Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too 244 Comments

244 Responses to “Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too”

• Jess R
  August 13th, 2008
  8:52 pm
  

  Definitely some interesting ideas I’ll have to check out. I’m quite a water rat when it comes to the ocean, but I never put much consideration to improving the efficiency of my swimming. Thanks for the great info!

• Cody F.
  August 13th, 2008
  9:02 pm
  

  That’s great news Tim! When I was younger, I swam all of the time. But it’s been over a decade since I’ve really swam seriously, due to unfortunate circumstances. Every time I jump in the water, I feel like I’ve forgotten the basics. Thanks for the tips, I’ll definitely be picking up a book and the DVD. I’m going through a big lifestyle change right now, so swimming could be the next tool that aids me in getting shape and ultimately helping me achieve some personal goals.

• jeff jackson
  August 13th, 2008
  9:18 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  I noticed that you mentioned wanting to increase your distance with swimming. I used to have a similar problem and don’t anymore; now I can crawl about half a mile nonstop, and it was not something I had to train for or work up to. I just realized that in the water you can push as hard or as easy as you want to, and you’ll still stay afloat and keep the same form. Of course, you’ll slow down. But if you’re interested in swimming a certain distance or time without stopping (which is where the serious meditation comes in) losing some speed shouldn’t matter.

  Anyway, that’s my advice. Try relaxing the amount of strength you apply to your stroke more. The water doesn’t care how hard you push on it :) I’m not sure how this jives with TI but I’d assume it would be the same…

• Neesh
  August 13th, 2008
  9:35 pm
  

  > So why is this post only coming out now, eight months later?

  Because the Olympics are on?

• Tim Ferriss
  August 13th, 2008
  9:54 pm
  

  @Neesh,

  Partly, for sure. I never thought swimming fast was possible for me, and now I find myself imagining my times in the 200-meter medley. It makes the Olympic swimming much more fun to watch, not to mention Phelps and his insane freestyle.

  I am enjoying the Games, even though I’ve had trouble finding the judo broadcasts.

  Tim

• Evan W
  August 13th, 2008
  9:55 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  I used to be a competitive swimmer turned semi-pro triathlete. Injuries have sidelined me, but TI helped me transition from an inefficient sprinter into an efficient distance swimmer.

  To correct your goggle eye cup problem, I recommend using Swedish Original Monterbara Goggles by Malmsten (they’re $4, I buy them at a local shop, but also found them here http://www.swimoutlet.com/ProductBrand.asp?Brand=1141&gclid=CN2Uv8DEjJUCFQOjFQodY3KbfQ). You tie the nose strap to the size you want, and it stays in place.

  I’ve used these for countless 20 hour swim weeks in pool and in massive group starts for triathlons and have found them to be the most functional goggle around.

  Best of luck in the pool,
  Evan

• Jason
  August 13th, 2008
  10:30 pm
  

  Tim – great suggestions! I think you’re reading my mind tonight. I’m sitting here watching the swimming events and thinking about how to get more swimming into my life and – blam – you drop some fantastic references.

  I’ve experimented with a few other lifestyle-change suggestions on your site with good results, so I’ll be sure to pick up the Total Immersion stuff too.

  Thanks!

  -Jason

• David G.
  August 13th, 2008
  10:45 pm
  

  Tim, I love your one page notes all the time, it’s a time saver, gonna these stuff, try today. I didn’t use goggles, not sure why, but try to get one for myself. Thanks!

  David

• Anna
  August 13th, 2008
  11:08 pm
  

  I was 10 years old and had a secret crush on a boy at a summer camp. We would often go to the pool and I was one of the kids, who didn’t know how to swim and always had my kick board with me. One day we were all going into the water, he saw me with the kick board and said: “what? you can’t swim?”

  I couldn’t but I said “of course I can, look” and went into the pool, without my kick board, put all the energy and will power and YES, magically started swimming…

  I find swimming as one of the most fun work-outs (next to dancing) and my tip to swim long distance would be: try to relax every single muscle of your body and make consistent movements, avoid jerk movements.

  Oh Tim, did you really recommend Speedos? Ay… I find board short extremely sexy on guys, I know it may be hard to swim in them though…

• Don M
  August 13th, 2008
  11:12 pm
  

  Hey Tim,

  This is the same method (in principle) used in ChiRunning. The ChiRunning folks and Total Immersion folks are good friends and occasionally partner up on workshops too. So for those of you with the same fear of running that want a solution similar to Tim’s swimming, check out ChiRunning.

  http://www.chirunning.com

  I can’t imagine you afraid of swimming, but I’ll go with it … :-)

  -Don Makoviney

• Bill Riddell
  August 13th, 2008
  11:25 pm
  

  Hey Tim,
  Great to see you overcame your aversion to swimming, it is one of life’s great joys.

  I was a competitive swimmer in my early teens, my career ended by illness.

  I had the pleasure of being coached by a former Olympic gold medalist and the right instruction makes all the difference. Although I don’t swim anywhere near the 6 times a week I once did (I’m now 22 and ended competition aged 13), when i do jump in the I get right back into a great stroke and swim 1500meters to 3kilometers no trouble.

  Are you mastering the other strokes? Freestyle is great, but the incridble workout of Butterfly for your shoulders is hard to beat, or the satisfaction of mastering BreastStroke – arguably the most difficult and of course the different sensation of backstroke. And then there is the dive and tumble turns to master – then your on track to take on Phelps.

  Finding the right goggles is difficult. What suits one person will not suit you, buy a bunch and find what works. It depends on the shape of your face basically. Also some goggles are designed specifically for sprinting competition – you want a training goggle that will keep its seal. An anti-fog solution can be helpful too.

  Have a great day and happy swimming,
  Bill

• Angelena
  August 13th, 2008
  11:42 pm
  

  So happy to see these tips … my foot or calves always seem to start cramping at about 1600yds … so i stop swimming :( can’t wait to try these techniques and hopefully break that 1600 cramp!! thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!

• Thomas
  August 14th, 2008
  12:12 am
  

  Tim,

  what a weird coincidence. I’ve been trying to get into shape for a few months now and have been having pretty good success with weights and running (though a foot injury have put me off for the last week or so), but recently I decided to set a bigger goal for myself and attempt a triathlon. Of course, I’m not putting some silly time limit on myself and planning to do it in X months or anything, but it’s something I really want to do for myself.

  The one big issue is that I’m a horrible swimmer — I never learned properly. Earlier tonight my wife and I were at the bookstore and I started looking through books on triathlons to get a sense of what I’m in for. On the way home I was describing the whole thing to my wife and we began talking about my biggest weakness — the swimming part. Imagine my surprise to discover your post on exactly this issue. Thanks for the pointers. I’ve already requested Terry’s book from our local library and, if it’s helpful, will buy a copy of it and the DVD.

  Now, I’ve got to go up to the nearby rec center tomorrow and see if I can get in to use their pool! ;~)

  Thanks again for all the wonderfully useful info!

• What’s Wrong With the World? Not a Damn Thing | Zen Habits
  August 14th, 2008
  12:19 am
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too [...]

• David Hassell
  August 14th, 2008
  12:46 am
  

  Hey Tim,

  Congrats — that’s a really impressive turnaround! (wouldn’t expect any less from you). Now that you’ve conquered swimming, I’ll have to get you out kiteboarding!

  Dave

• Laurian
  August 14th, 2008
  1:13 am
  

  Wow, just in time. I was struggling to understand what I was doing wrong and why I get so frustrated trying to stay afloat and eventually move forward. I’ll try these tips tomorrow :)

• Raina Gustafson
  August 14th, 2008
  1:17 am
  

  My mom says I could swim before I could walk. I didn’t have an opportunity to swim competitively since my school didn’t have a pool, but I did lifeguard for a few summers during high school. It’s strictly recreational for me, and I actually have more fun with diving boards than just swimming. Have you learned to dive, Tim? I’m sure you’d like it – you might find similarities to some of the martial arts and b-boy stuff you do since it’s largely a matter of understanding how your own body moves through space.

  I just tried to teach a friend how to swim a few weeks back. Since I don’t know what it’s like to not be able to swim, it was pretty difficult. I’ll definitely point her in this direction.

• anja
  August 14th, 2008
  1:22 am
  

  Hey Tim.

  Another thing to look forward to: If you keep this up, as the swimming becomes easier you’ll find you get into The Zone after about 500 m. You’ll forget everything around you. It’s mobile meditation. Brilliant.

  Have fun,
  A.

• Xavier
  August 14th, 2008
  2:08 am
  

  Hi,

  Thanks for your article. I was especially hitted by your last paragraph when you said that you hated swimming and now likes it. Those are the words that convince me to give your method a try. Nevertheless, is the DVD suitable for someone who does not know how to swim crawl but only breaststroke ? If so, I’m gonna order them and follow your advices. Otherwise I may consider a few lessons with a teacher before.

  By the way, this is my first comment here since I discovered your work and your blog a few weeks ago. It’s a pleasure to read it and it already began to influences some part of my life.

  If you ever come to Switzerland, I would be pleased to help you,

  Cheers,

  Xavier

• Katrineholm Uncensored
  August 14th, 2008
  2:10 am
  

  When I was a boy, I nearly drowned twice. Swimming lessons didn’t help me learn to swim either. So, in my mid-teens I decided I had to learn to swim and would teach myself how to do it and I did it by watching people swim, reading about swimming technique, and practicing in the shallow end of the local Y.M.C.A. pool. Once I understood that the key for me to learn to swim-I’m speaking of the crawl stroke here-was learning how to breathe and coordinate the breath, well, I was good to go. Later, I became a life guard and then a water safety instructor. Saved five lives in the water.

  One other thing, when I taught swimming to both children and adults, I asked all of my students to draw me a picture of themselves swimming and to bring it back to me for the second lesson. I wanted to fix in their minds and emotions the idea that they could swim and could picture themselves doing so. Just a tip for those who teach swimming.

• Farrell Hudgins
  August 14th, 2008
  2:45 am
  

  Tim,

  I’m going to share with you the MOST efficient swimming training program ever.

  When I was four years old, my father tossed me off of his shrimp boat and said “sink or swim boy”. It may sound inhumane and cruel but I finished first in my Marine Corps swim qualification training on Parris Island 15 years later. Try swimming a few laps with boots, blouse, trousers, 80-lb pack, Kevlar (helmet), and a rifle. Not to mention 80 other guys that don’t know how to swim flapping around like drowning gorillas pushing you under ever stroke of the way.

  So remember, when it’s time to teach your children how to swim… rent a shrimp boat and throw them overboard at a very young age. :)

  ps- Will be in SF labor day weekend, would love to interview you for our upcoming podcast “Losing The Shackles”. It’s about Modern Day American Slavery and the struggle to escape. I’ll shoot an email to your publicist.

• Martin Muehl
  August 14th, 2008
  3:01 am
  

  I registered for my first Ironman when I had the same ability to swim like you had before – one length and I was out of breath. But with some practice and a lot of willpower (standing up and going to the pool at 6am two times a week in winter) I managed to swim 1:14h for the 3.8k.

  A couple of months ago I discoverd TI for myself and found it really interesting. There’s not much more to add to what you said, here’s what I found was the most important for me:

  - swimming length after length just to increase your weeks mileage is a waste of time. My 2nd IM swim was 1:10h with about 130k training, my 3rd IM swim was 1:07h with about 20k training. If you swim you should have a trainer with you or practice drills. Only swim longer distances once in a while to check your time or a couple of weeks before the event.

  - practice front quadrant swimming. In Shinj Takeuchi’s video you can see that when he pushes back his front arm, the other arm is already in the water. This makes your body longer and faster in the water.

  - if you’re out of breath, your technique is flawed. It’s never a question of physical strength.

• Tony Butler
  August 14th, 2008
  3:25 am
  

  Tim,

  I attended one of Terry’s seminars a few years back and he was able to fill in the gaps that are missing from the book and DVD. It was amazing how much of a difference just a few suggestions from an expert had on my form and strategy. I was basically a dog paddle swimmer trying to prepare for a triathalon and it made a huge difference. In BJJ it would be like having Royce Gracie walk you through an arm bar. You think you know how to do one until an expert shows you all the little details you never knew existed.

  thanks for the post..love the blog

• Allen
  August 14th, 2008
  4:15 am
  

  Tim, now would be a good time to add a few items to the gear page. You could split it into chunks; books (pull from the end of the 4hwwk), DVDs (TI), stuff (goggles), etc.

  Doing the Iron Man has been on my list for quite a while. I’m several years out, but maybe it’s time to pick up another book.

• The Art of Discomfort « SuzeMuse
  August 14th, 2008
  4:49 am
  

  [...] Art of Discomfort Posted on August 14, 2008 by suzemuse Tim Ferriss can’t swim. Yes, Four-Hour Work Week, World Kickboxing Champ and World Record Holder in the [...]

• jquaglia
  August 14th, 2008
  5:05 am
  

  Congrats Tim! Seems like the TI program fits right in line with 4-Hour Work Week principals…just the pool version.

  -Designate you want to swim and what you need to do to get there
  -Eliminate unnecessary expense of energy, drag in the water, etc.
  -Automate yourself by training muscle memory
  -Liberate yourself from your fears!

  Maybe not exactly the way you might do it in lifestyle design, but close!

  Congrats again. Will Michael Phelps have a challenger in 2012?!?

• Jeff W
  August 14th, 2008
  5:12 am
  

  Wow Tim,
  I’d never thought of the theories in your book, but was inspired to apply them in my work and side project ever since.

  I’m possibly more inspired by this simple post, though! I too have always been embarrassed about my inability to swim.

  My ass sinks and I just feel like I’m struggling for life the whole time. Then I look in the next lane and see some 80 year old guy leisurely banging out 50 laps.

  Can’t wait to try this out. Thanks!

• Andrew Krzmarzick
  August 14th, 2008
  5:13 am
  

  Tim,

  I have been training for a triathlon for most of this year. While my experience at the pool was not painful, I always knew that I could be more efficient. Your post here will pay dividends for me…I am heading over to the pool tonight just to try a couple of these techniques.

  By the way, one thing I did early on was to ask a couple of the teenagers at the pool (lifeguards who are involved in competitive swimming) to watch my form and give me pointers. They were honored to be asked for their expertise and gladly helped me to hone my skills. It’s a great way to get free coaching!

• Mike M
  August 14th, 2008
  5:23 am
  

  Tim,

  For your goggle problem try Swedish Goggles. They don’t look comfortable, but once I switched over to them I have never looked back. I even used them at state meet in High School.

  As a bonus, they are really cheap.

  http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/1147.htm

• Justin Peer
  August 14th, 2008
  5:47 am
  

  When I saw your tweet I was just about to dive in and recommend TI to you. I’ve been using their system for 4 years now and the difference was astounding. I grew up swimming (my mum was an international rower) but never was ‘taught’ to swim. I went from someone who could swim without thinking to someone who really thought about it. When I started doing long distance triathlons, the swimming was the one piece I wasn’t worried about, I knew I could go the distance. Welcome to the club.

• Peter Bilton
  August 14th, 2008
  6:04 am
  

  Rather than @reply to your tweet, I’m posting here:
  * As with any skill and muscle memory sport you’ll improve light years faster training 3x week with a coach, such as through US Masters – http://www.usms.org/lmsc/.
  * Propulsion really does come from rotation around the hips and core. Rotation, rotation, rotation. I use Total Immersion drills to retrain my body if I haven’t been swimming in a while.
  * Relax. Concentrate on distance per stroke, not speed, initially.
  * To train for open water you’ve got to occasionally train IN open water – get used to no bottom, the taste, the chop splashing your face, the sun in your eyes… try Aquatic Park or China Beach in the SF area.

  Do you have an event picked out? Let us know.

• joe
  August 14th, 2008
  6:14 am
  

  The running Pose Technique, developed in 1977, was published for the first time in Russia in 1981 and available to general public worldwide from 1997, the Pose Method of Running was the first official and complete running technique on the market. With a number of running styles available today, the Pose Method of Running is currently the only method for teaching running technique and the only running technique in the world scientifically proven to reduce impact on knees by 50%.

  Dr. Nicholas S. Romanov, a 2-time Olympic athlete has developed this method into several areas such as jumping, biking and swimming to name a few. A lot of triathletes use his methods and he is the coach to the members of Triathlon National Teams of the USA, Great Britain and Mexico.

  I can vouch for the decrease in knee pain while running. You may want to take a look at the swimming information that he has available.

  Great job Tim on overcoming a fear. When I was in bootcamp and officer candidate school for the Navy, it amazed me that there were people who didn’t know how to swim.

• TyKisha
  August 14th, 2008
  6:24 am
  

  Wow Tim, I’m so glad I caught this in my feed list. In reading that article, you could have been writing about me. I’ve excelled at athletics all my life but being a decent swimmer has always eluded me. I’ve had probably 10 or 12 people take me through the “now fill your lungs up with air, relax and ease back into the water” dance. I sink every time. For some reason, I can backstroke but my apparent lack of buoyancy makes ANYTHING else a chore. . . . you’ve given me some hope.

• Ashley
  August 14th, 2008
  6:49 am
  

  I have a more troublesome issue. Because I love dance, I think I would love swimming — in both, form is key. But I can’t get past the breathing… I think I inhaled too much water when I was a kid. I’m not too fond of getting it in my ears either. If there’s a book and DVD set for that, I hope someone will let me know.

• Joelio
  August 14th, 2008
  6:52 am
  

  So, when’s your race, Tim?

• GBUK
  August 14th, 2008
  7:11 am
  

  Hi Tim!

  It’s books and DVDs like that, that makes me kick myself in rage… I have been a swimmer since I was able to put my head under water without breathing, at about 4yo probably; and since then, swimming has been the sport that I enjoy the most! But lord, I was slow… very slow… and I couldn’t do more than one length in front crawl! But about 2 years ago, I decided it was enough, and I worked on my moves: conserving energy, extending reach, reducing draft and deploying strength more efficiently. I basically crafted the same technique explained in this book and DVD and that you used with much success. An I have been coaching friends and family for nothing since the beginning of this year… I could have written this book and I should have produced this DVD! I want to kick myself for not using this as a muse… now I am moving on to running, where I have always been so bad, maybe I can make good use of it! :))

• Mark
  August 14th, 2008
  7:17 am
  

  Tim, excellent post!

  You story is very similar to mine. I have felt swimming to be a weakness of mine, and after swimming not very far I am exhausted, but I can happily run 10miles or cycle 50+. Looking at tri-athlete resources a lot suggest Total Immersion. I’ve got notes about it in my “someday maybe” files.

  Thanks for sharing all these notes and bits of information. I previously borrowed a tri. training book from the library and it was far too daunting to attempt the techniques – it assumed you were already a relatively strong swimmer :-(

  I never realised how much goggles made a difference until I started scuba diving – the mask made a big difference. As a glasses wearer, I didn’t realise how cheap prescription goggles were. Going to get me a pair when I get around to swimming properly.

  Great post, it’s renewed my enthusiasm for getting this sorted.

• Mark W
  August 14th, 2008
  7:22 am
  

  Tim, again thanks for another very helpful post. I’ve been re-discovering swimming this past year, and have struggled with technique. I’ve been contemplating trying my first triathlon next season–this is definitely going to help.

  Appreciate how you consistently add value for your readers. Grace to you!

• Andy
  August 14th, 2008
  7:39 am
  

  Thanks for the tips, Tim. In your conversation with Derek Sivers the other day you said you can’t use about 3/4 of your left lung. It seems like you would feel the effects of this more in a sport like swimming than, say, weightlifting or judo. Has a decreased lung capacity affected your swimming at all and are there any more specific breathing techniques you’ve had to employ in addition to tip #7 above?

  I had asthma growing up and steered clear of endurance sports, even though they looked fun to me (soccer, swimming, etc). I’ve outgrown the asthma (finally) and really want to get into swimming but I want to make sure I have a sound plan of attack for the breathing demands.

  Thanks again for the post!

• Ryan Crysler
  August 14th, 2008
  7:46 am
  

  Tim,

  I think next up for you is golf!

• Soss
  August 14th, 2008
  8:31 am
  

  wow Tim…thanks for this. I’ve been struggling for months in the water, trying to build the endurance to make it at least 400m at a time, while trying to maintain form…with little success.

  The guy in the example…wow is all i can say, looks completely effortless but yet he’s gliding at a great pace!

  Thanks again, definitely picking this up, in hopes it can help me out before the Malibu and Orange County International Triathlons hit in the next month or two.

• Leah
  August 14th, 2008
  9:17 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  I recently was speaking to a friend who trains for open water 10k and hopes to represent Canada in 2012. She mentioned her greatest learning when starting out was to double cap: cap1/goggles/cap2 (once you find the right pair that is).

  On another note, I’d like to send you an email; may I please have your address?

  Swim Strong.

• Debbie
  August 14th, 2008
  9:29 am
  

  Was a below average swimmer for years when I got interested in triathlons. All my friends were swimming laps and doing sprints while I was practicing Total Immersion. Just doing the drills. Everyone laughed. (even some swimmers on the high school swim team, though I was long out of high school) Said I was swimming incorrectly. The first race I did was a 1 mile bay swim. Pretty choppy weather, too. Needless to say, I beat them all, badly. I felt great after the swim and they were puking their guts up. Go, Tim!

• Tim Ferriss
  August 14th, 2008
  10:03 am
  

  Hi All!

  Thanks so much for the great comments! Here are a few further suggestions for a 1k swim, from Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tferriss :

  @MichaelHiggs check out hypoxic training to build endurance. At first it’s like being in the 3rd round down on points and taking a beating… about 2 hours ago

  @tshults @tferriss re:1k free. take your time, long slow strokes, and keep your breathing relaxed. don’t switch to another stroke. stay in the free. about 4 hours ago

  @rsskga @tferriss I’m all about sidestroke. Scissor kicking gets me where I’m going w/ minimal effort & keeps my head above water. Non-competition. about 9 hours ago

  @Lifestyle_Proj @tferriss Final one! Practice looking up every few strokes in so you maintain a straight course o/w! Pick a reference point in the distance. about 9 hours ago

  Lifestyle_Proj @tferriss Also, concentrate on your kick to arm stroke power distribution. Too much kicking power and you will tire early. about 9 hours ago

  Lifestyle_Proj @tferriss If it’s wetsuit temperature make sure you have tested flexibility in water for sizing. Know your preference, i.e. shortie or not

  @mathewbutler @tferriss You don’t need to kick ALL the time. Stops you needing breath. about 10 hours ago

  @titanas @tferriss 3-4 strokes / 1 breath. Leg sync with strokes. Good iron / ferritin levels. about 10 hours ago

  @jraines @tferriss — breathing to both sides is (slightly) overrated. If your stroke is already decent, a little gallop can help you get in the zone about 11 hours ago

  @Malach @tferriss Start slow, slow enough that you feel you could swim forever. Use your legs more than your arms. Breathe deeply and slowly. about 11 hours ago [Tim: Note that I have found the flick-like method of minimal kicking to conserve the most energy]

  @AlmostaGeek @tferriss take it easy and breath every other stroke. about 11 hours ago

  @nohypeActivist @tferriss also: as your legs are your biggest muscles, try to not use them like you would in the 100m or 200m. less legs, more arms about 11 hours ago

  @nohypeActivist @tferriss always check your stroke frequency. you gotta feel like your increasing it. that way, you will stay within it. helps tremendously about 11 hours ago

  @LorenCastillo @ tferriss if the water is cold use a wet suit, remember to warm up by running and pace yourself

• Daley Ervin
  August 14th, 2008
  10:04 am
  

  Tim,

  Daley here, the triathlete and winner of your weekend challenge a few months ago. Huge congrats on the swimming man! Like golf, swimming is a technique sport that requires very precise form. And also like golf, swimming is a sport in which strength and power are not essential for excellence. When I first started swimming with a masters program I was astonished that 50-year old women were beating me up and down the pool despite my superior athletic ability and muscularity. Once I improved my form and stroke mechanics I finally felt like I was ‘gliding’ through the water like a canoe not pushing it like a barge on its way out to sea. Sadly, these older women still beat me up and down the pool, but I no longer huff and puff after 1500 meters. I could not agree more about learning stroke mechanics first before getting into volume training.

  A great Olympic event to watch that is coming up is the Marathon swim. Women’s event is 8/20 at 9:00 AM, and the men’s is 8/21 at 9:00 AM as well. These athletes epitomize streamline swimming and energy conservation. Check it out.

  Cheers!

• Joshua Long
  August 14th, 2008
  10:28 am
  

  Thanks for posting this Tim! I’ve always been a mediocre swimmer and wished I knew how to swim laps without gagging and gasping. I’ve also stayed away from getting into triathlons because I’m such a poor distance swimmer. I’ll definitely add learning to swim as my next new thing to master because of this info!!

• Alexis Martin Neely
  August 14th, 2008
  10:29 am
  

  Isn’t it amazing how the thing you are most afraid of turns into the greatest joy and pleasure of your life? I’ve found that to be the case in most areas of my life. It’s why I’ve learned to love stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing things I’m particularly fearful of, like leaving the big law firm after only three years and starting my own law business.

  Next up for me? A week on the play with my kids at Burning Man! I’ll be video blogging the experience on my personal blog. Should be a hoot!

  Alexis

• Kevin
  August 14th, 2008
  10:35 am
  

  Tim,

  Congrats! That’s awesome that you are learning to swim the proper way.
  I actually created my “muse” that is my living now from a swimming idea- swimming for triathletes (I’m a former collegiate swimmer who turned to the open water after college). Here’s a few tips for ya from a triathlon/distance perspective:

  1. Hand Entry. Slice your hand into the water right about at your goggle line, and drive it forward. Many swimmers attempt to get as much “air time” as possible by reaching the hand out before entering into the water, but it is actually more efficient to go through the water with your hand as you rotate from one side to the other.

  2. Head Position. Keep looking straight down when swimming freestyle. It’s important to keep your head down with only a small part of the back of your head out of the water. Also, as you rotate through the water, try not to move your head with the rest of your body rotation.

  3. Pull. In freestyle, your hands should pull all the way back past your hips. The last part of the stroke before recovery (arms coming out of the water) should be an acceleration behind you, and not up out of the water.

  4. Kick. Try minimizing your kick as you train for swimming. Most people will kick extra hard to make up for lack of balance in the water. Minimizing your kick will allow you to improve your balance, as well as conserve energy.

  5. Training Intensity. The best way to measure your training intensity is to count your heart rate immediately after each swim. You can estimate your heart rate by counting your pulse rate for six seconds immediately after each swim. Add a zero to this count, and you will have your approximate exercise heart rate per minute.

  Good luck and keep the posts coming! Would love to hear how your swimming comes along.

  Kevin

• Kavan Wolfe
  August 14th, 2008
  10:41 am
  

  Tim,

  If you could swim two lengths when you started, you didn’t “learn to swim,” you learned to swim further. This makes your headline a bit of an oversell, don’t you think?

• Jordyn
  August 14th, 2008
  10:44 am
  

  Hey Tim,
  I’ve been a competive swimmer for about ten years and I have competed in over 30 triathlons. There’s definetely some technique adjustments. In open water, every 3 or 4 strokes, you need to raise your head straight up to take your breath. That way you’re able to stay on course. Your goggles can also change as well. Don’t go for tinted, obviously the water will be darker in a lake than in a pool. Also, go for wider goggles, you use your peripheral alot more in open water. In your wetsuit choice, I would go for sleeveless. Long sleeves can restict range of shoulder motion. Generally, focus on rotation and distance per stroke.
  Good Luck!

• Christine
  August 14th, 2008
  10:45 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  The reason that most folks subscribe to your blog is to hear how to make money. Please don’t write about swimming and how people escape the Amish – the economy is melting down and we need to hear how to survive it from folks like you who seem to have a good grasp on how to run a business. Thanks.

• Brian Walker
  August 14th, 2008
  10:51 am
  

  Hi Tim!

  I know you have written about Arthur Jones’ work in regards to strength training and I wanted to take this opportunity to suggest you look at SuperSlow Training. SuperSlow began as a particular strength training protocol back in the Nautilus days that was originally designed for elderly osteoporotic women. Long story short – it turned out to be the most effective, efficient, & safest protocol they had ever developed.
  In essence it is a slow motion movement (20 second reps) that is done in a circuit style in approximately 20 – 30 minutes about every fourth day. It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but it beats all other strength training styles in terms of results.
  Check it out sometime. http://www.superslow.com.

  Ciao!

• James
  August 14th, 2008
  11:08 am
  

  I’m glad I found this. I’m 40 and about to retire from BJJ (after 3 years). My knees and elbows can’t take it anymore. I’ve been contemplating swimming for fitness, but have no skills.

  Thanks!

• Jim Littlefield
  August 14th, 2008
  11:33 am
  

  Tim,

  Congratulations on finding your inner swimmer. Though I never swam competitively, I rediscovered my love of swimming about 8 years ago myself. I too started with Total Immersion training and have since moved on to other strokes. A 1K warm-up is not unusual now! There are a couple of sites you should add to your swimming favorites.

  The first is GoSwim.TV, Glenn Mills has developed the site and it is filled with lots of great swimming information, instructional videos and drills. My profile there has a bit more about my journey that started with swimming.

  Consider joining a Masters swim team. You don’t have to be a great swimmer; there are all levels at every club. Being a Masters swimmer will provide a great group of people to swim with all over the world.

  If you can’t find a Masters team to practice with while traveling, visit SwimmersGuide.com. They list pools all over the world.

  See you at the pool,
  Jim

• Carol
  August 14th, 2008
  11:33 am
  

  Tim,
  That is awesome!!! I have been swimming since I was a baby, and I always try to tell non-swimmers how important of a life skill it is, but it often falls on deaf ears. I am a coach for an Iron man training group, a swim instructor, lifeguard instructor and played water polo in college, but I still learn more about swimming all the time. I am going to purchase the book to use some of the analogies when I’m teaching.
  Thanks!

• Kenneth
  August 14th, 2008
  11:37 am
  

  I too have come to love swimming the past few months. I have found it effective to breathe every third stroke and to alternate left to right. Swimming is so refreshing and invigorating!

• Greg
  August 14th, 2008
  12:08 pm
  

  But note how Natalie is kicking and how all the Olympic swimmers kick which lays waste to the silly notion that kicking costs more in energy than it returns in speed. There are some valid suggestions here, but nothing revolutionary. There are plenty of good swim coaches out there. Find the one that works for you as an individual and be weary of any “gurus” pushing a one-size-fits-all technique.

• Rebecca
  August 14th, 2008
  12:14 pm
  

  Nice work Tim. Swimming is definitely something worth conquering for the survival aspect and the fitness of it. I bet it’s good for your lungs as well.

  Since you’ve now mastered your fear of swimming and you don’t seem to shy away from trying new things, I dare you to try learning one of these sports next: Water polo, Dragonboating or Synchronized Swimming. I’ve done them all. You choose.

  Synchronized swimming is by far THE most challenging sport there is. (I realize I may get some flack for saying that. Whatever.) Take away the music, the outfits, the make-up and you have an absolutely insane sport that combines strength, coordination, endurance, breath control, timing, flexibility, focus, and more than an ounce of insanity. And yes, I’ve seen the SNL skit…

• Brendan
  August 14th, 2008
  12:24 pm
  

  As several other have pointed out the “Swedes” are a cheap yet phenomenal pair of goggles. I used them swimming competitively for almost ten years. For open water I would suggest the darkest pair you can find. Even the slightly more expensive metallic pairs would be a good investment to help with the sun.

  As for the tips, they seem to be great for novices who wish to add swimming to thier training regimen. However, if you are really planning to participate in an open water 1 km race, you may want to adjust your training.

  Open water events are an exhausting endeavor. I would recommend swimming longer sets or taking far less rest during your sets. By doing sets of 300s, 400s, or better yet 500s you will build up the necessary endurance for a longer race. Especially if you are not concerned with how fast you complete your race, doing 4×500 with :30 to 1:00 rest each work out will help immensly with endurance. I only mention time since swimming is a sport where to swim fast in a race you have to train far longer than the actual race for months and then taper your training down in order to swim at your very best.

  I do not know if you know how to do flip turns or not. If not then I would recommend learning if at all possible. This goes for anyone who wants to swim for exercise. Not doing flip turns will wear out a swimmer faster than anything else once you start doing longer sets. Even doing sets of 100s you will save tons of energy by doing flip turns. Which will in turn allow you to do longer sets.

  Great read.

• Ted
  August 14th, 2008
  12:30 pm
  

  Hi Tim,
  The meditation part of swimming is the best, isn’t it? When you hit the groove, it feels like you’re dancing with the water. The techniques you describe indicate that you’ve intuited that hull speed is a function of waterline length — the longer you stretch, the faster you’ll be able to go.

  Now that you’ve learned the rhythm of water, try actually dancing. You get to practice the rhythm, but with great music and an attractive partner to boot :-).

• NDK
  August 14th, 2008
  12:38 pm
  

  Tim,

  Oh my god, this is awesome. I’m not a pro-athlete by any means, but I have the same exact problem. I’ve tried to swim, but the main problem is that I just can’t float horizontally at all. Everyone says – oh, you’re just panicking or something like that. Nope, I’m cool as a cucumber, and even though I’m calm, after about 1 minute, I found myself at the bottom of the pool (I can easily hold my breathe for 2 minutes, and it’s a 5 foot pool, so I have no reason to panic).

  I’ve run half marathons, I can bench over 200lbs, leg press 700lbs – I’m no slouch. I’ve been skinny when I tried it (11% body fat), and not so skinny (21% body fat), and neither way worked.

  When I was a kid, I went through numerous lessons, and I sucked big time. It’s good to know that there is someone else in the world who has had the exact same problem.

  I am going to try this stuff out this weekend.

• Brittany
  August 14th, 2008
  12:41 pm
  

  I’ve been swimming in open water since I was very young. While training for my first tri, I was surprised at how nervous people were about swimming in open water and how difficult it was for them.

  A few things that make it easy and comfortable for me:
  - I love cold water. Learn to love cold water if that is going to be part of the race. Train in it, learn to think clearly in it.
  - I meditate when I swim. My body checks out once I get in a rhythm and have a pace, breathing is much more important in long-distance swimming than anything else. I once swam two miles across a glacier-fed lake in the Rockies without getting cold or even struggling by just concentrating on breath.
  - I never train in a pool. If you associate swimming with a controlled, safe, and sanitized environment like a pool that puts you at a huge disadvantage when facing the unpredictability of swimming long distances outdoors. Take the training outside.

  Good luck.

• mike
  August 14th, 2008
  12:45 pm
  

  great to see you talking about swimming, i swam all 4 years of high school and was captain of my team senior year. what are you times like just out of curiosity? obviously you are training for a 1k race, and a 50 meter or 100 meter is a faster race. also, as others have suggested, once you get down freestyle, you should really try the other 3 major strokes. i used hated butterfly my first year of swimming, but as i got better form and more in shape it became my favorite stroke. its a huge work out for your entire body.

  also, hows your flip turn doing? thats a huge part of any swimming race, if your turn is fast and efficient, you can lose ground on it, its also the basis for a good streamline coming off the wall (stream line is when you are under the water doing a dolphin kick with both hands extended above your hands and your head down, making your body like a bullet)

• Thomas Gal
  August 14th, 2008
  1:03 pm
  

  As a long time swimmer I’m always happy to see anyone learn to enjoy the pool. Don’t let anyone who knocks this post as unhelpful get to you. In all reality there’s a non-cerebral yet still intelligent way to do a lot of things that makes the process WAY easier. As a long time reader of your posts I think it strengthens the point you try to make about being effective.

• Neil
  August 14th, 2008
  1:11 pm
  

  Try http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=jd2h-bj-sd38-081308-115502&channelcode=sportju for the Judo replays

• Jim Littlefield
  August 14th, 2008
  1:33 pm
  

  My apologies for not providing “clickable” links in my original post.

  http://GoSwim.TV Excellent Swim Instruction and Demonstration Videos
  http://SwimmersGuide.com Database of places to swim all over the world.

  Swim well,
  Jim

• Rob
  August 14th, 2008
  1:42 pm
  

  Tim,

  Add me to the list of those who were going to recommend TI.

  Since you mentioned open water in you tweet, I’ll give you some of my triathlete/ocean lifeguard tips:

  * Learn to breath on both your right and left sides. If there is a chop, it really helps to be able to comfortably turn your head away from the waves to breath. If not, you are choking…not breathing.

  * Know the water. Open water swimming is fun, but it can be dangerous. Know if the area gets rocky, shallow, is known for high currents, know for debris (see below).

  * If there was a storm the day before, be very careful. Ocean floors can be loose and unstable, thus causing rip-currents. Oceans, rivers and lakes tend to have more debris after storms.

  * Get a good sense of landmark distances, then remember in your mind how many lengths of the pool it translates into. Crossing a river or lake might only be 1,000 meters, which on land does not look that far. But in a 25 meter pool, it is 40 lengths with no turns to leverage, to walls to grab, and no bottom to stand on.

  * If possible, swim with a friend.

  There is something cool and primal about open water swimming that you don’t experience in a nice pool with lane lines. I do it whenever I can. Enjoy!

• Jim McDish
  August 14th, 2008
  2:32 pm
  

  Heck yeah baby, sink or swim dangit!

  JT

• Missa
  August 14th, 2008
  2:51 pm
  

  Tim, you grew up in Montauk and never learned to swim? Tsk, tsk…

• Grant Watson’s links for 2008-08-14
  August 14th, 2008
  3:01 pm
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too – The Blog of Author … Forget about workouts and focus on “practice.” You are training your nervous system to perform counter-intuitive movements well, not training your aerobic system. If you feel strained, you’re not using the proper technique. Stop and review rather than persist through the pain and develop bad habits. (tags: swimming exercise health learning tutorial) [...]

• Terry Laughlin
  August 14th, 2008
  3:34 pm
  

  I’m delighted with Tim’s newfound interest in swimming and nothing could make me happier than knowing that our approach to swim-improvement played a role in changing his experience from harrowing-and-frustrated to hopeful-and-aspirational. I always tell TI coaches that teaching better stroke technique is their second responsibility. Sparking passion for swimming in their students is their first.

  Tim has been most generous in sharing tips on how to experiment with changing your own stroke. I’ll offer some distilled advice on how to take a “TI Test Drive” without buying anything or even doing a single drill. We have a free downloadable pdf that would help open the lid on the “black box” that swimming is for many people. I don’t have the url at my fingertips but will return and post here as soon as I get it.

  These are focal points for Freestyle:
  1) Release your head’s weight to the water, so your head and spine align.
  2) Focus more on using your hand to lengthen your bodyline, less on pushing water back.
  3) Relax your legs until the kick blends easily with your stroke.
  4) Swim more quietly – minimize waves and splash.
  5) Count strokes.

  I’ll also note that the Freestyle Made Easy DVD which Tim used has now been replaced by what I feel is a program that is easier to follow and answers many of the questions people most commonly ask. That’s called Easy Freestyle: 21st Century Techniques for Beginners to Advanced Swimmers. Info and sample tips at http://www.totalimmersion.net/easyfreestyle-dvd.html

• Terry Laughlin
  August 14th, 2008
  3:45 pm
  

  Greg
  The question isn’t precisely whether kicking costs more in energy than it returns in speed. It’s what’s the right kind of kicking for your goals.

  No one would argue that if your goal is to swim 100m as fast as possible, a strong steady “6-kick” is nearly essential. That’s Natalie’s goal and why she kicks as she does.

  My racing goals are more for 1 or 2 miles to 5k in open water. My health and well-being goals are to be able to swim for an hour or more and finish feeling better than when I started, and to look forward to my next swim. For those goals I use a relaxed 2-beat kick, which I have worked diligently to “tune” to my stroke. It takes minimal energy, relies on fatigue-resistant core muscle, rather than fatigue-prone leg muscle and added enough boost to my stroke to allow me to swim 28.5-miles around Manhattan in 2002 and 2006 with no fatigue or strain, and enough speed to break National Masters records for 1-Mile and 2-Mile open water swims.

  Would you agree that most followers of Tim’s blog are more interested in swimming for endurance, fitness and enjoyment than to race 100m all out?

  And if so, that a more relaxed kick would probably suit their goals quite well?
  Happy laps,

  Terry

• D
  August 14th, 2008
  4:07 pm
  

  I’ve heard great things about Total Immersion but I’m still skeptical about its effectiveness for new swimmers. I’m also a triathlete and self teaching yourself, esp with swimming where you cannot see your stroke, seems like a dangerous idea and quick way to learn bad form. I’ve also found that many TI swimmers just do laps in the pool and swear off drills, exhibiting shock when I recommend kick board or pull float exercises for a stroke issue they may have. This seems counter intuitive to me and over develops a sense of swimming self confidence and a distaste for any different form of swim practice. As a long time swimmer I think IT is a fantastic complement to swim training but the ultimate goal should always be a coach.

• Sital
  August 14th, 2008
  5:13 pm
  

  Thanks for this – i know exactly how you felt

  I see people effotlessly swim 20-30 lengths whilst i get tired after one length despite being fairly sporty.

  Whenever i go on vacation, I regret it as i feel real uneasy doing water sports – and even wear a life jacket to snorkle!

  I keep meaning to get lessons – but wanted a short cut. Looks like you have found one!

  So whats the next challenge? What you planning to do with your new found swimming skills?

  S

• neil keleher
  August 14th, 2008
  6:43 pm
  

  Hi Tim, wrt number 8 and short circuiting with two many things to try to remember, one way to handle this is to “sequence your awareness” while you swim.

  While doing yoga poses I use my breath to sequence my awareness. Inhale notice my feet, then exhale, then inhale notice what my knees are doing, exhale, then next breath move my awareness to hips, spine, arms etc. I notice each part and adjust them where appropriate.

  With swimming, if there are lots of things to remember, especially when learning, can focus on one thing for two to three strokes (or one breath cycle if you are breathing every two or three strokes) then move your focus to the next item on the list. So might start with focusing on what the upper body is doing, then on what the arms should be doing and then the legs. Then back to the upper body again. If possible try sequencing so that the key element is taken care of first. (or whatever you think the key element is).

  As you improve you’ll find it easier to feel everything at once.

  For maximum body length you can break down you body into “parts.” The easiest parts of the body in which to gain length are the waist and neck and shoulders. (that’s assumiong the knees and elbows are already straight)

  To lengthen the waist you can focus on drawing the ribcage away from pelvis, for a long neck draw your head away from your ribcage.

  While standing or upright, pull head back and up and pull chin in so that cervical spine is maximally straight and then your neck will be as long as possible, while supine or swimming, push the back of your head back or up, almost out of the water so that neck is long.

  With your neck long then your shoulder muscles have maximum amount of room to operate. Then you can lengthen your arms by pulling your shoulder blade towards you ear.

  I’m finding that in whatever I do, especially yoga, the more I lengthen my body, the more I create space in it, the better it feels.

  Oh yes, this isn’t really lengthening, more like creating space, but I find breathing with my chest as well (using the intercostal muscles between the ribs) also gives a very good feeling, and the action of reaching with each arm can help to accentuate opening the chest.

  also, opening the chest as you breathe you can use the same muscles you breathe with to help roll the ribcage with respect to the pelvis. Twisting of the spine is an action not only of the obliques (side abs) but of the intercostals. So the more you breathe using your ribcage (and diaphragm) the better you’ll be able to twist.

• Jessica
  August 14th, 2008
  7:21 pm
  

  Tim, thanks for sharing this. I tried swim lessons in my middle age but still couldn’t get the rhythm right. The breathing is what freaks me. I do OK if I swim on my back. But I’m wondering if this book is helpful for mastering the breathing in freestyle. I see your tips on it in the post. But does the book/DVD go much into detail on the breathing? Thanks again!

• Tina Forsyth
  August 14th, 2008
  8:20 pm
  

  I’m a HUGE fan of TI… discovered it a few years ago after my first triathlon and was instantly hooked. I didn’t have the video and had to learn it from the book (as there are no TI instructors in my area)… took a good month to “relearn how to swim” but once it clicked there was no going back.

  I’ve always been surprised that so few people know about TI, imho this should be the standard for teaching people how to swim. The difference between trying to powerhouse through the water vs. effortlessly gliding through the water is simply night and day.

  You are inspiring me to get back in the pool Tim, was prego and had a baby as few months back so it’s been about a year since i’ve been for a swim. hmmmm

  Jessica – they do teach you how to breathe properly. One of the things about TI is that you turn your whole body to take a breath vs turning just your head which constricts your airway (and makes it tough to take a breath!). I used to get really winded when swimming, almost gasping at times, but after learning TI breathing is natural and easy.

• Chuck
  August 14th, 2008
  8:28 pm
  

  Great post. I have been trying to learn to (properly) swim for quite some time. Now i feel i have the tools. Now i just have to get to it! LOL
  BTW…Please, Please PLEASE!….Fire up the GEAR segment! Your adding all this great stuff! Please delegate someone to pull it together for us, the starving masses..lol It says its coming soon…so lets see soon! Keep up the good work Tim…You inspire us more than you know.

• Andrew Krzmarzick
  August 14th, 2008
  8:33 pm
  

  Tim,

  I went to the pool and applied these techniques in real-time after reading this post today.

  Guess what? I went from an average of 19 to 13 strokes!

  If you said, “Can I get a witness?” I’d say, “Amen!”

• akthe47
  August 14th, 2008
  8:39 pm
  

  Tim,
  Interestingly, I’ve been preaching to my friends about TI (at least those friends that are active) as much as I’ve been preaching to them about 4HWW. And here you are now posting about it! Awesome.

  Is there a triathlon in your line-up of things to do? Ironman is on my list, although I’ve got a ways to go (I still haven’t done a sprint triathlon yet or a full marathon, but I’m getting there!).

  Awesome stuff.
  AK

• Shutterhack
  August 14th, 2008
  9:09 pm
  

  Thanks for having my photo as the header of this post, it’s an honour.

• SRINIVAS VR
  August 14th, 2008
  9:30 pm
  

  Hey !… U R 100% right !

  Without even knowing I have practiced your method and now I see your blog…

  I do daily 40 laps of 50 metres now and go across with a single breath…
  I did it in just 40 days now… Ofcourse I added ABS training and 2 hours swimming, 1 hour cycling and weekly 5K jog.

  I lost 18 kilos in just 40 days… Ofcourse I was on soup diet…

  Ofcourse, my body aches to the extent my shoulder joints are sore…
  And… Hey I got an excellent V shape… all weight across waist gone with a flat ABS…

  Thanks for proving me right…

  SRINIVAS VR

• Tim Ferriss
  August 14th, 2008
  9:30 pm
  

  Hi All,

  Thanks for the continued tips and feedback! Here are some more goodies from Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tferriss:

  @swanson_scott @tferriss get a good rhythm going. notice how phelps has a little ‘hop’ to his freestyle? leverage your breath to ‘hop’ w/ each stroke w …

  @danmonfre @tferriss instead of keeping your head down, you’ll recover after your breath by looking forward every 3-5 strokes to see where you’re going

  @superwomen @tferriss to avoid getting punched from ppl swim around crowd, sleeveless wetsuits are the best. Sports basement has a bunch for rent.

  @iSwim @tferriss Tim, If the water isn’t cold skip the wet suit. The biggest difference is visability, no lines! I posted to your blog as well.

  @biltonpw @tferriss Use a triathlon wetsuit – full legs and arm flexibility. Quality and price from Promotion in Hood River http://tinyurl.com/56ke63

  @squawkfox @tferriss 1K Swim Tip: Most important is to relax and breathe. A tense swimmer is a sinker.

  @squawkfox @tferriss 1K Pool Swims: Use minimal kick, keep stroke long, bend elbows. Rotate in the water, work the wall. Start slow, build, practice.

  @squawkfox @tferriss Open Water Tips pt3: Try on MANY wetsuits. You don’t want excess neoprene. It must fit tight. Excess material welcomes water.

• John P Sao Miguel
  August 14th, 2008
  9:48 pm
  

  Using board shorts can be an effective training aid because as you say you are swimming with a parachute behind you and if you can get the distance and times you want in those then when you put on the speedos you’ll be even faster and can go further!

• mike
  August 14th, 2008
  9:50 pm
  

  hey tim, i allready posted in this thread about swimming, but now i have something differnt to talk about that i hope will catch your attention. Every since reading your book, i’ve been more interested in philanthropy, as it is something you talk about quite a bit. being in college though, means my money is tight, and its hard to give at times. but your book also got me thinking about alternative ways you can do things, and in ways that are more efficient, as well as exploiting niches.

  my idea is fairly simple, people donate thier old and working computers, and then the charity would give them to underprivileged schools and familys who can use them. now i know, similar programs allready exist, but heres where mine differs. my idea is to target gamers as the core donatory. why gamers? becuase they are a relativly unexploited nich, and with childsplay as an example, they are very willing to give back. further more, gamers tend to upgraded thier computers far more offtened than your average person, and thier old parts take longer to go out of date for general computer use. further more, they are more likely to upgread a few parts, but not the whole computer, which means they upgread more regularly. many gamers end up with old parts sitting around. what if we took those parts in as donations, built computers with them, and gave them to those who can use them?

  with that I have thought of an idea on how to give back to those who need it most. while i have thought out many of the benefits to my idea compared to other ideas, and how to go about getting the word out and get donators, im not sure where to look to make sure that those donations get to those who need it. is there any way you could help me? i know you have many connections and alot of experiance with this sort of thing.

  i know a little off topic, but i wanted to get the idea to you. any help you could give with this would be much appreciated.

• wilson s
  August 14th, 2008
  11:58 pm
  

  Great article, watching the DVD now and ordered the book!

  I got a problem with treading water in the vertical position. I tried to follow the DVD’s instruction of compact kicks but I still sink. I can tread only on my back with arms sculling. Any tips from any of you guys would be great!

• Nathan Kloster
  August 15th, 2008
  5:28 am
  

  Ahhhhh… swimming, I’ve been doing it competitively since I was 8 years old.

  Great post!!!

  BTW… if you want to get really, really lean… really, really quick, swimming can do that for you. On average, I can lose between 5 and 6 pounds of fat per week just by increasing my swims… I don’t even have to change my diet (I know this is way more than experts recommend, but I’m not trying for this fat loss, it just happens!!). Swimming is HARD WORK, but the great thing is that since you’re in the water, you don’t get overheated like you can on a run (your legs can get a bit itchy though when you begin to sweat), and your circulation is increased from being in a horizontal position vs. a vertical position.

  Here is a link to some great workouts (you can choose your ability level and other variables):

  http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/swim-cgi/

  Have a great day!!

• Weekly Roundup: Posts from the PR World [8/15/08] « That’s Great PR! Blog
  August 15th, 2008
  6:03 am
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too [...]

• Michal
  August 15th, 2008
  6:24 am
  

  Hi Tim, I have to say that you really inspired me. I wanted to try TI swimming for a long time but I didn’t have time (or will) to do it. After reading your article I enrolled for a TI course here in Prague, Czech republic. I really look forward to it (it’s next Sunday). All the best, Mike

• Terry Laughlin
  August 15th, 2008
  7:05 am
  

  I earlier promised a url for a free pdf. This is a 30 to 40 page book that explains a lot about why humans have such difficulty with swimming well, or efficiently or very far — and how to reduce drag and save energy to increase your endurance and speed, by doing less, rather than more.
  Enjoy

  http://totalimmersion.net/easy-freestyle-booklet.html

• akthe47
  August 15th, 2008
  7:08 am
  

  Tim,
  I forgot to mention, how about a ‘minus’ rating for comments so that we can detract from certain people’s comment ratings?

  Christine’s comment far up above just totally irks me haha. Do some people just NOT get your message at all that the end goal isn’t to make money, but rather to streamline one’s lifestyle design?

• singing water
  August 15th, 2008
  7:49 am
  

  I really appreciate all the comments here. I am new to this blog.
  There have been some really powerful athletes, swimmers, and dancers in both sides of my family. I can feel the connection between dance and swimming, and I have always experienced being exhausted while swimming.
  Now I understand what I have needed to do with my head, arms and legs, and that the way I was taught to swim as child in camp,etc has literally been a drag. Also I am recovering from a severe injury and have intuitively known that swimming would help restore me. I’m looking forward to getting back in the water again. It seems like this immersion method is more of a natural way to swim. I can be one of those 50+ women just gliding along.

• Kevin
  August 15th, 2008
  7:49 am
  

  I believe this is the PDF Terry mentioned.

  http://www.totalimmersion.net/extraordinary-excerpt.pdf

• Tim Ferriss
  August 15th, 2008
  8:09 am
  

  @Shutterhack:

  Thank YOU! The lede photo is beautiful.

  @Mike re: philanthropy

  I think your idea is excellent. How to ensure you implement the donation program correctly? I’d just reach out to a few successful donation programs — whether you see them in big box retailers like Best Buy or you learn of them in an Amazon box — and ask one or two executives 2-3 precise questions via e-mail.

  Another approach would be to work with one of these programs for a short period of time to get paid to learn how the system works.

  Best of luck!

  Tim

• Ron Turner
  August 15th, 2008
  8:19 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  The TI series is indeed a very good series. As a coach on the U.S. National Team, I can say that many of these techniques are used in coaching the top level athletes (although more time is spent putting in yardage!). TI gives you many techniques to think about, but I would tell you the main thing to think about is body position and body line in the water. In my experience, many people (particulary masters swimmers) get SO caught up in the little technical things that other areas are sacrificed (mainly racing!)

  Lastly, one suggestion for open water swimming: your head is going to ride much higher as you are constantly seeking your bearings, so the “flat line” body position will change a bit so to fight waves, people, etc…

  As a swim coach, I appreciate your post! Enjoy the Games!

  Ron Turner
  USA National Team Coach
  2007 US Pan-American Games Coach

• Rebecca
  August 15th, 2008
  8:35 am
  

  For Wilson S.

  The kind of treading water I’m familiar with is called the eggbeater. If you get a chance to watch any water polo in the Olympics pay attention to the underwaters cams – they get great shots of eggbeater.

  Eggbeater is really just an upright, modified breaststroke kick done with each leg individually. (You want to be careful of your knees when your practicing this at first.) You can try holding a kickboard at the surface with your arms draped over the flat portion. Then try doing a few breaststroke kicks upright. Then try doing a breaststroke kick with one leg at a time. (This might feel a little awkward.) Then shorten the kicks so you’re doing shorty, squatty breaststroke kicks with one leg than the other. Eventually you will end up with a fluid motion (kicking one leg after the other) that actually looks a bit like an hand-crank eggbeater used in baking.

  Caution: This is definitely something you’ll want to try AFTER you feel comfortable with a few strokes and with deep water. It’s a great skill though. You can tread water, have a conversation with folks and feel comfortable treading for long stretches of time. Safety first. : )

• Lee Hall
  August 15th, 2008
  8:53 am
  

  This sounds very similar to modeling, and has been proven effective to learning new things. As long as you have an expert, who is willing to teach, teach you all they know, in a format that makes it easy to learn, you will quickly step up to a higher level. Unfortunately, modeling works best with a real expert, someone who has actually won championships, etc. This why reading a just an ordinary book on a topic may not as effective learning.

  Practice only makes perfect when you are able to first practice perfectly.

• marco
  August 15th, 2008
  9:10 am
  

  In Italian I call this method AQUILIBRIUM… sensation and emotion before-after and during physical training.
  a smile for you Tim

  Best regards
  Marco

• J.
  August 15th, 2008
  10:47 am
  

  I started swimming about 4 years ago–prior, I was a terrible swimmer. Two lengths and I would be exhausted. Every time I got in the water I was afraid I was going to drown. The TI technique is great but it still took me about two years to feel like I can *swim.*

  Some other tips that I found helpful–getting a breathing rhythm down. When I breathe, I only inhale. I slowly exhale through my nose while my head is under water and over the course of three strokes. Then I inhale my next breath. That way, I don’t have to feel panicked like I used to when I was both exhaling and inhaling when taking breaths. This led to sometimes not getting enough air, leaving me gasping by the next gulp for air, increasing sense of desperation and creating a vicious cycle. By only doing one thing, I guarantee getting enough air until my next breath.

  I really rely on my hips when I swim. I point my hips to the bottom of the pool so I’m using core body movements instead of arms/legs to get myself into the horizontal position. Makes swimming almost effortless. In fact, I hurt my feet two years ago and swimming was my only form of exercise during that period. By using TI stroke technique (point of hand entry into water, hand/arm extension, gliding through an ‘S’ arm stroke, focusing on efficiency of motion rather than powering through water), rotating my hips, and changing my breathing, I can swim about 20-30 minutes (my average workout) without kicking at all. Now, I still do a small kick, but only as a balance check.

  Totally agree with you, once swimming became a beautiful thing that I wasn’t scared of, it absolutely increased my self confidence and belief that I can do things that I set your mind to.

• Hugo Estrada
  August 15th, 2008
  11:15 am
  

  I learned how to swim with this method. It is absolutely the best! I often have people who have swam for years complementing me on my speed and style. I only wish that there were other methods like TI for other sports.

• mike
  August 15th, 2008
  12:02 pm
  

  in response to nathan kloster: while im sure your well aware of this havening competed since age 8, it should also be pointed out that while your body is cooled by the water, you still sweet as you pointed out, so it is important to have a Bottle of watter at one end of your lane to rehydrate.

  in response to Tim Ferris: thanks for the response. i should have thought of the contacting them by email idea, its in your book after all!

  ohh and as an added note to your suggestions for swimming.

  while i agree it is much easier to swim in a speed weather the old banana hammocks or the more modern European shorts design (They are much less revealing and more comfortable than the banana hammocks for those who would be uncomfortable in them). dont just rule out wearing the bord shorts while training. once you have gotten the form down, they are a great way train endurance and strength, because as you stated, its like swimming with a parachute. you can train in them, and get used to havening that extra drag, then when you jump in the water for the race with your speedo, its like takeing pounds off. i cant realy think what the name of the methodi w would be callled, but its like running while pulling a dragging tire, it makes your muscles work harder, and builds up their strength and endurance.

  i will say, after getting used to the speedo type suit, i much prefer it to the bord shorts style, its so much more comfortable than the lining in those things, and if you want, you can very easily wear a normal swim trunks over them.

  ohh and if your useing a swim cap, spend the few extra dollars and get a good one. the cheap ones tend to pinch and pull the hairs, and will rip easier, not to mention are harder to put on. they arnt that much more to get a good amount of improvement, i think i paid about $10 more for the cap i used then the cheap ones, and i used the thing for several years before it riped on me, and as i said, was much much easier to put on by my self, and wouldn’t pull on the short hairs on the back of my head.

• Marco Wunderwald
  August 15th, 2008
  12:16 pm
  

  Hi Timothy,

  please contact me! Linando needs you!

  Greetings from Germany

  cu Marco

  PS: I love your book, honestly!

• Kevin
  August 15th, 2008
  12:51 pm
  

  For WIlson S. If you are very lean you may have trouble trreading water. It is not uncommon. It may be something you willnot do well. It does not impact your ability to swim. TI Teaching Professionals have to deal with these body types frequently and do so very successfully. You can go the the dicussion forum on TI’s website http://www.totalimmersion.net and search sinking and you will see many responses as to what someone with a lean body mass can do. You can be a great swimmer with that body type as most elite swimmers are lean. When you learn good balance and body positionas well as a relaxed stroke, your forward momentum will add to allowing you to swim well.

• Tidbits Friday | VRBooker
  August 15th, 2008
  12:52 pm
  

  [...] to swim the Tim Ferriss way. A tad extreme but it is hugely important that you and your kids know how to swim. We have [...]

• Janet Spurr
  August 15th, 2008
  2:47 pm
  

  Dear Tim, I’m so excited to read your blog about you finally learning to swim. That is so great. I’ve just published my first book, June 1, Beach Chair Diaries, Summer Tales from Maine to Maui. It’s a collection of
  short travel essays and the first few are about water sports. I really hope
  that you get to try boogie boarding and surfing, because it’s a wonderful
  world. Everyone should swim, it’s makes summer perfect.

• Lisa Braithwaite
  August 15th, 2008
  4:01 pm
  

  Very inspiring, Tim. I never learned to swim, and even though I can somehow propel myself through the water, I always feel like a dork.

  I tried swimming lessons in my 30s and thought I was making progress, until a substitute instructor showed up one day and asked me, “Who taught you to do THAT?” like I was the biggest freak in the water. Never went back.

  I’d like to swim for fun and actually enjoy it, so maybe I’ll check out these resources. And I’m sure they’ll be helpful for my former-triathlete husband as well.

• topseekrit
  August 15th, 2008
  8:34 pm
  

  **What did you learn about breathing?** It seems like these Olympiads barely take a breath, and that is one of my biggest problems with swimming – the breathing and water in my nose, lol.

  I think that Michael Phelps has inspired many people to take up swimming. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed watching the Olympics like this before. I signed up for Pilates at my Rec Center and swimming might get added to the mix depending on my budget.

• Rob Lear
  August 15th, 2008
  11:21 pm
  

  I have always been a swimmer, not competitive but I have enjoyed swimming my entire life. I have never been able to quite grasp the butterfly stroke, but now after seeing your achievements, I am going to give it another go…

• Richard F
  August 16th, 2008
  7:03 am
  

  Very excited about this post. I’ve been in a similar situation for years. Many failed attempts to improve left me feeling dejected. But I refuse to have kids who don’t love water, and if dad can’t lead then they are off to a poor start.

  I’m in Vietnam at the moment, hitting the beach daily trying different methods. Today was the first day I felt at ease, I focused on taking longer strokes( like you mention) and noticed I was getting so much further on my usual energy reserve.

  Then I log on this evening and here it is in black and white for me to follow. I’ll continue to follow the tips and will certainly get the book once I get settled again.

  Thanks for sharing the hope.
  - Richard

• Josh
  August 16th, 2008
  9:57 am
  

  Tim–

  I have the same hatred/fear of swimming, and I’m watching the DVD right now. One question though: did you use a coach, or did you just try to remember all the tips and figure it out on your own?

• Tim Ferriss
  August 16th, 2008
  1:44 pm
  

  Hi All!

  I’m now also working on back stroke the TI way and loving it as a recovery period between freestyle. Seems to balance the antagonist muscle groups well.

  @All,

  I have not used a coach yet. I have only used the DVDs and book, attempting to focus on a single principle for 2-4 lengths at a time. I know it’s working if stroke count decreases and/or if each length causes less oxygen debt.

  @Ron Turner,

  Thank you so much for the comment. I’m honored to have a national team coach reading my very novice attempt at describing swimming! I’m sure all the readers would appreciate any tips or suggestions you have for pool swimming or longer (1km+) open-water races.

  I can’t seem to hit the flip turn at all. I have trouble with choosing flip distance and have trouble planting my feet high enough for a good freestyle flip (I sink too far as I’m trying to flip and slightly turn).

  Thanks to all! Just had my first open ocean practice today and LOVED it. Pool again later tonight.

  Good luck and have fun everyone,

  Tim

• Jay
  August 16th, 2008
  2:30 pm
  

  This is encouraging. I have been trying to learn swimming for the last 5 years and for reasons unknown to me, I am not able to.

  I tried TI too through a TI instructor. But for some reason, we were not successful. I am taking a temporary respite from training.

  After reading your article, I feel resuming my training.

  thanks.

• Sean Reyes
  August 16th, 2008
  4:25 pm
  

  Well, just got out of the pool after trying the TI method for the first time, and im simply stunned. With my normal method of swimming, i was only able to do about 100-150yrds at a time at most; shoulders would be burning, i’d be out of breath, and my HR would be through the roof.

  I watched the TI video a few times, and memorized a couple drills to work on, mainly the balance and rotation. I did 250 consecutive yards without pause, the only reason i stopped is because i realized how far i’d swam without being winded – it didn’t even feel like i was working out!

• Jonathan Soave
  August 16th, 2008
  6:33 pm
  

  Hi Tim!

  Thanks for the inspiring work. I might just have you next martial art challenge. I know you’ve been in Brazil and you played Jiu-Jitsu. But another widely practiced martial art in Brazil is the Capoeira (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira)
  After you are good you can take a trip to Salvador, Bahia. In my opinion that is the capoeira capital in Brazil.

  Best,

• olauski
  August 16th, 2008
  7:10 pm
  

  brills on swim troubleshoot i get more i cant swim right more than anything. i hope u do 1 on run/jog most people do it wrong and can suffer for life even prez. bush. i dont really swim i do ‘tabata’ HIIT deep-water sprints to get my lo/no impact cardio but da 0-gravity flying oceanic mind+body is great 4 da eGo

• jen
  August 16th, 2008
  8:00 pm
  

  Congrats! As you’ve learned, you’re never too old to learn to swim!!!
  I taught swim lessons for years and one of my favorite students was a grandma (65) who wanted to learn to swim, so she could swim with her grandkids. Had her swimming (barely) by the end of the lesson and comfortably swimming in 4 lessons! So cool!

• Jose Castro-Frenzel
  August 16th, 2008
  9:25 pm
  

  Great Comments,

  Which googles have you decided worked best for you? Did you try the Swedish ones?

  Best,

  Jose Castro-Frenzel

• Ken
  August 16th, 2008
  11:20 pm
  

  Tim this is a great posting and should be read by all those either fearful of or in my case not necessarily swimming that efficiently. I think if more people approached a problem such as you did and look for ways to solve it rather than simply give up, they would lead happier lives. As you experienced yourself, a new way, idea, or alternative process may be the key. I intend to follow in your experiences here and see if this will help me become a more efficient swimmer. I happen to enjoy swimming so there is not fear or reluctance on my part. I just simply want to get better. Thank you for sharing.

• Rich...!
  August 17th, 2008
  7:46 am
  

  One question for TI advocates. I swim as part of my cardio routine, I enjoy getting my heart pumping, this post, and the TI vids make it look fairly effortless. The thing is, I don’t just want to be better swimmer, I want to be a fitter one too. Does the heart still pump like a mo’fo’?

• mike
  August 17th, 2008
  2:33 pm
  

  the flip turn can be tricky, but you can learn it, id say its best if you get some one to show you the method and possibly watch what your doing wring

  if your sinking to far, it sounds like your not flipping over fast enough, so practice that. as for getting the distance right, that takes some practice and really varies based on your body. you generally want about half a body length between you and the wall when you do the flip. best way to do it it is take a breath a stroke or 2 before that, when you do the flip, have your body follow the arm as you stroke. i generally would hit the wall about mid way up, you want to push off straight, not angled down, and not much up, you want to use the push off the wall to streamline through the water with a dolphin kick, it will be one of the faster parts of your length.

  once you get that down, you get the fun of learning a backstroke flipturn. if youve wondered what the flags are for above the pool (Assuming the pool you train at has them) they are for the back strokers. those flags are set a standard distance from the wall, so you learn how many strokes from the flags to the wall it takes you, and on your last stroke you flip over, do 1 frontcrawl (freestyle)stoke into your flip turn.

• kiwi tom
  August 17th, 2008
  4:16 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  Really interested to know – who was the ‘kiwi friend’ who started this all off for you?

  I’ve stumbled upon TI-like techniques through a combination of experience & experimentation. Specifically, after successfully competing nationally during my early teens at swimming, I ‘transitioned’ to surfing, which I enjoyed much more at the time. I also took up yoga in my mid-20’s, and got back in the pool a few years ago to stay fit once the surfing time dried up (mid-30’s now, 2 kids…)

  So, I started putting the yoga practice to work in the pool – I focussed primarily on mindfulness & efficiency, and have come up with many of the same findings and great outcomes as TI brings. While I was already a decent swimmer, the change in attitude and technique has made it much easier (especially recovery) and enjoyable.

  So, another challenge-from-a-kiwi for you – try using your TI techniques on this programme:
  http://www.surfline.com/community/whoknows/whoknows.cfm?id=1169
  –> you can use this programme to try a variety of kicks and stroke-rates, as its designed to mimic a typical session in the surf (long paddles back out to the break zone punctuated with short bursts to get in / adjust position and catch waves)

  Once you’ve done that, you can try surfing! (Where, of course, it gets very difficult to roll your shoulders…) Drop me a line when you’re next in Aotearoa, I can show you a few spots to get your bottom-turn humming :~)

  Best of luck
  Tom

• Erin
  August 17th, 2008
  4:38 pm
  

  Hey Tim,

  I was wondering when you were going to ask about the Fabulous Flip Turn ;). I competitively swam for around 10 years and taught swim lessons for 5. When I was teaching, I always had my students stand in the middle of the pool and do somersaults. Not wimpy, slow ones. Fast, powerful, splash the person in front of you kind. I always turned it into a game, which one was the fastest, who has the biggest splash, etc. When you flip your legs over, you want from your knees down to “smack” the water. Notice to do this your body cannot be in a tight ball. This will help with hitting the wall high enough with your feet.

  Each person is different as to how far away from the wall you need to be before you do your flip turn. Stand about 10-12 ft from the wall and swim in to get a feel for where you need to be to “flip.” Flip turns are meant to be powerful; I always looked at them as an opportunity to gain time on my opponents. Pick up the speed a bit before your flip turn. Also, after you flip and are under water, make sure your streamline is tight and you are kicking hard off the wall until you surface to start your stroke again.

  Once you get the hang of this, move into your next challenge: The Backstroke Flip Turn. There is a reason those flags are hanging above the pool and it isn’t to celebrate the UN or some 6 year old’s birthday. It is to start counting your strokes until you flip. It’s a shame you aren’t in Michigan, I would show you myself how it’s done ;).

  If you are practicing before a big event, wear multiple suits, webbed gloves with weights, even grow out the facial and chest hair, and practice “tapering” (no this doesn’t involve anything related to duct tape).

  I am also a fan of swimming while listening to music. You can purchase cases to put your ipod in that are completely waterproof.

  Speedo Swim Mits:

  http://cgi.ebay.com/Speedo-Aquatic-Cross-Training-Swim-Mitt-Gloves-Med-NRFP_W0QQitemZ120294720746QQcmdZViewItem

  Waterproof Ipod Accesories:

  http://www.h2oaudio.com/

  Tapering:

  http://swimming.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=swimming&cdn=sports&tm=99&gps=64_768_1276_565&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0190.htm

  Open Water Tapering:

  http://www.active.com/story.cfm?STORY_ID=6500&CATEGORY=swimming&CHECKSSO=0&SIDEBAR=14

  Effects of Shaving (not just a practice for women, fellas):

  http://www.soloswims.com/shaving.htm

  I hope this helps! I think you should eventually video tape yourself swimming so the rest of us can see your progress :)!

• What’s Wrong With the World? Not a Damn Thing | Open Source Blogging
  August 17th, 2008
  5:52 pm
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too [...]

• Tim Ferriss
  August 17th, 2008
  6:32 pm
  

  @Erin,

  Thanks so much for the fabulous tutorial on flip turns! I’ll give all a shot when I’m next at the pool. The mid-pool flips should be a good “comfort exercise” for those of you who have read the 4HWW.

  Just FYI, I just swam my 1km today!

  It was a total surprise, as it was a solo open-water ocean swim, and I’d expected to stop before the 1/2 mile target I’d set. Lo and behold, I hit my groove about 65% of the distance to my marker and just kept on going. Sweet feeling.

  For time: I started briskly walking at approx. 4:04pm (after texting my brother I’d probably be done around 5:30pm), I entered the water after walking 1/2 mile based on landmarks the lifeguards provided, then I swam the total distance — 1km or slightly more — and exited the water. I walked back to my beach bag over about 200 meters and sent my brother a text at 4:39pm.

  If my walking took a total of 15 minutes — I general earmark 30 minutes per mile for walking when hiking — I completed the 1km in about 20 minutes.

  Not sure what that means, but that seems to be what happened. I freestyled for about 90% of it, with two short backstroke recoveries, which I cut short because waves were throwing massive quantities of water into my nose and mouth. I felt so good after the 1k that I went for a 15-minute run, which I also never do.

  Total time from 2 x 20-yard length (40 yards) exhaustion maximum to 1 kilometer (1,093.61 yards) with no exhaustion? July 20th to August 17th — 29 days. Total Immersion rocks.

  Now I just need to get into racing form :)

  Pura vida,

  Tim

• ZaggedEdge
  August 17th, 2008
  7:39 pm
  

  This is pretty cool, this is why most kid’s can’t swim because they don’t have the proper technique.

  Phelps won because his last 1/2 stroke was better than his opponents. By his fingernails.

• Ross
  August 17th, 2008
  9:30 pm
  

  I’m a pretty big guy at 6′1 250lbs. and I can Run/Jog a couple miles, Jump, Jog, Kick, Soccer, Hockey, Martial Arts etc. However, I get the same way, My heartbeats 180 bpm and I can’t do more than 2 laps at a time. I get the same way tim did ever since I introduced to swimming, whe I was about 5. It is nice to know it is not just me.

• mike
  August 17th, 2008
  11:21 pm
  

  erin, great tips.

  i always hated taper during swim season lol.

  tim, nice time on the 1k. once you get into a good grove with swimming, and even running, you can go on for a long distance like that. i would useualy just end up thinking about random things when we did 500meter or 1k swims during practice and get into a flow.

  and if you do come to Michigan and meet up with erin, let me know, if its the same area of Michigan im from ill meet up with you 2 for some swimming, its been a few years since i competitively swam so im a bit out of shape compared to back then.

  also, you ventured on to the starting blocks yet? they are alot of fun once you learn to use em and are an important part of a swim race.

• Tabs
  August 17th, 2008
  11:42 pm
  

  It is nice to know that something scared you, I would not have believed it until I saw what you turned a fear into. Yeah, go ahead impress me some more please. Take care.

  -Tabs

• Inquiring mind
  August 18th, 2008
  12:49 am
  

  Hey Tim or anyone else who knows,

  Let me start by apologizing for the off topic post. According to your contact page this is one of the only ways to get in contact with you.

  At 2:23 on Disc 2 Track 6 in your audio book version of 4HWW on the chapter about Dreamlining you mention, quite briefly, that you brought students to 10k in extra income per month within three months. You did not elaborate on this. I have been very curious how you went about doing that as I would like to learn and share with other inquiring minds.

  Thanks so much!!

  -IM

• Playing with Total Immersion Swimming « IT Pilgrimage
  August 18th, 2008
  1:14 am
  

  [...] other day I ran across Tim Ferriss’ article on Total Immersion Swimming. It was a bit of a riot because I had just requested the Freestyle DVD [...]

• Michael Woon
  August 18th, 2008
  7:16 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  From your interest in diet and now in swimming, I think you’ll find this quite curious: http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/08/interesting-observation-olympic-diet.html

  Cheers,

  M

• Chris Mancini
  August 18th, 2008
  7:58 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  Another great post. I have never been that skilled at swimming, but next time I hit the pool I will certainly attempt the hand swap.

  Chris

• Erin
  August 18th, 2008
  8:51 am
  

  Hey Tim and Mike, I am glad you like my post! It brings a smile to my face knowing that I am inspiring grown men to swim out to the middle of the pool and do a series of somersaults!

  Tim, nice work on the 1K swim! It is amazing what you can accomplish in a short amount of time with proper instruction!

  All this talk about swimming is leading me back to the pool. I am also going to check out the TI DVD. I have friends who just finished a triathlon in Chicago and are always hinting that I need join in on the fun. So I can see this happening in the near future for sure. Plus, it is a good excuse to go somewhere warm and fun during the winter months here in Michigan!

  Here’s a couple other tips that I forgot about when writing my above post:

  If you are using a latex swim cap, after you are done swimming, dry off the inside and sprinkle with baby power. It keeps the sides of the cap from sticking to each other.

  To cut down on drying time (not to mention future laundry duty), get yourself a Chamois.

  http://www.speedousa.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3106959&cp=3124326.3128426.3132077.3132083

  Oh and Tim, you have blonde hair which may turn a dash of green due to a lot of chlorine exposure, which I am sure you don’t welcome unless it is around March 17. http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/115/shampoo

• Kevin
  August 18th, 2008
  9:17 am
  

  For Rich about Cardio and TI,

  As with any activity one can certainly increase their heart rate. What TI allows individuals to do is to swim farther and with practice faster with less effort. Once one has ban able to establish a streamline position with good balance and a proper spearing of the hand, arm and hip drive, then it is a matter of increasing the stroke rate to increase the speed and increasing your heart rate. It is all exercise and all good for you. If you have targets for your heart rate you can experiement with stroke rate as to what that has to be to achieve the heart rate you want. I think you will find you are in very good condition with an nice easy pace though. As with all things it depends on what your goal is. TI can help you achieve it.

• Kevin
  August 18th, 2008
  9:20 am
  

  For Jay,

  I am sorry to hear that you did not achieve success in your attempts to lean to swim with TI. Please call TI in New Paltz, NY, explain your situation and they will see to it you succeed.

• Kara
  August 18th, 2008
  10:10 am
  

  TI is the best! That is exactly how I got reprogrammed for swimming about a year ago. I had terrible drag before I started a TI based swim course. My happiest swim accomplishment was when the coach had us freestyle for a half hour non stop, no wall touching, twice. I found what worked was to relax, pick a tempo, roll through the strokes, and kick minimally (for me barely kick, the coach felt that I was much smoother and faster pulling through the water and maintaining a long water line). Freestyle with tennis ball under chin and ankles tied is great drill; holding tennis balls in each hand takes away ability to grip the water with hands but forces working on form on each stroke. Anyway, am a bit envious… would be fun to try out swim skills in open water as you did, but local water is a bit too polluted!

• Dave
  August 18th, 2008
  1:24 pm
  

  Hey Tim,

  There’s some good stuff here, but a couple things I noticed as a former All-American swimmer that will make a big difference.

  In the TI video, there are 2 minor problems with the technique as demonstrated. First, the head position is too low. This is not a huge problem, but the increased drag that comes from getting the head alignment wrong will slow you down. Secondly, the elbow is leading on the pull. It is a good idea to keep your elbow behind your hand underwater, as this opens up more of your core muscles and allows you to generate more power. It is also easier on the shoulder joint. Instead of thinking about pulling or pushing water behind you, think about creating a paddle with the arm and returning it to the body.

  Many of the observations about length of stroke rather than stroke rate and the importance of body roll are right on, but the addition of a high-elbow will increase that distance per stroke even more.

• Dave
  August 18th, 2008
  1:28 pm
  

  Also, Speedo Vanquishers are the best goggles I ever used. They come with multiple nose pieces, so if you are having trouble with the eye pieces being to far apart, try subbing in a different nose piece.

  The way to test if your eye pieces are at the right distance is to push them into your eye socket without attaching the strap to your head. If the goggles hold your eyes for 8 to 10 seconds, you have the right fit. If they fall off before that, adjust the distance between them.

  PS – Some people love Swedes, but I always found them painful to use. They also tend to leave you with raccoon eyes for a while after working out.

• sabrina
  August 18th, 2008
  1:45 pm
  

  Thank you so much Timothy! I recently started taking swimming as part of my long term plan to learn to sail. Needless to say, I was scared to death of the water – but I faced my fear and took lessons. With me fear under control, I ‘ve been struggling with the freestyle stroke. I discovered recently that the back stroke was MUCH EASIER – because of the body roll you must do to move through the water. I can’t wait for my book and dvd to arrive. Tim – you are always ahead of the curve.

  Until we meet….

• Grover
  August 18th, 2008
  7:33 pm
  

  Tim and other swim fans,

  (1) Finding a pair of leak-proof goggles was a challenge for me. Evan W above mentioned “Swedish” goggles; they are highly recommended by many, but I found them to be very painful. TYR makes a similarly-shaped, but only slightly less minimalist goggle called the “socket-rocket” that has a small (but very helpful) amount of rubber padding on the rim that spreads the load of the goggle over the eye socket better than the “swedes” solid plastic. Dry, comfortable and cheap (under $10).

  http://www.tyr.com/shop/socket-rocketstm-p-180-c-68_70_71.html

  (2) As for Total Immersion (TI), congratulations on the find. I came from a competitive running background and blamed my swimming problem on an “inability to float.” The (preposterous) implication was that I was too lean to swim. Which, of course, is why you see so many Olympic swimmers with beer guts.

  A TI clinic (and the hours of useful practice that followed) helped turn my triathlon swims from a nightmare to a joy (the chilly, choppy Escape from Alcatraz swim is still my favorite). The workshop cost me hundreds of dollars, but considering the frustration it has saved me, it was well worth it.

  Cheers.

• Guy Giffard
  August 18th, 2008
  11:14 pm
  

  Tim, you say that this method worked for you after everything else failed, but do you include regular swimming lessons in «everything else»?

  I’m asking because you sound like you’ve been trying to learn exclusively from books and/or on your own, in which case it’s no wonder you found it difficult. I took swimming lessons when I was sixteen, and I learned rather effortlessly. I think it must have taken me no more than a couple of months before I could swim a mile without stopping.

  It wasn’t because I was some sort of swimming genius. I’m sure it would have been just as easy for you, since you seem to be someone who really wants to learn. There are lots of competent swimming teachers out there, so nobody should make learning to swim any harder than it needs to be.

• Terry Laughlin
  August 19th, 2008
  5:29 am
  

  Rich asked >>One question for TI advocates. I swim as part of my cardio routine, I enjoy getting my heart pumping, this post, and the TI vids make it look fairly effortless. The thing is, I don’t just want to be better swimmer, I want to be a fitter one too. Does the heart still pump like a mo’fo’?>>

  This is a concern frequently expressed among those who, like Rich, swim primarily for fitness. It’s clearly an important question as there are far more people who do swimming as an “activity” than do it as a “sport.”

  The most useful insight for those interested in swimming for better health is something I knew intuitively for years but had confirmed when I read this article in Popular Mechanics last November http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4223354.html

  It documents that human swimmers are typically only 3% energy efficient – compared to 80% efficient for dolphins. After reading it, I did a google search on the phrase “energy efficiency of…” for other fitness/endurance sports – running, cycling, x-c skiing, rowing. I learned that, on land, elite athletes are typically 21 to 34% efficient (Michael Phelps is 9+% efficient and the limit on human efficiency in swimming seems to be about 10%.) A bit more research revealed that recreational athletes are about 10% to 20% less efficient than elites in land sports. In swimming, recreational athletes are 300% less efficient than elites.

  The takeaway from this is that, on land, the recreational athlete improves performance primarily by “building the engine.” In water, the recreational athlete improves mainly by “reducing energy waste.” As the primary reason for energy loss in swimming is drag, the way to do that is to “improve your vessel.”

  Getting back to Tim’s experience, when he could only swim 2 x 20 yd laps, he was a “three percenter” with 97% of what he describes as quite good “land fitness” being diverted by drag, instability, reacting to discomfort, etc. Now that he’s swum a 1k, I’d guess he’s probably improved to something better than 4% efficiency. In other words, he’s now converting over 33% more energy expenditure into forward movement than before. His upside is still huge, which should keep his interest and motivation high.

  The obvious question is was he getting more fitness benefit before — working very hard for a minute or less — or now — working more efficiently for 20 minutes nonstop?

  If you’ve done mainly land sports for years, what works in the water will be counterintuitive. If you want to swim for fitness, the best route to your goal, will be to “obsess about saving energy” rather than on how long/hard you’re working.

  Here’s a more comprehensive response I gave on the TI Discussion Forum http://www.totalimmersion.net/talk-back.html to the same question.

  >>What about Fitness?
  In writing about training I don’t mean to suggest that fitness is unimportant. But instead of training to “get in better shape,” train to “improve your swimming.” Let conditioning be something that “happens to you” while you improve your swimming. To illustrate:

  Redefine Endurance. Webster’s defines endurance as “the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.” TI defines Swimming Endurance as “the ability to repeat effective swimming movements for a duration and speed of your choosing.” That definition places as much importance on *nervous system development* as aerobic system development. The critical difference is that when you train the nervous system, the aerobic system also receives the training it needs; when you train the aerobic system, there’s no guarantee the nervous system will be trained the way you wish.

  Many of those who take up TI swim purely for fitness, rather than speed or performance. A common question among fitness swimmers is: “If I swim easier, will I lose fitness?” You won’t and here’s why: (1) A quality workout is one that makes good use of the body. Practicing efficiency makes better use of the body than conventional workouts, minimizing the chances of injury and increasing the likelihood that you’ll be able to do healthful training consistently. (2) Motivation matters. If you enjoy and are engaged by your fitness routine, you’ll continue for the long term; if you don’t you’ll lose interest. Kaizen – Continued Improvement – Swimming will keep your interest higher than training “because it’s good for you.” (3) Increasing intensity is always an option. Once you begin to master the basics, you’ll find yourself able to swim longer – and faster – with less fatigue.

  Should I Increase Yardage? In Kaizen Training, the primary reason for swimming more yards is to increase opportunities to imprint efficient movement. Will fitness increase as you do so? Yes, but your swimming will benefit only if that increased fitness accompanies improved skill. So if increased yardage causes you to compromise form, don’t do it.

• DanGTD
  August 19th, 2008
  7:29 am
  

  Great tips. I’m glad you fully explained what to do, and not only give some links to by the materials.

• Ryan Marr
  August 19th, 2008
  8:24 am
  

  This is incredible. I’m a long distance runner and a cyclist and have been planning to learn to swim this coming winter during my slow season for cycling. This is fantastic timing and a great resource. I really look forward to putting it into practice.

• fesweetpea
  August 19th, 2008
  3:11 pm
  

  I discovered TI a few years ago when I started racing triathlon. I swam on a team for a while when I was younger, but I just wanted some refresher tips as I eased back into swim training. I found my balance in the water was already pretty good, but followed many of the tips around front quadrant swimming. Eventually I took part in some one on one swim sessions with a local coach and found that the emphasis on the front quadrant technique and the balance had forced me to forget all about what is commonly known as “the catch”, or what happens when your hand enters the water. The emphasis on the Strokes per length meant that I had basically turned my front crawl into a kind of sidestroke, spending time gliding on my side always reaching for that longer stroke. The balance and the reach are what make a relaxed stroke, but the catch is what makes a powerful stroke. So the key really is finding a balance between your strokes per length and your stroke rate. I have been using one of these lately trying to clean up and even out my stroke post-TI:

  http://www.finisinc.com/products-tr-tempotrainer.shtml

  Congratulations on your 1KM swim!

• Andy
  August 20th, 2008
  2:06 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  Great post. Have just had a major knee op which has brought my rugby career to a close. I have had to swim as part of rehab and have found it really boring and have struggled to enjoy it.
  I had never heard of this but have tried some of the demos on the web and it has made life a lot easier.
  I would recommend this to anyone trying to get back into exercise after surgery.

  Cheers
  Andy

• web
  August 20th, 2008
  9:49 am
  

  The trick is not to swim 40 laps, it’s to swim seven. If you can survive seven laps without a break then there’s nothing to stop you from swimming 70. Basic advice: gets some training, practice breathing while hanging onto the side of the pool and slow down. Better to move slowly than take breaks between laps. Sign up for lifeguard training. It’s free and they’ll teach you to swim. Swimmers in the Masters (old folks) program spend as much time talking about swimming at the end of the pool as they spend actually moving through the water. These “swimmers” are called Master Debaters. If you find you really need a break when swimming instead of slowing your pace then please get out of the pool and go home. Try again another day. Already swimming 70 laps? Now try a real challenge. Switch from crawl to butterfly.

• Carrie
  August 20th, 2008
  11:24 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  Wonderful news :)

  Have u tried a finis alignment board, that’s v cool to help with your stroke, and spilt fin flippers 2 help with flow?

  Wishing u happy-swimming,

  heard of Milton Nelms, he’s the swimming whisperer American based in Aus, helped Thorpey master freestyle?

  Namaste,

  Carrie Eddins
  http://www.chocolaterehab.com

• Rocky
  August 21st, 2008
  1:50 am
  

  Tim thank you for posting this. I tried this in the gym and in 2 days have gone from 2 laps to 25 laps. I was telling friends yesterday, that in my entire adult life if I had to pick 3 things that have held me in awe this would be amongst those three.

• Tim Ferriss
  August 21st, 2008
  11:09 am
  

  Congratulations, Rocky! That comment just made my day. On a related note, I just did my first 1km a few days ago. The sky’s the limit once you focus on reducing drag and put effort into propulsion instead.

  Great work!

  Tim

• Moxie
  August 22nd, 2008
  12:48 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  I think it’s about time you turn such wonderful approach to golfing. Not sure if you play golf or not or how good you are. If you can come up with a program to turn a golf game around, you will be bigger hero. Please!

• olauski
  August 24th, 2008
  7:54 pm
  

  great article last year about ‘butterfly’ in either gq or mens journal about its just about the most amazing experience in water/0-gravity,mentions how it was discovered accidently by combo of 2 strokes, and relates merlins story about how the apprentice had to be a fish first than become a bird

• Jay
  August 25th, 2008
  10:23 am
  

  For Kevin-

  Thanks for your response. I will try to contact TI as you suggested.

  BTW, does anybody here know of a coach in D.C. area who has been very successful in teaching Adult learners?

  Thanks.

• Tom
  August 25th, 2008
  6:15 pm
  

  You are such a jock I found it hard to believe you couldn’t swim. Glad to hear you got it licked.

  I took swimming in college and learned how to swim the “correct” way. Before that I was very clumsy but somehow managed to swim.

• kc
  August 26th, 2008
  10:34 am
  

  Thank you sir.

  I’ve always wanted to do a tri but I can’t swim very well. I’ve tried lessons but it just hasn’t worked.

  I’m going to give this one a shot. After all I couldn’t run very well til a buddy introduced me to a program like this and I ended up doing a marathon.

• jake tcb
  August 26th, 2008
  1:05 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  I’m so glad you gave TI a test and thumbs up. I always wanted to try it but it sounded too good to be true. Thanks for being a guinea pig!

  Best,

  Jake

• Joakim Andersson » Blog Archive » Learn to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days
  August 27th, 2008
  7:55 am
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too – The Blog of Author ….   [...]

• Jourdan
  August 28th, 2008
  3:58 pm
  

  Ok, so I’ve been trying to find a way to contact you, but it seems as though posting a blog comment might be my only way. I am well aware of your San Shou kickboxing national championship, and I was curious as to how you were able to find the money to be able to train so intensely for 6 weeks. If you could give any feedback i would greatly appreciate any and all advice you have. THANKS! =)

• Sarah
  September 2nd, 2008
  6:11 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  Firstly Congratulations for daring to give it another go with the swimming. I’ve been swimming since I was about 5 years old. It’s my favourite sport! When I was little I was into the distance swimming… and one thing that I always do is count… count the strokes, the turns, the breaths between strokes… The kicks off the wall when tumble turning… They all make a difference. I also did competitive swimming to Uni National level in the UK.

  Key things that come out of training are…
  Long boats move faster – stay streamined & remember to reach.
  Being comfortable in the water builds up your confidence – therefore play!
  Do breathing excercises under the water to increase lung capacity – great for those with asthma too! (hold breath and swim under water for as far as you can each length for a few as part of a training routine!)
  Getting the balance between breathing and strokes is all about timing… breathe when your body naturally pulls your head towards one side near surface… mid arm coming out of the water and over the head..
  Don’t over extend but do reach
  Never cross your central line…
  Swim like you are in a tube that is just wider than shoulder width all the way round (for fc and brst)
  Don’t roll too far as you loose your central line and end up crossing.

  Ask others that are swimming well for advice and tips. :) I always offer tips to others that comment on my speed and technique. Others I know who are also good swimmers are happy to help too… not many know how to break down a stroke into easy to implement instructions. So for those offering tips in the pool, offer one tip at a time… otherwise the person implementing has too many things to think about all at once.

  And most of all have fun with it! Swimming is always best when you relax into the stroke and glide through the water like a fish :) (or like Phelps)

• David Austin
  September 2nd, 2008
  10:03 am
  

  Total Immersion works. and it works well. I used this method a couple of years ago and it improved my swimming tremendously. Just the idea of taking fewer strokes by itself it a great tip. Count your strokes when you swim a length and try to take 1 or 2 off the next time you swim a length. It forces you to glide more and get more power out of each stroke.

• Chanel
  September 3rd, 2008
  10:19 am
  

  Thanks for this post! I am a terrible swimmer and have had a fear of the water for most of my life. When I do get in the water, I’m usually terrified of drowning and out of breath in just a few strokes.
  Not knowing how to swim kept me from getting a coveted, foreign military badge- the German Armed Forces Profiency Badge (GAFPB). To make matters worse, I had qualified in all of the other events to get the Gold, but, no matter how much I tried, I could not complete the 200m swim! I was so ashamed and discouraged when the majority of my class stood in formation and got the coveted badge pinned on their chests and I had to stand off to the side and watch as I fought back the tears.

  Two of my best friends just completed their first triathalon and I’d like to complete one next year. I’m ok with the bike and the run, but that pesky swimming part… not so much.

  Thank you for all of these helpful tips! I’ve passed article on to my fellow nautically challenged and I can’t wait to start training.

  I will definitely make sure that my children learn how from a very early age. It’s an important skill to have.

• Chanel
  September 3rd, 2008
  10:31 am
  

  Thanks for this post! I am a terrible swimmer and have had a fear of the water for most of my life. When I do get in the water, I’m usually terrified of drowning and out of breath in just a few strokes.
  Not knowing how to swim kept me from getting a coveted, foreign military badge- the German Armed Forces Profiency Badge (GAFPB). To make matters worse, I had qualified in all of the other events to get the Gold, but, no matter how much I tried, I could not complete the 200m swim! I was so ashamed and discouraged when the majority of my class stood in formation and got the coveted badge pinned on their chests and I had to stand off to the side and watch as I fought back the tears.

  Two of my best friends just completed their first triathalon and I’d like to complete one next year. I’m ok with the bike and the run, but that pesky swimming part… not so much.

  Thank you for all of these helpful tips! I’ve passed article on to my fellow acquatically challenged and I can’t wait to start training.

  I will definitely make sure that my children learn how from a very early age. It’s an important skill to have.

• Bean Jones
  September 4th, 2008
  3:37 am
  

  Congratulations! Swimming is a great love so I’m glad you’ve found a way that works for you.

  I have a friend who is a certified TI instructor and from what he’s told me, most people would actually enjoy swimming if they knew how to do it “properly”. Chronicling your experience will hopefully encourage more people to try TI out.

  I wonder if jogging is something else you are into? If so, you may want to check out Chi Running. I hear it’s to running what TI is to swimming.

• Tyler Toone
  September 4th, 2008
  10:49 am
  

  Earlier this year I competed in two sprint triathlons and after each event the single aspect I felt I greatly needed to improve in was the swimming leg. So I would hit the pool and hammer out lap after lap and come away from it absolutely exhausted. Then one day I talked with another guy in the pool and he recommended TI training. I got the book from the library and have seen some significant gains in my swimming technique. I am going to get the DVD because with the book itself I can’t conceptualize and implement the practices very effectively.

  Thanks Tim for the great post – and for motivating me even more to swim better. I can hardly wait for the triathlons next year :)

• Helemano Kepani
  September 5th, 2008
  12:25 am
  

  Wow…………what else is Tim going to do next!!

  My name is Helemano and I am a four hour work week junkie. Love the book, trying to setup 3 companies with help of Brickwork India……..

  I will definitely outsource my whole life……..even my niece who is presently unemployed and I got her to sign up for gigs on Gru, Domystuff, and Sologig so she can outsource her skill sets, amke some cash, and reate her own business and social networks

  ANyway, I teach aquatics for the Red Cross and came across Coach Terry at the Ironman in Hawaii where I live. I was able to purchase his products and teach myself how to TI.

  I especially teach adaptive p.e. to blind and visually impaired kids who are blind like me……………parents are at first scared shitless and when all is said and done, blind kids are going back and forth swimmingly along.

• Nicole
  September 6th, 2008
  8:14 pm
  

  I became an “advanced swimmer” (I took a course called advanced swimming) while working on my first degree in music and hope to get back to it when they finish completing the renovations on the nearby pool.

  In regard to your comment, “I’ve never had a coach or supervision,” Jim Littlefield’s reference to “inner swimmer,” and Guy Giffard’s reference to swimming lessons: I’m reminded of the Inner Game of Music by Barry Green in which he explains how his brother won in their race to learn how to ski. His brother learned through reading a book and jumping right into it. Sometimes, though certainly not always, well meaning people can have a negative impact on our ability to learn or perform through giving too many directions all at once, which can be a helpful lesson to those in the field of teaching.

  Someone mentioned they didn’t want to hear about your swimming. I can’t help but wonder if your new found ability is more than a physical break through but a psychological one as well. Whatever it is, congratulations on being able to enjoy a new activity.

• Heidi - Botanical PaperWorks
  September 6th, 2008
  9:37 pm
  

  Congrats on this. Ever since the Olympics, I’ve had swimming on my mind. Thanks for a great post.

• The Art of Nonconformity » Swimming from Regrets
  September 8th, 2008
  7:47 am
  

  [...] Ferris recently wrote about the Total Immersion method. His swimming story sounds identical to mine – he tried over and over on his own, but never got [...]

• Moxie
  September 8th, 2008
  4:48 pm
  

  I bought the IT book and DVD mentioned here. It works amazingly after just two session in the water, alone. Before this, I can’t swim in free style at all. Now I’m way on the way to swim like fish. Very exciting!

  I also followed Tim’s HIT work out as well and it works!

  Tim, how do find all these good stuffs?

  Moxie

• pat
  September 9th, 2008
  8:10 am
  

  I appreciate the book, really amazing! but as regards swimming, no way! Can I give you private swim lessons? I can do much better than this!! write me pat-berti@libero.it :) smack!!!

• Milton Dowty
  September 9th, 2008
  8:34 pm
  

  Nice article for the beginner…as a state champion, eleven records swimmer of freestyle I would like to recommend the following to enhance the speed and reduce the effort of swimming…after the initial reach on the stroke pull toward your navel instead of down deep into the water…you have MUCH more leverage which allows a faster stroke and with less fatigue. Of course complete each stroke with a flip of the hand at the end of the stroke to get maximum thrust. Enjoy being addicted to speed!

• TWu in NorCal
  September 15th, 2008
  10:20 pm
  

  Dear Tim and all,

  I read your account on the TI Newsletter which I receive now having taken a weekend workshop over a couple years ago. Your post was uncanny: I had many of the exact same experiences you had: being in decent shape, but breathless after one length; Speedo Vanquisher goggles (love them), and I also view swimming as moving meditation. When I decided to take it up (b/c of back injury), I thought I’d be bored by swimming. But b/c TI is also a well design pedagogic system, you can always concentrate and focus on various parts of your swimming. Who needs a waterproof iPod? It’s easy to be really mentally focused while getting a great low risk (of injury) workout.

  TI’s made an amazing difference to my freestyle. My home stroke is breaststroke- I could do that till the cows come home. But I wanted to improve my freestyle and it really has. I swam competitively a little in high school in FL where I grew up, so I’ve always been very comfortable in water. When I took up swimming again (my other cardio is cycling), like you, I could barely get across two lengths. And, for 25m, it took me 25 strokes. I can now do 30×100ft non-stop (maybe longer), and I brought down my stroke rate to 13-18 strokes in 25m. I never thought I could do the 2 beat kick- I used to love watching the Olympic hopefuls in my high school swimteam kick so slowly and rhythmically.

  I was on a 7 dd backpacking trip in eastern Yosemite, and brought only that book by Terry. I did the drills 3-5x/wk in the pool. I got a DVD, then decided to do the 2 day workshop. It’s really paid off.

  One of the TI ideas I like is that you’re catching as if rowing, trying to swing your body forward past your anchoring hand, the way a rower applies power by extending his/her legs to “swing” the boat forward, past a blade just after the catch. So concentrating on plunging the recovering arm forward like a harpoon, rather than pushing hard with the power arm to move water backward, makes a lot of sense. I also like the idea that kicking is to help you with the rotation of your body, the way you anchor you feet for a racket or bat swing.

  It’s a great system and I recommend it to anyone interested in learning or improving their stroke.

  Cheers

• 10 Great Sites for Personal Development and Inspiration | simplistic thoughts
  September 18th, 2008
  7:05 pm
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too [...]

• Elle
  September 22nd, 2008
  12:23 am
  

  One thing is to swimm, one other thing is to race….

  Total Immersion technique is fine if you want just to improve your movement in the water and to understand that water is an element where you have to relate with friction.

  but if you see this video of Phelps while he does freestile: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=ax77_hHq9Dc

  You can see that his head is not looking to the floor of the swimming pool and his head is half out of the water, water arrives on the forehead.

  He uses much more his legs and the moment of stop of his arms is when they arrive at the maximum lenght in front of his head.

  http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=7HfG3MeKG7g

  From Italy with love!

• Chuck
  September 24th, 2008
  9:27 am
  

  I swim a mile a day every other day (50 minutes-66 lengths-25 meter pool) I didn’t learn by your method but it all rings true. Head in-line with spine, side to side. Stroke Stroke breath (left) stroke stroke breath (right) sometimes almost rolling over to breath deeply but its not necessary. I watched some guy swimming from my balcony one day and noticed he was kind of stabbing his hands into the water not far above his head as if he was reaching for something on the bottom and rolling side to side I tried it and worked my way up from 6 laps to 33 round-trip laps and when I’m donw I feel I could do more. I’m 49 years old and with some dieting and swimming I’ve lost 20 pounds over the past year.

• Charlie
  September 30th, 2008
  3:44 pm
  

  Hi Tim-

  Thanks a ton for taking the time to share this with all of us. You inspired me to give swimming another shot. Previously I could only swim 2 x 25 lengths without having to stop to catch my breath. After only 5 swims I did 25 x 40 this morning. I now look forward to my laps 2-3 times a week.

  Thanks Again! Charlie

  Ps. As part of my information diet I cut the data plan on my crackberry today. Big boost in concentration and productivity.

• Ravi
  October 10th, 2008
  3:21 am
  

  After reading this post a few hours ago, I had to try it. I just got back from my gym and WOW!

  Recently, I have only been able to swim a few laps at most, and ended up winded every time.

  Trying to use the TI way of swimming, I did not get winded! I did maybe 5 or 6 laps, and I wanted to do more! I only stopped because I thought my form was slipping and don’t want to develop any bad habits with this.

  Afterwords, I felt exhilarated! This was very much what I felt like when I first discovered playing in the water. I was a little tired, but it was a good kind of tired. I’m actually remembering how fun it is to play. I know I may be gushing here, but while I am typing, I still feel GOOD from this.

  My body and I thank you for posting this, and thanks also to Terry Laughlin and the people demonstrating in the linked videos.

  Ravi
  (now I need to get the book/dvd and see how much better this can get =) )

• Carolyn
  October 16th, 2008
  2:36 pm
  

  A few years ago, I hired B. Barnes a TI coach in Orlando, Florida and I have never been happier. I can now swim for an hour without getting winded. I can stay out of the pool for six months and get back in and still swim non-stop without being exhausted. My problem is this. I swim very slowly, everyone that gets in the pool can swim faster than I do (ok a slight overstatement but not by much). I just ordered the new TI freestyle dvd and hopefully I can pick up some speed/distance with each stroke. I think that part of my problem is that I am stroking too soon – I need to leave that arm extended longer before I begin the downstroke.

  No matter, I went from not even being able to swim 1/2 way across the pool to swimming nonstop whenever I feel like it. TI is awesome:)

• Taylor Panda
  October 18th, 2008
  11:28 pm
  

  Dude i have the same favorite, lets swim

• Project Perfection Report: Day 7 « The Freakshow
  November 7th, 2008
  10:07 am
  

  [...] immune system began freaking out, bringing me to wake swimming in sweat (thank you Tim Ferriss for teaching me how to swim, or I’d have drowned), with a throat somebody’d sandpapered and a freaking gallon of [...]

• Liora
  November 8th, 2008
  2:47 pm
  

  I can’t swim–at all. As a 40-year-old, it’s disappointing and embarrassing. I took lessons in a lake as a child, but never learned. When the teachers said they wouldn’t let go of you, they always let go of you, which didn’t help my panic around water. In college, I had a friend try to teach me to tread water in a swimming pool, but I simply couldn’t make my arms do one motion and my legs do something different at a different rate. As an adult, I almost feel I’m too old to learn now–too uncoordinated, too afraid, and would feel too silly clutching onto my teacher in a public swimming pool while adults and children swam laps. It would be nice to go into old age with swimming as a no-impact exercise, but at this point, I don’t know how or where to find the help I need.

• Joy
  November 12th, 2008
  3:35 pm
  

  Tim:
  I was convinced in May of this year that I will learn to swim. I am 36 years old and all that my childhood swim lessons accomplished to do was to discourage me from swimming. Just last summer I was still sitting by the side of the pool or holding the pool edge.
  I started lessons at my local Y this June, and at the same time I discovered TI from doing research on line. I purchased the book and eventally the dvd’s, and was instantly hooked.
  Five months later, last night i just did 1-1/2 hours of non-stop effortless crawl back and forth at the Y’s 25 yard pool. It was the TI drills that helped me be effortless whereas the Y’s kick-pull drills tired me out.
  I hope to do a TI camp in the future. My long term goal is to learn to surf.

  I now tell everyone proudly how much i love to swim.

• Gary
  November 16th, 2008
  2:22 am
  

  Suggestion for those of you who have your goggles, and face mask for that matter, fog up. This is something I learned from my diving instructor. Most goggles and face masks are shipped with some kind of chemical protective layer on the plastic. The chemical has something to do with fogging up your goggles faster. A good idea when buying new goggles is to go home and wash the lens portion of them with toothpaste of all things. Inside and out just spread it on with your fingers and smear it around. Generate some bubbles or suds with water, and then rinse it off. You don’t really need to scrub it.

• apple
  December 4th, 2008
  1:07 am
  

  Tim, I haven’t made up my mind about whether I admire you or despise you because you are so different from me, but for the first time I can relate to you.

  You’ve humanized yourself by admitting this lifelong struggle, and I’m happy that we both had breakthroughs this year in the same area. My friend learned of TI as a step toward her first triathlon, and recommended it to me. Neither my husband nor I can swim, such that we even put “life jackets” on our wedding registry! We brought and watched the TI DVD on our honeymoon, and the most peaceful, memorable moments of our lives were spent in our private villa pool in Phuket being able to glide through the water without panic.

  I thought it was just a fabulous swimming instruction approach until I read your more scientific and goal-oriented assessment of the method’s design for efficiency. Glad to know I stumbled on the best method, as tested by you. Thanks for sharing.

• TIPS » Blog Archive » What’s Wrong With the World? Not a Damn Thing
  December 5th, 2008
  1:09 am
  

  [...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too [...]

• Adult Swimming Lessons - Never Too Late To Start | SwimmingClasses.org
  December 5th, 2008
  9:15 am
  

  [...] says that they are too old and too big to start adult swimming lessons obviously have no idea what they are talking about. It usually boils down to shame, an [...]

• My Michael Phelps Olympic Experience « owen w brown blog
  December 5th, 2008
  10:14 am
  

  [...] kick-board and breast stroke I decided it was time to learn freestyle. I owe special thanks to The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss for introducing me to the Total Immersion (TI) swimming method usually associated with Terry [...]

• Chris
  December 6th, 2008
  9:48 am
  

  Forget learning how to swim efficiently, it’s always come effortlessly to me. I’d rather know how your friend gave up coffee and stimulants – if in fact he lived up to his side of the bargain!! :-) Sweets and coffee are my downfall, but at the moment I’m tackling the coffee by simply cutting 1/4 a cup per week. Quitting cold turkey? Two weeks of headaches… no thanks.

  Great post though!

• How to Feel Like the Incredible Hulk in 2009
  December 28th, 2008
  9:35 pm
  

  [...] my favorite presentations I’ve ever done. Perhaps because it was so short! Special thanks to Terry Laughlin of Total Immersion for the photographs of swimming [...]

• Warren D
  January 3rd, 2009
  2:04 pm
  

  I am glad you found the Ti method, I too hated swimming and now love it, thanks to Terry Laughlin.

• Charlie
  January 5th, 2009
  8:14 pm
  

  Tim-

  I left a comment on 9.30.08 letting you know what a tremendous difference this has made for me. I am now up to a mile worth of laps a few times a week. I absolutely love it! With a fair amount of practice I have also managed to learn the flip turn. It’s not that hard once you get the hang of it.

  It’s a Good Life, Charlie

• Tim Ferriss
  January 6th, 2009
  2:37 am
  

  @Charlie,

  Congratulations! I’m slated to go swimming tomorrow :) A little cold here in SF, though. Ouch!

  Tim

• Qleyo
  January 5th, 2009
  11:24 pm
  

  Wow I thought I was alone. It’s quite strange that not many people in my country generally can swim! And for someone who is great at every other sport, ju jitsu, kick boxing, karate, track and field, tennis, squash…I can’t swim to save my life, well I manage. I kinda dated a greek for a while and after endless trips to the pool or beach I was forced to improve my freestyle, I can’t tread water still to save my life for more than 10 secs, and my freestyle is like torture.

  I’ve watched endless egg beater tutorials on youtube and still don’t get it, I can’t do the butterfly and pretty much all I manage is a quirky freestyle, I will try these tips.

  You didn’t say much about legs however, what I find is after a few meters my legs start to drop further and further so that my arms are doing all the work!

• Tom
  January 8th, 2009
  11:53 am
  

  Tim, swimming is a limbic extravaganza, one of the things that makes life good. So glad that you have discovered it. That you did so a bit later in life means that you’ll never take your newfound talent for granted, I bet.

  When you come down to Bali we’ll go bodysurfing. It’s the best use of swimming ability that I’ve ever found! (Check ‘wedge bodysurf’ on youtube)

  Time slows in the tube– done right you’ll live forever.

• Arndt
  January 10th, 2009
  11:11 am
  

  Wow! This seems like the perfect solutions to one of the great mysteries of my life ;) I’ve always been quite athletic and doing well at most types of sports but my swimming skills, well, they suck now and they’ve always sucked. Same problem as yours, two laps and I’m done, my heart close to popping out of my chest.
  Swimming grades in my athletics class are going to destroy my overall athletics grade, that is essential to the outcome of my German Abitur. But there is hope now, if this works. I will start practicing as soon as possible :) Thank You!!

• Jon P
  January 11th, 2009
  10:33 am
  

  Hi Tim. Great post. I’ve been swimming for 40 years, 8 or so of them competitively, and the rest just for fun and exercise. These TI stroke instructions will help me to focus even more on my efficiency in the water. Here are a couple of other observations:

  • As one person noted, the correct goggles are all about your face shape. With the right ones, you should not have to adjust more than once per session. I can only use a pair made by Speedo that has a fixed nose piece (in other words, it’s one piece of molded plastic all the way across), everything else makes me go cross-eyed underwater.

  • For longer distance swims, start off at what feels like an unnaturally slow pace and let the effort increase for a while very gradually. Just like running a 10k or longer race, you’re actually going faster than you think when you first start, so you have to consciously pace yourself.

  • Try mixing strokes to max out your distance—it’s a lot easier to go 400 or 800 meters by alternating freestyle with breaststroke every 100 meters. After you done that for a week or two, just go for a 1000 one day, all freestyle. Once you commit, you’ll find your second (and third) wind without even looking for it.

  Cheers, Jon

• keli
  January 11th, 2009
  8:22 pm
  

  Hi Tim,
  I thought I was the only adult who couldn’t swim! I was in the lifeguard training program in high school, and almost drowned when a friend played a prank. I immediately forgot how to swim, and haven’t swam since. This just inspired a New Year’s resolution. Thanks for the interesting posts.

• Paul
  January 19th, 2009
  11:48 am
  

  Quick question @Tim… wondering if you know a good resource for learning to play the guitar in the most efficient way? Or if you can advise some search strategies that I can use to filter out the “instant” and get to real “essential skills”?

  Happy Day!

  Paul

• TristanReid
  January 27th, 2009
  2:17 pm
  

  Great article, thanks. I’m going to do a triathlon later this year. I’ve always been an avid biker, and I have a lot of running experience, but the swimming had me worried. Now I’m over it, partly due to this article and what I’ve gleaned from the T.I method. I’ve been slowly building my swimming over the past 5 months, I’m at 2400m, twice a week. I have to get up at 5am to get to the pool in time before work, but it’s worth it.

  Paul, regarding guitar:

  I know you’re asking Tim, but I’ll share my experience if it helps. I think overall if you approach it methodically you can show fast improvement. Here are a few tips that can save you some time:

  1. I wasted a great deal of time trying to pursue multiple styles on multiple types of guitars. I believe the most essential thing is to really decide what you’re trying to learn. If you don’t focus your goal, you’re not going to get anywhere. This also impacts the techniques you will use to learn. If you want to learn to play funk, you need a lot of rhythm drills, if you want to play rock solos, you need to do a lot of scales. This is not to say you can’t “learn it all”, but you have to focus on one style to make real progress.

  2. Buy a metronome. Build all your practices around it. When you start playing along with recorded music or other people your ability will be in direct proportion to the amount you use a metronome.

  2. Do drills for BOTH hands. You need to perfect your strum if you want rhythm, and it’s also important to do picking drills. A lot of beginners try to learn scales, and just run them end-to-end, over and over with no other real drills. You end up with a sore left hand and a bored right hand. You should definitely do some scales, but also try this: hold a single note and pick it in time with the metronome, three times per tick, at a very slow speed. Slowly get faster, but make sure you don’t sacrifice quality for speed. You get faster and sound good by perfecting your technique at slower speeds. Gradually add other drills that include more than one note, but still include the fast drills with fewer notes.

  3. Find a song you love and absolutely master it. Use sheet music if you can find it, and also try to find a video of someone playing it (in person is even better). It helps to break the song into sections. Don’t focus on playing the correct notes, focus on the song sounding perfect. The important thing is to absolutely master it before you move on. Play along with a recording, try to get comfortable picking up in various places from the middle of the song. Try to insert variations or color into how you play it.

  4. As I alluded to in the previous tip, record yourself. Record backing tracks and try to play along with them.

  -t.

• ge
  February 1st, 2009
  9:54 am
  

  Totally useless comment here, but it’s really inspiring to see people being so happy about improving at swimming.

  I took swimming effortlessly for granted as I grew up on an island and went through a couple of years of competitive swimming when I was a kid, but I now remember the kids who where struggling in the swimming pool at school (and my schoolmates making fun of them) and I wish they could have somebody like you to share your experience at that time (I was too shy to even think about trying to help back then – stupid)

  I’ll keep your article in mind next time I meet a not-so-confident swimmer willing to improve next time!

• Male Risk of Dying Cut in Half - By Swimming | ABSOLUTE ARROW LIFE COACHING
  February 3rd, 2009
  6:40 pm
  

  [...] this inspires you to take on Michael Phelps, there’s a great blog entry by Tim Ferriss here on learning to [...]

• imo
  February 9th, 2009
  2:06 pm
  

  imo the only 3 strokes are UNDERWATER(breaststroke) and the butterfly and of course the backstroke

• John Wheeler
  February 14th, 2009
  5:43 pm
  

  Tim,

  Great description of TI! I am a podcaster, nuclear engineer, triathlete, and student of lifestyle design (yes, I have successfully implemented many of your methods, but that is another story).

  My experience with Total Immersion was similar to yours although I’ve had time to take it to new levels. When I decided to become an Ironman Triathlete, I had never swam, biked, or run competitively. TI helped me complete my first Ironman swim in under 1 hour and 18 minutes (that’s 2.4 miles in the open water), and still have plenty of energy left to bike 112 miles and run a marathon. Since then I’ve done it again and completed many shorter triathlons.

  Total Immersion was a key to my success.

  Peace!

• Seth
  February 25th, 2009
  4:16 pm
  

  This method works awesome. I thrashed around in the water for a few months, then took lessons from a TI instructor. It’s really improved my swimming and made me a better triathlete.

• bkjagadish
  February 26th, 2009
  4:39 am
  

  i fully agree with what dear anja says ( anja August 14th, 2008 )…it becomes a virtual meditation after continuous non-stop swimming a certain length !!…it’s my experience too….thanks for sharing….

• wealthysoul
  March 2nd, 2009
  5:53 am
  

  what an inspiration this stuff is. I didn’t actually learn how to swim until I was 18 yrs young and that was about 5yrs ago. now 23, I’m stilling learning and relearning more about swimming.

• Rick Kern
  March 19th, 2009
  9:14 pm
  

  Hey Tim,
  Great insight. I have never been afraid of swimming and can paddle around a bit but not efficiently. I am an avid cyclist and I have always avoided triathalons because I do not like to swim. I will give it more thought.
  Rick

• Stacey Bradley
  March 21st, 2009
  7:40 pm
  

  I have a question. I have a ten year old boy that has been competing for 5 years in State competitions. He needs technique help. Would the DVD be understandable for a ten year old to follow? Thanks. I have heard a lot about this and wondered if it would help a young one.

  Stacey

• Michael Ströck
  March 24th, 2009
  12:31 am
  

  I’m going to try this. The weird thing with me is that I can basically swim as far as I want (the longest I’ve gone was 2,5 kilometers, and I stopped out of boredom) – just not freestyle, where my limit is about 200m. I’ve use breast-stroke exclusively since childhood because of my inability to properly use any other stroke…

• ChinBoston
  March 29th, 2009
  8:25 pm
  

  I’ve been working with the book and DVD that Tim recommended for about a week. I’ve done all of the drills multiple times, and I’ve progressed to using the techniques to swim freestyle.

  My problem is, I can’t seem to pick up the “effortless” part of swimming effortless. Each time I finish one length of a 25-meter pool, my heart rate jumps to at least 140, and usually up to 160. I need to find the equivalent of “jogging” — swimming slowly and easily enough that I’ll be able to finish a half mile or a mile with relative ease.

  I’ve tried swimming slower, breathing every stroke cycle, relaxing as much as possible in the water. But no matter what, my heart rate jumps after just one length. Does Terry/anyone else have any tips? I really need the help, because I want to compete in one or more triathlons this summer.

  Thanks!

• TristanReid
  April 13th, 2009
  3:51 pm
  

  Hi ChinBoston, I’m just a student of the book/dvd, but maybe I can help.

  1. Pay attention to how hard you are kicking, you might be over-doing it.
  The thing with kicking is that it adds very little propulsion for the amount of energy that it costs. If you are doing a short sprint, you want to get that extra boost and you can afford to go into oxygen debt for a short time, but if you’re going a long distance, you need to learn how to swim with your torso.

  2. Maybe body position is the issue? Are you perhaps using energy to stay afloat? Keep doing the drills and try to find the natural spot in the water where you aren’t expending any energy to stay up. You should eventually be able to take breaks WHILE swimming. Just turn to your side and take a few breaths. The key is doing those drills enough times and with enough intention that you internalize those skills, not to get through them, keep repeating the drills long past the point where you think you need them, and try to be critical of yourself as you do them

  Just my two cents,

  -t.

• Ott
  April 17th, 2009
  2:19 pm
  

  Hey Tim!

  Just wanted to say that your tips had a tremendous impact on my technic. I had watched some videos on YouTube, but those really didn't get to me. All the things that you said were keeping you from liking to swim were the same for me : )

  Keep up the good work !

  Ott

• Lawrence
  April 18th, 2009
  10:24 am
  

  An extremely useful summary, Tim – and I say that having read the TI book and attended one of their weekend camps! Like you, I've found the TI method a revelation – and the source of a new obsession!

• 5 Blogs That Will Jump Start Your Life & Blogging — Simply Blog
  April 27th, 2009
  7:56 pm
  

  [...] Week- Tim Ferris. Tim is known for deconstructing challenges and finding hacks to master feats like swimming, to language learning to adding and removing muscle and so forth. His work is bound to bring up [...]

• raff
  April 28th, 2009
  3:38 am
  

  Hi Tim,

  Thanks for the tips. I’m planning to enroll in a TI workshop next week.

  br/raff

• oroko
  May 12th, 2009
  4:09 pm
  

  yo t-dawg i heard about u from ur mma training, do u ever do pool shadow boxing neck deep like marciano and ali or like roy j jr. with snorkel and wrist weights give it a shot if not it’ll increase your punch power

  word

• Cows can swim? « MIKE CHA
  May 15th, 2009
  3:14 pm
  

  [...] I started to swim in the morning for exercise. This article inspired me to try.  I started Monday with about 10 minutes of cow like swimming abilities.  I [...]

• Techboy
  May 16th, 2009
  3:55 pm
  

  Interesting reading. I have just joined a triathlon club so will be starting swimming seriously soon, so I will be trying everything mentioned here :-)

• Starting Off
  June 1st, 2009
  6:17 pm
  

  Thanks, Tim, for a great article! I’ve never had any particular trouble swimming (mom taught me how to swim before I was potty trained… plus I spent many summers at the pool, river, or lake)., but the advice outlined here got me interested in adding some technique to my swimming. This has made my time in the pool more enjoyable and interesting, and I’ve noticed great improvement in my speed in the water. I even got asked for advice on swimming last week from a stranger!

  Oh, like Tim, I also like using the backstroke as recover from all out freestyle – makes a great interval cardio workout!

  S.O.

• Luis M
  June 1st, 2009
  7:30 pm
  

  I had the exact same experience. I was forced by my parents to take a summer swimming course when I was 12. I hated swimming from then, I found it absurd.

  I’ve been since then several years working out mostly at the gym and running. Now I’m 23, I haven’t set a foot on the gym since a year ago, I tried swimming and got advice from the local team of waterpolo members (current world-champions). I love swimming and can’t find time to do another thing.

• Swimming Effortlessly in 10 days?
  June 4th, 2009
  2:28 am
  

  [...] I recently read this article from the Tim Ferriss website about swimming effortlessly in 10 days: Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too Has anyone tried this? Let me know your experiences with this. I am heading to the pool today to [...]

• Gmoney
  June 5th, 2009
  1:23 pm
  

  ChinBoston,

  I was in the same boat you were. I would practically hypervintilate after a lap. TristainReid highlighted the number one reason why you are exhausted. You have got to learn the two beat kick. That is, kick only on the pull phase of the stroke. I finally figured it out when at the end of an exhausting lap I found that I was just kicking on the pull. When I realized the timing, I just started doing it on purpose. Here’s some other things that have helped:

  1. Practice body position by doing superman glides until the cows come home. Start every practice by doing two-four laps of supermans.

  2. Watch the Total Immersion Israel ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEPuF6-oxXs ) by Dikla Sassoon on SPL. She does three things that TI is big on.
  A. She spears deeply as Tim has suggested. Some posters criticize her
  for it but it works.

  B. She glides after the pull to decrease SPL. This will decrease the exertion that you currently feel.

  C. She almost over rotates. But this is effective in seeing how this contributes to her glide lengh after each pull.

  3. I suspect that you like me don’t breathe well. I have adjusted my breathing so that its done mostly on gody rotation so I don’t lift my head up to air. But one thing is still holding me back. If I breathe every other stroke, I haven’t cleared my lungs of CO2 so I end up exhaling and then inhaling. I suspect this may limiting my O2 intake so that after two lengths or so, I suffer from oxygen debt. When I go to breathing on every fourth stroke, I breathe properly but it never seems like enough so on the next cycle I end up going back to every other stroke. I going to try to blow out hard every other stroke and see if I can’t feel more refreshed and go longer.

  Hope this helps.

• Fabio
  June 11th, 2009
  12:25 pm
  

  Thanks, Tim.

  My partner and I just started training for our first triathlon, and we are trying to conquer swimming. I have practice tonight and will use your tips. Will also pick up the book too.

  Thanks, again.

  Fabio

• Project Perfection Report: Day 7 | Seawall Studios
  June 13th, 2009
  12:26 pm
  

  [...] immune system began freaking out, bringing me to wake swimming in sweat (thank you Tim Ferriss for teaching me how to swim, or I’d have drowned), with a throat somebody’d sandpapered and a freaking gallon of [...]

• Manpreet
  June 16th, 2009
  2:16 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  I just joined a swim team and started learning how to swim, and this page really helped me today. I have to wear noseplugs in the water and still more than half the time, I end up coughing really hard. My legs are weak in the water and I can’t kick hard. I never thought to rotate the whole body when taking a breath. I’ll have to try that during the next practice. =]

  Thanks a Bunch!

• Natasha
  June 22nd, 2009
  6:36 pm
  

  Tim,

  I wanted to take a moment to thank you. I have NEVER been able to freestyle swim even though I have been swimming all my life. I have tried many summers to freestyle. This summer I was determined to figure it out. I found your page just before I went to the pool. IT IS INCREDIBLE. within two hours I was at least able to get the stroke and shaky breathing down. within two days in the pool, roughly 6 hours I was able to swim from one side to the other and pattern my breathing better. Today, 3 weeks later, I hit an especially busy night at the pool and I was able to keep up with the swimmers who had been swimming for years. I was AMAZED! I could see these methods really making a difference in my swim! THANK YOU SO MUCH. I never thought I would enjoy swimming……now I can’t get enough! Awesome Job!

• Tim Ferriss
  June 23rd, 2009
  12:37 am
  

  Hi Natasha,

  Congratulations!!! This comment made me so happy and I will fall asleep with a smile on my face :)

  Have fun and enjoy,

  Tim

• Susan
  June 24th, 2009
  7:18 pm
  

  Hi Tim,
  I will be turning 60 this year and have made of list of ‘things to accomplish’ before the big day. Neither my friends nor family members would have EVER imagined that entering a triathlon would be on that list– I am not the athletic type (understatement!) and I have had 2 back surgeries in the last 2 years. But when my doctor gave me the OK to begin training, I thought ‘why not?’ So August 9 I will be swimming, biking, and walking fast (can’t really run) and will do my best to complete a sprint triathlon.

  Swimming is definitely my weak link. I have been training for weeks by swimming 16 lengths of the 25 meter pool, struggling to do combinations of side strokes, back strokes, and my own crazy version of a breast stroke. When I try the free-style, I am panting like a fool after only one length of the pool.

  Yesterday a woman in the lane next to mine was smoothly swimming like a glider in water. She was at least my age and her strokes looked effortless – barely any kicking and definitely no splashing. I hope she is there tomorrow so i can ask her if she is using the TI method! I can’t wait to try the ‘vessel’ approach beginning tomorrow. Who knows? I may even win the triathlon (for my age group, of course)!
  Thank you for your blog!

• Kiran
  June 29th, 2009
  4:41 am
  

  Hi Tim and readers,

  TI is the most amazing thing to happen in the swimming world, for sure! In a months time, i have moved from a single length person to 30 lengths in a 25M pool!! And strangers in the pool ask me suggestions all the time now… heheheh!!

  Do you know Coach Emmett Hines of h2oustons? check out Coach Emmett Hines articles on h2oustonswims.org – he is also as fantastic as Mr. Laughlin with respect to various swimming techniques (and is inspired from TI), and Tim, the flip turn is explained in the best possible way with his napkin drawings on http://www.h2oustonswims.org/articles/flip_turns.html

  And Fitness Swimming 2nd Edition is a welcome add to our swimming books library!

  I Love Chlorine,
  Kiran

• » Day 13/52 Exsanguinator’s Blog: 52 Day Challenge and other things.
  June 30th, 2009
  4:36 am
  

  [...] Total Immersion Swimming as recommended by a triathlete co-worker.  It’s also been blogged about by Tim Ferris of “The Four Hour Work Week” [...]

• hammerjoe
  July 1st, 2009
  12:39 pm
  

  Hi Tim,
  I just found your article today, after so many searches for swimming tips to improve my ‘hammer-like’ sinking body during exhausting freestyle strokes.
  Started swimming at the age of 19 during college years ( Tokyo University of Marine Academy, where swimming is a must). At sophomore I could handle 10 miles breaststroke in the open water. I quitted swimming after marriage ( my wife is a big-time anchor, never see water surface at eye level) and now at the age of 57, I could barely finish a lap of 25 with heartbeat of 160 like someone mentioned.
  After viewing Takeuchi san’s TI swimming video and reading your article, I realize again now that swimming is not about the speed only but a way to keep afloat and reach destination with ease. That’s what we learnt at Marine Academy. Thanks for the wonderul lesson. I will apply this technique this evening at community pool.
  Arigatoo.

• Troy Angrignon
  July 5th, 2009
  7:53 pm
  

  Hey Tim, thanks for posting this a while back. I remembered this post and the TED talk video about swimming when I was walking past an Olympic triathlon sign up desk. I’m a strong cyclist and runner but I haven’t really swam since my aborted attempts at a swim club 3 years ago where the coach said “your shoulder will always bug you – stop swimming and stop frustrating yourself.” After thinking about your post and video, I thought “what’s the worst thing that could happen? I’ll have to backstroke or dog paddle the entire 1.5km??” I signed up at 5:30pm yesterday and raced it today. I was one of the first ones in and one of the last ones out and I didn’t care because I just raced 1.5km of open water (lake) swimming for the first time in my life. Thanks for the inspiration. Keep pushing and having fun.

• Ian Oxley
  July 16th, 2009
  4:23 pm
  

  I wasn’t going to go for a swim tonight – I’ve been trying to improve my front crawl but not getting anywhere. Then I read this, went to the pool and tried your tips and suddenly everything seemed to just click: I swam more lengths doing front crawl tonight than I think I’ve ever done before and felt great afterwards.

  Thanks for this – I can’t wait to get back to the pool now for my next swim.

• BEn
  July 20th, 2009
  9:31 am
  

  So can you float now? Not swim but just float in the deep end?

• Ionut Popa
  July 30th, 2009
  4:01 pm
  

  Hello Tim,
  Did you do all the exercises from the DVD? Starting with the basic ones in the first lesson?

• Paul Slater
  July 31st, 2009
  11:45 am
  

  Nice work Tim – an excellent summary of what is required. I had a couple of private lessons on TI a few weeks ago, but have been struggling with my technique lately. I’m heading back to the pool today with some new focus. I’ve linked to you from my own triathlon-focused website.

• Swimming with Total Immersion (TI) | Writings in keinism
  August 16th, 2009
  2:58 am
  

  [...] with improving my stroke efficiency. Stan brought it up again yesterday, so I re-read the Tim Ferriss post on TI and went down to the pool with an attempt at utilising hip rotation, which reduced the drag [...]

• Greg Turk
  September 17th, 2009
  7:15 am
  

  I’m new to TI swimming but it’s already cut strokes and effort off every lap.
  I also play BJJ, gi and no-gi, and wonder why you call it self destructive?

• DiegoC
  October 11th, 2009
  5:25 pm
  

  Tim,

  Thanks for doing this article man. I had the biggest fear of water my entire life and finally stepped out of my comfort zone. Last month, just one (1) month ago, i was fighting water trying to stay afloat. Definitely survival mode… I started learning total immersion thanks to your article, read the TI book (it’s literally in pieces now since i’d take it to the pool and leave it at the end of my lane soaking water each time i’d reference it) and watched several videos. I continually practiced…

  It’s been only a month… Last week I did a 1.5 mile swim in the pool nonstop…
  Today I made it to a 2.5 mile swim and only stopped because the facility was closing. Had you not written this article, I would not have gained distance as quickly as I did. I’m graduating to open water now. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to perform in the Ironman, and my times, a month after learning, are below the cutoff times for the 2.4 mile swim.

  Thank you so much! I hope to meet you some day.

  Your friend in Florida,
  Diego

• Tim Ferriss
  October 12th, 2009
  3:14 am
  

  Woohoo! Congrats, my man!

  Tim

• Troy Angrignon
  October 12th, 2009
  7:57 am
  

  No, thank you Tim. Since that first post and first tri, I’ve done 3 tris in 8 weeks, having sworn my whole life I’d never do one. Now I’m already scheming for some much longer tris for next year. I can highly recommend the DVD and the book (Total Immersion). It got me from “dying in the pool” to doing something I thought I’d never do, and from there my times have gone from 47 minutes to do 1.5k (if you know swimming, that’s HORRENDOUS) to 42 minutes to 36 minutes in 8 weeks. I think I can get it down to 30 minutes pretty easily.

  Get out and try it! The worst thing that can happen is that you enjoy some swimming time.

  Oh, and buy one of those little Finis Tempo Trainer beepers that tuck into your swim cap. They’re pretty cool and help you set your cadence.

  Good luck everybody.

  Troy

• HN
  October 18th, 2009
  8:42 pm
  

  Hi Tim,

  I had a question about someone with a weak consistently dislocating shoulder (5 times since Oct 08). I’ve kept up on my physio but it keeps popping out. I refuse to have surgery and feel I can teach my body to overcome this. My doctor and physio recommend swimming but I’m afraid of how my shoulder will take it. Of course, my docs didn’t give me much advice on how to change my stroke or how to wok on improving my shoulder through this activity and so I was wondering if you had any advice?

  Thanks.

• Donna
  November 10th, 2009
  8:51 pm
  

  Tim,

  I have a question for you, I did read all the posts here before bugging you with it this…

  I watched the videos and I am having a little challenge visualizing the breathing, perhaps its getting clear about the concept of rolling your entire body in the stroke and stretching for the breath… does that makes sense?

  I took all the ymca swimming lessons up to Bronze and was the first one in the water LOVED it… then something happened… so now in order for me to get into the water and leave the fear out of the water I have to visualize success… not being able to do that I am struggling to get into the water again… If you could try to explain the breathing or offer a link to something that does that would really be great!

  Second question is this – it sounds like the effort goes out of the exercise so I am wondering if the exercise benefits are still comprable in this style of water movement/ swimming.

  d

• Kiran Karnad
  November 11th, 2009
  11:54 pm
  

  Hi Donna, I totally agree that one of the challenges with the TI swim is body roll. Let me give you the method I tried to ease my learning curve about te body roll plus breathing thing.
  Take a push from the wall, roll the body to one side, say left, so that the left leg is on top of the right (or navel is pointing to the left wall). Keep your left hand on top of the body by the sides along the left side. The right hand is stretched out in the front below the right ear, parallel to the pool’s bottom. This is the streamlined position that you will start off in. All this while, your face should point to the bottom of the pool. Now with the single or triple kicks move forward. As you move, turn only your head from the bottom to the top to expose just the nose and mouth to breathe and then turn back again. Do this a couple of lengths and then breathe on the other side. This not only makes the breathing simpler, but also helps you practice bilateral breathing!! Do try and let me know if this helped.
  As for the second Q, the answer’s pretty simple. With the high-effort-swim, you are too tired for a length or two, but once you are into TI, you can do multiples of 10s!! Which one do you think is better?
  Keep Wet,
  Kiran

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