Gerald, 58, came to me and practically begged me to teach him how to swim. He is new in our community and had been watching me swim while he lifted weights in the gym. Although Gerald used to fool around in the water with his identical twin brother when they were kids, he had only swum underwater and never learned any of the strokes.
Well, Gerald recently heard from his brother that he learned how to swim. To rub salt in the wound further, Gerald's brother bragged about swimming at hotel pools when they travel. :blah: Needless to say, Gerald is highly motivated to catch up to his brother, especially before bro comes to visit Gerald and his wife here in the community.
Although I have taught two people how to swim, I am not a certified instructor, but I have been using the USMS Swimming Saves Lives Foundation Adult-Learn-To-Swim Volunteer Teacher Swim Lesson Guide.
We started just three weeks ago, and here is a video from today's 7th lesson:
www.youtube.com/watch
(Although he has also added breathing, this video shows his stroke better.)
As you can see, when he is kicking and moving forward, he is able to stay on the surface. The thing is, he can't float! This former football player is solid muscle, and he sinks like a rock! Seriously. Air in the lungs? Check. Chin and belly up? Check. Shoulders and lungs pressed back? Check. Relaxed? Check. He is very comfortable underwater, so he doesn't mind going under, but he won't rise to the surface once he's down! On a push off the wall and a "Superman" glide, he looks great-- until he comes to a complete stop on the BOTTOM of the pool (which is 5 feet deep). He'll just lay there until he runs out of breath. When he does stand up, we both just laugh!
This guy is DEDICATED and wants swimming to become his main fitness focus. He has practiced every single day since our first lesson in late May, and he is determined. Between his dedication, determination, size 15 feet, and long fingers; I think he'll be a really good swimmer. In fact, I told him if he keeps up the good work, I'll bring him with me to compete at the Georgia Senior Olympics, in September! :cheerleader:
Any ideas on how I can get Gerald to float without supporting him? :help: He even sinks with my pull buoy! :bouncing:
Any ideas on how I can get Gerald to float without supporting him? :help: He even sinks with my pull buoy! :bouncing:
Elaine, that's terrific and it sounds like he has made a lot of progress. Take a look at Gerald's kick. He has big feet that are acting like brakes because he is not pointing his toes and feet. Also he needs to kick from his hip. I find this is an issue with many of the young kids I work with. Swimmers need to point there toes like ballerinas. Also most peopl seem to have a natural inclination to kick from the knee. I would have him working on a board pointing his toes and kicking from the hip. They don't need to be big kicks but rather shorter kicking from the hip. I hope this helps.
Elaine, that's terrific and it sounds like he has made a lot of progress. Take a look at Gerald's kick. He has big feet that are acting like brakes because he is not pointing his toes and feet. Also he needs to kick from his hip. I find this is an issue with many of the young kids I work with. Swimmers need to point there toes like ballerinas. Also most peopl seem to have a natural inclination to kick from the knee. I would have him working on a board pointing his toes and kicking from the hip. They don't need to be big kicks but rather shorter kicking from the hip. I hope this helps.
Thanks, Stewart! Actually, I have been preaching "Kick from the hip!" since the beginning. When he holds on to the wall and kicks, he kicks from the hip beautifully-- if you don't look at his feet. When he swims, he is thinking about too much at the same time, and his kick goes out the window. I have been encouraging him to think of just one thing at a time, and to stay relaxed.
As for his toes, those are his pointed toes! I checked his flexibility on land before we ever got in the pool, and this guy is as stiff as a board. He couldn't make a foot circle if a gun was put to his head! Needless to say, I have encouraged him to make dynamic stretching an important part of his pre-swim routine, and static stretching his post-swim routine. In addition, I encouraged him to do foot circles when he watches TV at night.
His upper body is very inflexible, too. He can't get into a streamline position at all. His elbows bend, and his arms stay out far from his ears. That's on land, too! He watches me doing yoga, and you can practically see tears in his eyes from the pain he imagines if he attempted the same thing. :afraid:
I am not a big fan of fins because I think they can become a crutch however maybe some time spent using short fins with a board won't really help with both Gerald's ankle inflexibility and kicking from the hip. I think if he can fix his kick a lot of his other Swimming challenges will solve themselves. Good luck.
I am not a big fan of fins because I think they can become a crutch however maybe some time spent using short fins with a board won't really help with both Gerald's ankle inflexibility and kicking from the hip. I think if he can fix his kick a lot of his other Swimming challenges will solve themselves. Good luck.
That's a good idea. I had been so concerned with "toys" becoming crutches that I hadn't considered how fins could help with his ankle flexibility. They will also help with buoyancy, so perhaps fins would be a good confidence booster during these early stages of swimming. THANKS! :D
Just starting, he is picking up swimming fast!
He has a solid 6- beat kick. with better propulsive ankle flex, I bet he would rise up flat on the water.
Way to go Elaine!
Thanks, Steve! The day I shot that video, I taught him the 1-2-3 cadence of kick/stroke. He had been kicking too fast to the point where his legs were tensing up and it looked like they were vibrating! This particular lesson stuck well-- as long as he doesn't breathe. When he adds breathing, the frenetic kick starts again! He feels the difference, though, and with practice, he'll be able to put it all together and relax. :agree:
I hate fins, and my kick is the pits, but when I use them even for a few laps, my kick and ankle flexibility improve exponentially. Bless you, Elaine, for helping this lovely man. Wish I lived close enough to come swim with the two of you. If I may suggest, he could try a Pilates mat class or very gentle yoga for flexibility. There's a form of yoga, Kripalu, that is perfect for people like him (and me) who aren't flexible. It's very gentle. Age takes away our flexibility, but when I was taking Kripalu Yoga I was amazed at how quickly I improved.
I hate fins, and my kick is the pits, but when I use them even for a few laps, my kick and ankle flexibility improve exponentially. Bless you, Elaine, for helping this lovely man. Wish I lived close enough to come swim with the two of you. If I may suggest, he could try a Pilates mat class or very gentle yoga for flexibility. There's a form of yoga, Kripalu, that is perfect for people like him (and me) who aren't flexible. It's very gentle. Age takes away our flexibility, but when I was taking Kripalu Yoga I was amazed at how quickly I improved.
Thanks, Denise! I appreciate the suggestions and fin endorsement! Since I started teaching myself yoga in January, I have been amazed at how much more flexible I have become. I am now a huge proponent of including it in dryland to improve swimming, and I have encouraged Gerald to try it. Although he didn't warm up to the idea (hated it, actually!), I at least was able to convince him to stretch and taught him several good static stretches to increase his flexibility.
I will research Kripalu and show Gerald some more "stretches" he can do. Perhaps by leaving the word "yoga" out of the discussion and showing him how these "stretches" can improve his stroke technique, he will keep an open mind. ;)
Just starting, he is picking up swimming fast!
He has a solid 6- beat kick. with better propulsive ankle flex, I bet he would rise up flat on the water.
Way to go Elaine!
he looks strong and eager. He wants to BEAT his BROTHER.
1st
Have him do a 25 freestyle as fast as he can for time, time him with a stop watch or your iphone.
TELL him to swim as fast as you can and DON'T give him any other instructions.
Get his time.
Also Watch him swim and look for easy things to correct.
Let him REST.
Give him a few short simple instructions on how to swim faster
THEN have him RACE another 25 freestyle for time.
Compare the times.
Don't tell him this stuff until after he does his 1st 25 for time.
1st Get him to wear a jammer and not that baggy suit.
2nd Teach him how to do a proper push off streamline glide into a breakout, he started swimming about 5 or 6 feet off the wall and should glide 12 to 15 feet before he takes his 1st stroke. He should do a correct push off EVERY time he pushes off the wall
3rd have him watch and copy the most graceful freestyle youtube video
4th his legs sink because he's not kicking properly, he should copy the kick in the youtube
There's more. Keep it simple and progressive.
he looks strong and eager. He wants to BEAT his BROTHER.
1st
Have him do a 25 freestyle as fast as he can for time, time him with a stop watch or your iphone.
TELL him to swim as fast as you can and DON'T give him any other instructions.
Get his time.
Also Watch him swim and look for easy things to correct.
Let him REST.
Give him a few short simple instructions on how to swim faster
THEN have him RACE another 25 freestyle for time.
Compare the times.
Don't tell him this stuff until after he does his 1st 25 for time.
1st Get him to wear a jammer and not that baggy suit.
2nd Teach him how to do a proper push off streamline glide into a breakout, he started swimming about 5 or 6 feet off the wall and should glide 12 to 15 feet before he takes his 1st stroke. He should do a correct push off EVERY time he pushes off the wall
3rd have him watch and copy the most graceful freestyle youtube video
4th his legs sink because he's not kicking properly, he should copy the kick in the youtube
There's more. Keep it simple and progressive.
Hey, Ande! :wave: I missed you at Nationals. Since you were the one to call me "Elaine-iaK," I always think of you when I add a post to my blog. Check this post out; you'll appreciate it, I'm sure: elaineiakstravels.wordpress.com/.../
Thanks for the suggestions! I have taught Gerald the the proper push off & streamline glide, but he conveniently "forgot" to do it for this video clip. (He's still not comfortable with it yet, because it's a lot to think about.) Gerald understands it's quicker, though, so I'm sure he'll add it in as he gets more used to swimming. (He only started learning how to swim a couple of weeks prior to this video being shot!)
I had also sent him this video when I first started giving him lessons: www.youtube.com/watch
As for jammers, I had also sent him a Swim Outlet link to jammers that are even on sale. I'm hoping he orders a pair, because those trunks are like a drag suit!
We won't be able to meet up again for about one month due to each of us traveling, but I will time him when we meet again. He is super motivated and even chose a hotel at his destination based on the available POOL! :applaud: I can't wait to see how he has progressed by then, and I'll bet he will be ready for the Georgia Senior Olympics on September 16th! I am strongly encouraging him to make that meet a goal, so he can qualify for 2017 National Senior Games in Birmingham. :cheerleader:
Hopefully, I can also get him to join USMS and join me at area swim meets! :banana:
