time. The messy part to it is that some people will do an even number of lengths (such as 200 yards if the time is 2:45) and others will do an odd number (7 or 9 lengths) so that people start getting spread out at both ends of the pool (even though they match up swimmers with similar capabilities in a given lane.) Chaos, if you ask me.

[geochuck]

After a good wu I have used the 5 minute swim. If we have a poor turnout, 2 each Lane 10 swimmers I blow the whistle at the start. They go for five minutes I blow the whistle at the end, some do 15, some as many as 20, they rest and another group starts. Then repeats, as many as 4, then warm down. They keep track of their own number of lengths for the next time we do this.

George