The professional student starts over...

Ok so I'm thinking all the coaches out there should go pick up a random other completely-unrelated sport. Why? So you can truly appreciate where your real novice students are coming from. I'm patient w/ beginners; I understand that it's an insane amount to grasp all at once. Or I thought I did.

Today it really sank in:
Lauren learning to swim: "bend your elbow, straighten your arm, keep your body straight, exhale entirely underwater, straighten your legs, remember to bend your elbow, hey I said keep your body straight! Breathe in rythym, inhale only when you're ABOVE water. Yes the details matter. Straight legs, rotate your body with your arms. Too much! Keep your body straight. How-am-I-supposed-to-do-all-this-when-I'm-just-trying-to-get-enough-air?!?!"

Sounds an awful lot like what I hear from my new students: "Stand up/sit down. Ok I can do this. Oh wait - with the RYTHYM of the trot?!?! (yes details matter!), and while I'm at it, I'm supposed to keep shoulders/hips/heels in line, heels DOWN (what in line isn't enough?), hands still, eyes up, how-am-I-supposed-to-do-all-this-when-it's-all-I-can-do-to-stay-on??? And then ohmygodthehorseisgoingwaytooFAST!" as the horse breaks to walk and the rider's momentum tumbles them slightly up the horse's neck... Ok so maybe I've never technically *heard* somebody say that, but I know they've *thought* it >;-P Yes that little-advertised skill of mind-reading comes in handy when coaching :) It's how I know what you're doing even when you think I can't see you >;-P

Anyways I've been fairly amused by this and it does renew my appreciation for what beginners go through :)