The group is mainly comprised of beginning swimmers. They have learned to swim within the last year or two for the purpose of competing in triathlons. I feel very fortunate that I learned to swim when I was young. I am certainly no Dara Torres but I definitely feel very comfortable in the water. Even as a experienced swimmer, the mass of people at a triathlon start with the kicking and people swimming over you can be unnerving. I can’t imagine the added stress it must be for someone who is new to swimming. I have nothing but respect for someone who learns to swim later in life – it is never too late!
The coaching gig is a little tricky in that we don’t have reserved lanes at the pool so I get there as early as possible and snag a lane. I wasn’t sure how busy the pool would be so I got there 30 minutes early and swam laps until my group arrived. There were quite a few swim lessons going on around me but thankfully not a lot of lap swimmers. Around 7:00 the water aerobic contingent arrived. I am always amazed at how many people attend those classes. At my gym, the classes are always packed and the same was true for this pool. Tons of people getting their aerobic splash on.
I had two workouts written for my group last night, one was 500 meters and one was 1000. Mostly 25s and 50s in an effort to get them used to swimming since they had taken off swimming over the winter. I am kind of trying to figure out how much everyone can handle which is tricky. I am proud to say the group rocked out the 1000 last night! At the end, they didn’t seem overly tired so I think maybe I could have pushed them a bit more with the interval times. Not sure. It took them about 45 minutes to get through the workout. I don’t want it to be too easy but I don’t want it to be so hard they don’t enjoy it either. As time goes on, I am sure it will become easier to assess and I will find that happy medium. All in all, they got their laps in and are that much closer to triathlon success, right?
6 comments:
This is so wonderful for the swimmers, I wish I could
at tend this workout. A group for beginners who want to give tri's a tri..sounds perfect!! So far away!
Keep us posted on their progress, you're so great to be working with them!
Awesome! I love this post, cool for you to be coaching this and helping and leading others!
Ah, that's excellent you're coaching swimming - yay. I swam in high school and college but I don't know if I got burned out or what but I really struggle getting to the pool now. I used to use the pool time to recovery from the hard miles of running....now that I'm not running, I force myself to go so as to get in a workout - maybe it's just the mindset between the two, I just don't enjoy it anymore. Maybe if I had you as my coach? :)
Happy Weekend!!
How cool you're a swim coach! That pic of the tri swim is totally unnerving to me.
Water aerobics is packed here as well. I've never tried it....yet.
How awesome! You are doing a great job!! :0)
Sounds like you're doing a great job and that your class is going to benefit greatly from your experience.
That would be difficult to have just learned to swim as an adult. I've been swimming all my life and tri swimming still scares me :)!
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