Swimming. For some, it’s second nature, a source of joy and effortless movement. But for others, like myself for many years, it can be a source of fear and frustration. The feeling of being out of breath after just a lap or two, the panic of feeling unsupported in the water – it’s enough to make anyone avoid the pool altogether. My personal journey with swimming was riddled with starts and stops, each attempt ending in the same breathless anxiety. National titles in other sports meant nothing when faced with the simple task of swimming a few lengths. It was a persistent insecurity.
Time and time again, I tried to learn How To Swim, only to find my heart racing and exhaustion setting in almost immediately. It felt impossible. But I refused to give up. And after countless failed attempts, I finally found a method that not only worked but transformed my entire experience in the water. In less than ten days, I went from struggling to complete two lengths of the pool to swimming forty lengths per workout. This is my story of how I finally learned to swim, and how you can too, regardless of your past struggles.
The turning point came with a friendly challenge and a realization. A friend, a lifelong swimmer, proposed a bet: he’d give up coffee for a year if I trained for and completed a 1-kilometer open-water swim. Initially daunting, the idea started to take hold. He argued that swimming wasn’t just another fitness fad; it was a fundamental life skill and a source of enjoyment I was missing out on. He was right. Learning to swim was about more than just exercise; it was about conquering a fear and gaining a skill that could bring lifelong pleasure and confidence.
But why did it take me so long to share this breakthrough? Because the conventional advice and methods I tried initially failed miserably.
Kickboards, often recommended for beginners? They left me feeling clumsy and barely moving, a humiliating experience for someone accustomed to athletic competence. Hand paddles, touted as a way to build strength? They only led to shoulder pain and further discouragement. Swimming was supposed to be low-impact, yet it felt anything but.
Months went by, and I was ready to admit defeat. Then, a chance encounter at a barbecue changed everything. I met Chris Sacca, a former Google executive and avid triathlete. Sharing my swimming woes, I was cut short by his confident declaration: “I have the answer to your prayers. It revolutionized how I swim.”
That statement grabbed my attention.
Discovering the Total Immersion Method
Chris introduced me to the Total Immersion (TI) method, developed by coach Terry Laughlin. Intrigued, I immediately ordered the Total Immersion book and, crucially, the Freestyle Made Easy DVD. This combination proved to be the key.
In my very first TI-inspired workout – without any coach or supervision – I experienced an immediate and dramatic difference. I felt like I had cut my drag and water resistance in half. Suddenly, I was swimming more laps than ever before, with less effort and more ease. By my fourth session, my stroke count had dropped from over 25 strokes per 20-yard length to an astonishing 11 strokes. It was unbelievable.
I was covering twice the distance with the same number of strokes, expending half the energy, and feeling relaxed and in control. Instead of dreading the pool, I started looking forward to it. The Total Immersion method was fundamentally changing my relationship with swimming.
To truly grasp the TI method, I highly recommend watching the Freestyle Made Easy DVD before diving into the book. The drills in the book, particularly in the earlier chapters, can be difficult to understand and execute without the visual guidance of the DVD. Initially, I struggled with exercises focused on floating horizontally and proper kicking technique, becoming frustrated until the DVD clarified the core principles of effortless propulsion. Once I understood the visual demonstrations, the theories and explanations in the book clicked into place, transforming my approach to swimming.
Key Principles of the Total Immersion Method for Beginners:
The Total Immersion method is built upon the idea of minimizing drag and maximizing propulsion through refined technique, rather than brute force. Here are the core principles that made the biggest difference in my journey of learning how to swim:
1. Prioritize Body Position and Balance: Instead of focusing on pulling with your arms or kicking powerfully with your legs, TI emphasizes a horizontal body position and shoulder roll to minimize water resistance. This is counterintuitive to what many beginners are told, but it’s fundamental to efficient swimming. Kicking harder is often the default advice for struggling swimmers, but TI flips this script, focusing on streamlining the body first.
2. Head and Spine Alignment for Horizontal Body Position: Maintain a neutral head position, looking straight down at the bottom of the pool, keeping your head in line with your spine. This is similar to your head position when walking. Avoid lifting your head to look forward, as this drops your legs and creates drag. Drive your arm forward underwater rather than swimming on the surface. Observing underwater footage of elite swimmers like Shinji Takeuchi and Natalie Coughlin highlights this principle perfectly. Notice how Shinji primarily uses a small leg flick for hip rotation and arm drive, conserving energy through efficient body positioning.
3. Swim “On Your Side” for Streamlining and Reach: Think of freestyle as alternating swimming on your right and left sides, rather than flat on your stomach. This concept is central to TI. The Total Immersion website describes it as actively streamlining “the body throughout the stroke cycle through a focus on rhythmically alternating ‘streamlined right side’ and ‘streamlined left side’ positions and consciously keeping the bodyline longer and sleeker than is typical for human swimmers.” Imagine a rock climber extending their reach by moving their hip closer to the wall. Similarly, rotating your body in swimming lengthens your bodyline, allowing you to travel further with each stroke.
4. Downward Hand Entry for Leg Lift and Reduced Drag: When entering the water, angle your fingers slightly downwards and fully extend your arm well beneath your head, reaching further than you instinctively think you should. This downward pressure from your extended arm helps lift your legs, further reducing drag and creating a sensation of swimming slightly downhill. The “Hand Position and Your Balance” video on the Total Immersion website provides an excellent visual demonstration of this crucial technique.
5. Focus on Stroke Length, Not Stroke Rate: Instead of trying to increase how quickly you move your arms, concentrate on maximizing the distance you cover with each stroke. Glide further with each downstroke and consciously reduce the number of strokes it takes to swim a lap. This shift in focus from speed to efficiency is key to sustainable swimming.
6. Practice Technique, Not Just Workouts: Think of swimming as a practice of refining your technique rather than just a workout to burn calories. You are retraining your nervous system to perform new, counter-intuitive movements. If you feel strained or exhausted, it’s a sign your technique is breaking down. Stop, reassess, and focus on proper form instead of pushing through pain, which can reinforce bad habits.
7. Full Body Rotation for Breathing: When you need to breathe, rotate your entire body, not just your head, allowing for a more relaxed and full breath. Some triathletes rotate almost to their backs to get air, as recommended by 6-time Ironman world champion Dave Scott. This prevents shallow, gasping breaths and oxygen debt.
8. Hand Swapping Drill for Coordination: To integrate these principles, practice the “hand swapping” drill described in the TI book. This drill encourages side swimming, extends stroke length, and promotes “front quadrant” swimming, where your lead arm extends fully before the other arm enters the water. Visualize keeping your lead arm extended until your recovering arm enters the water near your forearm. This single drill can dramatically improve your technique and reduce your stroke count.
Essential Gear and Getting Started
Ready to take the plunge and learn how to swim? Here are some essential gear tips and advice for getting started:
1. Ditch the Board Shorts (for Men): For men, board shorts are like swimming with a parachute. Opt for Euro-style Speedos or swim briefs for significantly reduced drag and increased efficiency. Choose performance over beach fashion when you’re in the pool.
2. Invest in Good Goggles: Clear vision is crucial for comfort and technique. Speedo Vanquisher goggles are a solid choice, especially when paired with a latex swim cap to keep the straps secure. Experiment to find goggles that fit your face shape and provide a watertight seal. Aqua Sphere Kaiman goggles are another highly recommended option, known for their adjustability and comfort.
3. Start in a Short, Shallow Pool: Begin your practice in a pool that is shallow enough for you to stand comfortably (4 feet or less) and no longer than 20 yards. Shorter pools allow you to focus on technique without the pressure of long distances. As your technique improves and you build confidence, you can gradually progress to 25-yard pools and eventually even Olympic-sized 50-meter pools. My progression involved moving to a 25-yard pool after adapting to the 20-yard pool, with a future goal of tackling a 50-meter pool once I can comfortably swim 10 sets of 100 yards with short rests.
Embrace the Joy of Swimming
I never thought I would say this, but I have come to genuinely love swimming. From someone who once dreaded and avoided the water, swimming has become a source of joy and moving meditation. It’s almost unbelievable that just a book and a DVD could have such a profound impact.
Now, I actively seek out opportunities to swim, fitting in sessions whenever possible. I can spend hours in the pool, finding it both relaxing and invigorating. It’s a transformative experience that has completely changed my perception of swimming.
Whether you are looking to conquer your fear of water, learn a new skill, or improve your fitness, I wholeheartedly recommend giving the Total Immersion method a try. It’s the first approach that truly made sense to me and has been responsible for the most rapid and positive transformation I’ve experienced in any sport. It’s truly incredible.
Now, my next goal is to progress from swimming 100-yard sets to conquering a full kilometer swim. The journey continues, but the joy of swimming is already here.
[Postscript: Terry Laughlin, the creator of Total Immersion, has shared additional insights and tips in the comments section of the original article, providing further valuable resources for those interested in learning more.]
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