Get coaching on turns. Proper the technique will go a long way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You definitely don’t need to be a pushing a 9 year old hard with extra workouts, etc., that is a recipe for burnout or an overuse injury. Since you’re talking about an IM I would just have your DD focus more on her weakest stroke. When she does meets have her always enter the 50 for her weakest stroke. It’s natural for kids to want to focus on the stroke that is their best and always enter those events, but what will help her the most to drop time in the IM is improving the stroke that’s the weakest.

This is terrific advice.

+1...work on weakest stroke and turns. My DD is good at 3/4 strokes and a decent IMer. She could be a great IMer if her breaststroke could improve.

But you need to listen to all these people who say don't get too invested in your 9-year old's swimming success. This is a long sport, things change, kids quit, and puberty affects everyone differently. If your daughter is big/tall for her age, chances are everyone else will catch up and she won't be a star for long. Also, I think being really good at a young age is hard fykids. My two swimmers are teenagers now. They were always solid swimmers, but not stars. They've progressed through the sport well and are continuing to improve. Body type has a lot to do with swimming and there's not much to do with that. Good luck to your daughter!

It's not even always about being big and tall. Some kids are just stronger/more muscular at a young age. It can actually be harder for the tall skinny kids when they are younger because they don't have as much muscle. The fast kids are often average height but strong and can power through the water for short races. But then puberty can change things as others have said. The tall skinny kid fills out a bit and all of a sudden they have the advantage, especially as the races get longer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You definitely don’t need to be a pushing a 9 year old hard with extra workouts, etc., that is a recipe for burnout or an overuse injury. Since you’re talking about an IM I would just have your DD focus more on her weakest stroke. When she does meets have her always enter the 50 for her weakest stroke. It’s natural for kids to want to focus on the stroke that is their best and always enter those events, but what will help her the most to drop time in the IM is improving the stroke that’s the weakest.

This is terrific advice.

+1...work on weakest stroke and turns. My DD is good at 3/4 strokes and a decent IMer. She could be a great IMer if her breaststroke could improve.

But you need to listen to all these people who say don't get too invested in your 9-year old's swimming success. This is a long sport, things change, kids quit, and puberty affects everyone differently. If your daughter is big/tall for her age, chances are everyone else will catch up and she won't be a star for long. Also, I think being really good at a young age is hard fykids. My two swimmers are teenagers now. They were always solid swimmers, but not stars. They've progressed through the sport well and are continuing to improve. Body type has a lot to do with swimming and there's not much to do with that. Good luck to your daughter!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when our swimmer makes improvements in their time. She is 10U and trying to get to a certain time (she wants to break a team record and she's close but it's still a few seconds away). I am not sure how to help her. Is it more pool time? Better technique? Should I be signing her up for stroke clinics? If so, recommendations?

I do not have a swimming background so I'm a little lost.

Preworkout caffeine powder works everytime

I really hope this is sarcasm.

Anonymous wrote:There seems to be no rhyme or reason to when our swimmer makes improvements in their time. She is 10U and trying to get to a certain time (she wants to break a team record and she's close but it's still a few seconds away). I am not sure how to help her. Is it more pool time? Better technique? Should I be signing her up for stroke clinics? If so, recommendations?

I do not have a swimming background so I'm a little lost.

Preworkout caffeine powder works everytime

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You definitely don’t need to be a pushing a 9 year old hard with extra workouts, etc., that is a recipe for burnout or an overuse injury. Since you’re talking about an IM I would just have your DD focus more on her weakest stroke. When she does meets have her always enter the 50 for her weakest stroke. It’s natural for kids to want to focus on the stroke that is their best and always enter those events, but what will help her the most to drop time in the IM is improving the stroke that’s the weakest.

This is terrific advice.

Agreed. I have a 9 year old DD who has dropped a ton of time in the IM since October by improving in butterfly. She would not do fly if not for the fact that she really likes the IM, and because she’s a very good breaststroker just being solid in fly has made a huge difference. There is no need to have a 9 year old do extra training, etc.

Anonymous wrote:You definitely don’t need to be a pushing a 9 year old hard with extra workouts, etc., that is a recipe for burnout or an overuse injury. Since you’re talking about an IM I would just have your DD focus more on her weakest stroke. When she does meets have her always enter the 50 for her weakest stroke. It’s natural for kids to want to focus on the stroke that is their best and always enter those events, but what will help her the most to drop time in the IM is improving the stroke that’s the weakest.

This is terrific advice.