Looking to get back into swimming, used to do quite a bit as a lad (2-3km morning training 3-5 times a week), but have pretty much forgotten all the ‘proper’ stroke technique etc, so thought a bit of coaching would be a good idea to help ensure I don’t suffer an injury through poor form… Art of Swimming have started up at my gym, quite expensive at £60 for an hours one-on-one, but happy to invest in a bit of coaching if it’ll help set the ground work for good results… anyone used these chaps? All the literature looks good, but what are the real world results like?

My local pool does 10x25min “improver” lessons for about 50 notes. Worth every penny.

They weren’t 1 to 1, usually worked out to be 2 or 3 to 1. But that was fine. And having them over 10 weeks meant I could go away and practice inbetween lessons.

No idea about AoS though.

psychie – yes, I used it in the summer. very good for me. I swim a few times a week, usually for 2.5k, which takes around 55 mins front crawl. My problem was that with hypermobile knees the kicking was giving pain. Had about 3 hrs of coaching, have dropped from 23 strokes per 25m length to sub 20, knocked a few mins off my 2.5k time and most importantly no sore knees. I would highly reccomend it. Mail me if you any any more info

Cheers

iain

i’d recommend you look into the ‘total immersion’ method – very very effective

quite expensive at £60 for an hours one-on-one

Bloody hell that’s expensive! 😯

I did a 12-week course a few moths ago, was about that for 12×45 min sessions. Really helpful and I learned loads about technique. Small group of about 5-6 people; the teacher had time to spend with each person, to help with their particular strengths/weaknesses. Mile End Leisure Centre.

I’m always wary of expensive ‘personal coaching’ type things, unless you really want to get into competition. A small group meant that we could watch each other too, learn from that.

Sorry, call me Cynic-Al, but that ‘Art of Swimming’ thing looks like ‘lifestyle’ guff aimed at people with a need to spend lots of money on something to boost their egos…

Join a club where they swim masters. It will soon come back to you.

I think the “total immersion” book is about a fiver and will give you loads to work on. It basically focuses on your body position in the water which gives you massive gains in efficiency. I was getting down to 12 stroke lengths when I was swimming regularly and really trying to stretch them out.

I’d second finding a masters club. From what you’ve said about training previously I think you’d have enough of a swimming base to build on. I pay 20 quid a month and have access to 5 coached sessions per week.

I used to have lessons through the local council pools. It was about £50 for 10 or 12 lessons and really helped me!!

Swimming masters is the only way you are going to swim at pace – public sessions are no good with people doing all different things, you need to have everyone in the lane doing the same thing.

Plus the competitions are a laugh and not taken that seriously.

Llama – the 3rd fastest 35-39 year old at 100 fly in wiltshire (3 people turned up)

im just doing a asa swimming teachers assistant level 1 5 week course last one is next week its a very good course looking to do a swimming teachers course level 2 next year then i can teach,think it costs about £400 but the local swimming club i help out at pay for it,helping out at a local club is a great way to get back into swimming i started about 6 months ago teach for an hour then swim with the seniors for an hour later which i find better than swimming alone all week as i think i work harder.