Total Immersion Workshop

Tough call. Its my understanding you  only get to swim twice. Once at the beginning where they tape you to see what you do now. Then they have classes, videos, etc, then you get to swim again practicing what you learned in the classroom, and you're expected to refine things on your own.

So I'd say got with the coach, but it'd help if he knows what TI swimming is, because TI form and "normal" form are different.

I dunno, but am contemplating the same thing. I'm leaning toward the TI workshop right now. I've had a hard time finding coaching near me that is at a time and location I can get to with my current schedule. There is a master's program nearby, but my friend who's in it says the coaches haven't done anything to help her with her form, and seeing as I beat her in the last tri, me doing a motley combination of breaststroke/side stroke/front crawl/dogie paddle and her doing all front crawl, I'm guessing that ain't worth my money.I figure I can do the TI workshop, and keep looking for other swim coaching.

I did a TI workshop 2 years ago. SO far its the best money i have spent on this obsession!!!!

There are like 4-5 students per instructor. You do nothing but the drills until the end of day 2. Then you get about 10 minutes to actually practice your TI stroke.

Weekend workshop is 4 swims of 90 minutes (typically) and the rest instruction with live video of your form and feedback while in the pool.  A trainer would be best if you can find one, but a ti workshop is a good jumpstart for swimming form.

I watched a video of my form the other day and it's pretty terrible.  I think I'm going to try to get to a TI workshop and go from there.

I did the TI workshop and while it was a good intro for a newb swimmer like me, knowing what I know now, I would have used that money to find a GOOD coach to work with.

I emphasized good because just getting any old coach IMO doesn't work.  There are some that are comfortable coaching a newb adult and some that are maybe better suited to teaching faster swimmers or children.  I went through 3-4 coaches before I found one that would come out and tell me I sucked.

So if you can find a local coach that can teach you, I would go with that, you could get in at least 5 1hr lessons with that, maybe more depending on your location.  If not then the TI workshop wouldn't hurt but you would still want to find a coach after that to continue lessons.

I'd find a good local coach and you could work with them all winter for the same cost and have feed back on an ongoing basis.

When I first started to swim I looked at doing a total immersion workshop but found a local TI coach to take private lessons that ended up costing less.

I'm not a fan of TI as I think it taught me lots of bad habits that I still struggle with now 5 years later. They are great at balance and learning to swim slow...but breathing and swimming for tris I'm not sold on the program.

First of all, I have been swimming since 1967 in all kinds of enviroments from rivers (sometimes flooded) to oceans (used to surf off Huntington pier in CA, to pools.  I did not realize how slow I was until my first tri last year.

I have since had help from 3 different coaches, all of whom helped me in some way improve my form.

However, I took the TI program in July and it was the best money that I have ever spent on swimming or my Triathlon addiction. 

Not only did I cut my stroke count in half, but TI gave me tools to use time that I get in the pool to continually improve.

It does require patience to keep improving.  They really don't want you to actually freestyle until you have imprinted the technique through constant drilling for at least 6 weeks following the class.

In fact, I am so happy with the results, that am going to do one of their open water clinics this winter.

I did my clinic in Chicago and Devon was my instructer.  I havn't bought their breathing video yet, but that has not really been a big issue for me.

Devon does private lessons as well and is a triathlete, so if you are in the Chicago area you can find her at www.calmwaters.info

Good luck with improving your swimming!

I did the TI weekend workshop and it was the best money I spent.

I could swim and had done a Oly Tri,  however after their workshop I was a swimmer. Wow !

You spend the weekend doing drills, the class was small, you get individual attention from the instructor(s) we had two, the video feedback was so helpful, great to see what I was doing wrong and learn how to correct it.

After the workshop, it took me a bit to put it all together in the pool, worked on the drills and before I knew it I was gliding threw the water with no little to no effort, no shoulder pain anymore. 
 I swim so easy now; I swim Much straighter now and sight very little, and my stroke count went down after TI. 

Anyhow, I know what works for one is not something that may work for everyone. 

Good Luck