So I'm signed up for my first Masters stroke clinic scheduled next month. I've swam with a coached Master's group for about 2 years now but was never previously on a swim team. (I learned to swim through a 197Os style Red Cross program.) I've competed in one very small swim meet and 8 open water events. In my two years with masters I've learned how to do flip turns, butterfly, streamlines, relearned *** the modern way, and improved my form with free and back. I've had four different coaches giving me sometimes contradictory advice on form. 2 of the coaches focus on form a decent amount the but the other two are conditioning oriented. I've signed up for the stroke clinic in hopes of getting more useful help on form since I'm not getting enough at my home pool.
So my question is what should I expect and is there anything I should do to prepare? I'm a little nervous about whether I am fit enough to last all morning. My typical workouts are 75 minutes rather than half day and 2200-2500 yards - occasionally up to 3000.
Any advice would be much appreciated
I echo a lot of what Gary P says. The good thing about having different coaches is getting a little different perspective from each one. Sometimes a coach will tell you something, but you're not ready to hear it and so another coach will hit it a different way that will resonate. It goes true with both technique and endurance. You learn from each one.
And the clinics that I've been involved with are back and forth with on deck teaching/discussion to learning in the water. You'll be surprised at how quickly the four hours will go by and how much you'll learn. Another thing is if you get an opportunity to do an immersion clinic - one that runs a couple of days (like the Gary Hall clinics or whatever), you get some intensive training. I saw major changes in my stroke/times after that and have been able to hold these changes.
Bottom line, don't be nervous. There are people of all skill levels who will be there with different needs/perspectives. You'll get a lot out of it and the best part is meeting some new peeps along the way.
I echo a lot of what Gary P says. The good thing about having different coaches is getting a little different perspective from each one. Sometimes a coach will tell you something, but you're not ready to hear it and so another coach will hit it a different way that will resonate. It goes true with both technique and endurance. You learn from each one.
And the clinics that I've been involved with are back and forth with on deck teaching/discussion to learning in the water. You'll be surprised at how quickly the four hours will go by and how much you'll learn. Another thing is if you get an opportunity to do an immersion clinic - one that runs a couple of days (like the Gary Hall clinics or whatever), you get some intensive training. I saw major changes in my stroke/times after that and have been able to hold these changes.
Bottom line, don't be nervous. There are people of all skill levels who will be there with different needs/perspectives. You'll get a lot out of it and the best part is meeting some new peeps along the way.
