Swim Like This - My Total Immersion Clinic Videos (Page 4)

I disagree wholeheartedly. TI swimmers, and many other swimmers, including elite swimmers, use a 3rd method, (core body) rotation as a means of propulsion. Rather than "arming & legging" their way through the water, they shift/rotate their weight from side-to-side around the long axis of the head/neck/spine line, then direct that weigh shift forward by lengthening at the right time. When they kick - 2 or 6 beat - it starts the rotation.

Why do you think rotation is important? If it's as you say above, to help your pull, how does it do that?

Boy, you have to be careful comparing once-in-a-generation swimmers to mere mortals. I'd contend that Janet Evans' DNA had as much, if not more, to do with her success as her technique. Who else ever swam that way or swims that way now? Why not? Mostly because what worked for her won't work for most other swimmers. "Similar" styles have worked for Michael Klim & Inge De Bruin, but who else. If it did, coaches everywhere would have their swimmers doing it. And I say "similar" without knowing the ins & outs of their technique other than it "looks" similar. And it took a lot more than high tech suits to break her records, not the least of which are smarter training, better nutrition, psychology, etc. If you're going to make those kinds of comparisons it's better to flesh out the entire picture, not simply use the part that seems to support your claim. Talking about Gennadi Touretski, coach to both Michael Klim & Alexandre Popov would make a more "honest" anecdote.

Comparing bike balance & swim balance is comparing apples & oranges. I'm only a humble swim coach, but even I know that land-based balance is something we learn as soon as we stand up & fall down a few times. Even though we start out balancing horizontally - creeping, crawling - we soon stand up, giving in to our evolutionary mandate to walk upright.  After the training wheels come off our bike we might go through the same learning experience, but it doesn't take long to get it right... for life. 

Water changes all of those rules, though. Since the dawn of man, when people went in water they drowned. Virtually every intuitive thing people do to not drown makes their situation worse, not better. We (TI) teach people to be counter-intuitive in the water. By teaching them to balance first & foremost, they gain comfort & everything else they have to do - including pulling - comes easier & works better. I tend to talk about pulling earlier in the workshops I teach, usually before the final pool session. I remind impressionable new TI swimmers that until they figure out how to propel themselves by using rhythmic weight shifts/rotations, then lengthening to direct that energy forward, they shouldn't (think about the) pull. That's right before I give them Fistgloves to help them figure out how to not rely on their hands for propulsion.

Not true. TI is popular because we teach people key skills that help them get those AHA moments. I refer to them as flashes of brilliance. We write a similar - not the same - prescription because most humans who try to swim do the same "problematic" things in the water. For most swimmers, pulling is what gets them into trouble in the first place. They can't stay at the surface so they pull - and kick - harder to get where they want to go. As their arms - and legs - tire, they pull & kick more furiously, wearing themselves out in a downward spiral of exhaustion. We teach them to be more efficient by first changing their relationship with the water by balancing. Then we teach them to swim from the inside-out by using their core as the power source & adding the arms & legs at the right time.

You should look closer at who's teaching what. As a competitive swim coach, too, I pay attention to what great coaches like Dave Marsh, Eddie Reese, the late Richard Quick & others do & say. A lot of it is a lot like TI. They don't call it TI, of course, but you'd have to be blind not to see the similarities. Terry also proved his point by coaching very fast Division 1 swimmers for 3 yrs. at West point, one of whom went 44+ for a 100 free & a 400 free relay that averaged 45+.

So we agree... we teach folks the basics, cut through the BS & tell them what's important for them to swim well... and fast eventually.

But no problems correct themselves. Actually, I think the problems are the basics, just being done wrong. You mentioned your own stroke & the flaws you're sure exist. Surely you've got the "basics" down, but still have those flaws, no? You've got a few "tendencies" that could use some work - one is your hands going down, up, then down again after they enter the water. Shouldn't they just go down? I teach folks to take their hands directly to "nose deep" & "hold on" there 'til their other hand gets ready to enter the water. Being patient, then doing the right thing at the right time is what makes everybody's swimming tick.

Rather than be "uninformed" why not come to a workshop & work on some stuff. Just like anyone else who comes, if you're not completely satisfied we'll keep working with you until you are or give you your money back.

Ok, instead of picking your post apart line by line, as I'm tired of beating a dead TI horse here, Why don't you show me you moving through the water with just your core, or the 3rd method of propulsion. No arms, No legs, just core. When you're done please post the video here as I'm sure it will be most impressive.

Once you prove the effectiveness of swimming with just your core, then I will address the rest of your comments.  

Just read your other post. I think TI would definitely help someone in your situation. From listening to others, I'm not sure that attending a clinic is always worth the dough, but grabbing a dvd or a book may help quite a bit. Having said that, there are many qualified coaches and intructors out there that are not affiliated with TI that could help you tremendously as well. Do a few searches on the internet or bring up the topic on your next ride and you will probably find someone. If all of that fails, get some video of yourself and post it up. Lots of people are happy to offer up some advice.  More than all of this though, you need to spend a lot of time in the pool. Good luck and let me know if I can help.