The thing I like about Rushall's method is that it's based on empirical data. Most coaching is based overwhelmingly on anecdotal evidence ("Bowman is using this for Phelps so it must be good"). The problem is this is taken to the extreme by Rushall. Rushall could have come to these conclusions about training swimmers without ever having personally watched a swimming race or a training session, and that's a little extreme, IMO. The advantage coaches on the deck have is that they are watching swimmers constantly and can see what makes swimmers swim faster. The downside to this is the previously mentioned tendency to believe anecdotal evidence. There definitely needs to be a balance.
The thing I like about Rushall's method is that it's based on empirical data. Most coaching is based overwhelmingly on anecdotal evidence ("Bowman is using this for Phelps so it must be good"). The problem is this is taken to the extreme by Rushall. Rushall could have come to these conclusions about training swimmers without ever having personally watched a swimming race or a training session, and that's a little extreme, IMO. The advantage coaches on the deck have is that they are watching swimmers constantly and can see what makes swimmers swim faster. The downside to this is the previously mentioned tendency to believe anecdotal evidence. There definitely needs to be a balance.
