Why You Need A Coach If You Are Serious About Your Sport Plus A Swim Tip To Engage Your Lats

Hi folks,

There are many reasons to hire a coach, and it becomes increasingly important the more challenging or potentially risky the undertaking. The most important reason to have a coach is to protect you from yourself. Furthermore, a simple observation on your technique, along with appropriate advice, can make all the difference to your performance. Here is a short video clip showing how to engage your lats more effectively during freestyle swimming. It is all a matter of how you use your shoulder blades. My coach, Chris Haute, explained this to me over the phone recently (he probably told me before, several times, but I forgot!), and what a difference it makes in the water. I know that I will have to fine tune it for years, but at least I am aware of the issue.

My lats are still complaining about their workout today. Interestingly, Chris had me complete a solid weight workout in the gym just before my swim, which was only 2000 yards, and I really could feel a difference in the load on my lats. Furthermore, my final 50 was about 2 seconds faster than I expected. It pays to have a coach, but you have to pay attention – not always my forté, to which I am sure Chris can attest.

-k @FitOldDog