TI Swimming and whether to continue swimming laps...

I had the same initial problem when I first got the TI book last year.  I worked on the basic drills, and did some 'regular' laps while waiting on the DVD.  When I did laps, I would concentrate on the points that the drills try to make: glide through the water, rotating your hips when rolling, stay long and thin, etc.  In a short time, I went from barely makgin 500 yards, to 2000 (and much stronger), and from 2:15/100 to 1:45/100 (the other day - a new PB for me!)

I suggest doing some drills as part of your warmup, or pre-set, to build the muscle-memory before you do your regular workout.  It'll all come together.

I didn't swim over the winter due to a rotator cuff injury from swimming incorrectly.

In March, I took a TI class at an expo and a fellow BTer gave me the name and number of a TI coach who lives near me and actually belongs to my YMCA. I took private lessons about every 2-3 weeks. I did nothing but TI drills for more than 8 weeks...worked on balance and timing. My Tri coach and my TI coach both encouraged me not to do regular swimming since it confuses my muscle memory. Doing drills is trying to teach me new ways...mixing in my crappy old swimming defeats the purpose. Turth is most people won't or don't stop doing freestyle while learning TI..so they may not transform their stroke as much.

My old stroke was horrible and I wanted to relearn how to swim. In my first Tri in late May my swimming hadn't really come together, nor in my second. I did drills mixed with swimming. By late June I could swim the TI method...much more comfortable, efficient with a  much lower stroke count plus I'm 30-60 seconds faster per 100 yards than before.. Now I can swim for 45 minutes and probably could keep swimming longer. It took me longer to get the swimming from drills than most people...but I finally got it.

I encourage anyone wanting to learn the TI method to look on the website and also call TI to see if there is a coach near you. Some offer group classes on their own or offer private lessons. I think I have spent less than $250 but it has helped me and imporved my enjoyment of Tris so much. Many TI coaches are not listed on the website since the website was geared for full time coaches. The TI clinics put all the learning and practice into a weekend. I felt I'd learn and retain better learning then practicing for 5-10 hours and then learning more. My coach has most people learn the TI method in 3 lessons...for me very good use of money. Anyone in the RI/SE MA area, want to know about my coach go to www.bigdreamfitness.com

It is harder to change your swimming in the middle of the summer when you have Tris. I think I'd work on drills and also do freestyle practice, but once your Tris are over drop doing freestyle until you have mastered all the drills.

I too did nothing but TI drills for two months after my TI workshop and before I started "swimming".  I had such a surge in my confidence in my swimming ability after the clinic, that I trusted my TI instructors and followed the practices that they gave us. Oftentimes, I wore fins so that I could get through the drills faste.

I'm such a beleiver in the TI method because it took me from zero to swimming without drowning in very little time.

I'm glad that's not the case for the Master's league in Augusta.  I started out only being able to swim 50 yards at one time- that's all I could handle.  Luckily they didn't have restrictions like that or else I would have had to resort to private lessons or that dvd.

My TI coach did an Ironman practicing mostly 25 yds at a time. She told me you build endurance doing the drills. Not sure the distance you are doing...but if you do drills for 30-45 minutes at a time 3 times a week you'll be building endurance. Since you have two months, consider taking say 2 weeks and only do drills.

I copy the book or my workouts and put them in a gallon ziplock and bring them to the pool to do.

If you check the free video clips on this site, you can at least get a visual before your DVD arrives.

http://www.totalimmersion.net/

What worked for me was spending half my workout on drills and half on laps.