Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Top Swim Coach (Masterclass)

Welcome to the ultimate swim coaching masterclass!

Whether you're starting out as a swim coach or looking to take your coaching to the next level, this video is packed with actionable ways to help you level up your swim coaching and help your swimmers improve. Coaching is more than teaching technique—it's about shaping athletes into resilient, disciplined, and well-rounded individuals.

Success begins with mastering the fundamentals of swimming, from body position and streamlining to stroke mechanics and efficient breathing. You'll also learn how to design effective workouts, incorporate equipment like fins and paddles, and plan seasons for peak performance while accounting for key variables like sleep, nutrition, and mental health.

Great coaching requires more than knowledge; it demands strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to inspire trust and confidence in your athletes. By modeling integrity, discipline, and positivity, you can teach swimmers the value of delayed gratification, foster a growth mindset, and instill life skills that extend far beyond the pool.

Seek out mentors to continue growing, and embrace the "protege effect" by teaching others, which will strengthen your own understanding. Ultimately, the difference between a good coach and a great coach is the ability to inspire athletes to be better people.

Congratulations on making it this far. I'm excited for you to continue developing your skills to impact the next generation of swimmers!

[laboursoflove]

I’ve now watched this video several times because it is a masterful example of teaching regardless of the discipline. Thank you for saying it how it is.
I now have a better understanding of how to structure my own swimming schedule. I love learning something new everyday 😁
Something I would love to see more of in swimming coaching is integrating other disciplines into a training timetable. For example I start my day with yoga at home (I taught it for several decades), walk rather than use the car, and do tai chi in the evenings as well as swim five times a week (pool timetable limited). Everyone assumes the gym and weights is the only option. I have never done either. Tai Chi is known as swimming in air for good reason. I also skip with a rope and do handstands.
I observe many coaches coach girls the same as boys, when from my experience women’s bodies have different needs.
I return again and again to your channel and am grateful to feel your companionship in swimming. Thank you to you and all your team for making it possible.
PS Labours of Love is the cookery book I wrote; your excuses match exactly those I hear when I ask “what do you cook?” 😂

[GlodelHayward]

A great bit of information! Thank you so much .

[laboursoflove]

This is truly a fantastic video, I am my own coach because where I swim there isn’t any other option.
Over the years I have found very few of any standard who can do floating stars for ten minutes. Many store their tension in their legs, which often don’t get enough use vertically out of the water, and a heavy diet.

[halabesmar]

Wow! Such important little details but big impact on swimming to follow ! Such calming voice explaining it all! So impressed with your way of all the explicit explanation! Thank you so much! This video is amazing!👍👍

[comtessesnowflake]

Pithy and succinct as ever, Fares. Lots of food for thought. Thank you. BUT we all depend on well-run pools. Ours is out of action avge. 1/3rd of each week because of plant break-downs!

[reubenmorales]

Hi, Fares! What an excellent piece of work! Thanks for this video. I'm a comedy coach as well as a swimmer and what you said applies perfectly to my field. Congratulations!

[akshayedake]

Thank u sir🙌 we meat in Mumbai that time I told about this we need to this information and u make video that's why thank u so much 🙌🙌 I'm always your follower and student

[laboursoflove]

I love your channel, thank you.
I’m wondering if you could do a series of videos in 2025 on how swimming changes over the course of a lifetime, specifically interviewing greats like Spitz, Goodhew, Wilkie (guess my age!!). I’m coming across more people in the comments on swimming channels for whom the advice to work on speed is no longer an option. Thank you so much 😊

[rogeriocastro]

Olá, em relação a planilha sazonal, ela pode ser aplicada de que forma ao atleta que por exemplo: participa de competições natação na piscina ou em mar aberto a cada 2 meses, em que fase ele se enquadra (macro, meso, micro e individual). obrigado.

[ShakirKhanFitness]

I see a lot of coaches pushing their students way close to the competition where they are actually suppose to taper training they actually increase the intensity which actually slow their athletes down in the actual competition #shakirkhanfitness

[ShakirKhanFitness]

That's what I always tell my students to do, Great explanation #shakirkhanfitness

[laboursoflove]

I’ve now watched this video several times because it is a masterful example of teaching regardless of the discipline. Thank you for saying it how it is.
I now have a better understanding of how to structure my own swimming schedule. I love learning something new everyday 😁
Something I would love to see more of in swimming coaching is integrating other disciplines into a training timetable. For example I start my day with yoga at home (I taught it for several decades), walk rather than use the car, and do tai chi in the evenings as well as swim five times a week (pool timetable limited). Everyone assumes the gym and weights is the only option. I have never done either. Tai Chi is known as swimming in air for good reason. I also skip with a rope and do handstands.
I observe many coaches coach girls the same as boys, when from my experience women’s bodies have different needs.
I return again and again to your channel and am grateful to feel your companionship in swimming. Thank you to you and all your team for making it possible.
PS Labours of Love is the cookery book I wrote; your excuses match exactly those I hear when I ask “what do you cook?” 😂