TI Question...heard this and doesn't sound right...
Former Member
I am teaching a stroke clinic class at the YMCA. My background is USS competitive swimming (ages 8-18) and some age-group coaching. One of my students, a triathlon trainer, has been to Total Immersion. Because of his TI training, he is doubtful of any stroke correction I am giving him. Basically he has the typical problems of a short stroke...entering too close to the head and not pulling thru.
The TI triathlete is telling me that the TI "Fish" style swimming technique says the hand should enter the water just in front of the head, then reach forward. In my opinion, he needs to lengthen his stroke, rotating and reaching as far forward as possible, entering out front (not by the head). I am thinking he is mixing up some TI drill with proper freestyle SWIMMING technique. He at least agreed with me when we talked distance per stroke (and started believing I know something about swimming)...but I don't see how you can maximize DPS with hand entry by the head.
Can someone shed light on this for me? What is this "Fish" swimming in a couple sentences? And where does TI say the hand entry should be?
Thank you!!
P.S. I'm new here and enjoying reading...I swim masters and hope to compete in butterfly someday...I'm waiting it out until I get a bit older so can face the competition. My butterfly has held out better than my other strokes (used to be a long distance freestyler too).
P.P.S. I did a search on TI and read some of the posts but they didn't quite get to my specific question above.
Parents
Former Member
This is very helpful - thank you!! I want to know what I'm talking about when I face this guy Tuesday. I am also relieved to know that I am not totally out of it when it comes to newer technique. I read much of the information on the TI website, and all the posts on this site (and yes, I noticed the walking on eggshells!). My impression is that TI has a great record of teaching newer swimmers (and by that I mean swimmers without a competitive swimming background) how to swim. They are also great marketers!
The triathlete in my class told me he'd bring in his TI video. I am anxious to see it because it sounds like TI has good drills and I'd like to see how their swimmers look in the water (I assume they look good and would like to connect what they're teaching with what they're demonstrating). One thing I know for sure is that the great swimmers of the world are not putting their hand in right by their head...so if I watch the video maybe I can point that out to the guy. And also suggest he watch some Olympic footage. I don't want to disrespect his training...but it sounds like he is misinterpreting some of it. And it's a problem when he's telling other class members what he learned and not to listen to me -- giving them clearly wrong instruction -- because he "spent $500 on an intensive swimming course". (I was no Olympian, but a respectable 500 and 1650 freestyler and butterflyer that can blow this guy out of the water; former triathlete too but he doesn't know that.)
I would love more input or any helpful lingo! ;)
Thanks again!
This is very helpful - thank you!! I want to know what I'm talking about when I face this guy Tuesday. I am also relieved to know that I am not totally out of it when it comes to newer technique. I read much of the information on the TI website, and all the posts on this site (and yes, I noticed the walking on eggshells!). My impression is that TI has a great record of teaching newer swimmers (and by that I mean swimmers without a competitive swimming background) how to swim. They are also great marketers!
The triathlete in my class told me he'd bring in his TI video. I am anxious to see it because it sounds like TI has good drills and I'd like to see how their swimmers look in the water (I assume they look good and would like to connect what they're teaching with what they're demonstrating). One thing I know for sure is that the great swimmers of the world are not putting their hand in right by their head...so if I watch the video maybe I can point that out to the guy. And also suggest he watch some Olympic footage. I don't want to disrespect his training...but it sounds like he is misinterpreting some of it. And it's a problem when he's telling other class members what he learned and not to listen to me -- giving them clearly wrong instruction -- because he "spent $500 on an intensive swimming course". (I was no Olympian, but a respectable 500 and 1650 freestyler and butterflyer that can blow this guy out of the water; former triathlete too but he doesn't know that.)
I would love more input or any helpful lingo! ;)
Thanks again!
