A Constraints-Led Approach to Swim Coaching

by Andrew Sheaff

Motor skill acquisition and athlete development practices are rapidly evolving. Positioned at the forefront of this evolution, the constraints-led approach encourages practitioners to consider the athlete as a whole person, with unique traits, abilities, and capacities. Accordingly, an athlete’s competitive success lies in the practitioner’s ability to adapt their programming to the unique needs of each athlete and to develop an understanding of the athlete-environment relationship. A Constraints-Led Approach to Swim Coaching applies contemporary motor skill acquisition and athlete development practices to swimming. This book encourages coaches to reconsider how they approach skill development in a sport that requires considerable physical training and highly efficient movement. It presents a framework for identifying the various constraints that determine the ability to perform at a high level. It then offers coaches practical examples to navigate the manipulation of constraints to support the development of physical capacities and the ability to effectively utilize those capacities through efficient movement. These frameworks are broadly inclusive to the global sports programming market. This book is written through a “conversive” voice and is accessible to a broad audience interested in athlete development and programming such as coaches, sport scientists, support staff, athletes, and parents. At the same time, academics and students in the areas of sport coaching, biomechanics, motor skill acquisition, strength and conditioning, and related disciplines will find interest in the insights provided from this underrepresented niche in sports.

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2023

Reviews

[Christoph Bartneck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a novel approach to swim training. It approaches the fundemental problem that one swimming style might work for one swimmer while not for another. What we swim, how our body works and in what environment we swim all influences our performance. Training should prepare the swimmer for the desired competition given the constraints of the swimmer. Sheaff offers a framework to structure training along many parameters (constraints) that can be manipulated to change (train) the swimmer. He offers a theoretical and practical advice on how to create compelling and effective training exercises as well as strategies for the coach to implement change. A very useful book for any coach.