Swim instructors and coaches: What do you think about the the progress this swimmer has made? I am neither a swim instructor or a coach; however, this 24 year old watched me swim one day and said he wanted to learn to swim just like me. :bighug: Awwww, I just couldn't resist! He is the second person who practically pleaded for me to teach them how to swim.
Billy is a Korean college student who came here on a student visa and barely spoke English. When I first met him in January, he didn't understand a word I said. Since I started working with him during the summer, he has improved both his English and his swimming quite dramatically. Billy has gone from barely being able to swim at all to this in nine lessons:
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He has learned to breathe on both sides; this is his left side breathing:
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Billy has also improved the path of his arms from swinging very wide to a narrower pull:
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Sure, there are a lot of improvements that still need to be made; however, I think he has improved quickly in just nine lessons. Today, I timed him on a 25 yard sprint and he came in at 19 seconds from a weak push off.
So, what do you think? Is his improvement typical for someone his age or is he progressing at a fast rate? I am hoping to convince him to join USMS and compete in some meets with me after the spring semester. He loves to swim and I think he would have a blast.
As for competing, I think I will first start with a fast open turn. I'm not sure I want to even go there with a flip turn just yet, especially since I have meniere's and get seasick doing too many flip turns. Teaching him would be more of a challenge for ME than it would for HIM! :eek:
Flipturn teaching isn't too bad. Start by standing in the shallow end (away from the walls), and try forward somersaults that return to your feet. Just get the practice of straight over the top, and finish the flip facing in the same direction as you started. A little jump into the flip always helps too. After that work on a flip while kicking or swimming along the surface (just so he doesn't have to worry about contact with a wall). Swim, do the flip. After that, progress into the wall flipturns. Get to where he's comfortable with the flip, hitting the wall with both feet, and pushing off while rotating back to his front again. It won't be pretty or easy (maybe it will), but keep at it. That way he can make fun of tri-guys and noodlers too!! :banana:
As for competing, I think I will first start with a fast open turn. I'm not sure I want to even go there with a flip turn just yet, especially since I have meniere's and get seasick doing too many flip turns. Teaching him would be more of a challenge for ME than it would for HIM! :eek:
Flipturn teaching isn't too bad. Start by standing in the shallow end (away from the walls), and try forward somersaults that return to your feet. Just get the practice of straight over the top, and finish the flip facing in the same direction as you started. A little jump into the flip always helps too. After that work on a flip while kicking or swimming along the surface (just so he doesn't have to worry about contact with a wall). Swim, do the flip. After that, progress into the wall flipturns. Get to where he's comfortable with the flip, hitting the wall with both feet, and pushing off while rotating back to his front again. It won't be pretty or easy (maybe it will), but keep at it. That way he can make fun of tri-guys and noodlers too!! :banana:
