In this episode, we’re talking coaching styles—technicians, therapists, and taskmasters—and what it really means to teachsomeone to move better in the water. We dive into a strange-but-effective drill (nips to hips, anyone?), the myth of the “perfect” catch, and why your swimmers might be soaking you on deck during butterfly. There’s also a solid detour into spider crickets, broken fingers, and what happens when you try to watch Inception with your dad.

If you’ve ever wondered what kind of coach you are—or if your clients see you as one—you’ll want to listen to this one.

Here's the link to funny little drill we talked about: https://youtu.be/0m5CK1joiDk

#triathlontraining #triswimcoach #swimmechanics #openwaterswimming #triathletelife #dominiclatella

🏊‍♂️ Big thanks to SwimBox – the real MVP of swim coaching. If you’re in the DC area and want to swim like you care:
👉 https://www.theswimbox.com

🫁 Breathe Better, Race Stronger
The Freestyle Breathing Course is live: https://triswimcoach.com/tri-swim-breathing

🥇 Want to level up your swimming game? Check out the Tri Swim Success Program – https://triswimcoach.com/tri-swim-program4

Let’s get into it.

0:00 - “Uh, We’re Recording” – Getting the camera setup to kind of work
3:30 - Chair Problems & Spinal Dagger – Why podcast comfort is underrated
6:10 - Cinematography or Videography? Doesn’t matter, we’re figuring it out
8:45 - Coaching Archetypes: Technician vs. Therapist vs. Taskmaster
13:50 - Ryan Gets Roasted (Lovingly) – The Excitable Coach with Volume Control
19:20 - “Wrong Answers Only” – Coaching traits you definitely didn’t learn from Dominic or Lissa
22:00 - Nips to Hips – A backwards upside-down anti-zipper drill
28:00 - Spider Crickets and Basement PTSD – Welcome to Northern Virginia
34:10 - Splash Zone Coaching – When your clients soak you with butterfly
38:45 - Butt Chins & Center Line Drills – How a single cue changed everything
44:30 - Power Rangers, Kimberly, and Totally Verified College Relationships
49:50 - Coaching Cue Tangents – Slap Me in the Face with Your Freestyle Recovery
54:10 - Ryan’s Masters Meet – The Hundred Fly Breakdown Begins
59:45 - Coaching Through the Pain – Finger injuries from cricket hunting
1:04:00 - Planning the Breakdown – Posting Ryan’s Fly to YouTube for Public Shaming
1:07:30 - Warm Water vs Cold Jeans – SwimBox’s Realest Struggles
1:11:00 - End of the Set – Butterfly cues, bagel cravings, and everyone’s lunch plans