Aug 4, 2026 - How Can We Effect Change in Our Swimming?
Swimming Technique and Training Discussion
Glenn and Suzy discussed historical swimming techniques, with Suzy sharing her experience of switching from breathing every other stroke to every stroke under coach George Haynes, which improved her performance significantly within a month. The conversation then shifted to training principles, with Glenn referencing The Talent Code and The Little Book of Talent as resources for understanding improvement processes. Glenn emphasized that errors typically clear in 2-3 reps rather than days, and discussed the challenge of determining how many attempts to give before deciding a technique change isn't working, noting that feeling good isn't always an indicator of proper technique.
Evidence-Based Swimming Feedback Techniques
The group discussed the importance of providing evidence and feedback to swimmers during training. Glenn and Andrew emphasized using video evidence and objective data to justify technique changes, rather than relying solely on a swimmer's feelings. They highlighted the need to consider both physiological limitations and the swimmer's effort level when implementing new corrections. The discussion also touched on the effectiveness of tools like the Endless Pool in providing measurable feedback to swimmers.
Sensory Feedback in Swimming Techniques
Glenn and Robin discussed sensory feedback in swimming technique development, with Robin explaining that proprioceptive signals and muscle memory are key indicators for swimmers learning new techniques. Glenn noted that complex motions make it difficult for swimmers to focus on all elements simultaneously, and suggested keeping instructions simple. The discussion then shifted to a study about stroke development, highlighting that swimmers often struggle with new techniques because the old habit remains intact while the new stroke is still being learned as separate components rather than a complete package.
Swimming Teaching Techniques Discussion
The group discussed teaching techniques for swimming, focusing on how to help swimmers feel and understand proper arm movements, particularly in backstroke. Glenn and Suzy shared experiences about using both in-water and dry-land exercises to demonstrate muscle activation and resistance, with Suzy emphasizing the effectiveness of hands-on instruction in the pool. Andrew stressed that the key priority is helping swimmers physically feel what they need to do rather than just explaining it, while Glenn shared his approach of using minimal verbal instruction and physical signals during coaching, noting that less talking is often more effective for communication with swimmers.
Athlete Anxiety and Coaching Strategies
Paul shared a technique he used with a nervous swimmer by showing her videos of puppies before a meet, which helped reduce her anxiety and improve her performance. Glenn noted that modern athletes seem more relaxed and smile more behind the blocks compared to previous generations. The group discussed coaching strategies, with Robin suggesting reframing stress as preparation and using mental tasks to distract athletes, while the conversation concluded with a discussion about how to effectively assess if athletes have truly implemented coaching changes during practice.
Teaching Older Master Swimmers
Cynthia discussed her approach to teaching older master swimmers (ages 65-80), explaining how she observes their technique and provides feedback on both physical and intellectual aspects of swimming. She noted that about 20 of her swimmers are top 10 competitors, and Glenn commented on how older swimmers can feel the direction and momentum of movements despite not moving fast. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the challenges in measuring the effectiveness of swimming technique changes, with a reference to a study finding benefits were nearly negligible in real-world settings.
Contextual Interference in Sports Practice
The group discussed the concept of contextual interference in sports practice, with Barbara explaining that it refers to mixing up practice tasks or changing environments, which causes lower performance during practice but leads to better skill retention and transfer later. They examined a study showing that spending 20 minutes explaining concepts to students significantly improved their understanding and reduced resistance. The discussion concluded with insights about trusting feelings in practice, noting that while feeling good doesn't always indicate familiarity, it can sometimes indicate actual improvement, and coaches should listen to athletes' feedback about how they feel during practice.
Distinguishing Good and Bad Pain
The group discussed the challenge of distinguishing between good and bad pain, particularly when coaching young athletes. Glenn shared that the difference between a good start and a bad start becomes more pronounced with age, emphasizing how important technique is. Robin explained how the feeling of speed increases exponentially, similar to how drag increases at higher speeds. The conversation concluded with Glenn raising the question of how to explain the difference between soreness and pain to young athletes who want to please their coaches.
Communicating Pain with Young Swimmers
Glenn and the team discussed challenges in communicating with young swimmers about pain and injury, particularly distinguishing between muscle soreness from hard work and joint pain that indicates a potential injury. Melinda suggested that coaches can notice when swimmers change their stroke patterns as a compensation for pain. Dave shared his approach of explaining to athletes that muscle soreness during exercise is typically good pain, while sharp pain in joints indicates a problem, and he uses a 4-to-1 ratio rule to help swimmers understand the timeline for addressing shoulder issues.
Swimming Instruction Techniques Discussion
The group discussed swimming instruction techniques, focusing on external versus internal focus methods. They reviewed research showing that telling swimmers nothing and having them practice the action actually improved performance better than instructing them to pull their hands back. The team agreed that giving external targets and focusing on one instruction at a time before swimming is more effective. For next week's meeting, Andrew will take the lead to discuss set design concepts, focusing on how to incorporate skill development into training sets while maintaining organization and clarity.
Chat
2026-08-04 12:02:06 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
equipment in the basement and it got flooded?
2026-08-04 12:09:12 From Barbara Hummel to Everyone:
You benefitted from training “at altitude” for all those years.
2026-08-04 12:09:54 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
I think if you can see the improvement for parts of laps during the first few days it is a good sign.
I feel that a lot of my believes and opinions can be answered from the book 'The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle
2026-08-04 12:15:01 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
If you don't see the swimmers doing anything different after a week or two (are they trying? Do they need a new way of it being presented / instructed?)
If they are not trying, it is not going to change. Can they make changes? Do the practices allow for it?
2026-08-04 12:16:05 From Cynthia Smith to Everyone:
I frequently tell a swimmer trying a new correction that it should feel ‘different’, and it probably will feel ‘wrong’ at first. Video helps them see that ‘wrong’ does deliver a better result.
2026-08-04 12:16:12 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
“are you going to believe me or your lying eyes!”
2026-08-04 12:26:25 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
The shout down the lane could work if it is short and equivalent to swimmer looking a mirror or overhead rope, etc. cannot require too much processing of what you say. E.g., for backstroke arms crossing over: “WIDER”
2026-08-04 12:28:54 From Coach Dan . to Glenn M (direct message):
This is a direct message, did not want to post these links without running it buy you: Link to a pdf of the talent code: 850048_The+Talent+Code.pdf
From Amazon: https://amzn.to/4yXF41o
The LIttle Book of Talent: https://amzn.to/4w7JSOW
2026-08-04 12:29:00 From Robin McQuinn to Everyone:
“Have Fun!” Because fast is fun
2026-08-04 12:30:09 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
The is what Gary Hall Sr said to Jr before the meets, because Sr did not have much fun
2026-08-04 12:30:15 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
Have Fun
2026-08-04 12:30:27 From Glenn M to Coach Dan . (direct message):
Of course… post that!
2026-08-04 12:34:29 From melinda Wolff to Everyone:
It seems to me that as coaches, we feel that we're supposed to know exactly what to say when. If we relieve ourselves of this heavy responsibility, we, too, can "have fun" as coaches.
2026-08-04 12:35:02 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
Here are some links. First is to a pdf file of the book The Talent Code and the next 2 are if you want to buy the books from Amazon.
Link to a pdf of the talent code: 850048_The+Talent+Code.pdf
From Amazon: https://amzn.to/4yXF41o
The LIttle Book of Talent: https://amzn.to/4w7JSOW
2026-08-04 12:36:00 From Cynthia Smith to Everyone:
They tell you
2026-08-04 12:36:54 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
Or your 5 min / swimmer lesson during practice
2026-08-04 12:37:33 From melinda Wolff to Everyone:
Does it have to be "measurable?" How do we know that a better race time was from a changed stroke? Or some other uncontrolled factor?
2026-08-04 12:39:37 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
Replying to "Here are some links. First is to a pdf file of the...":
thanks
2026-08-04 12:40:33 From melinda Wolff to Everyone:
Some of the time improvements from simple changes, like streamlining more/better, is kinda obvious. The more complex changes, like breathing patterns perhaps, are much harder to determine if they have "stuck" and resulted in positive outcomes.
2026-08-04 12:44:24 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
The traditional concept of contextual interference—the long-held motor learning belief that random practice uniformly outperforms blocked practice for retention—is challenged by recent meta-analyses showing little to no evidence of this effect in applied sports settings. [1, 2]
The Traditional Theory
Blocked practice: Practicing a single skill repeatedly before moving to the next, yielding high initial performance but lower retention. [1, 2]
2026-08-04 12:44:34 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
The Traditional Theory
Blocked practice: Practicing a single skill repeatedly before moving to the next, yielding high initial performance but lower retention. [1, 2]
Random practice: Interleaving multiple skills or variations, causing high contextual interference that purportedly forces schema elaboration and better long-term transfer. [1, 2]
2026-08-04 12:44:43 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
The Myth and Modern Evidence
No sports generalization: Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses find that overall performance during acquisition, retention, and transfer tests in sports is largely unaffected by these specific practice schedules. [1]
Constrained conditions: True contextual interference effects mostly appear in tightly controlled laboratory tasks rather than complex, real-world athletic environments. [1, 2, 3, 4]
2026-08-04 12:44:53 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:
Overstated binaries: The rigid dichotomy between blocked and random practice ignores individual differences, skill complexity, and the nuanced, optimal levels of variability required for true learning. [1]
For a detailed review of the research paper challenging this belief:
2026-08-04 12:48:24 From Beth Baker to Everyone:
Isn’t that the value of stroke counting and getting a time?
2026-08-04 12:48:45 From Beth Baker to Everyone:
It doesn’t have to feel good to have a good time coupled with a good stroke count.
2026-08-04 12:55:34 From Cynthia Smith to Everyone:
Harder for senior masters (65-80 years old) to tell the difference between sore and injured. Coaches asking questions when they see stroke degrading fairly quickly can intervene before the swimmer realizes they have a new injury.
2026-08-04 12:55:53 From melinda Wolff to Everyone:
Who remembers the days of the "ExerGenie" - hurts one's shoulders yet the poster in the dryland room stated, "No Gain, No Pain." Several shoulder surgeries later ... I was one of those 13 yo's who never complained of pain.
2026-08-04 12:56:19 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
No is trying any more -
maybe it is because people are not getting out of the pool 'falling down' on the pool deck after practice
2026-08-04 12:57:35 From melinda Wolff to Everyone:
Excellent advice, Dave!
2026-08-04 13:00:16 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
I like this (also talked about in those books)
2026-08-04 13:01:35 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
I think doing both of these on this topic was really good
2026-08-04 13:02:22 From Cynthia Smith to Everyone:
Good discussion, thanks.
2026-08-04 13:03:45 From Coach Dan . to Everyone:
Yes, Euro and Pan Pax next week
2026-08-04 13:03:45 From Julie Phillips to Everyone:
Thank you!
