Just a quick commendation on one of Doug Stern’s swim classes that I attended last night whilst on a trip down here to New York City. Most of you will no doubt know of Doug from the forum and I was very keen when he asked me to pop along to his level one class on 93rd street and see what it was all about.
Whenever I personally conduct swim clinics for triathletes, I always look to the local coaches and encourage them to be part of the clinic so as to incorporate their opinions and viewpoints on various aspects of the freestyle stroke. After all, it is they who will go away and actually put theory into practice in the long-term following the clinic. I find this leads to a very well balanced environment which I believe to be conducive to improving the performance of the swimmers. I make no pretense that I personally know all the ‘answers’ to freestyle swimming (I don’t think we ever can), but am passionate about the idea that what works for one swimmer, doesn’t necessarily work for another. The idea of there actually being a “text book freestyle” stroke in this day and age is but a fallacy, in my personal opinion. You only have to look at major swimming events to see that no two world class swimmers, swim with exactly the same mechanics for example. This is especially true in triathlon, where the range of different open water situations often presents you with an environment quite different to the pool and having to work to adapt your stroke to these conditions.
It is with this in mind that I found the opportunity to swim with Doug’s group in NYC so refreshing last night. At more than twice my age (as he kept reminding me!), some would say that an ‘older’ swim coach like Doug may have become ‘stuck in his ways’ - not true. I genuinely found the work that Doug was doing in NYC to be very insightful, challenging the swimmer to actually think about what they are doing and why they are doing it, and also very enjoyable too. I was (for the first time in a while) being taught new drills and ideas and as such put myself back in the “swimmer’s position” which was quite a nice (but strange) experience all at the same time. I think that having to go through the learning process again myself will help boost my empathy with my own swimmers and triathletes, which can only be a good thing. Its always encouraging to meet someone who comes “from the same vein” as you with respect to coaching, and even moreso when they are willing to openly challenge you to your reasoning behind your ideas.
I know we all hate “plugs” on these public forums, but I strongly recommend catching up with Doug in NYC if ever you’re passing through.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings and good luck to everyone racing in NYC this weekend!
Paul
www.swimsmooth.com
I just completed a Doug Level 1 - 6 Session, course and it has opened up a new world of swimming. Prior to learning with Doug, I was an “arm-flailing”; “windmill-slapping” stoker with a TI style body line catch and ZERO kick. It worked for a number of races, sprint, oly, half-iron and iron. But when it came down to it, I was always getting dusted by other swimmers and I could never seem to improve.
Since learning with Doug I’ve learned:
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Head Position. TI tells you to look down and use the top of your head like a vector so you have a stright bodyline. NOT ALWAYS TRUE or BENEFICIAL. My experience is that with your head slightly up, you can actually see your hand entry, or what Doug calls the “illusive hands”… So true… In fact, you can also see the feet of the guy in front of you you’re trying to draft.
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Kick: Awe man the kick. TI uses and effortless kick, which is great for gliding through the water, but in Racing? Nah… Doug proved to me that a kick can be the driving force behind your propulsion. My 100Y moderate pace laptimes have come down from like 2Min to about 1:25 just from learning to kick. It also creates major lift of the hips, and promotes hip rotation. Trully is an under-utilized tool from the TI perspective.
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High-elbow and entry: I thought I looked good in the water, until Doug video taped me…
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DRILLS-DRILLS-DRILLS: I don’t know about you guys, but I thought I was doing drills, until Doug’s classes showed me I wasn’t. Doug doesn’t joke around. In a conditioning session, we’ll swim 800m using various drills just as a warmup. Then we’ll getting into some beefy intervals, like 10x100m with a 1 minute rest after the 1st 5sets. Taking Doug’s drills sessions, and them practicing on my own 2-3x’s a week continually turns out break through swim sessions for me. last Saturday, I warmed up with 500m of single arm and catch up, and then swam 1600m straight, and I did it in about 35mins. The best part about it, I felt great afterwards, I could’ve easily gotten on a bike and raced on.
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Attitude: GET THE HELL OUT OF THAT COMFORT ZONE!!! I used to swim like 200m, stop for like 20 secs, and then go another 200m… Doug says,“GET OFF THE WALL”, and he’s right you gotta push yourself. Yeah you may be tired, but part of the training and discovery is pushing yourself beyond the your boundaries. it builds confidence, endurance, competition.
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Enjoy the water: I’m finally at a level where I look forward to my swim workouts, much like I do with cycle and run workouts.
I fully endorse Doug Stern’s Swim clinic. He has a hysterically funny and enjoyable way of kicking your ass in the pool. Very tough to find a coach in any sport who will push you, and you will enjoy his pushing.
THANKS DOUG for the past 6 weeks!!! I’ll see you in Level 2, and might even consider inviting myself on some openwater swims with you this summer.
** See you all at the wave start!!! Watch out fellow 25-29 Age groupers… I’m coming for you…
~Daniel
Daniel,
I loved watching your transformtion into a real swimmer.
Your video said it all!
enjoy your racing season.
DougStern
Without even going to Doug’s clinics, and just using his input on this forum, I went from mid pack to somewhere in the front of pack over the winter. I fear being videotaped though, as I am terrified to see how bad I really look in the water. Reports go something like this, “How does that guy swim that fast with such a terrible stroke…”
Dev
Does Doug have a book, or DVD available? It would be a great resource for those of us not in NYC. I fear that I will be a 60% percentile swimmer the rest of my life, no matter how hard I work. Wouldn’t be so bad if my run and bike were also 60%, but they aren’t. I’m always playing catch up out of the water. Hopeless in Cleveland:)
I was approached by a fellow from Toledo Ohio who wanted me to come out for a weekend swim clinic. i might meet you out there.
I do not have a book or DVD. I write articles and work in an interactive way in person.
DougStern
That would be super. Let us know via a post of some sort if you do indeed head out this way.
Thanks,
Kevin