Hi,
This year my son’s swimming performance was not good at all. He is training 6 days (2 -3 hrs swimming) plus 30 min land training a week since October last year but he is still making the same mistakes. He was advised by his trainer to avoid competing and instead to do more training and try to concentrate 100% when swimming . As we got same complaints with focus from the school we took him to the Doctor and my son was ADHD diagnosed.
They told us that swimming is helping him with his hyperactivity but no more information about competing. He finds it hard to be on focus and is not improving his technique.
Do you have or hear something about it? That could help him?
Last year he was between the 10 best for his age in the country and he still wants to be racing. He is becoming 11 years now in May.
Do you think is good for him to be training as much as he does now or should be better to do less training?
He is not complaining about it. I just trying to figure out the best solution for him.
Best regards,
M
Hi M,
The structure provided in swimming is very good for anyone with ADHD. The sport and regular training and instruction will assist your son greatly.
Children with ADHD have many positive qualities and talents. They have high energy, are very creative, like to figure out new ways to do things and have an outgoing charm. If their high energy is properly channelled, and structured swimming is a great option, it can be very productive.
Remember that habit and routine are very important for children with ADHD and swimming provides this too.
He will find it hard to focus and will often pick up and remember one instruction but totally miss another. Positive feedback and encouragement should be provided to him when he gets his technique right and hopefully this will become a trigger for him to do it correctly the next time.
Having coached a number of children with ADHD over time, I strongly recommend he continue with swimming and the structure provided in swimming squads will assist his growth and development in and out of the pool.
Six days by 2 to 3 hours of swimming is a lot of swimming for a 10 year old. Most of our best 10 year old swimmers in Australia would train up to four 1 1/2 hour sessions a week. Young children find it difficult to concentrate for any longer than this, and this may be moreso with children with ADHD.
Regards
Gary
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