I was asked to comment on the sequencing of a kick and its relationship to hip rotation in a recent thread. The person writing included a link to Grant Hackett (Olympic champion and world record holder in the 1500). I clicked onto the link and read a frame by frame analysis of Hackett’s swim done by Emmit Hines who has been has written books on swimming and is a TI trained coach. Whenever Hackett lifted his head as part of his stroke Emmit Hines indicated it was an error based on his own coaching training. I thought that it might actually be a great innovation by a world class swimmer to create more power in his kick to increase hip rotation. The point being that every swimmer is unique and you cannot use a cookie cutter approach when coaching them. Hackett’s head position did not fit into Emmit Hines’ coaching book and therefore it was wrong according to Emmit Hines. Another coach might just marvel at how intuitive he was to instinctively alter his body position to gain propulsin.
When you pick a coach, ask about his philosophy. Does he/she have only one play book or he/she flexible in coaching style.
DougStern
I love it when people say that a genuinely world class athlete is doing something wrong. Seems to happen all the time on here 
If it wasn’t for armchair quarterbacks, there would be no experts 
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Doug - BarryP and I were having a discussion along these lines on PM the other day. We came to the conclusion that just b/c the textbook says ABC, ABC might only work for the textbook and there is more than one way to teach a person ABC.
A coach must have the ability to take situation X and the principles behind ABC and apply them to athlete Joe. The verbage that works for Joe and the examples that work for Joe may not work for Brian, Barry, Tom, or Doug. Many academic types who do not work in the field as the coaches do are more concerned about how the argument is framed (ie are the corners squared, nails flush etc). Many coaches are more concerned with how to make the athelete faster. Our concensus (n=2) is rather than just taking the exact ABC, a good coach has the ability to take the framing and mold it to fit the situation so that the coach & athlete in question are able to use the principles behind ABC vs actually using the ABC itself to achieve improvement.
Doug, I want to ask about your philosophy. Do you have only one play book or are you flexible in coaching style?
I’m coming to your California swim camp so I thought I’d better check
Sort of like posters here (coaches included) who think everyone has to get lower to be faster, even though there are several reasons why an individual might not be faster lower.
Humans are complex and individual, and coaching should reflect that.
I have seen first hand what you are talking about,
I attended a rowing coaches meeting, where a tape of Rob Waddells Sydney olympic winning single sculls race was viewed and then discussed.
after an hours discussion, the champs technique had been picked to death, and anything attributing to his win was blamed on his physique/the engine.
It is a stituation i see played out time again here in NZ, coaches that can only see “wrong” and “their way”
Its refreshing to see a coach like yourself Doug, able to look between the lines and assess new ideas with intelligence and rationality.
two thumbs up.
I look at individuals as experiments of one and then I will draw on my store of knowledge to see what works best for your body. I will assess your body to see what you bring to the game. After a video analysis we will discuss a plan of action designed to make you the fastest swimmer you can be. You will never be compared with another swimmer because you are unique.
DougStern
That’s what I’m hoping for! Although if you could compare me favorably to my wife (she’s faster) that would be nice
Many years ago I was at a swimming clinic given by Doc Counsilman. He brought along one of his swimmers (Mark Spitz). While Spitz was was warming up, Counsilman explained how he goes over stroke technique with Spitz. Counsilman said, I sit on a chair and make notes of what Mark is doing and I learn from him. I film him and look on in awe at how he swims and I learn. I draw some general conclusions which I can pass on to others. Counsilman also mentioned that he probably ruined as many swimmers as he made.
DougStern