Best Practices

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Best Practices

The following list was created from surveys of OS swimmers.  Swimmers were asked to highlight what they liked most about their coach and ways in which the workouts could be improved.  This is a living document and continued development and polishing is expected.  By far the number one priority of swimmers: Individual attention and tips from the coach.

• Personal Habits

  • Always on time

  • Knows all the names of the swimmers and uses them

  • Organized and uses time efficiently

• Personal Qualities

  • Welcoming

  • Sense of fun

  • Patient

  • Positive

  • Approachable

  • Kind

  • Humourous

  • Warm

• About Workout Structure

  • Logical and consistent structure with some variety throw in on occasion

  • Progression through the season that is shared generally with swimmers

  • Sufficient volume

  • Talk time is efficiently used as to not take away from active elements

  • Variety of strokes at some point in season

  • Use of video as a coaching aid on occasion

  • Clear communication of equipment needs

  • Drills that then lead on to swim sets in which drill elements can be practiced

  • Intensity: 

    • A good mix of aerobic and threshold/supra-threshold sets at appropriate times

    • Push us out of our comfort zone

    • Challenging but not unpleasant pressure

• Teaching Approach

  • Tons of encouragement helps to build confidence in the pool

  • Adapts workout to all levels

  • Presents a good balance of constructive criticism and positive reinforcement

  • Uses a variety of visual cues and explanations based on the learning style

    • If they don’t get it, find another way to explain

  • Clear explanations restated for clarity

  • Purpose is always clear

  • Demonstrations are clear including what to do and what to avoid

  • Connect drill purpose to overall stroke

  • Return to drills at times to refresh focus on given elements

  • Feedback is purposeful and useful but not overwhelming (not too much all at once)

  • Corrections are prioritized with most important first, working to others in time

  • Everyone gets feedback even if it’s simply to say ‘good job’

Special Considerations

• Accessibility

  • A general periodization would have us starting to focus more and more on the hard yards and less on drills and technique at this time of year. Always keep in mind though, that a portion of our membership may not be comfortable with the more intense environment that comes with the hard yards. It's tricky but make sure to try to balance the hard push on those that want it with a gentler approach for those that place more of a priority on simply cruising. This can be covered in your directions to the group at the start of the main set or can be done on a one to one basis where needed.

• Emotions in the Pool

  • One of most wonderful aspects of swimming is the meditative nature of the activity. We move, we breathe, we move, we breathe. There are times for some individuals though, where time alone with their thoughts becomes a little overwhelming. If they are dealing with struggles in their life, executing the coach's directions and working with lane mates while also dealing with intrusive thoughts can all be too much. You may never witness this as a coach but I just want you to aware of the possibility and be sensitive to those who may face such a challenge. In all my years there's probably only been a half dozen times I've dealt with it. In doing so I try my best to comfort the individual, validate their feelings and the challenge they face, and encourage them to re-enter the pool when ready, adapting the workout to something that works. Often that would mean just swimming easy, maybe resting every 50. 

• Vertigo

  • Back stroke can sometimes cause vertigo in the pool. A common cause of vertigo is a disconnect between an individual's sense of motion and what their optic nerve is processing. When head down we can clearly see the tiles passing beneath us. When doing back stroke in a high ceiling facility (sometimes >50ft) your optic nerves does not register the motion that the body feels. The same can happen in the open water when the water is murky; you feel movement but you don't see movement. This affects a small percentage of swimmers. There is no clear answer other than being aware and trying to focus on a point and/or adapting the activity.