Master's Swim? Really? This is helpful?

[MartianDestiny]

Thanks Alpine.

I certainly know what he said was true. Doesn't make me want to work for him though, which makes him a bad coach for me. (my bike shop owner on the other hand knows just how to push me to my limits without saying a word and knows just when to say "you know, how about you try this"...I wish he could coach me!!)

It's already sort of a free for all class with everyone doing something different, so in that regard it's good for me (I don't have to keep up with Joe-competitive-swimmer in lane 4). Honestly though I don't see how anyone gets much out of it. I think the other swimmers use him to time them more than anything, and with 6-8 swimmers all doing something different I can see where that's about all he can do!

I'd love an intermediate/advanced freestyle class. One does not exist at my gym I think I will ask them if I could switch into the intermediate swimming (general) class though. I think it has potential to fit me better at the moment.

[tribogota]

It's like therapy, don't just go to the first one you get referred to unless they are good, shop around. Master's swimming should be encouraging, solidarity, and fun while working. Technique before endurance, no point in building up endurance with the wrong stroke technique....

[KSH]

Well in Master's swimming most coaches are just there to give you a workout. They are not there to coach on you on how to swim. They are also use to generally working with people who were competitive swimmers in HS/College and who understand all the pool lingo and are use to working out in the pool. Ya know?


It sounds like you need to get a private swim coach to perfect your stroke. Anyone who wants to swim as an adult, and swim laps... needs to do this I think.

As for what you are doing helping you with open water swimming... as long as you get some practice in open water... pool workouts translate to open water fine. You can read my 3 mile open water swim RR... and I'll tell you that to prep for that I did 2 workouts a week in the pool (the bulk of my distance) and 1 in open water (only :45 minutes). It translated just fine for me.

[MartianDestiny]

Sorry KSH, but the day I can afford a private swim coach is the day I go back to riding horses. That's just the way it is, and if it turns out to be a "need" then I can assure you I won't be competing.

[alpinerabbit]

Hey MartianDestiny,

can't you find a college student who'll teach you a bit? Surely this would be affordable. I did about 8 or 10 lessons with one.

[KSH]

Hey MartianDestiny,

can't you find a college student who'll teach you a bit? Surely this would be affordable. I did about 8 or 10 lessons with one.

Well coaching doesn't always have to be all that expensive. You would be shocked.

In Dallas... my boyfriend got 8 private swim lessons for the price of what he would have paid for group swim lessons with a tri club.

Master's programs cost... so maybe you can take that money and spend it towards coaching.

You mentioned a personal trainer???? Maybe that money can be used towards a coach?


This Master's swim class is not for you though, so it's best you move on.

Good luck!

[MartianDestiny]

The Master's class I signed up for was a whopping $22 for 6 weeks (or was it 8) 3 days a week. Perhaps this is why the coach is not the greatest, but suffice to say they are cheap.

I mentioned an "in person trainer" not a personal trainer. I do tend to work harder when I have someone physically standing there "yelling" at me (or just beating me...I have a bad case of gotta-keep-up-itis), but I don't have one. I was explaining why I had chosen to attempt a class (with a coach physically there) instead of going with the Total Immersion DVD's. I was probably a bit confusing on that point, sorry!

As of right now $$ expenditure is almost solely gear and any entry fees. I don't mind putting some $$ in for lessons/classes/workshops, but I don't have much and if it comes down to $40 a week in private lessons they will be on a horse not in a pool.

I am looking into different class/coach options (as well as just going the Total Immersion route). I'll keep personal sessions an option if I can find them inexpensive enough.

Though at this point my goal is to be decent enough to make it through my first tri. It's unlikely, but I may not even like it or stick with it, so it's even harder to justify going crazy to fix my swimming at this point.

I appreciate the input.

[colby]

At my gym, masters swim is something like $60 (for a member) for 6 or 8 weeks, and I can get 6 or 8 lessons for $85 (as long as I find a buddy to sign up with me, it's more if I do one-on-one). A friend of mine and I did this, and got more individual attention and coaching at not much more cost. You might have to shop around. If you can switch to adult group lessons, that does sound like a better fit than masters swim where they just want to give you a guided workout. I found that only one lesson a week was good enough for me, the other 1 or 2 times I swam during the week it was nice to not be coached and get more different stuff in (I'd have 1 coached lesson, 1 endurance swim, and 1 drill-focused swim).