Tales from the pool...

[rocknrollgirl]

So swim season is winding down at my school. A couple of our swimmers are going to states so they are still training. So I am now able to get in to the pool during the week.

So yesterday afternoon, the DH and I go out to the pool. The swimmers are still there, as are their coaches. Now keep in mind, some of these are my students and the coaches are my coworkers.

So I get in my lane, do my warm-up, do my drills, do my main set. They leave, we swim for another 1/2 hour, go home.

I get to school today and first thing, one of the girls says...we critiqued your stroke last night.

I KNEW IT...I knew they were picking me apart. So I am doing ok..but they said I swim like an open water swimmer. Not enough roll from my hips, it is coming from my shoulders.

So I emailed their coach, told her ok...I had my critique...now what do I do?

She invited me out to practice with them tomorrow. They are going to demo the drills for me that I need to do, and then she is going to continue to help me.

I was not sure if it was worth it, my times are pretty good. The coach told me it is always worth it to be more efficient.

I felt a little self concious, but I really want to do well in my races, so I am willing to suck up my pride and get in with the team.

[Bluetree]

That's awesome that your students support you. And what's wrong with swimming "like an open water swimmer?" Isn't that the point?!

[KSH]

Free coaching from people who know their stuff? Who could pass that up?

Tell us how it goes! It sounds really cool!

[rocknrollgirl]

OK, so I just got home from "swim practice". Apparently I only needed minor tweaking, well minor by their standards. They gave me some drills to do, and some things to focus on, and at the end of an hour I had made much improvement. Reaching a longer stroke, following through, breath control.

They suggested that I not worry about my interval times for now and just practice.

And they let me "borrow" a pair of fins....nice.

[Bluetree]

RnR - curious... what is their position on Total Immersion? I'm doing TI training right now and wonder if it is being taught at traditional schools...

[rocknrollgirl]

OK..I will be the dummy...what is total immersion?

[KnottedYet]

I love it that your students got to turn you into a "project!" What a great learning experience for them!

[rocknrollgirl]

It is great. One of the gilrs is just in my homeroom, and yesterday at "practice" she was helping me, and she pointed out her bf in another lane, and she says to me..."look at us, now you are no longer just my homeroom teacher, you know stuff about me"

It is cool.

But I gotta tell you. Not easy to suit up and go jump in the pool with them there. I am not overly body conscious , but heck.......

It took all of my desire to improve to do it, plus I was beat from training this week.

[Bluetree]

OK..I will be the dummy...what is total immersion?

RnR - Total Immersion is a relatively new technique of swim training that is gaining in popularity. One of things it touts is that is trains swimmers differently from the "traditional" forms of training. I have been doing drills for the last couple of months trying to improve my form and I can really feel a difference.
However, I have never had traditional, formal training, so I don't know how much different it actually is.

http://www.totalimmersion.net/

[rocknrollgirl]

BT, I will ask them on Monday what they think of that program. I know for me, that having someone standing on the pool deck saying..."you are not following through with your left hand" is what I needed.

But I will certainly ask them.

Just for the record, I am sore in weird places today.

[KSH]

RnR - Total Immersion is a relatively new technique of swim training that is gaining in popularity. One of things it touts is that is trains swimmers differently from the "traditional" forms of training. I have been doing drills for the last couple of months trying to improve my form and I can really feel a difference.
However, I have never had traditional, formal training, so I don't know how much different it actually is.

http://www.totalimmersion.net/

Coming from a competitive swimming background, I can tell you that TI is different.

I have watched the video... and honestly, I don't get it.

It works for a lot of newbies, but I personally can't imagine swimming that way. Seems like a whole lot of effort to breathe by rolling on your side.

BUT... it did work for my boyfriend... and MANY others. And I think if I didn't have a competitive swimming background, I might be more open to it's form.

[KSH]

It is great. One of the gilrs is just in my homeroom, and yesterday at "practice" she was helping me, and she pointed out her bf in another lane, and she says to me..."look at us, now you are no longer just my homeroom teacher, you know stuff about me"

It is cool.

But I gotta tell you. Not easy to suit up and go jump in the pool with them there. I am not overly body conscious , but heck.......

It took all of my desire to improve to do it, plus I was beat from training this week.

That's really awesome! Sounds like it was a good experience.

[JenLeath]

Coming from a competitive swimming background, I can tell you that TI is different.

I have watched the video... and honestly, I don't get it.

It works for a lot of newbies, but I personally can't imagine swimming that way. Seems like a whole lot of effort to breathe by rolling on your side.

BUT... it did work for my boyfriend... and MANY others. And I think if I didn't have a competitive swimming background, I might be more open to it's form.

Actually the purpose of TI is to reduce the amount of energy required to go the same speed and distance. But, if you are really "set" in the traditional way, it is hard to transition. I learned TI from the beginning, at the pool I keep up with the traditional swimmers, however I can go much longer without resting. So just an opinion. It is also a much more efficient way to cut through choppy waters of an open water swim.

Happy Training