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
There's one of these USMS clinics coming to the Austin area in a few weeks. Along with the clinic, they're also doing USMS and ALTS coaching clinics. They've sent several emails about it; roughly every week or 2. Not sure if that's what they do for locals, or if they are trying to fill the spots.
I've been swimming with masters groups for about 20 years. I had limited swimming experience before that (I knew how, did a few triathlons, etc.). Over the 20 years, I've swum with some great teams, with fantastic coaches (some have been USMS, "Coach of the year"), and have received an enormous amount of feedback.
On average I might swim in 1-2 meets per year and about the same number of open water events (some years more, some years less). I've never considered myself a, "fast swimmer," by any stretch of the imagination, but when I do compete do it more for fun, and to gauge any progress, or lack thereof. At my age, I doubt I'll ever get any faster than I am today.
The coaches scheduled for this clinic are Mel Goldstein and Bill Brenner. Has anyone swum with either of them and have feedback to share? If you'd rather not post publicly, feel free to PM me. I think I've heard of Mel, perhaps from these forums, but have never heard of Bill. There are some bios on the event announcement, but personal feedback would definitely be appreciated.
I'm just wondering if a clinic would be worth anything to me. The cost is $50. It is half of a day on a Sunday. It is way on the other end of town, nearly an hour drive each direction. I guess I'm just trying to rationalize what benefits I may get out of this for the money, time, and effort I'd need to put in just to get there.
There's one of these USMS clinics coming to the Austin area in a few weeks. Along with the clinic, they're also doing USMS and ALTS coaching clinics. They've sent several emails about it; roughly every week or 2. Not sure if that's what they do for locals, or if they are trying to fill the spots.
I've been swimming with masters groups for about 20 years. I had limited swimming experience before that (I knew how, did a few triathlons, etc.). Over the 20 years, I've swum with some great teams, with fantastic coaches (some have been USMS, "Coach of the year"), and have received an enormous amount of feedback.
On average I might swim in 1-2 meets per year and about the same number of open water events (some years more, some years less). I've never considered myself a, "fast swimmer," by any stretch of the imagination, but when I do compete do it more for fun, and to gauge any progress, or lack thereof. At my age, I doubt I'll ever get any faster than I am today.
The coaches scheduled for this clinic are Mel Goldstein and Bill Brenner. Has anyone swum with either of them and have feedback to share? If you'd rather not post publicly, feel free to PM me. I think I've heard of Mel, perhaps from these forums, but have never heard of Bill. There are some bios on the event announcement, but personal feedback would definitely be appreciated.
I'm just wondering if a clinic would be worth anything to me. The cost is $50. It is half of a day on a Sunday. It is way on the other end of town, nearly an hour drive each direction. I guess I'm just trying to rationalize what benefits I may get out of this for the money, time, and effort I'd need to put in just to get there.
