While the heading of this thread was “Core Power…” of far more enduring interest and value than anything you might learn about core power are the eloquently-stated insights about the “spirit of process” in Kaizen Swimming. Enjoy.
The April 3 issue of the NY Times has an article reviewing waterproof MP3 players for swimming. Fitness writer Sarah Bowen Shea’s article begins: “SOME swimmers joke that the only way to fight the boredom of laps is to get a good song stuck in their heads.. read more….
Another recent New York Times article piqued my interest. “Yes, Running Can Make You High,” by Gina Kolata begins: “THE runner’s high: Every athlete has heard of it, most seem to believe in it and many say they have experienced it. But for years scientists have reserved judgment because no rigorous test confirmed its existence.”
I recently took up swimming because I failed to master it some time ago. As a frustrated duathlete aspiring to triathlon, I wanted to do it right this time. I read article after article on how to position the fingers, sweep outward, make an s-bend, kick like a mule, and stay relaxed while doing all of this; I guess they meant well, but these methods caused more confusion than anything else.
I taught myself to swim in a country mudhole with the help of my brother who’d had YMCA training. The sole object was not to drown; the sole purpose, play. Over the years, kicking drills were all I could think of to improve, but all they did was make me tired faster while somehow propelling me backwards. Twenty five years ago I built a 25-meter lap pool for my teenage son, a talented triathlete. His success in the sport encouraged me to train for it as well, but my results on the swim were disappointing.
I’m only a beginner in freestyle. I almost never swim longer than one length of the pool at a time time. Someone who saw me swim commented that I had very “beautiful” strokes (actually I don’t think so) “but” that I stopped after each length. Well I’m still a beginner and my current goal right now is to learn the correct techniques and achieve that effortless and graceful style.
In theory, all the elements of good technique that are practiced in the drills should lead you to swim a flawless whole stroke. Occasionally, I run across a swimmer who has faithfully practiced the TI drills, and performs them beautifully. Yet he or she doesn’t have the same ease and fluidity in whole stroke swimming. If this describes you, here are several ideas that might help you enjoy the same comfort while swimming:
Years ago, in the movie “The Karate Kid” a Karate Master named Mr. Miyagi taught his young disciple, Daniel, by having him wash and wax his cars, paint his fence and sand his floors. Mr. Miyagi gave him very explicit directions about how to put on and wipe off the wax. Unbeknownst to Daniel, these movements would become those with which he later blocks punches and kicks.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Total Immersion booth, or participated in one of the Total Immersion clinics at the World Multisport Conference and Expo. The event, held at M.I.T in Cambridge, MA on March 30th, drew thousands of Multisport enthusiasts and was a testament to the sport’s exploding popularity. read more…
Exactly a year ago I visited Taiwan for the release of my book, Extraordinary Swimming for Every Body which was published there by Linking Press. To my surprise and delight it became the best selling book in Taiwan for six weeks after its release — and went through nine printings in the past year. One reason was the bountiful media attention I received while there — a bit like being a rock star. read on…
My favorite focal points are those that have a “voodoo” effect on speed, meaning that by focusing intently on the technique point – often a seemingly minor one – you just go faster. This approach is far superior to “trying” to go faster, which always creates more fatigue but only sometimes creates more speed.
I get asked all the time: “Should my hands be open or closed while swimming?” Like many of you, I took the Red Cross intermediate lessons in which a teenage lifeguard earnestly told us to “cup” our hands to hold more water.
I’ve been racing the 1650-yard freestyle (the “metric mile” in a 25-yard pool) for almost 40 years. It’s never been easy, but in middle age it’s gotten considerably tougher. The problem isn’t the distance; it’s all those flip turns!
The April 3 issue of the NY Times has an article reviewing waterproof MP3 players for swimming. Fitness writer Sarah Bowen Shea’s article begins: “SOME swimmers joke that the only way to fight the boredom of laps is to get a good song stuck in their heads..
I recently took up swimming because I failed to master it some time ago. As a frustrated duathlete aspiring to triathlon, I wanted to do it right this time. I read article after article on how to position the fingers, sweep outward, make an s-bend, kick like a mule, and stay relaxed while doing all of this; I guess they meant well, but these methods caused more confusion than anything else.
In theory, all the elements of good technique that are practiced in the drills should lead you to swim a flawless whole stroke. Occasionally, I run across a swimmer who has faithfully practiced the TI drills, and performs them beautifully. Yet he or she doesn’t have the same ease and fluidity in whole stroke swimming. If this describes you, here are several ideas that might help you enjoy the same comfort while swimming:
Years ago, in the movie “The Karate Kid” a Karate Master named Mr. Miyagi taught his young disciple, Daniel, by having him wash and wax his cars, paint his fence and sand his floors. Mr. Miyagi gave him very explicit directions about how to put on and wipe off the wax. Unbeknownst to Daniel, these movements would become those with which he later blocks punches and kicks.
