extremely frustrated

i guess i will have to keep trying different coaches then. this is the third coach i've gone to (one for private lessons, two for masters) and i've liked the advice they've given--it feels right--but somehow it hasn't translated into greater speed. it is just so strange. i almost feel like no matter what i do, even if i doggy paddled, i would be the same speed.

Dog paddle can be a useful drill. Put up a short video of your stroke it has been helpful to many and let everyone here look at your stroke. I like to see three videos one swimming directly towards the camera one from the side and one from the back. It would then become free stroke analysis.

I think 7 months in a masters program is not long enough to show progress for most of us. Heck, I've been in masters swimming for over 10 years, and sometimes it feels like I'm swimming backwards. I do have some periods when I seem to progress, but also go for months where it feels like I'm simply going through the motions. Sometimes a little variety, or even a break/vacation helps. okay but basically i haven't improved in 6 years. 6 years ago, i was swimming with a stroke that i taught myself. do you think it's possible that ocean swimming makes me slow? i definitely slowed down when i did ONLY ocean swimming....but i would think that no matter how much time i spend in the ocean, swimming master's 3x a week should be enough to work on my speed. i don't have any video of myself. i do have a waterproof camera so maybe one of these days i can get a friend to videotape me.

I also think that 25/25 is waaaaaaay too high. What kind of freestyle drills do you do? I would recommend finger tip, catchup and distance per stroke drills.

I think Flyqueen has given you the best advice here. If at all possible, get a new coach. If you are really unhappy and discouraged with how your swimming has progressed (and based on the info you have given us, that is certainly understandable) your coach should NOT just be telling you, "Yeah, you look great," when you ask for feedback on your stroke. No one on this forum can tell exactly what you need to do with your swimming program to make some improvements without seeing you swim or seeing a video, but it definitely sounds like your technique is a big factor. Like others have said, 25 strokes/25 yards is pretty high. It's possible that you have a stroke that looks great from above the water (a "pretty" stroke) but lacks power underneath. A semi-decent coach should be able to spot at least one key factor that you can work on and improve for a decent time drop...

"i'm talking major changes in technique and training, and it still takes me 34 minutes to do a mile!" The good news is you don't have to improve much. --A 34 minute mile is an average 2:06/100 meters. Improve just 6 seconds per 100 meters (2:00 min/100 meters) average and that's a 32:15 min. mile. Your goal 30 minute mile is a 1:51 min/100 meters average. Doable if your fastest 100 meters is in the 1:35 range. Post a video. --mjm

In addition to technique, how many strokes one takes per length is dependent upon height, arm span, and build (muscular, thin, etc.). I'm curious to know your height and build. While strokes per length is indicative of efficiency, it is not necessarily always indicative of speed. I've seen plenty of inefficient swimmers do some good times in a 50 or a 1650. They are in great enough shape to overcome their inefficiency. I've seen a young girl take 33 strokes per length and do a 26 in a 50 free which by no means is slow. Better swimmers tend to be more efficient so you should strive to lower your stroke count to below 20. My guess is that you are not rotating enough and have a weak kick. Practice the following drill: With one arm extended and one arm on side, kick 12 kicks on your right side, take 3 strokes and roll to your left side and repeat. This gives you the feel for rotation and kicking on your side which is how most of the stroke is done. In addition to the work on stroke technique, I still hope you will be mindful of the training thing I mentioned. I've trained triathletes that refused to drop their 5 hours of training a day and could not understand why they weren't seeing a drop in the swim times. Interestingly enough, when a running injury forced them to drop the running for a period of time and just swim, their swimming times dramatically improved without adding additional swim yardage.

re the video ... get your friend to video from the deck ... walking (carefully) along as you swim. You need to be in the 3rd or 4th lane with no one between you and the camera. The still water allows a good view of your stroke above and below the water. Then do as George suggested ... getting video from head on and from behind. p.s. I'm really slow but faster in the pool than in the ocean, but working on getting the stroke count down -- a new coach --- will really help I can swim 16 to 17 strokes per 25 ... without thinking now. If I really focus, I can get to 12. I was swimming 20ish when I started with masters swimming. The thing that amazes me is that my coach is amazing. He always has some very simple improvement that helps every time I go.

try to do longer strokes and pull more water per stroke There is more to the equation than just pushing back water. Reducing your resistance will cause you to go farther with the same effort. (Someone mentioned Total Immersion, or poke around the discussion forums.)

He has one leg fully effected the other not as bad, he can motor not to badly with the least affected leg. He did a track start standing on his almost good leg of course he fell in a couple of times before we got him balanced. It ended up not too bad. He held onto my shoulder until he got into position.Just out of curiousity, how does a paraplegic do a dive? QUOTE] I have taught many who have had spina-befita, they had no use of their legs and I had them dive in the pool. One that I taught when he was six was not allowed to attend school becuse he could not use a toilet. He did not have any muscle control. After several months of exercises and water walking he gained the control to use the toilet facilities and was able to attend school. He also was able to walk in a fashion with canes and braces. I also had him diving from a standing position into the pool and swimming. If there is away we can find it.