TTMA: Swim Coaches

[mrshandy]

For a while, I've been flirting with the idea of joining Masters or getting a swim coach. I may still try out Masters. But I'm hesitant to go the Masters route for a few reasons. 

- Schedule - I would have a hard time fitting into my schedule the closest Masters team.
- Skill - I'm only really able to do freestyle, I could maybe swing out a back stroke but it's pretty terrible
- Speed - I'm a really slow swimmer, like the fastest 100yd I could pull out is like 2 minutes. My longer swim times are consistently 2:30-2:40 per 100 yards
- Pool access - I'm already a member of one pool, LA fitness. It feels silly to pay for another one. 

My goals for swimming are to get faster so I was thinking about getting a coach who could help me figure out what I can do to make this happen.

So how does this work? How much do they tend to cost? Are they comparable to running coaches? Could I get one for a few months and then taper off? 


taratru I think you did something like this. I would love to hear your experience.

[al320]

Just to respond to something - not everyone on masters teams are super speedy. There is ALWAYS a huge range of speed (and skill) so dont let that influence your decision.

[mrs.jacinthe]

I do masters. I am *not* speedy by any stretch of the imagination. And all I do is free. Don't let that part scare you.

The scheduling thing is another matter, though. What about getting a couple coached sessions (private coaching) for sake of making sure your stroke is good and then just doing a program like the Guppy challenge like @vtcupcake mentioned above?

[mrshandy]

Dec 12, 2017 13:23:52 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

I do masters. I am *not* speedy by any stretch of the imagination. And all I do is free. Don't let that part scare you.

The scheduling thing is another matter, though. What about getting a couple coached sessions (private coaching) for sake of making sure your stroke is good and then just doing a program like the Guppy challenge like @vtcupcake mentioned above?

I think I might do something like this. I just want somebody to look at me swim and tell me what can be improved. I like the guppy challenge. I will definitely be looking into that. Swimming 3xweek is hard to fit in. I'm struggling with giving up running to fit in swimming in biking. Running is so much easier to fit into my schedule. 

[laurack]

I had three sessions with a coach and it was amazing for me. However, in the beginning I was REALLY bad at swimming, where I could only swim freestyle and a terrible backstroke (no breast at all) and I had to rest every 25 yards.

I paid $125 for three 1 hour sessions I think (it was through the Y). It was so worth it. Now I can do the three strokes "properly".

Now I also keep thinking I'll start going to masters swim but I'm afraid. I hate sharing a lane and I still need to rest more than I should have to I think going by when I've watched the masters at my pool.

I think getting a bundle of 3 or 4 sessions would help for sure. In between you can practice stuff from the session and you'll probably see a big improvement after a month.

[al320]

Dec 12, 2017 13:32:25 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Dec 12, 2017 13:23:52 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

I do masters. I am *not* speedy by any stretch of the imagination. And all I do is free. Don't let that part scare you.

The scheduling thing is another matter, though. What about getting a couple coached sessions (private coaching) for sake of making sure your stroke is good and then just doing a program like the Guppy challenge like @vtcupcake mentioned above?

I think I might do something like this. I just want somebody to look at me swim and tell me what can be improved. I like the guppy challenge. I will definitely be looking into that. Swimming 3xweek is hard to fit in. I'm struggling with giving up running to fit in swimming in biking. Running is so much easier to fit into my schedule. 

I did a stroke analysis for that. In a continuous pool with cameras and mirrors and shit. It was $$$ but helpful.

[laurack]

it was the Masters coach who did my private coaching as well. I tried to go to Masters and was told I could not as I was too terrible (don't blame her lol). But after my three sessions she said I would probably be fine to go to Masters (in the slow lane) but I still feel I'm not ready for the added stress of it.

I hear you on fitting the swim in as well. It takes a big chunk of time even if the swim itself is less than an hour. If there was a pool near my office it would be much easier. I can run at lunch but I can't swim at lunch, it's hard to fit it in. I generally have only been swimming 1-2x a week, it's not ideal but it's better than nothing

[laurack]

at my Y the masters sessions are 1.5 hours as well which is more than I'm able to do. She said you can swim as long as you like and leave but I feel like I don't want to be the loser who can't hack it and has to leave early every time lol

[mrs.jacinthe]

Dec 12, 2017 14:47:51 GMT -5 laurack said:

at my Y the masters sessions are 1.5 hours as well which is more than I'm able to do. She said you can swim as long as you like and leave but I feel like I don't want to be the loser who can't hack it and has to leave early every time lol

Our masters sessions are 1.5 hours as well.  I stay the entire 1.5 hours.  I am literally the only person left in the pool at the end of 1.5 hours, so either I'm the only non-loser (doubtful, as again, there are only like two people slower than me in our program, and one of them is 80), or people have lives and need to go to work/get things done.  I've never assumed someone leaving early was anything other than needing to leave early for whatever reason.

I hate that people (not you, specifically, just in general) have this impression of masters, that it's some sort of hard-core do-or-die thing.  Masters is for everyone.  I don't know what we can do to relieve that impression, though.  

There's this, I guess: youtu.be/tosiPpRgdzg

[laurack]

Dec 12, 2017 15:08:30 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

Dec 12, 2017 14:47:51 GMT -5 laurack said:

at my Y the masters sessions are 1.5 hours as well which is more than I'm able to do. She said you can swim as long as you like and leave but I feel like I don't want to be the loser who can't hack it and has to leave early every time lol

Our masters sessions are 1.5 hours as well.  I stay the entire 1.5 hours.  I am literally the only person left in the pool at the end of 1.5 hours, so either I'm the only non-loser (doubtful, as again, there are only like two people slower than me in our program, and one of them is 80), or people have lives and need to go to work/get things done.  I've never assumed someone leaving early was anything other than needing to leave early for whatever reason.

I hate that people (not you, specifically, just in general) have this impression of masters, that it's some sort of hard-core do-or-die thing.  Masters is for everyone.  I don't know what we can do to relieve that impression, though.  

There's this, I guess: youtu.be/tosiPpRgdzg

I think it does vary  from place to place. I thought it was for everyone as well, that's why I first tried to go despite being a terrible swimmer. But it turns out our masters class isn't for everyone I guess haha. However, I see how it can be for almost everyone and exclude people who need to rest every 25 yards

Maybe I will give it a go, I mean what's the worst that could happen!

[taratru]

I ended up not joining masters. I'm still kicking around hiring a coach. What I did was bring videos to our swim team coach (they are state champs alllllll the time, so she knows her shit), and she looked at them and gave me stuff to work on. I hate how much money it costs to get better, so I'm not sure I really ever will.