Copyright © 2006 Total Immersion. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, printing, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without per-mission in writing from Total Immersion, Inc. For information, contact Total Immersion, Inc., 246 Main Street, Suite 15A, New Paltz, NY 12561.Revised: December 16, 2003 Total Immersion, Inc.

A Total Immersion Instructional Manual

freestyle: made easyfreestyle: made easy™

by Terry Laughlinby Terry Laughlin

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on purchasing FFrreeeessttyyllee MMaaddee EEaassyy. We are more excited about FMEthan any DVD we’ve produced previously because it addresses every question or chal-lenge raised by our students over the years. While the DVD is self-explanatory, thisuser’s guide includes detailed tips for mastering each drill and should prove invaluableas a continued guide on the path to mastery of the TI process. For the most completeguide to swimming freestyle for any distance and in any body of water, we stronglyrecommend our book Triathlon Swimming Made Easy, available from www.totalimmer-sion.net or 800-609-7946.

THREE STEPS TO SUCCESS

The most exciting insight of our experiences in teaching thousands of improvement-minded swimmers has been that virtually anyone can learn to swim beautifully throughintelligent and patient practice. The key to foolproof learning is in mastering threenon-negotiable skills:

SStteepp 11 Increase your comfort and stop wasting energy on fighting the water by learn-ing balance. When you master balance, you’ll also learn every other swimming skillmuch faster.

SStteepp 22 Learn to pierce the water. By slipping through the smallest possible “hole” inthe water, you’ll need far less power, and expend far less effort at any speed.

SStteepp 33 Learn to stroke smoothly. The “Human Swimmer’s” arm-and-leg churning habitwastes huge amounts of energy on creating turbulence. Learning to propel with flu-ent, whole-body stroking movements provides effortless power and maximizes econo-my of movement.

STEP BY STEP MASTERY

Whether teaching our students face to face or via video, we follow a process inspiredby the mindful practice of yoga and tai chi. We begin by teaching a series of balancepositions that are exceedingly simple, yet establish a profound connection with thewater. By patiently mastering the basics, you’ll be prepared to advance through awhole range of more challenging skills with ease and speed. Next we teach a thought-fully choreographed sequence (Switch drills) that leads to graceful, fluent swimming.Success at each step leads seamlessly to the next step. The synergy produced bymastering these simple moves in a logical progression is so powerful that even afterthe first few drills, you should feel yourself flowing through the water with more easeand less struggle than you ever thought possible.

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ABOUT OUR SWIMMING MODELS

After teaching thousands of improvement-minded swimmers, we know that TI worksfor anyone, regardless of age, experience, skill or fitness. Beginners find our drillsthe fastest way to establish harmony and balance in the water, and to imprint theslippery positions that will let them move through the water with ease. Advancedswimmers find them the best way to polish their technique and increase efficiency.For this video we have chosen swimmers from a range of ages and abilities to showyou how universally our drills can be learned and applied. In fact, five of our ninedemonstrators only began swimming as adults. We hope you gain some insight andinspiration from each of the swimmers on our tape by observing the individual waysthey express fluency and realize that your own expression of TI Swimming doesn’thave to meet a rigid ideal.

Tobey DeMott and Jennifer Armstrong are novices who were introduced to TotalImmersion only three months before this video was made. Kathryn Loyer, MarkWilson and Ian Murray are all triathletes who began swimming as adults. Kathryn andIan are now TI Teaching Professionals. Suzie Baggs is a former collegiate swimmerwho had been introduced to TI drills in her Masters program only a few monthsbefore this video was made. Joe Novak swam for Terry Laughlin at the U. S. MilitaryAcademy, becoming one of the best sprinters in the U.S. He is an officer in the U.S.Army and a trained TI Coach. Fiona Laughlin was a college swimmer and is now a TITeaching Professional. Terry Laughlin has been swimming since 1966 and is stillimproving his efficiency and fluency 37 years later.

EFFECTIVE PRACTICE: HOW TO MAKE A FISHLIKE STROKE PERMANENT

While the old saying tells us that “practice makes perfect,” in truth, practice makespermanent. Every length you swim contributes to a habit of either fluency or strug-gle and muscle memory makes your old stroke resistant to change. The fastest wayto become a more efficient swimmer and make that efficiency permanent is bylearning a new way of swimming from the bottom up, through stroke drills, ratherthan piecemeal stroke corrections.

WHY DRILLS TEACH BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE

Some swimmers, fearing a loss of fitness, are reluctant to spend precious pool timeon stroke drills. But because your endurance and speed are determined far more byefficiency than fitness, an hour of concentrated skill practice can often producemore improvement than a month of hard training. Here are the ways in which TIdrills perfect your stroke better than anything else you can do in the pool:

YYoouurr mmuusscclleess nneeeedd aa ddoossee ooff aammnneessiiaa.. If you’ve been swimming for any length oftime, your inefficiencies have become a deeply ingrained habit. Every lap simply rein-forces your energy-wasting old style. Because your nervous system doesn’t inter-pret them as “swimming,” drills give you a “blank slate” on which to engrave change.This allows for dramatic improvement that is nearly immediate…and will becomepermanent through practice. 3

SSmmaallll ppiieecceess aarree eeaassiieerr ttoo sswwaallllooww. Because your stroke is made up of so many finelycoordinated parts, it’s virtually impossible to focus on the whole at once. Stroke drillssimplify the complex whole stroke into a series of mini-skills, each of which can bequickly mastered and becomes the key to solving the next. These building blocksassemble easily and gradually into a new, more efficient stroke.

IInnsstteeaadd ooff ttrriiaall aanndd eerrrroorr,, iitt’’ss ttrriiaall aanndd ssuucccceessss.. Because mini-skills can be masteredso quickly and easily, you begin practicing graceful, fishlike movement right away. Themore you practice it, the more it becomes your new habit and crowds out the sloppyold one. And the less time you spend swimming with your old habits, the faster youlearn to swim better. Your string of successes boosts your motivation and self-confi-dence and you learn faster.

IItt’’ss llaanngguuaaggee tthhee bbooddyy uunnddeerrssttaannddss. Conventional stroke instruction tries to get toyour muscles through your mind. First you read or hear a description of a skill, thentry to figure out what the movement will feel like, while wondering if you got it right.Drills bypass all those vague translations. They simplify and accelerate the learningprocess by teaching your body how it should feel when you swim well. And becausedrills heighten your kinesthetic awareness, they make it easier to fine-tune your formafter you begin practicing whole-stroke again.

HOW TO MASTER THE LEARNING CURVE

How should you use this video? The more you have to learn, the more you should drill.For novices this can mean up to four times as much drilling as swimming. Every lap ofdrilling is positive reinforcement for your swimming. Every lap of swimming the old wayis likely to pull you backward. Though every swimmer is different, drills work for mostwith incredible speed. The TI drills will work fastest if you:

TThhiinnkk bbeeffoorree yyoouu sswwiimm.. Drills teach you what you’re hoping to learn only if you do themcorrectly, never carelessly or in a hurry. Study our images carefully, using slow motionand stop action. You might initially watch the entire video straight through to under-stand the whole progression, then, before each practice, review just the drills youintend to practice. Do every length with clear understanding and purpose.

PPrraaccttiiccee wwiitthh ffeeeelliinngg.. Spend 30 uninterrupted, thoughtful minutes on each new drill tofirmly imprint the new sense into your muscle memory so that you can eventually beguided more by feel than thought. Then, each time you go to the pool, experiment withsubtle refinements until the skill begins to feel natural and effortless. The more famil-iar you become with the drills, the more you should shift your attention from themechanics to the qualities of economy, ease, flow, and grace. As these qualitiesbecome habit in your drilling, your swimming will be transformed as well.

SShhoorrtteerr iiss sswweeeetteerr.. Repeats of 25 to 50 yards – with 3 to 5 “yoga breaths” betweeneach for rest, reflection, and adjustment – and sets of 10 to 15 minutes duration, willbring the greatest benefit. Each successive length should feel a bit smoother andmore relaxed, a bit more precise and economical. If not, check the video again (or havea friend watch as you practice), or go back to the previous drill and polish that onebefore returning to the drill that’s giving you trouble. 4

SSwwiimm aass wweellll aass yyoouu ddrriillll.. After you’ve practiced a drill long enough to make it secondnature (for advanced drills this could take weeks), alternate drill and swim lengths –at first more drilling than swimming, but shifting gradually toward more swimming.Try to make each swim length feel a bit more like what felt best about the drill. Themain benefit of the drills is that they give you heightened insight into how to makeyour swimming feel more efficient. When you can “swim as well as you drill,” you knowthe lessons have been learned.

UUssee tthhee rriigghhtt ttoooollss.. We’ve found at TI workshops that Slim Fins and the Fistglove®stroke trainer can be valuable learning aids. During the momentary pauses in SweetSpot, which are integral to each drill, you’ll need a moderately propulsive kick tomaintain momentum and stay smooth. If your kick is non-propulsive (usually fromrigid ankles), you could tire quickly and find your drill practice compromised. Fins can“buy you time” to pay better attention to fine points. Just keep your kick veryrelaxed if you do wear fins. (Also see below on how practice with a partner canovercome a poor kick.) Fistgloves move you to a much higher level of awareness forwhat the drill is supposed to teach, and encourage you to focus more on movementquality. But take time to master the basics of the drill before putting on the gloves;they’ll work better in reinforcing the lessons, once you already drill well.

KKeeeepp pprraaccttiicciinngg!! The best aspect of drills is that they’re self-adjusting. We teachthe same drills to unskilled adults as to highly accomplished swimmers. Each groupgets exactly what it needs: The inexperienced swimmers learn basic skills. The moreadvanced swimmers acquire subtle polish. So as you improve, you won’t have tolearn new drills; you’ll simply do the same ones with more refinement.

THE TI BUDDY SYSTEM

Recently, we made an exciting discovery in our workshops. By having our studentspartner and teach balance to each other, following guidance from our coaches,everyone learned faster. The Buddy System had the greatest impact on studentswho struggled with their kick or tended to sink. But more accomplished swimmersbenefited as well, probably because they were also teaching as they learned. Andfollowing the workshop, quite a few of our alumni told us of exciting successes inteaching friends and family members to swim better. In Buddy System learning,swimmers take turns in two roles: The swimmer, who learns the correct position forthat drill with help from the coach. The coach, who positions and supports theswimmer’s head, and assists with momentum by towing or launching, then releasesand continues observing the swimmer to assist as needed. Over time, we’ve appliedthe Buddy System to virtually every stage in the learning process, in every instancewith exciting results. While many swimmers will be able to successfully master allthe steps in solo practice, we do encourage you strongly to collaborate with alearning partner as illustrated on the video, if you have the opportunity. Having apartner who understands the TI method as well as you do will be the next best thingto having your own TI coach.

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ADVANTAGES OF THE BUDDY SYSTEM

Learning to control our bodies in a horizontal position in the water presents someunique challenges:

((11)) We lack visual feedback on our own position.

((22)) We are not accustomed to actively controlling torso muscles to stay horizontallybalanced.

On land we stand on our balance; in the water we hang from it.

((33)) We aren’t yet tuned in to sensations that we must learn to recognize over time inthe water – for example: Is our head aligned? Is the lead hand as deep as it should be?Are our shoulders stacked?

((44)) Using the Buddy System, students:

((55)) Experience perfect balance without struggling to achieve it,

((66)) Learn better by helping and observing others solve the same problems,

((77)) Develop a cooperative, we’re all in this together attitude, and

((88)) Can focus on what good balance position feels like, and how little effort it takesto maintain it.

ASSISTING “SINKERS” AND POOR KICKERS

If your partner struggles with balance, your assistance can be invaluable. Theirinstinctive reaction to sinking or loss of momentum is to kick harder, which justincreases turbulence and fatigue. Towing allows them to master balance and easewithout worrying about sinking or loss of momentum. The added momentum is alsoinvaluable in preparing them learn to drill solo, because it’s far easier to conservemomentum, than to regain it when you’ve lost it.

When decent kickers are towed, then released, they can maintain momentum on theirown. But poor kickers lose headway quickly. When this happens, resume towing for amoment, then watch to see how long they maintain it. Repeat several times, as need-ed. Repetition – and the fact that they are traveling through the water – seems tohelp poor kickers acquire better kinesthetic awareness. Gradually, you should be ableto tow less frequently and more briefly, and see your partner learn to maintainmomentum for longer stretches.

In addition, the most effective response to a loss of momentum is to find ways toreduce drag – including drag from a big splashy kick. Vertical kicking is also effective inmaking the kick gentler and more compact.

When playing a coaching role, it’s sometimes helpful to tell your swimmer exactly whatyou are going to do, before you do it. For example, “I’m going to support your feetnow,” or “I’m going to move your arms closer to your sides.” This minimizes disruptionsto the swimmer’s concentration, and helps to keep the swimmer relaxed.

Finally, if you have any doubts about your qualifications to “coach” your partner, simplyreport to your partner exactly what you observe. Pay particular attention to headposition and alignment. Minor misalignment of the head will be multiplied by a factorof 5 or 10 in the legs. 6

LESSON ONE:BALANCE

These drills may seem so simple, at first, that experienced swimmers may be temptedto quickly move on to more “challenging” stuff. But if you have human DNA – even ifyou’ve already swum in the Olympics – you can still improve your balance, and as itimproves you’ll use less energy at any speed. If, on the other hand, every stroke you’veever taken has been a frustrating struggle, Lesson One can give you an unprecedent-ed feeling of being fully supported by the water without tension or discomfort. Onceyou have that, you’ll immediately swim with far more ease, and the rest of the lessonswill go much more smoothly.

In watching underwater video of thousands of “human swimmers,” what I notice firstis how their arms and legs are almost completely occupied with trying not to sink.They may think what they’re doing is “stroking” but virtually none of their energy isproducing propulsion; most of it goes into fighting “that sinking feeling.” Only when youlearn to balance effortlessly without your arms helping, will it be possible to drill orstroke efficiently. Thus your first step is to get the water to support you without helpfrom your arms.

DRILL #1: BALANCE ON YOUR BACK (BB)

The most important lesson of this drill is head position. Notice the water touching thecorners of Jennifer’s goggles and the tip of her chin in the first closeup. Every drilldemonstrator shows the same head position. Imprint this head position here andmaintain it in Sweet Spot in every drill that follows. If coaching a partner, begin towingfrom the shoulders to provide some momentum, then position the head, once they’removing well enough not to sink. After release, keep moving ahead of your partner, soyour draft helps them maintain momentum without effort.

DDuurriinngg ssoolloo pprraaccttiiccee,, uussee tthheessee ffooccaall ppooiinnttss::

HHIIDDEE YYOOUURR HHEEAADD (keep your head neutral with water touching the corners of yourgoggles)

KKIICCKK WWIITTHH AA CCOOMMPPAACCTT,, SSIILLEENNTT FFLLUUTTTTEERR - lightly flicking your toes toward the sur-face

AARRMMSS PPRREESSSSEEDD LLIIGGHHTTLLYY TTOO YYOOUURR SSIIDDEESS (no sculling or bracing)

On each successive repeat aim to travel more quietly and with less effort. If you feelyourself losing balance, just stand up, breathe deeply to relax and resume with a pushfrom the bottom. Your momentum will aid as towing did. Your main goal is to replicatethe sensation you felt while being towed.

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DRILL #2: “SWEET SPOT” (SS)

The “Sweet Spot” is where you’ll find true equilibrium and balance and is influenced bybody type. If you’re lean or densely muscled, your Sweet Spot will probably be almoston your back. Finding Sweet Spot is critical because you’ll start and finish every drillhere. On the video, notice how Joe keeps Susie’s head stable, while he assists her inrotating. In the underwater view, notice how Susie’s right (bottom) arm is motionlessat her side. In the Active Balance segment (in the Endless Pool), notice how Terrydoesn’t use his hands to help with rotation. When practicing solo, focus on the follow-ing:

((11)) Try to feel as much as possible like you did while being towed.

((22)) Start each width with head hidden in BB, then rotate very slightly to reach SS.

((33)) Keep your head as still and stable as possible. Water should touch the corners ofboth goggles at all times.

((44)) Focus on slipping through the water as cleanly and quietly as possible. If you feela bit less comfortable on one side, try to tune into what allows you to feel more com-fortable on the other side and try to make both sides the same.

HHeellpp ffoorr wweeaakk kkiicckkeerrss

The most important thing to notice on the video is how Jennifer kicks by just flickingher toes gently toward the surface. Though her kick produces little momentum, shedoesn’t try to compensate by kicking harder, which would only churn up the watermore and make her tired. She learned to keep her kick compact, while being towed byTobey. And vertical kicking while resting at the deep end of the pool, will help youimprove your feel for kicking with a long leg and no knee flexion.

DRILL #3: LENGTHEN YOUR “VESSEL” (LVSS)

LVSS teaches you that longer vessels move faster with less effort. This is the “homeposition” for all TI freestyle drills. LVSS is also the fundamental backstroke balanceposition, and a good position in which to practice flutter kick. On the video, notice howTobey keeps Jen’s head stable as she rotates to SS, then helps her extend her arm tothe correct position. Likewise, Susie for Joe, before releasing him. When practicingsolo, your focal points should include:

((11)) Try to feel as much as possible as you did while being towed – long, sleek andrelaxed. Keep your head hidden – with water at the corners of your goggles – and layback on your lower shoulder until your hips and legs feel light.

((22)) Swimmers trying LVSS for the first time sometimes sense a loss of balance usu-ally because they’ve rotated farther after extending the arm. If you feel a loss ofbalance, return your arm to your side, regain your balance, then extend the armweightlessly without changing your body position

((33)) Keep your extended hand in the position in which you feel the least strain, but itmight be useful to experiment with a palm-out position, which can help prepare youfor skating. 8

DRILL #4: FISH DRILL

Fish will help you learn to balance directly on your side in the nose-down position (theonly time you’ll be balanced on your side is when you are nose down). It’s also the easi-est way to learn to keep your head directly in line with your spine – as it will be inSkating, all Switch drills and swimming. On the video, you’ll see both Joe and Tobeylaunching their swimmers from the feet. And you see Jennifer starting Tobey from thehead. If doing Buddy System, it’s probably best to start by towing from the head asJen does for Tobey – and note how firmly Jen positions Tobey’s head directly on thespine line. When practicing solo, focus on these points:

((11)) Try to feel as much as possible like you did while being assisted. Give particularattention to your head position – leading with the top of your head and lookingdirectly down.

((22)) Also memorize the side balance position and lean just a bit on your lower shoul-der to keep your hips and legs feeling light.

((33)) Try to follow a “laser line” down the pool as you rotate back and forth betweennose-up and nose-down positions, with your head also remaining right on the spine-line as it rotates.

((44)) Slip through the smallest possible “hole” in the water, with the least water dis-turbance.

DRILL #5 SKATING (SK)

In Skating you’ll experience balance for the first time in the position you’ll use swim-ming freestyle. The first time you do Skating, start in Fish (as Susie and Jennifer do),then extend your hand. (Note how Tobey prompts Jen on this.) If you achieved virtuallyeffortless balance in earlier drills, extend your hand just below your head. This is the“3 o’clock” position. If you don’t feel easily balanced there, just keep angling yourhand/arm deeper, until your hips and legs feel supported. This may be a 4:00 or 5o’clock position. Also flex your wrist – fingertips downward – by 30 to 45 degrees –your partner should manually assist with this. It typically takes a LOT of repetition toget these “clock” positions correct. In the Endless Pool segments, you can see Terrydoing this for Fiona. Also notice how Jennifer bubbles lightly from her nose, while inthe nose-down position. When practicing solo, focus on all of the following points:

((11)) Continually check that your nose is straight down, shoulder straight up andextended hand below your head, kicking gently and slipping through the smallest “hole”in the water.

((22)) To breathe, roll all the way back to LVSS; keep your arm extended, but let it floatback up near the surface. Take 3 deep, slow breaths before you return to the SkatingPosition.

((33)) Feel as if you’re following a laser line as you rotate between nose up and nosedown positions.

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LESSON TWO:UNDERSWITCHEFFORTLESS POWER FROM YOUR CORE

The UnderSwitch drills will teach you how to use rotation of your balanced and slip-pery core body to generate effortless power for propulsion. These will be the mostdynamic and powerful movements you have yet practiced.

DRILL #6: UNDERSKATE (USK)

USk teaches the essential skill of staying on your side during recovery – saving all theenergy of body rotation to be released at the moment the anchored hand beginsstroking. See this most clearly in the stop-action underwater view of Joe. If he wereto stroke his left hand at that precise moment, it would be perfectly synchronized tothe action of his right hip driving down, adding all the power of body rotation to hisstroke. Also notice that Joe’s left hand is in the “clock position” he established inSkating. The overhead view of Terry in the Endless Pool is the best way to see theclean, laser-like rotation between nose up and nose down positions. Focus on thesepoints as you practice:

((11)) Before you begin the UnderSkate recovery, check that your head and hand are inthe same position you established in Skating.

((22)) If you don’t feel completely supported by the water, look down more and angleyour hand deeper.

((33)) Use this mantra for bringing your hand forward: “Wipe your belly and see yourhand.”

((44)) When you see your hand, check that your shoulders are still stacked.

((55)) Practice on both sides until it’s second nature to stay balanced on your side whenyour hand is under your nose.

DRILL #7: UNDERSWITCH (US)

This is the first drill to tap the power of the kinetic chain by teaching you how to linkan armstroke to core-body rotation for effortless propulsion. It also simplifies thelearning process for swimming “taller” with the front-quadrant (FQ) stroke timing thatkeeps your bodyline long. It does this by giving you a visual cue for when to make theswitch. The underwater, slo-and-stop view of Joe will give you the clearest sense ofhow this drill teaches you the FQ timing and links your propelling armstroke to bodyroll. If you find yourself still underwater after the Switch – like Ian – try switching witha bit more snap. After you’ve mastered the basic movement, give attention to thesefocal points one at a time. Focus on doing one thing really well each length: 10

((11)) Don’t begin sneaking your hand until you check head hidden, shoulders stacked,hand in “clock” position, and angle your fingers down.

((22)) Switch when you see your hand and switch too far. Think of it this way: “Take yourbellybutton to the air; your head just goes along for the ride.”

((33)) Switch through the smallest possible “hole” in the water and drill silently.

((44)) Try to pause your kick for a moment as you switch…Pick it up again in LVSS.

DRILL #8: DOUBLE UNDERSWITCH (US2)

Single-Switch drills teach core-body propulsion and precision stroke timing, but thesingle sweeping movement is more like a golf swing, than a swimming stroke. Multipleswitches bring swimming rhythms to those movements, with time to regroup, evaluateyour practice, and make fine adjustments between cycles in LVSS. In watching thevideo pay particular attention to the overhead view of Terry in the Endless Pool.Notice that there’s no pause before the second switch in each cycle. You can improveyour rhythm with two adjustments:

((11)) Reduce rotation. Rotate to less than 90 degrees during multi-switches. (i.e. Yourshoulders do not reach a vertical position.)

((22)) Keep your stroking hand moving. Finish the stroke and immediately begin recov-ery. The stroke-back-and-return-forward should be one uninterrupted – but unhur-ried – movement.

DRILL #9: TRIPLE UNDERSWITCH (US3)

US3 will give you even more space to make yourself more Fishlike and learn the feel ofa swimming rhythm. Each swimmer on the video will contribute something to yourcomplete understanding of how to do US3 well. One of the key points for triathletesand long distance swimmers is how Susie pauses her kick during the three switches,then picks it up again when she’s nose-up in LVSS. Key focal points for US2 and US3practice include:

((11)) Keep your head hidden and still. Water should flow over the back of your headduring all three switches.

((22)) Keep your timing consistent. Switch at the exact moment you see your handunder your nose.

((33)) Slice your extending hand DEEP to your clock position, then tip your fingers downand feel firm water pressure on your hand and forearm before you switch.

((44)) STAY SLIPPERY, particularly while sneaking your arm and switching

((55)) Finally reduce the glide between switches. Roll your body a bit less during thethree switches, to increase rhythm, and see if you can pause your kick while switching,resuming it gently after you return to Sweet Spot.

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LESSON THREE:ZIPPERSWITCHFOR MASTERING A COMPACT, RELAXED RECOVERY

From Lesson Two, you’ve learned to generate effortless propulsion by using yourhand to simply hold on to a spot in the water while dynamic body-roll takes you pastthat spot and how to travel farther as you do by keeping your bodyline long duringswitches. ZipperSwitch drills will improve your sense of balance and teach you acompact, relaxed recovery. Having painstakingly developed a balanced, aligned foun-dation, we don’t want an arm-swinging recovery to hurt that. So Lesson Three willteach you an energy-saving, alignment-preserving, drag-reducing recovery.

DRILL #10: ZIPPERSKATE (ZSK)

ZSk is the most valuable of all balance drills because it lets you know exactly how to“lay on your lungs” for balance. Once you feel that in your bones, you never forgetthe feeling. You could easily practice this drill mindfully for 15 to 30 minutes everyweek for a month or two and learn valuable lessons on every lap. On the video,please pay particular attention to:

((11)) Joe keeps his hand completely underwater on recovery and pauses it right nextto his ear.

((22)) Jennifer angles her extended right arm deeply to help her stay balanced as herleft arm comes forward to ZipperSkate position. And, unlike Joe, because she tendsto sink, she returns it to her side immediately. If she kept her left hand fully sub-merged, as Joe does, she would probably sink less.

((33)) Ian’s left hand is so relaxed that water pressure flexes it backward as hebrings it to his ear.

((44)) Joe’s hand shows the same relaxation on the underwater view, before he beginsto pump it.

((55)) The partnered coaching by Joe and Ian is a brilliant example of how to get thefine points just right.

AAss yyoouu pprraaccttiiccee ZZSSkk ssoolloo,, ffooccuuss oonn tthhee ffoolllloowwiinngg::

((11)) If you sink, lower your head position and angle your extended hand DEEPER.Your goal is to sink in a horizontal position. If you are a sinker, quickly slide your handback to your side.

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((22)) If you’re stable and supported, “skate” for a few seconds with your arm hangingas a dead weight alongside your ear. Practice recovering super slowly. Feel thewater’s resistance against your hand. Lead with your elbow and soften your handand arm. Can you make that recovery action as gentle and relaxed as Joe’s andIan’s?

((33)) Finally, pump your arm up and down once or twice alongside your ear. This willimprint the spot where the hand will drive down to switch in the next drill.

DRILL #11: ZIPPERSWITCH (ZS)

The compact, relaxed, unhurried recovery from ZSk will help to effectively link yourarmstroke to the power of core-body rotation. ZS imprints an early, steep and deepentry as “purposeful exaggeration” to correct the strong tendency to over-reach onentry and heightens awareness of the FQ timing that keeps your bodyline longthroughout the stroke cycle.

OOnn tthhee vviiddeeoo,, pplleeaassee ppaayy ppaarrttiiccuullaarr aatttteennttiioonn ttoo::

((11)) The way Jennifer and Ian use the arm-pump from ZSk to help them find theright entry point. You shouldn’t have to practice this for long, but it is an invaluableway to quickly learn where to make the switch in ZS.

((22)) The way Joe and Ian keep their hands completely submerged through recoveryto where they make the switch. Both are also completely in control and unhurried inthat recovery.

((33)) How “patient” Terry is with the extended arm – waiting for the other hand toslice down.

AAss yyoouu pprraaccttiiccee ZZSS ssoolloo,, ffooccuuss oonn tthhee ffoolllloowwiinngg::

((11)) A compact and unhurried Zipper recovery – hand under water, elbow leading,arm soft. As soon as your hand catches up to the elbow, pump it, then slice downand in as you switch and roll to LVSS on the other side.

((22)) Drive the hand DEEP – to your “clock position.”

((33)) Relax there for 3 yoga breaths, then repeat in the other direction. After twolengths, the arm pump can be optional.

((44)) Continue to emphasize the following:

HHEEAADD RRIIGGHHTT IINN LLIINNEE WWIITTHH TTHHEE SSPPIINNEE…… water flowing over the back of the head.

AA CCOOMMPPAACCTT,, UUNNHHUURRRRIIEEDD RREECCOOVVEERRYY…… Arms soft, elbow leading. HUG the surface.

AANN EEAARRLLYY,, SSTTEEEEPP,, AANNDD DDEEEEPP EENNTTRRYY alongside your ear – to your clock position.

PPRRAACCTTIICCEE SSIILLEENNTTLLYY..

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DRILL #12: MULTI ZIPPERSWITCHES (ZS2+)

ZS2+ introduces swimming rhythms to recovery and entry skills taught above. Whenyou do three or more switches (relaxed and rhythmic swimmers can do as many assix) this is the most transforming drill in the entire TI sequence. ZS2+ primes you totransition from skillful drilling to beautiful swimming.

OOnn tthhee vviiddeeoo,, pplleeaassee ppaayy ppaarrttiiccuullaarr aatttteennttiioonn ttoo::

((11)) How far Joe travels in the course of five switches – his head just keeps travel-ing past lane markers. This is from maintaining a long sleek bodyline as he switchesrhythmically.

((22)) How controlled and unhurried Kathryn’s switches are – with Fistgloves

((33)) How utterly relaxed – yet impeccably consistent in her timing – Jennifer remainsthrough five switches.

((44)) The angle of Terry’s entry and extension, easily seen from underwater in theEndless Pool.

IInn yyoouurr ssoolloo pprraaccttiiccee ooff ZZSS22++,, uussee tthheessee ffooccaall ppooiinnttss::

HHIIDDEE YYOOUURR HHEEAADD…… Water should flow over the back of your head much of thetime… Look straight down and watch yourself slide effortlessly past tiles on thepool bottom.

KKEEEEPP AA LLOOWW PPRROOFFIILLEE…… Hug the surface, as if swimming under a very low ceiling.

SSOOFFTTEENN YYOOUURR AARRMMSS AANNDD HHAANNDDSS…… Feel the water resist your hand, but try torecover without splash or turbulence.

DDRRIIVVEE TTHHEE HHAANNDD DDEEEEPP!! Keep aiming for the “clock position;” on each switch, thehand should “replace” the hand that was there.

FFEEEELL TTHHEE CCOOMMPPLLEETTEE SSUUPPPPOORRTT OOFF TTHHEE WWAATTEERR and recover with as much “leisure”as possible.

AANNDD FFIINNAALLLLYY DDRRIILLLL WWIITTHHOOUUTT MMAAKKIINNGG AA SSOOUUNNDD..

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

This isn’t a drill per se, but the learning/practice method it illustrates can be invalu-able for nearly anyone. Both Joe (who is a world-class sprinter) and Ian are highlyaccomplished TI swimmers and coaches, but both are devout in their belief thatmindful practice of fine points can help them continue improving without pause. Oneform is standing in place to practice a subtle movement or skill repeatedly withoutdistraction. The other is to work with a partner to help you with the parts you can’tsee yourself. In this case, they’re working on leading with the elbow for as long aspossible in recovery – lightly restricting the recovering wrist at just the rightmoment helps remind the swimmer to slice down at that point. If you’re going topractice this with a TI Buddy, watch this segment together first.

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LESSON FOUR:LEARN TO SWIMAS WELL AS YOU DRILL

Lesson Four will teach you precisely how your stroke will feel for the rest of yourlife. For some, Drill 13 is “swimming,” at least for a while. The great value of Drill 13 isthat it gives almost anyone, even someone in the very early learning stages, an easyway to practice Fishlike Swimming.

MOMENTUM/PUSHOFF DRILLS

Momentum drills help you experience speed and balance, in a slippery position. Thisprovides two major benefits: (1) Once you learn a balanced, streamlined pushoff, youcan start every length with momentum and in good balance. (2) If you have felt as ifyou needed to kick a lot during drills up to this point, these drills will teach you touse your core body to achieve balance, rather than your legs. The video of Joe doingthese drills should be most instructive. As someone who is very lean with very longlegs, he is the very definition of someone for whom balance ought to be a greatchallenge – and it was as he was learning TI. In the underwater segments, you’llnotice that he minimizes his kick as much as possible in order to force himself toget balanced by using weight distribution and his extended hand to stay horizontal.Here are some additional hints on how to master these drills. If you can practicewith a TI Buddy as Joe and Ian demonstrate, you’ll gain an amazing sense of effort-less balance – with just a slight assist from your partner.

STEP 1: STREAMLINED PUSHOFF TO BALANCED BREAKOUT

It will be helpful to practice the streamlined position on the deck or standing inshallow water: Extend both arms overhead, with elbows straight and lock handstogether, with thumb of top hand closed over bottom hand, hand over hand, wristover wrist, squeezing your biceps just behind your ears. Streamline by compressingbelow your shoulders, like squeezing toothpaste from the middle of the tube. Thendo the following:

((11)) Start in the shallow end, back to the wall, then: SSiitt:: Crouch with only your headabove the surface, elbows at sides with forearms and hands extended forward.RRoollll:: Lift feet from the bottom, and simultaneously roll forward and drop under thesurface, using your hands to assist in bringing the upper torso horizontal under thewater. PPllaanntt aanndd ppuusshh:: Extend the arms and torso into the streamlined position

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while going horizontal beneath the surface, plant both feet on the wall, and push offevenly and forcefully.

((22)) Glide in balance as far as possible without kicking. Your goal is to surface in ahorizontal position – back of head, shoulder blades and suit breaking the surfacesimultaneously, as far down the pool as possible. After breaking through the sur-face, continue pressing in and gliding for as long as you continue to inch forward.NNoottee:: Balance-challenged swimmers should push off quite shallow – barely belowthe surface – and with extra speed so your momentum alone will take you to thesurface. When you master a no-kick balanced breakout, advance to the next drill.

SStteepp 22:: PPuusshhooffff ttoo SSkkaattiinngg PPoossiittiioonn((11)) Do the streamlined pushoff as above, shallow enough that your momentumalone takes you to the surface. Just before you surface, stroke with one arm, leav-ing it at your side, while driving the other hand deep as you rotate to Skating posi-tion (arm extended, shoulders and hips stacked, nose straight down).

NNoottee:: It’s essential to drive your hand deeper than you think it should go – and toangle your fingertips downward.

((22)) Travel as far as possible in skating position and in balance, using only themomentum of your pushoff.

((33)) Begin kicking as late and as gently as possible to continue momentum and keepyour legs near the surface. Repeat six or more times, alternating sides. Your goalsare to travel just a bit farther each time before you begin kicking, and to use a pro-gressively more gentle kick to maintain the horizontal position.

SStteepp 33:: PPuusshhooffff ttoo ZZiippppeerr--SSkkaattee As you gain a truly effortless sense of balance without kicking, add a ZipperSkate toyour pushoff, as follows:

((11)) Push off exactly as described above but, after surfacing, pause for a singlebeat after you feel your balance in Skating position, and then draw the trailing armforward into the ZipperSkate position.

((22)) After several practice tries, refine your timing so you can complete the strokeand, without pause, immediately – but unhurriedly – begin to draw the arm forwardto the Zipper Skate position.

((33)) Continue gliding for as long as possible without kicking – or with the lightestpossible kick – in the ZipperSkate position. You should feel your balance and stabilityimprove noticeably in this position.

((44)) Keep your focus on driving the other hand deep with fingertips angled down, asJoe does.

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DRILL #13: OVERSWITCHES (OS2+)

This drill teaches you how your new “Fishlike” stroke will feel. In fact, you’ll be swim-ming with your new stroke between pauses in Sweet Spot. OS2+ reinforces the FQswitch timing that helps you swim taller. It also strongly imprints a deft, knifelikeentry to reduce turbulence and drag. Finally, it teaches you to drive your hand to asolid anchoring position, to hold a LOT of water, and connect your arm to effortlesspower from core-body rotation.

The video segments show you how to practice four key skills: (1) Ear Hops, (2)Holding water at the beginning of the stroke, (3) releasing and relaxing at the end ofthe stroke, and (4) seamless breathing. Let’s examine the importance of each:

EEaarr HHooppss:: In Zswitches we imprinted an entry position alongside the ear. We’re notaiming to have you continue swimming this way, but to use purposeful exaggerationto overcome the common “human-swimming” instinct to over-reach on entry. Here’sthe full process:

((11)) Zipper drills teach you to “switch” while your hand is directly alongside your ear.This is actually too early for “swimming” but helps make a strong break from priorhabit.

((22)) On OverSwitches, practice “Ear Hops” (so named by TI Coach Gary Fahey) inwhich you take your hand barely out of the water and immediately reinsert. Thesegments of Terry in the Endless Pool and in a regular pool will give you the bestunderstanding. Watch them at slow motion.

((33)) Continue to practice Ear Hops on disciplined, mindful Superslow whole-strokerepeats, to allow this new movement to become imprinted.

((44)) As you swim faster, don’t attempt to restrict your hand to the same entryposition. Instead allow it to move freely as feels natural (not “old-natural” but “newnatural”). Simply swim without overt inhibition. Your entry position will adjust withspeed – but should end up closer to your head at all speeds.

HHoollddiinngg WWaatteerr:: When you enter your hand at the deeper, steeper angle, we’ve beenreinforcing since the “clock position” in Skating, you put your hand and forearm inposition to act as a “big paddle” for holding a lot of water. Aim to trap as muchwater volume inside your hand and forearm as possible, then be patient about feel-ing the water give back some pressure to your hand before stroking. Some ways toimprove your feel for this:

((11)) Practice with Fistgloves as Kathryn demonstrates. After 15 or 20 minutes withthem on, your bare hand will feel like a big paddle that can hold a LOT of water.

((22)) A moment of patience on the catch, as shown by Terry in the underwaterEndless Pool view. This lets you feel some water pressure – and eliminate air bubbles– before you stroke.

((33)) Heighten your feel for creating water pressure by doing the partnered exercisedemonstrated by Mark and Terry. Take turns with a TI Buddy on loosely holdingankles, then releasing after about six strokes.

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RReelleeaassee aanndd RReellaaxx:: We began to learn the skill of relaxing your arm by focusing on a“soft” arm and yielding to water pressure on ZipperSwitches. Reinforce it here by:

((11)) Learning not to push back at the end of your stroke, but to release in a “C-shaped” finish as shown in the 3-swimmer underwater views. It’s shown in slo-motion already, but study this in even slower motion, perhaps frame-by-frame tosee how all three swimmers finish the stroke and exit the water – by rounding off,not pushing back.

((22)) To get an even stronger sense of a completely relaxed “dead weight” hand andforearm during recovery, practice the recovery/entry exercise demonstrated byJoe Novak, standing in shallow water on the video.

When practicing OS2+ solo, do as many switches as you can without feeling breath-less, using them to imprint the same focal points as in Drill #12, plus these:

((11)) When you take your hand out, try to have it out of the water for the briefestpossible time and have your fingertips clear the water by the minimum possibleclearance.

((22)) Slice your hand back into the water just in front of your goggles. Cut a holewith your fingers and slip your arm cleanly through that hole.

((33)) Be “patient” on your switches: Start the next stroke as your fingertips enterthe water.

((44)) Gradually shift focus from your switch-timing to your core-body-rolling rhythm.Once you feel body rhythm, adjust body roll to allow for fluid, rhythmic, and seamlessmovement with no hesitation or interruptions.

BREATHING 101

Your swimming movements are all in place now. The transition from drilling to swim-ming is accomplished by replacing the Sweet Spot pauses with rhythmic breathing.For some students this can be the most challenging part of the entire process, butwith patience anyone can master the art of the “Seamless Breath,” which means tofit breathing into your body-rolling rhythm with no interruption. Start withOverswitches to establish your core-body rotation rhythm then fit a breath intothat rhythm:

FFiitt BBrreeaatthhiinngg iinnttoo YYoouurr RRhhyytthhmm

Start each lap with at least four switches – to imprint your core-body-rollingrhythm. Then try one seamless rhythmic breath like this:

((11)) Breathe by rolling right to where the air is and immediately back in the otherdirection.

((22)) Try to do that with no interruption of the rolling rhythm you established withyour switches.

((33)) Roll as far as necessary. Keep your head in line as you roll your head and torsoas one unit to air. If you don’t get air easily, roll farther. Fiona in the Endless Poolillustrates this well. 18

((44)) If that breath goes smoothly, do another the same way, several strokes later. Ifyou sensed a slight interruption in your rhythm, try to smooth it out on the nextbreath.

((55)) If you lose control, go back to Sweet Spot on the next breath and think abouthow to regain control on the next 25. Slow everything down. Be quieter and moregentle. Don’t let yourself feel hurried. Fistgloves® can be a big help.

WHAT MAKES YOUR FREESTYLE FISHLIKE?

The object of this video has been to teach you to swim the whole stroke with moreflow, grace, and economy than ever before. When you move from practicing drills toswimming the whole stroke, how should that feel? Truly gifted swimmers have a rareintuitive understanding of how to move through the water effectively. You candevelop your “inner coach” by ignoring how far or fast you swim to focus only ondoing what feels good and trying to make good feel better. Pick one of these focalpoints and swim short repeats (25 to 50 yards) slowly and easily, trying mainly tofeel as described. Between repeats, take three to five deep, slow “cleansing” breathsuntil you feel ready to swim with ease again. To test which work best for you, countyour strokes for 25 or 50 yards before beginning, then compare your stroke countwhile practicing these focal points.

WHAT: HIDE YOUR HEADWhy: Good head-spine alignment is essential to all skilled movement.How:((11)) Lead with the top of your head, not your forehead.

((22)) See the bottom directly under you, and not much that’s forward of you.

WHAT: SWIM DOWNHILLWhy: Balance – feeling completely supported by the water – is the non-negotiableskill of efficient swimming.How:((11)) Lean on your chest until your hips and legs feel light.

((22)) Rhythmically press in one armpit, then the other, while swimming freestyle.

WHAT: LENGTHEN YOUR BODYWhy: A longer body line reduces drag, allowing you to swim faster, easier.How:((11)) Slip your arm into the water as if sliding it into a sleeve.

((22)) Keep extending your arm…slowly… until you feel your shoulder touch your jaw.

WHAT: FLOW LIKE WATERWhy: Making waves or creating turbulence takes energy, all of it supplied by you.How:((11)) Pierce the water; slip through the smallest possible hole.

((22)) Drill or swim as quietly as possible. 19

Portions of this viewer’s guide have been excerpted from Triathlon Swimming MadeEasy: How ANYONE can succeed in triathlon (or open-water swimming) with TotalImmersion by Terry Laughlin. While the title refers to Triathlon, this book is actuallya detailed learner’s manual for anyone who would like to swim a fluent, effortlessfreestyle for any distance, and be comfortable swimming in any body of water. It isthe perfect practice guide for those who’ve begun building a new stroke withFreestyle Made Easy. Visit www.totalimmersion.net/free-books.html to read freeexcerpts from TSME or call 800-609-7946 to order TSME, Fistgloves, or Slim Fins.

You’re now ready to view the video, and to send your swimming – and your experi-ence of swimming – into a new dimension. Be patient, swim with great thought andprecision, and we guarantee you’ll see dramatic improvement and continue improvingfor life.

Happy laps!Terry Laughlin

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