How was it invaluable? What did you gain from it?
Technique analysed, video play back, technique tweaked and go again.
There are elements I knew I was getting wrong, and some that I would never have picked up. Came out with a more efficient technique, and simple messages to remind myself.
I mean, my technique will never be golden after years of water polo, but it certainly helped.
I understand this would have been possible in a pool. But I quite liked the instant feedback and feel of the “treadmill” of the EP.
4 Likes
Never done it in an endless pool but had 121 sessions and drills to correct technique and it was invaluable. Think it was especially helpful for me as I had no swimming background
3 Likes
So you gained something, but have a bit of a background so could understand. My point is, as a coach who has done 121 stuff, its only as good as the continual feedback after. I feel anyone can look at a stroke and say you are doing this wrong and that wrong, here’s some drills that might help, but unless those drills are performed correctly for 1000’s of strokes and that is turned into stroke corrections whilst doing a full stroke swim. Its very difficult to do that without a coach continually reinforcing that technique change. The people that might make use of it, as long as its a decent coach, are those with an extensive background who swim a lot and can feel what they are doing, or a complete novice who has never been coached, who can just be told slow down, rotate more, correct timing etc which could make a huge difference. then again they should just pay for swimming lessons which are considerably cheaper than 121 in an EP.
4 Likes
I will always remember one coach’s memorable, and very true, comment:
"it’s not how far you swim [in training], it’s not how fast you swim, it’s how far you swim fast"
Personally I find hard sprint 50s with 1 minute rest harder work than 200s.
But, of course, that depends how fast I swim the 200s…
If I got in and did one continuous swim (even now, at 60…) I could do not far off 3500m in an hour without too much effort, but I am unsure exactly how much good it’d do me.
On the other hand, break that into 10 x 200s with 60 and I’d be knackered, because I’d be swimming faster/harder.
1 Like
My experience has been different, endless pool sessions are the best 121’s I’ve had & pool 121’s have been less beneficial.
I have no issues with EP’s, great tool for analysis as everything is set up in place, although they can affect technique in some cases
2 Likes
When you did those sessions did the coach use a Sonr (or any other device so he can talk to you whilst you are actually swimming) ?
Yes, instant feedback on every stroke.
@Adam Do you still have to book sessions at the Hampton pool, or can you just turn up now? The app is very confusing! Cheers mate!
@Adam ignore me! I wasn’t actually on the app!! 
Last time I went I just turned up but it was something ridiculous like £8.50 per swim - so yeah, I haven’t been back.
Used to be a YMCA app I think?
2 Likes
Yes, £8:50, but convenient as I can go straight after work. Thanks mate, got the app sorted in the end. 
Bleedin’ hell, and to think you could swim here for $10 (about £5), when it reopens anyway:
6 Likes
The commute would add a few quid though 
6 Likes
Standard trip for you isn’t it?
4 Likes
Hmm, I haven’t left Europe for a while, I think it’s probably fruity you mean 
Greta’s sworn enemy
5 Likes
My wife found that picture and I was DESPERATE to swim there.
Unfortunately it’s being renovated at the moment and will probably reopen a few weeks after we get back to Blighty !
I have good anecdote from a previous trip there. We went swimming at Bondi beach, I definitely wanted to do that. Got burnt as there are no sun umbrellas for rent there ( ! ) but I got in and swam a few hundred metres out, loving every second (till the sunburn on my back and backs of my legs came out that eve…).
Got back to England and was reading the paper a couple of weeks later, in it was report that a chap (from England co-incidentally) had got his arm bitten off by a Shark shortly after I’d been there…
There’s your mistake 
Don’t think I’ve ever been further than 25m out, except in races, and that makes me hurry up to get back. No one swims any further out than minimum needed here.
Swim at Icebergs instead and be even more of a tourist 
3 Likes
