Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier (Paperback)
This is the best book to learn about Freestyle swimming. Very practical and based on
making use of laws of physics. This work debunks the myth that a swimmer has
to be muscular to steer his weight through the water. This book and the companion dvd
are a must for all those who are serious about learning freestyle. I cant emphasise
it less all thos misconceptions are now of the door. Last but not the least the book and
dvd is all you need to learn smooth efficient freestyle ... I can vouch for it based on my
personal experience.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Common mistake in free style.. Must read tips on Kicking
Analysis of the most common mistakes and the answers behind the "how ?"
in fixing them... enjoy !
Some Must Read instructions on getting the "KICK" right
"Swimming on your front, pulling with an alternate, overarm recovery and a pull-push arm stroke and with an alternating leg kick. Breathing to the side.
Basic Problems
* Lifting your head
* Lifting your feet
* Breathing too much
1. Lifting the head to breathe:
Let's review one of Newton's Laws of Physics. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." If you lift your head to breathe, what is going to happen to your feet? They are going to ( stink! Whoops! ) SINK! Look at the graphic above. See how the swimmer has rolled his head to the side to take a breath, but not lifted his head out of the water. This is exactly how it should look!
2. Lifting the feet to kick:
Your instructor tells you to get your feet up. You think the instructor must know, so you start to kick "up." What happens when you kick "up," is you bend your knee. When you bend your knee, the action causes the leg to pull water forwards, pulling you backwards! Let's talk to Newton again. "Sir Isaac. What can I do to get my feet up when I'm swimming?" His answer: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Now where have I heard that before? If you want to get your feet up, kick "DOWN." If you want your feet to sink, kick up!
Now, there are two ways to learn how to make your kick efficient. The easy way for the instructor is to give you a kickboard and to say "practise kicking for a few weeks, and we'll have a look at it then." This is the only way to teach kids how to kick because they don't listen anyway and their coordination is coming along slowly and you want them to use a few calories. The second way to learn how to make your kick more efficient (works better with adults) is to teach them how to kick properly. Tips: Concentrate on the stretch right down to the toenails. Knees tight, but not rigid. Ankles as loose as possible. Toes pointed like a ballerina. Alternate pushing toes down about 4 inches toward the bottom of the pool (then relax that foot, while the other pushes). Rate is about 2 to 6 kicks per stroke. Allow a little roll. If your feet are coming out of the water, then you are kicking up. Your propulsion by kicking air is zero.
Last comment on Front Crawl kick. In a normal Front Crawl stroke the maximum propulsion you could expect from a flutter kick is 10%. What then would be the MAXIMUM energy you should put into your flutter kick in front crawl? Yes! 10%. More than that and you are wasting energy. Tip: Try to reduce your flutter kick energy to about 5% of your energy output during Front Crawl and see what happens.
One important tip that will greatly help in reducing energy in kicking as suggested by Steve Tarpinian in his book "THE ESSENTIAL SWIMMER" is :
"Keep your kicks small and fast and kick in the slip-stream (i.e. let there not be a wide gap in between your legs and have your toes pointed and close to each
other)"
3. Breathing too much:
The most common problem in learning to swim Front Crawl is NOT breathing. The problem is breathing too much! At most per breath in Front Crawl you will need a mouthful of air and not a lungful of air. The first correction for breathing problems is to take tiny breaths.
Taking tiny breaths doesn't require you to keep your head out of the water. When you head stays in the water, your feet don't sink. When your feet don't sink, they become more propulsive and it becomes easier to breathe. You see, the answer to all of your Front Crawl mistakes is a tiny one."
in fixing them... enjoy !
Some Must Read instructions on getting the "KICK" right
"Swimming on your front, pulling with an alternate, overarm recovery and a pull-push arm stroke and with an alternating leg kick. Breathing to the side.
Basic Problems
* Lifting your head
* Lifting your feet
* Breathing too much
1. Lifting the head to breathe:
Let's review one of Newton's Laws of Physics. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." If you lift your head to breathe, what is going to happen to your feet? They are going to ( stink! Whoops! ) SINK! Look at the graphic above. See how the swimmer has rolled his head to the side to take a breath, but not lifted his head out of the water. This is exactly how it should look!
2. Lifting the feet to kick:
Your instructor tells you to get your feet up. You think the instructor must know, so you start to kick "up." What happens when you kick "up," is you bend your knee. When you bend your knee, the action causes the leg to pull water forwards, pulling you backwards! Let's talk to Newton again. "Sir Isaac. What can I do to get my feet up when I'm swimming?" His answer: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Now where have I heard that before? If you want to get your feet up, kick "DOWN." If you want your feet to sink, kick up!
Now, there are two ways to learn how to make your kick efficient. The easy way for the instructor is to give you a kickboard and to say "practise kicking for a few weeks, and we'll have a look at it then." This is the only way to teach kids how to kick because they don't listen anyway and their coordination is coming along slowly and you want them to use a few calories. The second way to learn how to make your kick more efficient (works better with adults) is to teach them how to kick properly. Tips: Concentrate on the stretch right down to the toenails. Knees tight, but not rigid. Ankles as loose as possible. Toes pointed like a ballerina. Alternate pushing toes down about 4 inches toward the bottom of the pool (then relax that foot, while the other pushes). Rate is about 2 to 6 kicks per stroke. Allow a little roll. If your feet are coming out of the water, then you are kicking up. Your propulsion by kicking air is zero.
Last comment on Front Crawl kick. In a normal Front Crawl stroke the maximum propulsion you could expect from a flutter kick is 10%. What then would be the MAXIMUM energy you should put into your flutter kick in front crawl? Yes! 10%. More than that and you are wasting energy. Tip: Try to reduce your flutter kick energy to about 5% of your energy output during Front Crawl and see what happens.
One important tip that will greatly help in reducing energy in kicking as suggested by Steve Tarpinian in his book "THE ESSENTIAL SWIMMER" is :
"Keep your kicks small and fast and kick in the slip-stream (i.e. let there not be a wide gap in between your legs and have your toes pointed and close to each
other)"
3. Breathing too much:
The most common problem in learning to swim Front Crawl is NOT breathing. The problem is breathing too much! At most per breath in Front Crawl you will need a mouthful of air and not a lungful of air. The first correction for breathing problems is to take tiny breaths.
Taking tiny breaths doesn't require you to keep your head out of the water. When you head stays in the water, your feet don't sink. When your feet don't sink, they become more propulsive and it becomes easier to breathe. You see, the answer to all of your Front Crawl mistakes is a tiny one."
How to Kick in Freestyle Swimming
Excellent video explaining the technique in Freestyle Kicking - The Flutter Kick
How to Kick in Freestyle Swimming
How to Kick in Freestyle Swimming
The Physics of Swimming
Illuminating article discussing the physics of swimming , what causes drag and the techniques of combating drag.
The Five Keys to Swimming
The Five Keys to Swimming
Topics discussed :
Front Quadrant Swimming
Streamline Body Position
Horizontal Body Position
Torso Rotation
Pull / Power Phase and Recovery
Monday, July 20, 2009
what is the best swimming cap and googles to wear ?
Well this, question vexed me for a long time... till I did a little research and found answer...
Remember when buying this kind of stuff be prepared to shell out a little bit more money,
those extra few bucks are worthwhile in getting you a quality product that will do the job..
rather than buying something that would not live up to expectations .....
The best googles considering the price and quality were :
For Adults :
1. AquaSphere Kayenne
http://www.aquasphereswim.com/us/products/kayenne_tnt_wht-slvr.html
These are about 5-8 bucks more than the popular brand Speedo but they are made in
ITALY and worth it. Very comfortable, easy to adjust strap, yes there is a little bit of
fog inside after 30 min of swim ... but it doesnt make a difference for regular use....
and by the way you can wipe it with antifog solution if it is too foggy :
http://www.aquasphereswim.com/us/products/anti_fog.html
I feel Speedo were not so comfy as Aquasphere...
For Kids
1. Seal Kid, Moby Kid or Kaiman Small are also the best eyewear for
kids or adults with smaller faces
The best swim caps considering the price and quality were :
1. Aquasphere Aquaglide Swimcap
Very comfy, adequate protection for ears. Perfectly fits for large head size...
Remember when buying this kind of stuff be prepared to shell out a little bit more money,
those extra few bucks are worthwhile in getting you a quality product that will do the job..
rather than buying something that would not live up to expectations .....
The best googles considering the price and quality were :
For Adults :
1. AquaSphere Kayenne
http://www.aquasphereswim.com/us/products/kayenne_tnt_wht-slvr.html
These are about 5-8 bucks more than the popular brand Speedo but they are made in
ITALY and worth it. Very comfortable, easy to adjust strap, yes there is a little bit of
fog inside after 30 min of swim ... but it doesnt make a difference for regular use....
and by the way you can wipe it with antifog solution if it is too foggy :
http://www.aquasphereswim.com/us/products/anti_fog.html
I feel Speedo were not so comfy as Aquasphere...
For Kids
1. Seal Kid, Moby Kid or Kaiman Small are also the best eyewear for
kids or adults with smaller faces
The best swim caps considering the price and quality were :
1. Aquasphere Aquaglide Swimcap
Very comfy, adequate protection for ears. Perfectly fits for large head size...
Dry Itchy Smelly after using the pool ? Read this...
We all experience the dry and itchyness after using the pool... due to chlorine...
At first, I thought of getting rid of this chlorine using my regular soap but
the darn thing would not go away !!! So after some research I have come with
a comprehensive plan to protect my skin and hair from the harmful chlorine !
It is a real simple plan and has worked wonders !
1. Before entering the pool apply vaseline, body oil or any of your favourite
moisturising cream which your skin will absorb easily. Once your skin pores
are filled with this good stuff , the chlorine molecules to dont have any room in
your pores and effectively your skin is protected by the layer of cream or oil
apply. The same holds true for your hair, if you are not using a swimming cap.
I apply oil to my hair that gets absorbed by my hair which prevents it from
getting DRY and Brittle from chlorine ! If you dont apply oil or any other
protectant to your hair and dont use a cap then atleast, thoroughly wet your
hair before entering the pool. Thats the very least you can do to help prevent
the chlorine molecules Out !
2. After using the pool, you can use any Shampoo that contains the
Chlorine-Buster chemical "Sodium Lauraeth Sulfate" which quickly breakes
chlorine molecules ! Some of these shampoos that do contain
Sodium Laureth Sulfate :
1. Head and Shoulders
2. Aveeno
3. Paul Mitchel only some types
4. TriSwim
5. UltraSwim
6. L'Oreal Kids Shampoo
Apply, this thoroughly on your hair.
3. For removing chlorine of your body, you could use any body wash that
has the Chlorine buster.I use Aveeno which is great, you get 3 big bottles
at costco for a great price of $9.99.
4. Once your done taking of chlorine from hair and body, dry it and use
any good moisturising cream like Aveeno, Lubriderm, Vaseline, Nivea.
This will smoothen your skin and will prevent dryness, itchyness !
This plan has helped me greatly and hope it can work for you too !
Happy Skin makes Happy Swimming !
At first, I thought of getting rid of this chlorine using my regular soap but
the darn thing would not go away !!! So after some research I have come with
a comprehensive plan to protect my skin and hair from the harmful chlorine !
It is a real simple plan and has worked wonders !
1. Before entering the pool apply vaseline, body oil or any of your favourite
moisturising cream which your skin will absorb easily. Once your skin pores
are filled with this good stuff , the chlorine molecules to dont have any room in
your pores and effectively your skin is protected by the layer of cream or oil
apply. The same holds true for your hair, if you are not using a swimming cap.
I apply oil to my hair that gets absorbed by my hair which prevents it from
getting DRY and Brittle from chlorine ! If you dont apply oil or any other
protectant to your hair and dont use a cap then atleast, thoroughly wet your
hair before entering the pool. Thats the very least you can do to help prevent
the chlorine molecules Out !
2. After using the pool, you can use any Shampoo that contains the
Chlorine-Buster chemical "Sodium Lauraeth Sulfate" which quickly breakes
chlorine molecules ! Some of these shampoos that do contain
Sodium Laureth Sulfate :
1. Head and Shoulders
2. Aveeno
3. Paul Mitchel only some types
4. TriSwim
5. UltraSwim
6. L'Oreal Kids Shampoo
Apply, this thoroughly on your hair.
3. For removing chlorine of your body, you could use any body wash that
has the Chlorine buster.I use Aveeno which is great, you get 3 big bottles
at costco for a great price of $9.99.
4. Once your done taking of chlorine from hair and body, dry it and use
any good moisturising cream like Aveeno, Lubriderm, Vaseline, Nivea.
This will smoothen your skin and will prevent dryness, itchyness !
This plan has helped me greatly and hope it can work for you too !
Happy Skin makes Happy Swimming !
Friday, July 17, 2009
How to Protect your hair while swimming
This article from hairlossexperts sheds light on the hidden dangers of not protecting your hair adequately while using swimming pool loaded with chemicals and tips on circumventing damage to your hair.
Some quick tips on protecting your hair :1. Use swimming cap if you find an easy fit one. I plan to buy
Aquasphere Glide Silicone cap :
http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Sphere-Glide-Silicone-Swim/dp/B000EOPCDC
2. Rinse your hair before entering pool and if possible
rinse every 30 minutes of using the pool.
3. This is the best tip : if not using cap apply coconut oil,
or baby oil or your favorite conditioner which will repel
chlorine from sticking to your hair... I apply this all the
time and it works like magic !
4. After using pool rinse your thoroughly for few minutes !
5.You can try chlorine removing shampoos like : TRISWIM
or ULTRASWIM Shampoo available at local drug stores. I
got one at CVS pharmacy for 5.99$... works great !
The article below covers following :
How Swimming Can Damage Your Hair ?
How To Protect Your Hair Whilst Swimming ?
http://www.hairlossexpert.co.uk/protect-hair-swimming.html
Happy Hair, Take care !
The Mr Smooth Free Console
The Mr Smooth Free Console from swimsmooth.com that needs email
registration. Remember this desktop software can be installed only up
to two PCs.
This a great way of closely watching freestyle stroke, rotation, kick
breathing, pull, push techniques from 6-7 different angles.... Great job
from swimsmooth.com for making this thing so easy....You guys rock !
I am excited to see your DVDs.
http://www.swimsmooth.com/console.php
registration. Remember this desktop software can be installed only up
to two PCs.
This a great way of closely watching freestyle stroke, rotation, kick
breathing, pull, push techniques from 6-7 different angles.... Great job
from swimsmooth.com for making this thing so easy....You guys rock !
I am excited to see your DVDs.
http://www.swimsmooth.com/console.php
Leg Kick In The Freestyle Stroke from swimsmooth.com
Leg Kick In The Freestyle Stroke from swimsmooth.com
These guys give an incredible detail of how to kick right
with animation and practical videos.
Happy Kicking !
http://www.swimsmooth.com/kick.html
These guys give an incredible detail of how to kick right
with animation and practical videos.
Happy Kicking !
http://www.swimsmooth.com/kick.html
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Freestyle Swimming Tutorial Videos
1. Efficient Swimming from Dave Scott
Dave give a wonderful explanation of techniques involved in swimming effectively
2. Swimming: How to Correct Faults by Dave Scott
Dave explains the most common faults in swimming freestyle and methods to correct them.
2. A study of the freestyle stroke by Jamie Shaules
Jamie studies the freestyle stroke of Ian Thorpe's techniques
3. How to Swim Freestyle Stroke by JimmyDShea
Jimmy brings out the reason and efficacy in using proper
techniques in freestyle.
4. One more useful freestyle tutoring videos :
5. Alexandar Popov - one of the best swimmers technique
6. Detailed discussion on Bilateral breathing :
http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198290&highlight=#198290
Dave give a wonderful explanation of techniques involved in swimming effectively
2. Swimming: How to Correct Faults by Dave Scott
Dave explains the most common faults in swimming freestyle and methods to correct them.
2. A study of the freestyle stroke by Jamie Shaules
Jamie studies the freestyle stroke of Ian Thorpe's techniques
3. How to Swim Freestyle Stroke by JimmyDShea
Jimmy brings out the reason and efficacy in using proper
techniques in freestyle.
4. One more useful freestyle tutoring videos :
5. Alexandar Popov - one of the best swimmers technique
6. Detailed discussion on Bilateral breathing :
http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198290&highlight=#198290
Welcome to FreeStyle Swimming blog !
Jul 16, 2009
Dear Readers,
Right from my childhood days, I was always fascinated by water ..but for love of commitments
in life never had a chance to realize this fascination. After so many years now, life has offered an
opportunity to do so.
Its been a few months since I picked up free style swimming at my local YMCA . Since, then
I have been training by myself reading resources, watching videos etc. Not that I would not go
to a professional coach, but given my style of my learning and the time I take to catch up,
learning swimming myself with tips and guidance from several sources became a natural choice...
the journey has so far has been a enjoyable one... and hope it will continue to be so till I reach
my goal of becoming an open water Marathon swimmer :) ...
I started this blog, to collect useful information spread across the web related to freestyle
swimming that I have been coming across.. Yes, there is an ocean of information on swimming...
quiet easy to get overwhelmed.... also there is a lot to swimming as an endeavor,
right from training, equipments, physical and mental fitness levels.
Hope this blog can serve as a resource of the inside scoop related to swimming... You will find
tons of tips, drills, discussion/links to best swimming gear and beyond... Hope you will
enjoy it.
Finally, it would not be just on my part, to not dedicate this blog to some Titanic swimmers like :
1. Mihir Sen who swum in seven seas of the five continents and was the first in the world to do
so. more info about this Titan can be found at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihir_Sen
2. Terry Laughlin - for introducing the Total Immersion technique to the
world swimming ... which is based on common sense, laws of physics and
non-wrestling way to learning swimming. Swimming world would have never
advanced and thrived without his ground breaking research books and DVDs.
Terry can be cited as the Einstien of Swimming. Thanks Terry.
3. Ian Thorpe, Dave Scott, Alex Popov and several other known and unknown personalities in the world of swimming.
Readers are welcome to post their thoughts or suggestion or share information.
Thanks, for reading and Happy Swimming !
swimPal
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