Swimmer's technique is falling apart

[Anonymous]

One of my kids very recently aged up. They had a lot of success last year at the top of their age group, and I knew this year would be more of a challenge for them. What I did not expect to see is an apparent regression in both times and (more concerning) their stroke technique. I think they are trying, but have developed bad habits or something that no one apparently caught on the winter team. Now they're doing things incorrectly and not even aware of it. They're DQ'ing on strokes that they could swim legally two years ago and even their best strokes don't look like they used to.

Is this something that can happen as a result of growth/development? My child is very thin and doesn't seem to have "filled out" the way some other kids have. Does it straighten itself out with time? It's really baffling to watch and hard on my kid as they're getting passed by other kids for whom it all seems to be clicking. Any advice for supporting them and helping them get back on track with their strokes? Should they do some private lessons to help identify and fix some of the problems? I'm not sure whether to be annoyed with the winter coach(es) for not providing better technical instruction or whether this is some weird blip for my kid that they just need to ride out.

[Anonymous]

Their technique was bad in winter and no one worked with them? Get another club

[Anonymous]

My DC had a summer like that when 11. I attribute it now to the start of a huge growth spurt and not knowing how to move this new physique (and was tired all the time!). By the time 12 rolled around DC had turned the corner and started dropping times again. There was very little improvement that summer.

[Anonymous]

Age and gender matter here. And the PP who said your child needs another club team is spot on. Someone was not paying attention at all while the kid developed these new habits.

[Anonymous]

A huge benefit of club swimming is stroke development. I’d switch clubs and invest in private lessons during the summer. Any club could have a few kids not making progress due to lack of talent, but I’ve never heard of regression in technique.

The only reason I’d stay was if my kid had a huge growth spurt in the teen years and needed to relocate himself in space. I’m talking 4+ inches in an year. Even then, I would watch to see the coaches working with kid during practice.

[Anonymous]

Could you clarify your reaponse on growth and development, OP? Regression can absolutely happen bc of growth and development as they learn to drag more body through the water. But you say your kid hasn’t filled out, so that sounds less like growth and more like falling into bad habits.

It is hard to know from an anon board but both those things can happen and at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you clarify your reaponse on growth and development, OP? Regression can absolutely happen bc of growth and development as they learn to drag more body through the water. But you say your kid hasn’t filled out, so that sounds less like growth and more like falling into bad habits.

It is hard to know from an anon board but both those things can happen and at the same time.

DC is tall for their age and has always been thin. I think they are even thinner than usual right now because they have gained height but not (much) weight this past year. Puberty is likely a ways off still. I can tell that some of the other kids DC's age have become more solidly built, and DC just doesn't have the genetics for that. They will have height but are likely to be very skinny for quite a while longer. It does seem like for at least one stroke (butterfly) it is a problem of "dragging more body through the water"... longer arms without more muscle. I think this did lead to development of a bad habit. They've been DQ'd for the same reason several times recently. It seems unlikely to me that this has suddenly started happening. More likely that it emerged over the winter as DC grew, and no one ever pointed it out to DC so they could be mindful about correcting it.

There are some other things like this too, some of which are disqualifying and others that just look like an uglier stroke. We actually did try a new club's practice recently, and a coach there pulled DC aside to work with them on a different thing that they noticed. Afterward DC said they didn't know that thing needed work when it would be obvious to any casual observer that it does. I have tried not to be overbearing and did not watch winter practices because there wasn't a good spot to do so without being "that parent". I have tried to leave any constructive feedback/criticism to coaches. All I know is that it really looks like a different kid is in the water right now.

[Anonymous]

Did you do your summer swim club’s winter swim? In my experience, those focus little on technique and basically just help with building endurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could you clarify your reaponse on growth and development, OP? Regression can absolutely happen bc of growth and development as they learn to drag more body through the water. But you say your kid hasn’t filled out, so that sounds less like growth and more like falling into bad habits.

It is hard to know from an anon board but both those things can happen and at the same time.

DC is tall for their age and has always been thin. I think they are even thinner than usual right now because they have gained height but not (much) weight this past year. Puberty is likely a ways off still. I can tell that some of the other kids DC's age have become more solidly built, and DC just doesn't have the genetics for that. They will have height but are likely to be very skinny for quite a while longer. It does seem like for at least one stroke (butterfly) it is a problem of "dragging more body through the water"... longer arms without more muscle. I think this did lead to development of a bad habit. They've been DQ'd for the same reason several times recently. It seems unlikely to me that this has suddenly started happening. More likely that it emerged over the winter as DC grew, and no one ever pointed it out to DC so they could be mindful about correcting it.

There are some other things like this too, some of which are disqualifying and others that just look like an uglier stroke. We actually did try a new club's practice recently, and a coach there pulled DC aside to work with them on a different thing that they noticed. Afterward DC said they didn't know that thing needed work when it would be obvious to any casual observer that it does. I have tried not to be overbearing and did not watch winter practices because there wasn't a good spot to do so without being "that parent". I have tried to leave any constructive feedback/criticism to coaches. All I know is that it really looks like a different kid is in the water right now.

Butterfly is hard for long thin kids I think. Requires a lot of upper body strength and core strength. But so think a few private lessons would likely help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC had a summer like that when 11. I attribute it now to the start of a huge growth spurt and not knowing how to move this new physique (and was tired all the time!). By the time 12 rolled around DC had turned the corner and started dropping times again. There was very little improvement that summer.

Exactly this for my child (a girl). Same ages, same issue. The previous year (10) she had an amazing season. She swims club year round. The summer she was 11 she was a mess. This year she is 12 and dropping time like crazy. Agreed on the growth spurt and needing to learn to move again.

[Anonymous]

Could also be anxiety?
When they're a star of the age group the previous year, there's a lot to live up to.