http://www.totalimmersion.net/store/books/beginner-practices.html

I often work with swimmers who, at our second or third lesson together, can’t quite seem to remember which drill is the skate drill.  This usually leads to a discussion about what they’ve been practicing since our last lesson.  I often find out that they’ve been swimming mostly whole-stroke, because they have a race coming up, are impatient, or just simply need more guidance about how to incorporate the drills into a practice.

 I worked recently with such a person.  She could swim most of the distance of her upcoming races which were still a couple of months away, but she was still concerned that she needed to work on endurance.  So she would spend just a few minutes working on the drills, and then proceed to swim long sets of whole-stroke.  I took video of her swimming, and then doing the skate drill, and compared the two.  It was obvious that a) her skate drill was good, but not consistent and could be better, and b) that her skate position was not at all evident in her whole-stroke swimming.

 Next, I had her practice, refine and imprint her skate position, and then took video of her whole-stroke again.  In the whole-stroke, her focal point was simply to replicate that skate position on each stroke.  She noticed right away that the swim was easier, and on the video she could identify her skate position on each stroke.  Now it was obvious that mindful drilling and mindful swimming practice is the best way to make those race swims easier and faster.  She’s been practicing her drills mindfully ever since, and has gained a much better sense of how her body behaves in the water.

(Incidentally, after three lessons in three weeks and some mindful pool practice, she went from barely surving an open water 1 mile swim in about 45 minutes to swimming 1.2 miles in under 43 minutes with much more ease.)

 Because of many similar encounters, I’ve recognized a need for a training program for TI swimmers.  I’ve written a six week program for new TI swimmers.  It has detailed instructions for 18 practices that offer a coherent, structured progression through the TI drills.  It’s more than "skate 4 by 25, and then spearswitch 4 by 25".  You’ll get focal points for each length, and learn how to bring your drill skills into whole-stroke swimming.  There’s an increasing amount of whole-stroke swimming with each practice, and some guidelines about how to make your practice more effective. 

 If you have the Easy Freestyle DVD, or have taken a  TI workshop or lessons, this plan bridges the gap between knowing the drills and incorporating them into your practice.

 The plan is available as an E-Book at Total Immersion.  Click here for more information, or to purchase the plan. 

A plan for Intermediate swimmers will be available soon.