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Swimming Coach

Hi All,

The end of May is looking very close for some reason and I have my first Tri with a 750m OW Swim. Started swimming 3 weeks ago and increased from 400m in half hour to 650m in half hour. Trouble is I cant string more than 2 lengths together and even that is difficult.

Seen a woman in my Virgin Active gym on Saturday being coached for about 45 mins, wondering if anyone knows of this sort of tuition in the area and what it costs? I know it wasnt supplied by the gym as they dont do swim lessons. Maybe should ask them anyway in case the sub-contract it out?

Anyone have expierience of 1on1 tuition and will it be worth the cost to improve enough for my swim in May?

Thanks

Comments

  • Sorry Edinburgh, that would've been handy to know eh?!
  • Why don't you ask the swim coach a the pool - just a quick " do you teach anyone to swim " or can I have a business card" type thing.

    Failing that ask the person who is being coached.

    You don't ask you don't get.
  • How about trying here for swim coaching, http://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/detail-565

    Or better still, Edinburgh Masters, http://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/detail-219#masters.
    Since I've started attending Masters sessions my swimming has come on leaps and bounds, for the following:
    1 I feel comitted to attend the 3 sessions a week, so 3 1/2 hours good quality swimming.
    2 The sessions are planned for you, and you have to puch yourself, to keep up with the person in front, but also to stay ahead of the person behind.
    3 I'm forced to swim all four strokes. I never swam butterfly in my life, but some evenings swim up to 400m of the stuff, not in one go I hasten to add
    4 My technique is improving. I currently swim in one of the slower lanes through choice, so I have the time to think and focus on my technique for each length. One I feel I'm consistent, then I'll start looking for the speed.
    5 There is always a coach on hand giving pointers on stroke, and correcting and fine tuning any faults
    6 I soon start to swim competetively in Masters events.

    Have a look, it may mean that you'll have to look outside of your current gym. In order to progress my training and focus on IM, I had to leave the gym that I had been a member of for 8 years, so I could swim Masters, and spend more time training out of doors (run and bike).
  • If you're struggling to go past 2 lengths at a time, could it be that you're trying to go too fast and/or not breathing often enough? Slowing down a bit might let you go further at a time before you need to rest.
  • Hi

    Thanks for the responses. I will have a look at the Masters Swimming maybe give them a call and see if its right for me and my current ability.

    The problem is deffinately my breathing. I find myself out of breath towards the end of a length and then start to rush to get to the end, a problem that gets worse towards the end of a session. I am constantly telling myself to slow down and concentrate on breathing and the technique Ive been looking at on videos and websites. I think progress has been ok, if the breathing clicks I'll be fine and I know I will be ok for the swim. I just worry that if I dont get it right soon the 750m OW swim is going to be huge, especially with no sides to take a breather on!!

    Thanks again guys!
  • eddiescooper wrote:
    I just worry that if I dont get it right soon the 750m OW swim is going to be huge, especially with no sides to take a breather on!!
    Not hav ing any sides isn't too much of an issue with an OW swim, as you'llmor ethan likely have a wetsuit on. Providing you use a Tri specific wetsuit, and not a surfing wetsuit, then this will act as a bouyancy aid, and you can stop swimming, and either lie falt, or vertical in the water, get a good couple of breaths in, have a look around, see where you need to go and start swimming again.

    Before you do the OW Tri, make sure you get into the OW a couple of times before just to get teh feel of the wetsuit, and OW. At London last year a few in my wave had panic attacks on entering the water. It was the first time they had worn a wetsuit, and their first non-pool swim,so no real suprise.
  • Yeah, I plan on that. Fritton Lake where the tri is has Saturday OW Swimming sessions for a £5 for 3 weekends leading up to the event. I am wondering whether its worth buying or just renting a wetsuit as I'll be using it every weekend for a month?

    Glad that I'll be able to take a rest out there with the help of the suit, makes me feel much warmer and fuzzier!!
  • You'll be fine with the wetsuit on. i did the Great North Swim up in Windermere last year and got really bad cramp about halfway through. I just lay on my back, rested and tried to stretch my calf out as much as I could, then started swimming again.
  • Conehead wrote:
    I need to come up to Edinburgh to see MaCaskill
    Is that the weather man Ian MaCaskill? Brilliant! He's my favourite weather man of all time.

    Him and Wincy Willis of course.
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