Recommended Swim coaching

Hi,

I'm looking for swim coaching either in  London or Kent that really works / has a good structure.  This winter period I want to crack my swim and get efficient as possible for next years races.

I've tried local pools coaches and one supposedly specialist coach (no names!) for a decent amount of money but basically I always seems to just end up swimming constant lengths which i could do for free in my own time. image

Can anyone recommend someone they know / have used that might be able to help me master a good technique (or at least improve)

All advice welcome.

 

Comments

  • SwimforTri have good reports and they are London based

  • Join a tri club with regular coached sessions.  Cheaper and more regular.  I am, fortunate that my club has a good swim coach and sessions on 3 days a week - £4 an hour (but I am up north) 

    No way no how would I ever make myself do UNCO drills if it wasn't part of a coached set.  I thought I hated swimming before but when they are part of the session I know what hate really means. 

  • Fiona Ford at SwimSmooth, based at Richmond.  http://www.swimsmooth.com/certifiedcoaches.html

    She does 1:2:1 and also runs the local swimsmooth sessions at Richmond Pool.  You'll get videoed, analysis of your stroke and remedial drills to do along with a DVD of the session to take home so you can also look at your stroke and then refresh yourself with the necessary drills she has suggested.

  • If you’re looking for someone in London I would highly recommend Emile Bitar . I used him to ‘fix’ my swimming in preparation for the Ironman. I worked personally with him in a pool in Chelsea. He watched my stroke, video’d it so I could see what he sees, gave me specific drills to do in my sessions with him and when on my own. I could see him when I wanted to (about 4-6 sessions over 2-3 months...but that’s totally flexible). And the results were fantastic. My pace dropped from 2:00/100m down to 1:50/100m and I felted totally different in the water than I did before – more effortless, not swimming harder.

    If you’re open to online coaching, I would also check out http://triswimcoachonline.com/tri/ – Kevin is a great teacher and has many videos and workouts you can do on your own.

  • I used swim canary wharf - ray gibs.  He uses an endless pool + camera/ video.  I found the video really good to see what i was doing wrong so cpuld correct it.

    Its taken a couple of years to bed in. Ie i left him with much omproved body ppsition /stream linong but just tje start of the catch..... thats just cpme with time now i indrstood wjat i was aiming at

    My missus also did the same sessions..... did not get it.  Then tried swim for tri and got it...... 

    Coaches explain things differently and it clicks with some, and not with others.

    Also some pointers take time to bed in...... and when they get reinforced/ explained differently by some on else it clicks.

     

    Overall we are both happy with all the swim coaching we have had. Its made a significant differernce to both of usimage

  • I cannot say i have used a swim coach (yet...) but i would certainly recommend a SwimSmooth one. I have read there book and it has made massive improvements to my swimming

  • PG3PG3 ✭✭✭

    I'll second a vote for Fiona.  I recommended her to a guy from my swim club and he said it really helped and he is now lots faster.

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