Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too 183 Comments
Is it possible to get good at swimming late in life? Yes. (Photo: Shutterhack)
Swimming has always scared the hell out of me.
Despite national titles in other sports, I’ve always fought to keep afloat. This inability to swim well has always been one of my greatest insecurities and embarrassments.
I’ve tried to learn to swim almost a dozen times, and each time, my heart jumps to 180+ beats-per-minute after one or two pool lengths. It’s indescribably exhausting and unpleasant.
No more.
In the span of less than 10 days, I’ve gone from a 2-length (2 x 20 yards/18.39 meters) maximum to swimming more than 40 lengths per workout in sets of 2 and 4. Here’s how I did it after everything else failed, and how you can do the same…
At the end of January, a kiwi friend issued a New Year’s resolution challenge: he would go all of 2008 without coffee or stimulants if I trained and finished an open-water 1-kilometer race in 2008. I agreed.
He had grown up a competitive swimmer and convinced me that — unlike my other self-destructive habits masquerading as exercise (no-gi BJJ, etc.) — it was a life skill and a pleasure I needed to share with my future children. In other words: of all the potential skills you could learn, swimming was one of the most fundamental.
So why is this post only coming out now, eight months later? Because I tried everything, read the “best” books, and still failed.
Kick boards? Tried them. I barely moved at all and — as someone who is usually good at most sports — felt humiliated and left.
Hand paddles? Tried them. My shoulders will never forgive me. Isn’t swimming supposed to be low-impact? Strike two.
It continued for months until I was prepared to concede defeat. Then I met Chris Sacca, formerly of Google fame and now an investor and triathlete in training, at a BBQ and told him of my plight. Before I had a chance to finish, he cut me off:
“I have the answer to your prayers. It revolutionized how I swim.”
That got my attention.
The Method
He introduced me to Total Immersion (TI), a method usually associated with coach Terry Laughlin, and I immediately ordered the book and freestyle DVD.
In the first workout — I’ve never had a coach or supervision — I cut my drag and water resistance at least 50%, swimming more laps than ever before in my life. By the fourth workout, I had gone from 25+ strokes per 20-yard length to an average of 11 strokes per 20-yard length. Unbelievable.
In other words, I was covering more than twice the distance with the same number of strokes, with less than 1/2 the effort, and with no panic or stress. In fact, I felt better after leaving the pool than before getting in. I couldn’t — and still can’t — believe it.
Here are my notes from the Total Immersion book, which I would recommend reading after watching the Freestyle Made Easy DVD, as the drills are near-impossible to understand otherwise. I was actually unable to do the exercises from pages 110 - 150 (I cannot float horizontally and have a weak kick) and became frustrated until the DVD enabled me to attempt technique with propulsion. The theories and explanation after the DVD, however, will change how you view all of it:
[caption id="attachment_460" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Total Immersion freestyle notes (click to enlarge)"]
[/caption]
My Top 8 Tips for Novices
Here are the principles that made the biggest difference for me:
1) To propel yourself forward with the least effort, focus on shoulder roll and keeping your body horizontal (least resistance), not pulling with your arms or kicking with your legs. This is counter-intuitive but important, as kicking harder is the most universal suggestion for fixing swimming issues.
2) Keep yourself horizontal by keeping your head in line with your spine — you should be looking straight down. Use the same head position as while walking and drive your arm underwater vs. swimming on the surface. See Shinj Takeuchi’s underwater shots at :49 seconds at and Natalie Coughlin’s explanation at :26 seconds. Notice how little Shinji uses his legs; the small flick serves only to help him turn his hips and drive his next arm forward. This is the technique that allows me to conserve so much energy.
A good demonstration of a TI crawl.
3. In line with the above video of Shinji, think of swimming freestyle as swimming on alternating sides, not on your stomach. From the TI Wikipedia page:
“Actively streamline” the body throughout the stroke cycle through a focus on rhythmically alternating “streamlined right side” and “streamlined left side” positions and consciously keeping the bodyline longer and sleeker than is typical for human swimmers.
For those who have rock climbed or done bouldering, it’s just like moving your hip closer to a wall to get more extension. To test this: stand chest to a wall and reach as high as you can with your right arm. Then turn your right hip so it’s touching the wall and reach again with your right arm: you’ll gain 3-6″. Lengthen your vessel and you travel further on each stroke. It adds up fast.
4. Penetrate the water with your fingers angled down and fully extend your arm well beneath your head. Extend it lower and further than you think you should. This downward water pressure on the arms will bring your legs up and decrease drag. It will almost feel like you’re swimming downhill. I highly recommend watching the “Hand Position and Your Balance” video at the top of this page here.
5. Focus on increasing stroke length (SL) instead of stroke rate (SR). Attempt to glide further on each downstroke and decrease the number of strokes per lap.
6. 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.
7. Stretch your extended arm and turn your body (not just head) to breathe. Some triathletes will even turn almost to their backs and face skyward to avoid short gasps and oxygen debt (tip from Dave Scott, 6-time Ironman world champion).
8. Experiment with hand swapping as a drill:
It’s difficult to remember all of the mechanical details while swimming. I short-circuited trying to follow half a dozen rules at once. The single drill that forced me to do most other things correctly is described on pg. 91-92 of the TI book: hand swapping. Coach Laughlin’s observations of the Russian Olympic team practice were a revelation to me.
This is the visualization I found most useful: focus on keeping your lead arm fully extended until your other arm comes over and penetrates the water around the extended arm’s forearm. This encourages you to swim on your sides, extends your stroke length, and forces you to engage in what is referred to as “front quadrant” swimming. All good things. This one exercise cut an additional 3-4 strokes off each lap of freestyle.
Gear and Getting Started
Ready to give it a shot? If you have a phobia of swimming or just want to feel the difference a few counter-intuitive techniques make, here are some starter tips:
1. Gents, don’t swim in board shorts. I tried this in Brazil and didn’t realize it’s like swimming with a parachute behind you. Terrible. Get some Euro-style Speedos and streamline. Be cool on the beach and opt for efficiency in the water.
2. Get good goggles. I am now using Speedo Vanquisher goggles, which I find effective if you use a latex swim cap to keep the straps in place. I need to tighten the nose bridge straps every 100-125 meters or so to prevent chlorinated water from blinding me, and leakage with all three goggles I tested seem to be due to eye pieces spread too far apart. I’ll be experimenting with the much-acclaimed Aqua Sphere Kaiman swim goggles, which are simple to adjust and tighten without removing them from your head.
3. Start practicing in a pool that is short and shallow. Use a lane in the shallow end (4 ft. or less) and opt for a pool that is no longer than 20 yards. I’ve since progressed to 25 yards but found focusing on technique easier with shorter pools. Since I’ve adapted to 25 yards, I plan to move to an Olympic-sized 50-meter pool once I can do 10 x 100 yards with 30-45 seconds of rest between sets.
To Finish Up…
I never ever thought I’d say this but: I love swimming.
This is RIDICULOUS, as I have always HATED swimming and avoided it. Now — after one book and DVD — I make time whenever possible to do laps like moving meditation.
I’ll swim for two hours and sneak out to get in an extra session a few hours later. I still can’t believe it.
I encourage all of you — whether you want to overcome your fears or win the Ironman — to give TI training a test drive. It’s the first instruction that’s made sense to me and is 100% responsible for the fastest transformative experience I’ve ever had in the world of sports. Just incredible.
Now, if I can just get from 100-yard sets to 1 kilometer :)
[Postscript: The creator of TI himself, Terry Laughlin, has left additional tips and observations in the comments.]
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Posted on August 13th, 2008
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183 Responses to “Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too”
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!
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.
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…
9:35 pm
> So why is this post only coming out now, eight months later?
Because the Olympics are on?
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
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
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
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
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…
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
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
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!!!!!!!!
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!
12:19 am
[...] Total Immersion: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days and You Can Too [...]
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
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 :)
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 [...]
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?!?
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!
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
6:52 am
So, when’s your race, Tim?
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! :))
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.
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!
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!
7:46 am
Tim,
I think next up for you is golf!
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.
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.
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!
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
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!
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!!
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
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
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?
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!
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.
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!
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!
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
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!
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!
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.