By Julia Aimers, Head Coach of Team Triumph Triathlon Club
I LOVE IT WHEN OUR ATHLETES POP THEIR HEADS UP IN THE POOL and you can literally see the lightbulb go off! They follow it with "I get it when you mean...______" The swimmer then goes off down the pool with a whole new stroke and us triathlon coaches are doing the happy dance on deck.
We have found the language or drill that has created this ahhaa moment to help the swimmer feel smoother, stronger and faster in the pool.
AT LAST: A BREAKTHROUGH!!!!
I'm sure any swim coach would agree that when you hear an "I get it when you mean" type sentence you throw it right into your coaching bag of tricks and try it with someone else.
Trying out our different coaches (we have 3) can be helpful as we all express the technique in a different way even when we are all saying the same thing. One can do hundreds of laps or sprints but ultimately it is the focus on developing an efficient stroke that makes you faster and more at ease in the water.
WE ALL LEARN DIFFERENTLY AND SOMETIMES SWIMMING CAN BE DOWNRIGHT FRUSTRATING!! Here are some tips based on your learning style.
If you're a visual learner it's best to watch the coach demonstrate the stroke and then go home and watch a swimming video on the focal point of the week. You can also ask the coach for a swim video so you can see what you're doing.
Auditory learners can repeat back to the coach or a lane mate what was just expressed and then why not repeat it to your family at dinner as well!
Reader/writer learners should read the whiteboard and keep a swimming diary. Write down what you have learned and then read it again before coming to the pool.
If you're a kinesthetic learner, you're in luck! Swim coaches usually demonstrate the focal point then ask you to practice it in a drill and then in the main set.
TRY ALL OF THESE LEARNING TRICKS AND MAYBE NEXT WEEK YOU WILL HAVE YOUR NEXT AHAA MOMENT IN THE POOL!
EFFICIENT PRACTICE = HAPPY TRIATHLONS!!
Julia Aimers is the Head Coach and Founder of Team Triumph Triathlon Club established in the year 2000, in Ottawa, Canada. She has coached beginner triathletes to Kona qualifying athletes
I love the accountability and the structure of the Virtual 70.3 Half Ironman training program. I don't think I would have gotten this far without the program. The accountability is huge for me!
Deborah Jackman
My coach Kevin Willis is amazing. His swim practices have been a real game-changer for me. A great communicator regardless of your swim level. The whole club is supportive of everything you do. You don't need to be an Ironman to benefit from their programs. 5 stars all around!!! - Denise Pittuck
I just wanted to thank you and your team (Gabi! Brenda! Maggie! Dawn!) for making last weekend's event so amazing. I had tried to do a try-a-tri on my own last summer, and the experience was night and day.
Even though I didn't make every virtual session, I felt so prepared... I knew where to go for information, and I knew I had a team of people (coaches and our beginner tri group!) who were all there to support me.
It was interesting to watch Eric train on his own (without access to the TrainingPeaks workouts and without the weekly meetings to ask questions and learn more about proper form and race-day stuff). When we left on Sunday, he looked at me and was like "we're DEFINITELY doing the training with Julia if we decide to go for the olympic distance, right?".
So glad to have found this club and looking forward to many more triathlons in the near future!!! Tai Teleso
