Intuitive Coaching

                                                                                         by Scott Rabalais

 

                Many leaders in business, science, and athletics readily admit that using intuition has led to positive and often astounding results.  Ray Kroc's ability to intuit led to the origin of McDonald's after seeing people stand in line at a restaurant.  The theory of relativity flashed into the mind of Albert Einstein as he watched two trains travelling side-by-side.  And great NFL quarterbacks such as Joe Montana and Roger Staubach claim to have used intuition to come up with the right play at the right time in crucial game situations.  Likewise, swim coaches can intuit innovative and timely ideas which lead to successful coaching.

 

                But what exactly is intuition?  It may be defined as:

1) knowledge gained without conscious thought or preliminary reasoning;

2) the instinctual "bolt of lightning" or "hunch" that propels us into action;

3) the instant solution to a previously unsolvable problem;

4) the "I've found it" flash that originates at some stratum of awareness just below the conscious level;

5) the fresh and unexpected idea that awakens us in the middle of the night.

 

                However it may be defined, intuition is distinctly different than the better understood "scientific" or logical thought process.  We're all aware that our brain consists of two lobes: the right brain for intuitive, abstract thinking and the left brain for reasoning and analysis.  The most effective use of intuition comes in tandem with left-brain thinking, not in opposition to it.  Great ideas may strike us from the right brain, and then we must work them out in a linear fashion with left-brain thinking.  Be wary, however, of "paralysis by analysis".

 

                There are four crucial stages to inducing and verifying intuition:

 

1) PREPARATION - There's an old slogan which says "creativity favors the prepared mind".  Most swim coaches have years of experience both in and out of the pool.  Countless thousands of hours may have been spent swimming in age-group, high school and college programs, watching hundreds of national or world-class swimmers, reading books and articles, and attending clinics.

                It would be foolish to believe that a swim coach would realize a great music piece or that a renowned pianist would develop an innovative coaching plan.  The more "tools" we have in the form of knowledge and experience, the greater the possibility of receiving creative ideas applicable to our field.

 

 

 

2) PROCESSING - Step two is "letting our subconscious do the work".  Occasionally, great ideas will strike us without first posing a question.  Other times, we should propose a question to our inner minds and then go rake the lawn.  Just as it takes time for a computer to sort through information (not long nowadays), we must "let go" of the attempt to discover an answer and give the subconscious time to do its job.

 

3) RECEPTIVITY - Perhaps you are a bit unsure of the training plan for the day.  Take a few minutes of quiet time.  Go swim a few laps or take a hot bath (water is a great mind-relaxer).  If fatigued, take a nap.  Simply let your mind know what you want and then WAIT for the answer.  It will come it its own time.  If you're struggling a bit with your ideas, put your pen down and come back later.  You'll know when it hits you.  SHA-ZAM!  Go with it!

 

4) VERIFICATION - Wishful thinking is not intuition.  Give your ideas time to ripen.  An idea that does not produce results may be ill-timed or may have come from scattered thinking.  Intuitive ideas that begin to show positive results often are accompanied by a sense of harmony and a "right" feeling.

 

                In coaching your swimmers, intuition can be used to your advantage in numerous ways:

1) generating ideas for program structuring and growth;

2) developing a proper training plan for a swimmer or group of swimmers;

3) creating effective training ideas, such as a new stroke drill;

4) receiving feedback on a swimmer's technique;

5) writing fun and interesting daily workouts.

 

                Scientists have discovered that we human beings use only 10-15% of our brains.  Who knows what other possibilities lie deep within our minds?  Perhaps intuition may be the key to untap that great reservoir of knowledge which lies within.