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?
Parents
Former Member
For those considering initiating this conversation in the other direction (asking a "power swimmer" for advice, instead of the initial question asked in this thread) I recommend one thing to consider.
Please don't physically stop the "power swimmer" to ask for help. Wait until the "power swimmer" is done with his/her workout. Even if that power swimmer is stopped between reps, s/he may only be planning to stop for 10 seconds, and your interruption will likely take longer that that -- even just to tell you to wait till later. Further, that swimmer is likely in a mental "zone" of concentration that your interruption would shatter.
Usually you can tell when s/he is done. (Or catch him/her before s/he starts.) If he gets out of the pool, that's a good guess. Or maybe she takes off her cap and is chatting with a lane mate. In the shower is also a good guess. Even safer, in the parking lot.
For those considering initiating this conversation in the other direction (asking a "power swimmer" for advice, instead of the initial question asked in this thread) I recommend one thing to consider.
Please don't physically stop the "power swimmer" to ask for help. Wait until the "power swimmer" is done with his/her workout. Even if that power swimmer is stopped between reps, s/he may only be planning to stop for 10 seconds, and your interruption will likely take longer that that -- even just to tell you to wait till later. Further, that swimmer is likely in a mental "zone" of concentration that your interruption would shatter.
Usually you can tell when s/he is done. (Or catch him/her before s/he starts.) If he gets out of the pool, that's a good guess. Or maybe she takes off her cap and is chatting with a lane mate. In the shower is also a good guess. Even safer, in the parking lot.
