T.I. Swim

[Angelisha_jones]

Hi. Have any of you here tried Total Immersion swimming techniques? I just want to share my experience with you all. I've always condsidered myself a "good" swimmer and been doing so for more than five years now, but it is only last year that my swimming dramatically improved. I didn't think I was really going to improve significantly. My strokes are more effecient and I'm way more relaxed in the water. It taught me how to spend less energy in the swim leg to have enough energy for the bike and run.

Here's their free tutorial video

http://www.youtube.com/user/tiswim

I like how the techniques are broken down to the smallest details
:)

[SLash]

Another fan of Total Immersion here! :D

I've been immersed in TI since June when I registered for my first ever tri event, a half IM Aquabike event Sept. 24th. I've watched and studied the videos and most recently the TI book, "Triathlon Swimming Made Easy".

The philosophy of TI is perfect for me, to swim with economy and not worry about speed. The only way I will be able to swim 1.2 miles next month is by swimming with economy. I've just started with it, but I like the improvements I've seen so far.


Susan

[Caddy]

Thanks for the links! Been struggling with increasing swim speed.

Edit: Okay, on video 4 and already there's about 5 things different than what my open water swim coach is telling me. Maybe this is why I'm getting slower...

[Melalvai]

Anyone compared Total Immersion with Swim Smooth? I like both approaches but there are some significant differences. Where they differ I am inclined to go with TI, but I don't really know, so I wondered.

[Angelisha_jones]

Susan- good to hear that! It is all about swim-economy.

Caddy- You're welcome. I've been watching their videos over and over again. I think the best way is to apply the techniques one at a time. It takes time and patience.

[Caddy]

Wow. I only looked through their Work Less, Swim Better free videos, didn't get a chance to do the drills, but already a remarkable improvement during my open swim class tonight.

Thank you so much.

And best of all, no shoulder pain! Just a nice tired feeling.

[Angelisha_jones]

Wow. I only looked through their Work Less, Swim Better free videos, didn't get a chance to do the drills, but already a remarkable improvement during my open swim class tonight.

Thank you so much.

And best of all, no shoulder pain! Just a nice tired feeling.


You're more than welcome. :)

[zia]

Angelisha, you say you've been doing TI for 5, but it really kicked in during the last year. What changed? I have been doing it on and off for 3 years (self taught with the book) but I have a hard time sticking to the drills because I don't really feel like it's making that much of a difference. Have you been doing the drills religiously? I also find it hard to incorporate the drills into my masters workouts...

[Angelisha_jones]

Angelisha, you say you've been doing TI for 5, but it really kicked in during the last year. What changed? I have been doing it on and off for 3 years (self taught with the book) but I have a hard time sticking to the drills because I don't really feel like it's making that much of a difference. Have you been doing the drills religiously? I also find it hard to incorporate the drills into my masters workouts...


I have been doing TI for a year now but I've been swiming for 5 years or so.

About the drills, yes, I do the drills. I find it very helpful especially having a week off or a lay off.

[Dogmama]

I've been taking a swimming course through my local community college & they are all about swimming faster without regard to swimming efficiently. She wasn't even sure what T.I. was.

I've dropped the course because I don't want to practice my bad habits. I do the T.I. drills and they really help a non-swimmer like me. It can get tedious, especially when I have a bad day in the pool (just can't get the feel right) but I do think it works.

Does anybody have the DVD? If so, is it good? I've read the book, but I'd like to see it in action.

[SLash]

I've been taking a swimming course through my local community college & they are all about swimming faster without regard to swimming efficiently. She wasn't even sure what T.I. was.

I've dropped the course because I don't want to practice my bad habits. I do the T.I. drills and they really help a non-swimmer like me. It can get tedious, especially when I have a bad day in the pool (just can't get the feel right) but I do think it works.

Does anybody have the DVD? If so, is it good? I've read the book, but I'd like to see it in action.

I don't have the dvd but I've watched a number of TI videos on You Tube. This link should take you to a 7 part series, Perpetual Motion Freestyle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97b6XIntfcc

[Melalvai]

I'll check out the YouTube videos. I borrowed the DVD from a friend and I found it very useful to see what is only described or pictures, in the book.

[spindizzy]

My plan for the next few years is to eventually get into the water and complete some tri's, then longer distance tri's. My last (and only) swimming lessons were 45 years ago.:eek:

So, being sold on the method, I bought the book and DVD. Practiced the techniques. Unfortunately there is no feedback. So I took the plunge and sought out the services of the doctor, the "stroke doctor", looking for a prescription for my swim.:D
http://www.strokedocswim.com/

I just did a course that was run at Georgia Tech in Atlanta over the weekend.
(magnificent facility!) Oh my!!!There is nothing like a video with analysis to see all the areas in which one needs to make improvements. Let's just say, I will need many refills on that prescription!! It was a humbling experience, but a necessary one. I have lots of work to do to make myself an efficient swimmer, but I now know what I need to work on (everything.....:D) One of the most helpful things is that you get a copy of your first day swim (front and side view) and your second day swim on your own flash drive. So you can relive every painful moment:D:D:D. Really, I can't wait to do another video in a few months. I expect improvement.

The doctor, Gary Fahey, is based out of Fort Lauderdale. He had 4 other coaches with him, plus an "intern" (swimmer Adrejs Duda who swam for Latvia at the Beijing Olympics). Excellent swimmer: coach ratio, lots of time in the pool and lots of feedback. Nice laid back approach.

For me, worth every penny.

[Caddy]

Trying to progress beyond Total Immersion technique, since it gives you the basic building blocks but does not really allow for "faster" swimming. (Please note that I am very happy with Total Immersion and how comfortable/easy it has made swimming, but I feel stalled, improvement wise.

Will be trying https://www.findingfreestyle.com/ and giving feedback if anyone is interested.

[Dogmama]

Yes, please share!

[Melalvai]

I'd like to know more. Can you do that program while keeping the TI principles? For example after TI I'm not interested in kickboards ever.

[Caddy]

Hi! Sorry for the late response, but this month is going to be crazy for me.

I tried out the first week and I'm fairly happy with how their videos and their explanations of exactly how the drills help you swim better. In addition, the first week focused on "imprinting" body position in the water and the drill definitely clicked for me. (Since I remember the importance of imprinting from TI).

As for kicking, there was a kick portion in the warmup, but I'm sure you can skip that. I believe it says somewhere on the webpage that you should learn correct kick rhythm, whether it's a 2 beat, 4 beat, or 6 beat kick. From what I understand, Total Immersion is almost a 2 beat kick, where you use the kick to generate body torque; however, it is more of an afterthought. The second week of drills for Finding Freestyle look like it's focused on accurate timing of those kicks so you get the most out of the torque. I don't think you need a kickboard for the second week. Hope this helps.

[nuliajuk]

I am absolutely a T.I. fan. I had swim lessons as a kid, but never really got very good at swimming. When I was forced to take it up as an adult, due to car accident injuries, I was as bad at it as ever. Lessons didn't help, they were just "workouts" in a different form. I was still doing 35-40 strokes per 25 meters in almost a minute even after three separate sets of lessons.
When I found the first T.I. book, it was a revelation. Balancing in the water so as not to have to kick frantically made so much sense. I worked with that book on my own for a year or two and got down to 25-28 strokes per length and 35-40 seconds per length. Then I found a local T.I. coach and took his eight week class (basically, a weekend workshop stretched out to allow for absorbing the drills and techniques). At first I was disappointed that the class didn't seem to bring as much improvement as I'd hoped, but a few months later it suddenly "clicked". I think the brain needs time to process new body skills, perhaps more for some people than others.
For a while I was averaging 19-21 strokes and 32 seconds per length, but since moving to a city where it isn't as easy to get to a pool, have regressed a bit.
I don't agree that T.I. isn't suitable for going fast. It looks deceptively slow, what with the low stroke count. Time and time again, I've been swimming away at an easy pace, and someone half my age has pushed off the wall and tried to "race" the apparently slow fat old lady, only to discover that they can't keep up, even windmilling their arms at twice the stroke rate.