Swim Training Programs by TI Coach Brian Vande Krol

by CoachBrian

Which program should I choose?

Beginner Freestyle Stroke Efficiency Program – Choose this program if you:

Have a basic knowledge of the current TI drills: Skate, SpearSwitch, ZenSwitch (SwingSwitch), Swim and Nod.
Want guidance to help you explore the TI drills, and develop a Shinji-like stroke.
Can swim at least 50 yards without stopping, but have difficulty swimming more than a couple hundred yards.
Are tired of getting tired and frustrated while learning how to swim!

It can be overwhelming to choose the proper drills, the proper focal points, and develop a practice that will incorporate those elements into a coherent practice that brings "drill skills" to wholestroke swimming. These practices will give you structure and help you learn to choose your own focal points and drills.

Intermediate Freestyle Stroke Efficiency Program – Choose this program if you:

Have a basic knowledge of the current TI drills: Skate, SpearSwitch, ZenSwitch (SwingSwitch), Swim and Nod.
Want guidance to help you explore the TI drills, refine and improve your stroke.
Can swim at least 300 yards/meters without stopping.
Develop greater endurance, the ability to maintain your form for a distance of your choice
Want to swim faster by maintaining your best form at a higher stroke rate and effort level, instead of just working harder and hoping for speed.

Total Immersion drills allow every swimmer to access the same techniques used by top swimmers. This set of 19 workouts guides you through the use of those drills and wholestroke swimming to turn you into a better swimmer.

Sprint Triathlon Swim Training Plan – Choose this plan if you:

Are a TI devotee, and are ready to spend more time swimming whole stroke, and less time drilling.
Swim in a short course pool (25 yards or meters).
Are training for a sprint triathlon.
Are training for a longer triathlon, but it takes you longer than 2:20 to swim 100 yards/meters.
Are a swimmer who wants to develop speed and endurance to swim a faster 750 yards/meters.
Bought a "traditional" triathlon training plan, but don’t see the purpose in mindless "kick, pull, and swim" sets.
Are ready for a swim training plan that creates "habitual coordination" and improves fitness.

The sprint triathlon swim requires you to swim fast. But long, hard swim workouts teach you to swim slowly. This plan optimizes your training time, helps you imprint faster swimming, while saving time and energy for training on the bike and run.

Olympic and Long Course Triathlon Swim Training Plan – Choose this plan if you:

Are a TI devotee, and are ready to spend more time swimming whole stroke, and less time drilling.
Swim in a short course pool (25 yards or meters).
Are training for an Olympic or half-iron triathlon.
Are training for a sprint triathlon, you swim faster than 1:30 per 100 yards, and want to swim more than 2000 yards when you practice.
Want a plan with a logical progression that places emphasis on neuro-muscular coordination and optimal speed.
Don’t like traditional training plans that teach you to swim harder, instead of better.
Wish to optimize your training time, learn to swim faster with less effort, and still have plenty of energy to train for the bike and run.

This plan discards those mindless workouts in favor of a challenging practice that stimulates your physical and mental systems, preparing you to swim your best stroke for the entire race distance, and achieving a better balance of priorities, so that you have the time and energy to train two other sports.

March 7th, 2011 CoachBrian. 11

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borksara

I started using Brian’s plan to train for a 1 mile swim and an olympic-distance triathlon this fall. I was practicing my TI drills, but struggling with how to structure my training for the longer swim without my form deteriorating. So far it is going great and I enjoy the practices.
gabslau

Brian, I just bought a copy of the OD and Long Distance Triathlon Plan. I would like to ask what is the intended frequency of the training sessions according to this plan? And are you suppose to repeat the sessions before moving on to the next one?
CoachBrian

Hi Gabriel,

Thank you for your question. I recommend that you swim at least twice per week. There is no need to repeat the practices. Just progress through them, one after the other. If you are following a triathlon training plan, just substitute these pracgtices for the swim workouts in your plan.
jpwkeeper

Just out of curiosity, what should you do if you can’t swim 50 yards without stopping?
http://fdscoaching.com CoachBrian

Hi John,

I would suggest that many people who believe they can’t swim 50 yards actually can. Practicing a few lengths of superman glides and skating gives many people a completely new understanding of what is possible once you learn to relax and swim easier. Even an uneducated stroke improves dramatically simply by learing to relax and do less.

That said, I will admit that 50 yards is an arbitrary distance based on the idea that even the most fit people must have some amount of comfort to be able to swim that far.

If you are comfortable putting your head in the water, I recommend the Total Immersion Self Coached Workshop, and practice the first few lessons until your relaxation and balance have improved.

If you aren’t comfortable putting your head in the water, try the Happy Laps DVD from Total Immersion.

If you have access to a Total Immersion Certified Coach or workshop, I highly recommend taking advantage of that. There is no faster way to aquire swimming proficiency!
rikasalo

I am new to training plans am in interested in the Sprint plan. Is there any way to preview the plans to see if they would work for me? any other info? How many weeks? Is it one or many plans? What type of exercises? etc.

Thanks,
Rick
http://FDSCoaching.com CoachBrian

Hi Rick,

You can preview the plans here: http://www.totalimmersion.net/store/books. Click on the plan you would like to preview. In very tiny little letters near the top right hand side of the page is a link right below the word “Samples”.

The sprint plan is 24 practices, and I suggest you practice 3 times per week for 8 weeks, culminating in the race. These are short practices, designed to optimize your time in the pool and balance that with the time you spend on the bike and run. The practices generally start with a “stroke tune-up” session using the main TI drills and variations to improve and imprint better technique. Then you’ll do a main set that’s designed to help you determine and imprint the stroke rate and stroke length you want to use during your race. Practices range from araound 1800 yards/meters to 2400 yards/meters, with the majority being less than 2000 yards/meters.
rikasalo

Thanks, Brian. I am not sure if I am just missing it, but I do not see anything that says “Samples” anywhere when I am on the page for the book.

Rick
rikasalo

Brian,
I actually see the “Look inside the cover” link for some of the other books… just not this one.

Rick
http://FDSCoaching.com CoachBrian

Email me at brian@fdscoaching.com and I’ll send you a snip of the screen that shows the button. If I knew how to add the screenshot to this comment I would!
tummonator

Brian,
I purchased the OD & LC Swim Training Plans. If you are swim training 2 to 3 days a week for a 1/2 IM or Full IM distance do you repeat the workouts before moving on and/or include other swim workouts to get you through the 6+ months of training. For example if you are doing a 1/2 in June and a full in November, how do you spread the 24 workouts out over the course of that training period.
Thanks, Jeff