I recently attended a TI workshop. It was very enlightening and I greatly improved my stroke over a weekend. During the class, the instructors emphasized that they were having the students exaggerate the movements (e.g. amount of rotation), but that the principles were proven effective and adhering to them would be the most efficient way to swim (longer, easier and faster).
When I got home, I reviewed my slow-motion videos of freestylers from the Sydney Olympics. Hardly any of the top swimmers (regardless of distance) were swimming on their sides or using "front-quadrant" swimming. Also, they slide their recovering arm into the water much further in front of their heads than TI advocates. Now I'm scratching my head. Is TI only designed to make mere mortals swim faster or is it useful for strong collegiate, masters and other swimmers as well? If the principles are so sound, why don't the best swimmers use them? Is it worth my while to try to swim the TI way (which involves A LOT of muscle re-training), even though my masters coach is giving me puzzled looks because my technique no longer resembles the rest of the team?
Any comments are appreciated -- especially from those who have taken and followed the TI methods, or who have taught them (Emmett, etc.). Thanks.
Parents
Former Member
Neal,
Emmett Hines has written an article posted on this very web site. On the list of links on the left hand side of the USMS home page. Click on "Technique" under "Training" (or you can type in "">www.usms.org/.../technique.htm"). Then click on the article "Swimming in Circles." He explains what "front quadrant swimming" is and why it's important. Emmett's other articles are also valuable, and they explain many of the TI concepts.
To provide one swimmer's take on why TI works: Traditional swimming training techniques focus on building up the swimmer's strength and endurance. In other words, improving the body's energy system to allow it to swim stronger and sustain that effort over longer periods of time. TI starts with the premise/assumption/observation that the human body applies power very inefficiently as it generates foward swimming velocity. Thus, the advocates of TI believe you can see much more improvement in your swimming by focusing on techinque. The goal is to reduce drag, and generate power using your larger core body muscle, rather than work on the capacity of your CV system, arms, and legs to swim faster/longer. One TI credo is focus on technique, and conditioning will happen.
I buy into TI for two reasons. First, I have tried it and swam faster times than I did when I was two years younger and focused exclusively on conditioning type of workouts. For me it worked. Second, I know that I cannot work-out has hard as I did when I was 20, and when I am 60, I will not be able to work-out as hard as I can now at 40. There is a point of dimishing returns. BUT, if I continue to refine my stroke technique, maybe I can equal or exceed the loss of conditioning capacity! Many TI believers argue that swimming is a complex activity like tennis, or martial arts, or yoga. If you buy that analogy, you know that people spend years or a lifetime studying those disciplines, and who is to say how much better I can become if I bring the same approach to swimming?
Matt
Neal,
Emmett Hines has written an article posted on this very web site. On the list of links on the left hand side of the USMS home page. Click on "Technique" under "Training" (or you can type in "">www.usms.org/.../technique.htm"). Then click on the article "Swimming in Circles." He explains what "front quadrant swimming" is and why it's important. Emmett's other articles are also valuable, and they explain many of the TI concepts.
To provide one swimmer's take on why TI works: Traditional swimming training techniques focus on building up the swimmer's strength and endurance. In other words, improving the body's energy system to allow it to swim stronger and sustain that effort over longer periods of time. TI starts with the premise/assumption/observation that the human body applies power very inefficiently as it generates foward swimming velocity. Thus, the advocates of TI believe you can see much more improvement in your swimming by focusing on techinque. The goal is to reduce drag, and generate power using your larger core body muscle, rather than work on the capacity of your CV system, arms, and legs to swim faster/longer. One TI credo is focus on technique, and conditioning will happen.
I buy into TI for two reasons. First, I have tried it and swam faster times than I did when I was two years younger and focused exclusively on conditioning type of workouts. For me it worked. Second, I know that I cannot work-out has hard as I did when I was 20, and when I am 60, I will not be able to work-out as hard as I can now at 40. There is a point of dimishing returns. BUT, if I continue to refine my stroke technique, maybe I can equal or exceed the loss of conditioning capacity! Many TI believers argue that swimming is a complex activity like tennis, or martial arts, or yoga. If you buy that analogy, you know that people spend years or a lifetime studying those disciplines, and who is to say how much better I can become if I bring the same approach to swimming?
Matt
