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Total Immersion swimming
I`ve had a couple of colds over the last three weeks, so have been doing some virtual training by watching swim coaching/technique stuff on youtube. One that stands out is Total Immersion swimming. Anybody agree or disagree with his methods/theories. Has made me realise i`m drag myself through the water, without much thought for streamlining. I am looking to concentrate on Tri`s with open water swimming of 1500m and above, so he makes alot of sense.
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I'm a crap swimmer.but wetsuit swimming is different to pool swimming..........the wetsuit makes you kindof streamlines.......( in a beached whale sort of way)
wouldnt say i disagree with the TI methods as it helped me a lot when I started learning front crawl, but i now prefer the swim smooth methods which can also be looked at online.
To me the swim swim smooth methods seem less prescriptive than total immersion, more about adapting the way you swim to what suits you best.
I made definite improvements with a combination of TI and Swim Smooth. The trick, I found, was to focus on one aspect in each session: body rotation; hand position (fingers lower than wrist, which is lower than elbow); 'anchoring' the hand, and pushing through at the end of the stroke.
TI just made me slower.
I think all the different methods of swimming have some value but at the end of the day you need to find a style that suits you. By all means follow the TI or Swim Smooth techniques to teach you how to swim, but once you feel reasonably competent you need to develop a style that fits in with your own body mechanics and what you want to achieve.
There are different styles for sprinting (up to about 400m), long distance (up to about 5k) and endurance swimming. Also different techniques for pool, fresh water and salt water, and for wetsuit or non-wetsuit.
What I'm saying is take the principles but don't over analyse it. Some people get so caught up with getting the technique right that they never relax and actually learn how to enjoy swimming. When you relax it becomes natural and then you will swim faster while using less energy
I did try TI and it helped when I first started. Mainly as it made me think about being more stream lined (as if) with less drag. Also the whole feeling of swimming downhill is a useful thing to visualise. However there were some aspects I found slowed me down. The hand entry next the goggles for instance was just wrong for me.
Its worth reading and trying some of the drills just for awareness of yourself in the water but I wouldn't get too hung up on it. We're all built differently with different strengths and weaknesses so I don't think one generic system works.
I was bought the TI book for Christmas so I'm interested in the general concensus on here. Have to say that after a year of once a week lessons I haven't really been getting anything much from them for the past 6 months. Most of my technical input has come from You Tube.
I agree with everything SuperCaz says apart from learning a lot from what was said. I restarted my swim with TI and particularly I like I like the stroke entry a lot, contrary to what Hagakure has experienced with it.
I say that trying to relax is the best thing and once there it is all adapting and feeling the water around you while you focus on a little thing at a time. What Dan Ellingworth said!
Try that and surely you will enjoy it. I hated the swim and by approaching it with a concept at first helped me relax. I am still a bottom feeder but at least I can now relax and get it done. Funnily enough though I am not too bothered by the IM start melee.
reading about a methodology and putting it into practice can sometimes be different matters - basically one size doesn't fit all.
TI seems to work for some, not for others, but undoubtedly getting some form of swim coaching will improve matters - whatever method used - but eventually you will come up against yourself and your abilities as the rate limiters. much like running - some people are quick, some are slow, and there are often many factors that are not related to "style".
my wife was a competitive swimmer as a kid/teenager - she was taught how to swim using methods that are out of vogue now - she has tried to change some of her techniques but all that has done is make her slower so she just sticks with what she knows and carries on.
What I learned from it is haw to swim easy. It helps you focus of balance and a smooth style and even when you don't swim much it is always there in the corner of my mind.
For example. tonite was only my 2nd swim in 4month and I comfortably did 4k after spinning. this is down to what I learned on my course
I'm a distance swimmer (1500m in the pool, anything more open water!).There really can be nothing better than swimming in a swimsuit.The feeling of freedom of movement over the traditional shorts is unbeatable.The TI or Swim Smooth techniques to teach you how to swim...
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