What to do without a Coach

RE: What to do without a Coach

Former Member — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:46:03 GMT

Training on my own…on a empty swimming pool day after day is wonderful! None to pressure you, none to disturb the water sound, the thoughts, doing only what the body asks… There are a lot good points to train with a team or a coach but there are also good ones to train on your one. The ones having to train alone not by choice just find the good side of it…..

RE: What to do without a Coach

Former Member — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:49:13 GMT

Jeff, if I may ask: other than providing access to sanctioned events, how useful is USMS membership to you personally? Do you find it offers resources (eg, SWIMMER magazine, access to workouts thru the forums and blogs, online articles, other things) that are valuable to you in pursuing your swimming training/fitness goals? Or are you a member primarily for access to the competitions? While I have met some people who train on their own due to necessity (lack of an accessible workout/coach), I haven't met too many who seem to prefer it that way, so I'm interested in your perspective of USMS. The workouts that you can motivate yourself to do on your own are impressive! I need to have a coach and bodies in the lanes next to me to do that kind of yardage...I've always been impressed by people who train primarily on their own. My USMS membership is mostly so I can compete in meets. I'm registered under Dynamo Masters (since I swas Dynamo as a kid), but they are too far from me to train with them. However, I use this site a lot actually for workouts, advice, keep up on the latest in swimming, etc. I also participate in the "Go the Distance" FLOG which is fun and find the Swimmer Magazine informative. Love the meet database and checking where my times rank throught the season. As far as the discounts and all the other perks, its probably good for most, but I "have connections" for suits, equipment, etc. that takes care of all that. Like the OP stated, goals are really what drives me. I set Nationals back in May as a goal of mine (just to qualify) back in Aug of '08. Right now I'm stuggling a bit due to not having an "end meet" in sight until August at Auburn. I'm not doing SCM and will train through the SCY season. I think I'm gonna have to come up with a SCY shave meet in the Spring as well, since I'm not gonna be going to AZ for Nationals. Most of the workouts I do are actually from the forum "Quality not Quantity", specifically Patrick Cantrell's workouts. I find those are best for me and the most challenging. I also use some of Sarasota Masters workouts. Sometimes its verbatim, sometimes I'll switch some of the stuff up a bit. I also have logbooks of all my workouts from college and can use those (albeit shortened!).

RE: What to do without a Coach

Chris Stevenson — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 07:59:36 GMT

I've been training myself and alone for almost 2-1/2 years now and actually like it. Jeff, if I may ask: other than providing access to sanctioned events, how useful is USMS membership to you personally? Do you find it offers resources (eg, SWIMMER magazine, access to workouts thru the forums and blogs, online articles, other things) that are valuable to you in pursuing your swimming training/fitness goals? Or are you a member primarily for access to the competitions? While I have met some people who train on their own due to necessity (lack of an accessible workout/coach), I haven't met too many who seem to prefer it that way, so I'm interested in your perspective of USMS. The workouts that you can motivate yourself to do on your own are impressive! I need to have a coach and bodies in the lanes next to me to do that kind of yardage...I've always been impressed by people who train primarily on their own.

RE: What to do without a Coach

Former Member — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:35:37 GMT

There are times when we all as swimmers, face the obstacle of trainning without the assistance and drive of a coach. In these circumstances how do you cope with the situation? How do you cope with a coach who doesn't really coach? As a former US swimmer I coach myself on a daily basis. The disadvantages that I have by doing this is the lack of feedback on my strokes and the general push that a coach usually provides. I've had coaches in the past that were lets face it not coaches but merely objects taking space and getting paid for it which is the worst part. The goal is to stay positive, stay focused, do your best to keep motivated, and set goals. :agree: I've been training myself and alone for almost 2-1/2 years now and actually like it. Sure I have those days. Once in awhile (every month or two) I'll swim with someone. The only things I really miss with a coach is feedback on strokes, using the blocks (must have coach on deck where I swim), and having someone time me for broken stuff/pace/etc. Most of the Masters coaches around here don't offer that much so I don't really miss it. I do like training with a team, friends for the comradre and competition in practice. But I also like being alone as I can start when I want (on time) and finish when I want (which can be good or bad). So, in summary, I lean more to training alone. I've done enough swimming in my life to know what I need to do and how to go about getting it done.

RE: What to do without a Coach

rtodd — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:54:23 GMT

There are a few things that I did since I train without an on deck coach. 1. I joined the ASCA and got level 1 certification. I receive their magazine which is rich in coaching plans and advice. I try to follow alot of the advice in their publications. 2. I found a great masters program coached by NCAA swim team coaches. This program has a drop in privelage. I can only get to it once and a while but I get feeback on strokes here and I get a boost of motivation. 3. Video at meets. I hand someone my flip camera before my heat and then I review my races later. You gotta do this. 4. Sign up for alot of meets. This will help with motivation.

RE: What to do without a Coach

taruky — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:50:29 GMT

I'll tell you what I do without a coach. Stink, lol. That is why I am desperately trying to get one. Of course I don't have your background, so I'm kind of the blind (myself) leading the blind (myself). I have improved a fair bit from when i started 3 years ago, but videos and an underwater camera can only take me so far.

RE: What to do without a Coach

Chris Stevenson — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:44:03 GMT

When I swam masters in Florida (I was in Gainesville) in the late 80s/early 90s, there were many meets within driving distance, and they were all pretty well attended. And fun; I still miss the meets at St Pete.

RE: What to do without a Coach

phm41 — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 05:55:49 GMT

You say Florida doesn't have that many meets. Have you looked at the Dixie Zone website? www.dixiezone.org/Meets.htm There were 24 meets this year in Florida, many within a 2-3 hour drive from Orlando.

RE: What to do without a Coach

Allen Stark — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:43:45 GMT

I'd recommend posting some videos here for comment on technique.

RE: What to do without a Coach

BlueiSwim — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:45:37 GMT

I am good friends with Ryan Lochte and every now and then he will send me a workout or two does that count. Ryan does not blog much about his workout quite simply because when he is not in the pool he doesn't think about the pool. Its a way he keeps himself from getting mentally burned out. If you ever get a chance to ask any Olympian, but especially Ryan what the difference is between one meet like Pan Pacs and the Olympics most of them will say that other then the location and set up not much is different in the terms of how they view the meets. It is the coaches responsibility to view the meets in a different eye and prepare the athlete. Of course this is all debatable but the best in the world all have the same mental mind set when it comes to meets and training. Train smart not hard, Focus on the now not the next, Trust yourself and your coach.

RE: What to do without a Coach

ande — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:36:14 GMT

follow blogs of swimmers you admire stay in touch with swimming friends put events on your calendar & prepare for them if you're very motivated, train with a USS team what are your goals? what are your plans? how areyou training? There are times when we all as swimmers, face the obstacle of trainning without the assistance and drive of a coach. In these circumstances how do you cope with the situation? How do you cope with a coach who doesn't really coach? As a former US swimmer I coach myself on a daily basis. The disadvantages that I have by doing this is the lack of feedback on my strokes and the general push that a coach usually provides. I've had coaches in the past that were lets face it not coaches but merely objects taking space and getting paid for it which is the worst part. The goal is to stay positive, stay focused, do your best to keep motivated, and set goals. :agree:

RE: What to do without a Coach

BlueiSwim — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:55:58 GMT

You would think being in Florida there would be a huge resource for good coaches. Unfortunately this is just a false assumption, most of the coaches here in the great sunshine state are less then par. Also with a state that has a million amazing pools it baffles me that there are very few actual meets. I trained in the New England area last year and the program and meet schedule was very good. I do the best I can but I fear that my technique is falling apart as it seems I work harder to maintain my speed after a 100yrds. I have been swimming competitively for well over 20years, training with Ryan Lochte, Brooke Bennet, and other olympians in the past yet I feel like I just started swimming as I have muscle fatigue while I am swimming and exhaustion after 100yrds. I thought it was maybe my athletic enduced asthma but I am afraid it maybe my technique in my stroke as the asthma issue is not new but this feeling is.

RE: What to do without a Coach

Patrick W. Brundage — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 01:54:20 GMT

Jesse -- I do have access to a great coach when I make my Masters' team workouts, but I still end up training a lot by myself due to work and family commitments. The feedback I've gotten from my blog has been fabulous as additional coaching insights, particularly when I get myself videod and then post them to my blog. I see you had one blog entry ... try doing more, ready others & comment on their blogs and I think you can gain a lot of ideas. I've also done targeted 1-1 lessons with technique coaches; the feedback you can get in an hour session with a coach solely focused on you and your technique can be deep and fantastic. Surely there are some great USAS and other coaches in the Orlando area who offer this as a service?