How do you get faster/ better at swimming.

1.) find a coach 2.) do what she tells you 3.) practice, practice, practice

1.) find a coach 2.) do what she tells you 3.) practice, practice, practice I agree. Feedback from time to time, from a qualified source helps tremendously.

1) 2) Always do what YOU want to do, not what some random coach tells you to do. Often they are totally wrong, and what they tell you would not work for you. Wow. I've been coached by quite a few swim coaches for the last 44 years and have learned many great things from each. Glad my experience has been vastly different than yours!!!

1) I disagree with finding a coach being any type of priority. And also that can be quite limiting. Most important is to do what you want. 2) Always do what YOU want to do, not what some random coach tells you to do. Often they are totally wrong, and what they tell you would not work for you. If a coach supports you in achieving what you want that is fine. If not, then it's better to not have a coach. 3) Keep doing what you want to do, more and more. Of course seek sources to learn how to do better, this is good. Listen to advice that you feel can help you, then make up your own mind what to do.

Obviously you've had bad experiences with a coach or coaches in the past, but there are lots of great coaches out there. Their job is actually to help swimmers swim faster and most of them really want to do this. When I started swimming with the local masters team nearly 5 years ago, there was no dedicated coach. Each of the team members took turn on deck and virtually no one offered any sort of technique feedback. I did get some feedback from a few teammates and I found it invaluable as someone with no swimming background. Within the last year I switched pools and found someone to workout with who is also willing to provide coaching. Receiving constant feedback about technique and being given workouts that are geared to help learn strokes better do make a huge difference in getting faster. So I agree that having a good coach will help you make progress much more quickly.

It is a lot to read, but if you want to swim faster faster read forums.usms.org/showthread.php . If you have access to a knowledgeable coach then that would be the best place to start. Swimming is a very technical sport and it is very difficult to get much better without someone to regularly critique your stroke.

This 1) I disagree with finding a coach being any type of priority. And also that can be quite limiting. Most important is to do what you want. 2) Always do what YOU want to do, not what some random coach tells you to do. Often they are totally wrong... helps me to understand this ... Granted I was a kid, wanted to do well and didn't know any better. But he could have provided some direction on when and where I could swim, rather than being a self serving jerk. That people try to justify coaches being that way is not helpful and simply perpetuates their bad attitudes. As for advice, I guess it depends on what you want to accomplish with your swimming. If it is just a matter of aerobic cross training then just swimming in the lake and increasing your distance may work. The more inefficient you are in the water, the greater the aerobic benefit per mile. If you want to become a better swimmer, then you probably need a coach to help with technique.

Regarding learning to swim from scratch, I forgot to mention that not only is feedback necessary, it also takes time, and determination. It took me nearly 5 years to become a decent swimmer, and nearly a decade to become an average competitor in my age group. The more inefficient you are in the water, the greater the aerobic benefit per mile, but also the greater chance of injury. Efficient swimming form happens to also be the most anatomical.:)

1) I disagree with finding a coach being any type of priority. And also that can be quite limiting. Most important is to do what you want. Obviously you've had bad experiences with a coach or coaches in the past, but there are lots of great coaches out there. Their job is actually to help swimmers swim faster and most of them really want to do this.

This helps me to understand this As for advice, I guess it depends on what you want to accomplish with your swimming. If it is just a matter of aerobic cross training then just swimming in the lake and increasing your distance may work. The more inefficient you are in the water, the greater the aerobic benefit per mile. If you want to become a better swimmer, then you probably need a coach to help with technique. I now have an awesome coach, and he's agreed to help me every day at the pool! Great to hear!! Many All the very best yo become a champion swimmer like Mr.michael phelps