Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

DianaC — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 10:11:58 GMT

Our coaches write the workout on a white board. There are two - one has a bit longer workout than the other, and different intervals. But most people do what they want/can anyway - this is masters! My problem was that I couldn't see the white board, so I went to a scuba shop and bought a white "scuba slate". It's a little plastic white board, and you write on it with a pencil, and erase it with a regular eraser. It's made for diving, so the writing doesn't come off. So when I get to the pool, I jot the workout down on my little white slate, and keep it by my lane. This is a really handy little gadget. I know what I am supposed to do, and I can take it home and record what I did for workout that day (yardage, sets, etc). I dont have to try to remember everything we did. I have logged every workout for almost the last two years. I also use it to write my own little workouts before I go to the pool for non-Masters days. It is really cool!

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 05:29:47 GMT

I bought mine at Dixieline, Home Depot and Lowes have it too. Dixieline cut it for me. You could use a utility knife its a score and snap kind of thing but Dixieline used a saw.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 14:57:48 GMT

Thanks for the great feedback! Do you buy that bathroom panel stuff at a place like Lowe's or Home Depot? Do you need heavy duty scissors to cut it up into individual, lane-sized pieces?

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 05:14:57 GMT

If you want a cheap white board, get a bathroom panel I got one 4ft/8ft for $10 you could have it cut into smaller pieces to make indivdual lane boards. I don't use mine for swimming but have used my bathroom panel whiteboard for 5 years and its still going strong.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Jim Clemmons — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 02:45:20 GMT

Actually "loud" and "yell" are different to me. Let me be clear on this: Brian does not yell. At me. I'm a product of the "System" - I do the exercise as prescribed. It takes less energy to swim with the current as opposed to it.:) Actually, I've never heard him raise his voice in a "yelling" manner to (or at) any swimmer. If I'd been on the deck though, I'da been yelling at some of 'em!

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 14:50:05 GMT

Our coaches tell us verbally the work and write it on the board ... I seriously think I look at the board between every rep ... when we do certain sets where the swim is always chaning I have to look at the board, plus I like to concentrate on one swim at a time ... If it's straight 10 x 100 then I don't need to look, but if it's constantly changing then I do ... wow that was wordy ... I don't like the idea of the entire workout written out for you ... I don't want to know what's coming ...

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

some_girl — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 11:06:07 GMT

I'm a visual learner: I really need stuff written down. One group I swim with tells us, and I always have to make the coach repeat it like five times. It matters less if you have a good lane leader, but some people are really appalling leaders: they lose count, forget the set, etc.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Karen Duggan — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 10:46:33 GMT

Bryan yell? I just couldn't picture that. He's so mild-mannered. :p Kerry puts our workout on a 2' x 3' whiteboard and attaches it to one of the equipment carts so he can roll it from one lane to another. It lives pretty much in the center lanes, but we can all see it- he writes pretty big and legibly. The workouts are also verbal and he explains them well and repeats the sets often. The only differences in our workouts (former Olympian to novice is the interval, so they don't have to be written; even between the lanes sometimes one lane will do a 1:10 interval and the next lane will do 1:15, and if you want to go faster or slower move over a lane). Our workouts run very smoothly, everybody knows what's up- it's great. And I have NEVER, in almost 13 years, heard Kerry yell :p Hey Jim maybe if you swam faster he wouldn't yell? LOL I too grew up being TOLD what to do, but I think the whiteboard is nice so I can remind myself instead of having to ask again. And as a teacher, it's great for the visual learner!

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 06:44:26 GMT

I am always told to lead my lane ... and so my lane mates have become really bad at counting as a result ... I am not always the best counter and I forget if we've done 9 or 10 of something ... but sadly I am the best person to lead my lane ... I need more than just verbal instructions if I lead ... if I see it written down no problem ...

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

pmbchill — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 06:43:33 GMT

Originally posted by knelson I was thinking the exact same thing Jeff. All of my coaches, age group through college, just told us what to do. In masters every one has written in on a white board. [/QUOTE Every coach I had from age group through college AND masters has told us what to do.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Jim Clemmons — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 06:33:01 GMT

Maybe the volume as perceived is dependent on the amount of water residing within the ears (or not)? Couldn't be the coach or the coach d'jour.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Brian Stack — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 05:47:08 GMT

Originally posted by jim clemmons The vast majority of ours are verbal, some louder than others. Occasionally (very occasionally) we'll get it on a white board -depending on complexity. We're considering powerpoint - maybe that'll help performance. jk Jim Who're you calling loud Clemmons???

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 05:18:02 GMT

Originally posted by Linny I like white boards but there are always some swimmers who can't see that far. :) THERE! That's me! That's exactly what I was thinking as I read this thread. I can't see a whiteboard on the wall. In fact, if I'm in a pool where the pace clock is at the other end of the pool from where we are starting our sets, I don't want to lead the pack in the lane (even if I'm the fastest) because I can't see the clock to start us off at the right time. This may also be a factor in why I prefer to work out alone.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

some_girl — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 04:11:40 GMT

One guy I swim with is a brilliant leader--rarely loses count, always is encouraging, so I try my best to imitate him when it's my turn. I have found that a good way not to lose count on repeats is to tell everyone (or the next person) how many are left. Then you have two counters working in case one screws up and you repeat every or every other repeat, so you have recent info to work from.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Jim Clemmons — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 02:40:00 GMT

The vast majority of ours are verbal, some louder than others. Occasionally (very occasionally) we'll get it on a white board -depending on complexity. We're considering powerpoint - maybe that'll help performance. jk Jim

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 12:25:51 GMT

Waterproof printed card on the deck for each Lane.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 12:20:31 GMT

Would you believe....a chalkboard?! *gasp*

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Rob Copeland — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 07:52:35 GMT

Originally posted by Jeff Commings Nobody has a coach that just vocally tells you what the sets are? My coach gives us our workout verbally, and is on deck giving praise, splits, and general encouragement. The down side of this, trying to remember what she tells us (or simply paying attention in the first place). Was that 4 times 3X200 on 3:00 and 3:15 odd sets descending free, even sets breath control fly? What?

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 05:46:26 GMT

Originally posted by knelson I was thinking the exact same thing Jeff. All of my coaches, age group through college, just told us what to do. In masters every one has written in on a white board. I'm sure there is an explanation for this, if I could just remember what it is!:D

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

knelson — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 01:12:37 GMT

Originally posted by Jeff Commings Nobody has a coach that just vocally tells you what the sets are? Hmm. All of my coaches in history, except one, worked that way. Even when they had to deal with various speeds, abilities and stroke groups. I was thinking the exact same thing Jeff. All of my coaches, age group through college, just told us what to do. In masters every one has written in on a white board.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 11:50:56 GMT

I am rubbish at keeping paper records. As a coach I record all my schedules in excel. I then covert these to a readable and easily read programme for my swimmers. I print this out onto an A4 sheet that I stick (with water) onto a kickboard for the end of each lane at each end. This works fine. I like white boards but there are always some swimmers who can't see that far. :)

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 11:37:59 GMT

We get the daily menu on an 8 1/2" x 11" computer print out tucked into a nice plastic baggie....which we then paste onto a nearby water soaked kick board. The coach does read aloud each set before getting everyone started. I think it's got to be a challenge to do it all on a chalk board if different lanes are working with a separate interval.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Former Member — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 09:26:52 GMT

My coach writes on one dry-erase board. She/he makes columns and writes a specific workout or interval for each lane and keeps it somewhat in the middle of all the lanes ... it works well for us.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

Jeff Commings — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 07:09:05 GMT

Nobody has a coach that just vocally tells you what the sets are? Hmm. All of my coaches in history, except one, worked that way. Even when they had to deal with various speeds, abilities and stroke groups.

RE: Writing workouts on dry-erase board, or something else?

jswim — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 06:25:02 GMT

My coach has a stack of laminated two sided sheets with workouts on them. He sticks one to a kickboard so we can see. My old coach printed workouts as small as possible and gave each lane one by sticking it to the side of the pool at the end of the lane. After the workout we'd peel them off and throw them away.... or some people would bring their own plastic bags and keep the water out of them so they could use the workout later.