Anyone completed Doug’s swim clinic in the city? Is it worth the $300? 6 lessons for 1.5 hours with 15 people is 6 minutes of his eyes dedicated on me per class. Or $8.33/minute for the course. It’s not all about money, but it’s a little about it.
I hear he’s a great coach and his info on this board seems helpful, but this is a decent amount of money to spend for not much time dedicated to looking at my specific stroke. Basically, I’m trying to determine if this is a worthwhile expenditure. Or would hiring a private coach for 6 lessons be money better spent?
Moving from Oly to IMLP next year and I’m not a good swimmer (22 min at NYC (current), 19 at Westchester (way short)). I need a coach of some sort. I’m getting a new bike and getting it fit, so next on the list seems to be swim lessons.
Doug, I apologize if this is tacky, just trying to do a little research.
In my book 22 min for an Oly ain’t too shabby. I’m at 26 min and looking for some stroke analysis, but I know a lot of it is just getting in the pool more. At your level I wouldn’t imagine that your stroke could be that bad that you would find an overnight fix that would get you down to 18-19 min, although I’m sure Doug would have good input for a tweak here or there coupled with more/better training.
Sure, 22 min isn’t shabby. But NYC tri has a wicked current with you the whole way (pt to pt). So it’s really more like a 30+ swim. It was 66th in my ag (25-29) and would have been 212th in the M35-39, to give some kind of reference.
And the westchester swim (19.5 min) was listed as 1.05 km after the race. So 1:51/100
I was coached in swimming for about 10 years by some great coaches. Looking back on it, it is quite amazing how much difference just a short sentence here or there can make. Actually, of all the hours I spent being coached, .001% of it was “new” analysis of my technique. The rest was reinforcement of stuff that was already communicated or just keeping the whip to me to work on my basic conditioning. That .001 % of technique coaching made a huge difference though. So – it is quite possible to get huge improvements from a sentence or two from a coach IF the coach is insightful, and just as importantly, you can make yourself apply what they tell you.
If you find a good coach, it will be worth several times $8 per minute of “eye” time.
Now, first, a disclaimer: I have worked with Doug as an assistant ride leader at his training camp in Curacao.
I would never have agreed to work with Doug had I not been very impressed with him and knew that I could learn things from him.
Doug is a personalble, amusing, no B.S. guy. Most importantly, he knows how to cut to the chase.
Swimming has always been my weak point. I’ve worked on it for years and been consistently confused by conflicting opinions on technique and training. As a result, I’ve never really made a lot of improvement.
Doug helped me more in less time than anyone else I worked with for a few reasons: His techniques are “real world”, he doesn’t try to re-write the book with trendy or unproven swim techniques or drills. Everything he teaches has produced results before and is tried and true all the way up to the Olympic level. He has the gift of observation. He can look at my stroke, pick two things that need to be corrected and have me focus on those two aspects. He doesn’t overload me with insight- just the two big things that need work and then those are mastered, then on to more improvements… Doug is an effective communicator. He is assertive and vocal, and colors his observation with humor and insight. He is capable of coaching people from an Olympic level to the most difficult athlete to coach: the one who has never even been in a swimming pool As a personality, Doug is a “connector”- a person who brings others together and inspires them to do their best. He makes you feel good about your abilities, your progress and holds you accountable for working hard to see results. The guy walks the walk. I think he says he is over 60 but he is still vital and youthful. for a guy like me in his 40’s, this is an important role model. It means there is n alternative to growing old and decrepid. That you can be older in chronological age and still vital and vigorous. Doug can still out swim most people in all of his classes. Doug maintains an open mind and is constantly learning himself. His coaching philosophies are adaptive and dynamic.