How does Marcus coach?
Great coaching starts with understanding the individual, helping them understand the water and adapting the coaching to help them become the best swimmer or athlete they can be. Creating a fun, collaborative and trusting environment is essential to that process.
I believe
Great coaches never stop learning. By continuing to train, compete and test new ideas myself, I gain first-hand experience of the challenges swimmers face. That ongoing journey helps me coach with greater understanding, empathy and confidence.
The approach
I don't coach the stroke — I coach the swimmer. By building trust, understanding how you learn and helping you understand the water, we develop confidence, technique and lasting performance.
My role is to help you understand how your body moves and interacts with the water, using experience, observation and sports science to make complex ideas simple. By developing feel, connection and an understanding of pressure in the water, you naturally develop stronger technique and faster, more efficient swimming.
My goal is to build confidence, refine technique and develop performance while supporting long-term health, wellbeing and a lifelong enjoyment of swimming. Science, experience and technology work together in a truly world-class coaching environment.
Featured experience
Masters Swimmer, Age 47
Marcus Smallbone has transformed both my swimming and my confidence in the water. He combines genuine world-class expertise with the rare ability to understand how each swimmer learns, motivate them, and help them improve regardless of their starting point. Every session is challenging, encouraging and enjoyable, and his technical insight has made a measurable difference to my swimming.
Every swimmer starts somewhere different. A consultation is the quickest way to work out where you are and what would make the biggest difference.
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