OK, I'm a Dinosaur. I actually like sets like 10x100 on the same interval all the way through.
Why do all of the sets have to have some kind of break in stride or change in interval or undefined purpose today? I have been swimming in Masters long enough to know that our bread is buttered by the fitness swimmers and their singular lack of desire to compete. But do the coaches believe that we are all ADD enough not to be able to complete one set on one interval ? Or do we as swimmers really pose such a dilemma that the coaches do the very worst thing possible - try to make every one happy. The ultimate result of that is to make virtually no one happy.
If you are giving a set to your swimmers, can you tell them what it (the set) should accomplish for them? What they should get out of it? If you simply gave the same set oveer and over again every day, it would become boring, of course. But it would also become a benchmark to which each swimmer could chart his or her progress. A desireable outcome by any standard, I would venture.
I fully realise that the Masters coach is handed a bewildering array of talent and motivation with his swimmers, but you, as a coach, do not have to confuse, bewilder or befuddle your swimmers with meaningless or useless sets. Keep them simple and straghtforward, with one defining mission per set. There is nothing surer to get me to go home as a (competitive) swimmer than a set with multiple intervals and distances, changing intensity and changing strokes. And don't deny that you give such sets. Many coaches thrive on designing sets that are like circuit training in the water. I would go on and on, but I have to get up early to find out what new torture my coach has in store. Take it away, folks.
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Geochuck - you make a great point: There are folks who certainly cannot do some things due to physical limitations. If your coach can't work with you on that, then what IS the point? If you can't work it out with them, you probably are better off on your own, and thats too bad.
When I did have a deck coach (*** Jackson, Pennypack Aquatics outside Philly), one of the first things I talked to him about was what his expectations were. The last thing I wanted was a "gung-ho, do it all, and make every practice on time or don't bother coming" kinda guy. His only requirement was that we competed. He wanted to see us progress. He made great attempts to design workouts for all levels (we ran the 19-90 gambit) and "choice" strokes. He kept it fun, and his "payment" for spending his time with us was watching us get better. I'm sure I was lucky. (Thanks ***.)
While fitness and a getting better were my goals, I certainly wasn't going to be working out with that team if I wasn't going to enjoy myself too. I guess that all helps explain why I miss having a deck coach. Of coure Mo, you're filling in pretty well yourself. 7 months of those workouts and I've lost over 20lbs and I'm competing in the annual Peaks to Portland swim this Saturday: 2.4 mile open water swim in Portland Harbor, Maine. Wet Suits allowed, but not required! Brrrrrr. (Feel free to think of that as 87x50's Valhallen! :) )
Geochuck - you make a great point: There are folks who certainly cannot do some things due to physical limitations. If your coach can't work with you on that, then what IS the point? If you can't work it out with them, you probably are better off on your own, and thats too bad.
When I did have a deck coach (*** Jackson, Pennypack Aquatics outside Philly), one of the first things I talked to him about was what his expectations were. The last thing I wanted was a "gung-ho, do it all, and make every practice on time or don't bother coming" kinda guy. His only requirement was that we competed. He wanted to see us progress. He made great attempts to design workouts for all levels (we ran the 19-90 gambit) and "choice" strokes. He kept it fun, and his "payment" for spending his time with us was watching us get better. I'm sure I was lucky. (Thanks ***.)
While fitness and a getting better were my goals, I certainly wasn't going to be working out with that team if I wasn't going to enjoy myself too. I guess that all helps explain why I miss having a deck coach. Of coure Mo, you're filling in pretty well yourself. 7 months of those workouts and I've lost over 20lbs and I'm competing in the annual Peaks to Portland swim this Saturday: 2.4 mile open water swim in Portland Harbor, Maine. Wet Suits allowed, but not required! Brrrrrr. (Feel free to think of that as 87x50's Valhallen! :) )