Coaches thoughts about swimmers seeking advice.

As adults , we have learned not to take one person's statement as the end answer. That being said, the team coach is there for that reason & should have the best input for the team.

I wish I had a coach! Until then I will value the ideas and opinions I receive from my friends and peers on the Forum. :2cents:

I wonder what coaches think about swimmers who seek advice from other swimmers and coaches. I see swimmers here asking advice about what they should do to improve their times. When the best solution should be to ask their own coach. If you don't have faith in you swim clubs coach, I would suggest you change clubs or leave your team and then let some forumite coach you. I agree that a swimmer needs to respect the expertise of the coach. But we are not children and I am long past the point of automatically deferring to anything or everything a coach tells me. A coach who feels his authority threatened by someone seeking additional knowledge has got problems, IMO.

I'd be careful about asking other swimmers. They often are not teachers and may not give the best advice.

I would always ask my own coach first, and then solicit other opinions. I don't know how many times I was told to do something one way and just "couldn't get it" and someone else rephrases it and then it sinks in. I think as adults we know better than to think that one person has all of the answers. I would think things would get a little sticky if age groupers were constantly shopping advice from coaches that were not their own.

George, Many swimmers here don't have a coach, they train themselves. My coach and I collaborate. I let her know my season plans and which meets I'm going to and which events I'm focusing on & we adjust accordingly. I also pick seasonal projects, like splitting races better or improving my flutter kick or SDK, or breastroke, or sprinting the last 50 of 500's, 400's & 200's. Sometimes I focus on attempting to break records. In the past I've turned to other swimmers for help. I asked David Guthrie to help me with my breastroke. I improved my butterfly by watching William Paulus when I was a HS senior. Stuart Smith gave me some great Breastroke technique tips in college. I've alot from training with other great swimmers, like I learned to glide longer on breastroke push offs by training with Todd Bartee. I don't think coaches mind when their swimmers have goals and special projects. I encourage swimmers on teams to work within their given workouts and not be vigilanties, but when there's 1 coach and 40 swimmers, it's important for swimmers to advocate for themselves and make sure their training needs are met. With Swim Faster Faster and Ask Ande I offer advice in some areas and decline advice in others. Like swimmers who are coming off illness, injuries or surgeries I say start off easy and work with your coach, doctor, physical therapist and any other medical professionals who are giving you advice. Ande I wonder what coaches think about swimmers who seek advice from other swimmers and coaches. I see swimmers here asking advice about what they should do to improve their times. When the best solution should be to ask their own coach. If you don't have faith in you swim clubs coach, I would suggest you change clubs or leave your team and then let some forumite coach you.

I like to hear from multiple sources. There are a lot of conflicting opinions out there. That doesn't mean that I don't value my coach's opinion.

I'd be careful about asking other swimmers. They often are not teachers and may not give the best advice. The same can be said for coaches too.

Maybe I was too harsh. It is good to have opinions from other swimmers etc. However I believe if you have a coach you should talk to him first and if he can not help with your problem then change teams and coaches. People without coaches will undoutably have to discuss with others about their needs.