Since I am sort of forced to swim alone rather than on a master's team this summer I often end up swimming after/before/next to someone who has horrible technique. I'm not nitpicking here, but I'm talking about dragging legs, barely getting arms out of the water, and nearly stopping to breathe on freestyle, or arms that kind of lazily flop down during the backstroke.
The question is, if you see someone doing something like that do you offer help with their stroke / or pointers?
Currently, I don't. But I'm somewhat torn. I don't want to sound arrogant and like I know everything, or to hurt someone's feelings, but I can't help thinking how much less energy these people would expend, and how much more success they would have swimming if they swam correctly. So, what do you do?
Over the years of swimming on my own before I joined masters, it seemed quite common to talk to others in lanes nearby, especially if I saw them on a regular basis. Many of them shared tips for me, and I did for them as well.
One of the best unsolicited advice times for me came from a lifeguard at a college pool I was using for a summer. Basically, the place was dead while I was there, so it was just her watching me. I think she got tired of seeing me struggle, and many times she got in the water to work with me. I learned flip turns that summer, cleaned up my free and ***, got a handle on back...started a little on fly. She even had me practice some land drills for the next time. I bought a swimming book also, and asked her questions about some stroke movements. If it wasn't her, I probably wouldn't have felt strong enough to ever join a masters team.
That said, I'm always hesitant to offer advice. I sure don't want to teach them something wrong... But if I get asked, I do try to help as I can.
Over the years of swimming on my own before I joined masters, it seemed quite common to talk to others in lanes nearby, especially if I saw them on a regular basis. Many of them shared tips for me, and I did for them as well.
One of the best unsolicited advice times for me came from a lifeguard at a college pool I was using for a summer. Basically, the place was dead while I was there, so it was just her watching me. I think she got tired of seeing me struggle, and many times she got in the water to work with me. I learned flip turns that summer, cleaned up my free and ***, got a handle on back...started a little on fly. She even had me practice some land drills for the next time. I bought a swimming book also, and asked her questions about some stroke movements. If it wasn't her, I probably wouldn't have felt strong enough to ever join a masters team.
That said, I'm always hesitant to offer advice. I sure don't want to teach them something wrong... But if I get asked, I do try to help as I can.
