I'm not expert enough to offer advice to most people, so I don't. Most people don't offer me unsolicited advice, although occasionally people do--one gent who was obviously a good swimmer, and we often swam in adjoining lanes. I think I may have approached him first, maybe admiring something like his turns. I forget. But when he offered advice, I listened.
The one time I offered advice: lap swim was over, and open had started. When that happens, I usually, hang around and do some water running and such, maybe work a little on a stroke, something along those lines. One man was swimming across the width of the pool (okay since the lap lanes were taken down). He said he'd seen me swimming and that he hoped to be able to join the lap swim but didn't have the endurance. I'd watched him go back and forth and noticed that he'd start very fast and run out of steam, so I suggested he might try slowing down at the beginning. He did so and thanked me. It was clear he was swimming more easily.
In that case, the advice grew out of a conversation--and maybe that's the best way to approach such an issue. I wouldn't presume to offer him advice unless we'd already begun talking. And similarly with the people who have advised me: it usually grows out of some conversation.
I will listen and take note if a person seems to know what s/he is doing. I will be annoyed if it's someone who just wants to be one-up: one woman (who mostly water-walked) called to me at one point when I choked a little on some water after a hard 50, "you need to learn how to breathe."
She tended to want to run things, supervise people, and it had nothing to do with really offering help. So I basically ignored her comment and kept on.
Guess it depends on a person's approach.
I'm not expert enough to offer advice to most people, so I don't. Most people don't offer me unsolicited advice, although occasionally people do--one gent who was obviously a good swimmer, and we often swam in adjoining lanes. I think I may have approached him first, maybe admiring something like his turns. I forget. But when he offered advice, I listened.
The one time I offered advice: lap swim was over, and open had started. When that happens, I usually, hang around and do some water running and such, maybe work a little on a stroke, something along those lines. One man was swimming across the width of the pool (okay since the lap lanes were taken down). He said he'd seen me swimming and that he hoped to be able to join the lap swim but didn't have the endurance. I'd watched him go back and forth and noticed that he'd start very fast and run out of steam, so I suggested he might try slowing down at the beginning. He did so and thanked me. It was clear he was swimming more easily.
In that case, the advice grew out of a conversation--and maybe that's the best way to approach such an issue. I wouldn't presume to offer him advice unless we'd already begun talking. And similarly with the people who have advised me: it usually grows out of some conversation.
I will listen and take note if a person seems to know what s/he is doing. I will be annoyed if it's someone who just wants to be one-up: one woman (who mostly water-walked) called to me at one point when I choked a little on some water after a hard 50, "you need to learn how to breathe."
She tended to want to run things, supervise people, and it had nothing to do with really offering help. So I basically ignored her comment and kept on.
Guess it depends on a person's approach.
