I just started with a new instructor -- call her Girl B -- so now I have two instructors per week over four lessons.
I was getting really frustrated with learning under Girl A. I didn't feel like I was improving. I wanted to do things well, slowly and then learn how to do them well, quickly. But because she didn't break anything down, I had to just "keep kicking" as I've mentioned on this board.
This led me to believe my kick was inefficient. I thought that if I could just get it right, the rest would all fall into place.
Enter Girl B. (Okay, that was not meant to be dirty. =))
She has a COMPLETELY different style. First, she's not afraid to touch me or move me physically -- the other girl was hands-off.
Sometimes Girl B is in the pool and sometimes she watches from the sidelines. Girl A was always right next to me so she could never see my overall position.
And best of all, Girl B BREAKS THINGS DOWN with drills and thorough explanations! Amazing!
I was seriously getting ready to _dig into my LIFE SAVINGS_ to pay $125 an hour for a TI Coach because I was so frustrated with Girl A.
Girl B is only $15 an hour and while she might not be a TI coach, she used the word "streamlined body position" within five minutes of meeting her. I knew I had found someone better.
With Girl A, lessons would be like this:
-- Kick across the pool
-- Kick the other way across the pool
-- Kick across the pool with some strokes
-- Kick the other way across the pool with some strokes
-- Get really tired
With Girl B, my first lesson went like this:
-- Her: "Can you float?" Me: "Yes, but my legs sink"
-- Front float drills with her carefully positioning my legs and arms
-- Back float drills with her carefully positioning my legs and arms
-- Recovering from floats -- knees to chest, head forward, feet down
-- "Flips" between front and back float
-- Pushing off the wall on my back and just gliding, streamlined
-- Pushing off the wall on my front and just gliding, streamlined
-- Pushing off the wall on my back, gliding then kicking
-- Pushing off the wall on my back, gliding, kicking ,then flipping to front float and recovering
Because she broke it down so well and she made me so aware of my body position, once we got to doing the kicking, all of my problems had disappeared. My legs were at the top, my body was straight, and I kicked and it just worked. It felt like I was doing it _right_.
And I felt so at home in the water.
Parents
Former Member
very nice. seems like girl #2 is the one for you. don't forget YOU are also responsible for the progress you're making so make sure you give yourself credit as well, she is just helping you to get there faster.
keep us (me) updated with her drills and coaching style, seems like a very good instructor. and cheap! :)
I always take responsibility for my own improvement... which is why I found another instructor. =) And it's also why I post here, watch videos, and so on.
Girl B is used to teaching little kids and she has cute little-kid phrases:
Girl B: "Remember, from being like a soldier to being like a rocket" (arms at sides to arms forward)
Me: "Are you going to offer me a chocolate bar too if I do it right?"
very nice. seems like girl #2 is the one for you. don't forget YOU are also responsible for the progress you're making so make sure you give yourself credit as well, she is just helping you to get there faster.
keep us (me) updated with her drills and coaching style, seems like a very good instructor. and cheap! :)
I always take responsibility for my own improvement... which is why I found another instructor. =) And it's also why I post here, watch videos, and so on.
Girl B is used to teaching little kids and she has cute little-kid phrases:
Girl B: "Remember, from being like a soldier to being like a rocket" (arms at sides to arms forward)
Me: "Are you going to offer me a chocolate bar too if I do it right?"
