I've noticed at lot of dicsussion in recent threads about TI principles,
As you can see from my location, I'm on the other side of the atlantic and TI has started to make an impact over here.
I've come across a lot of people in my local University pool who seem to have been mesmerised by the TI message and it is now common for me to see people swimming on their sides with one outstreached arm and a submerged head.
When the time comes to breath these guys have their heads so deep from pressing their bouy that they end up lifting it so high that they loose whatever alignment they had in the first place.
From talking to them, none of them seem to want to develop a proper kick and build up endurance so they can develop
good form.
I have decided to post a list of TI priciples and my own critism of these, feel free to add to the list or post a TI defence!
TI PRINCIPLE 1
Side to Side Rotation
to get into Low Drag Fish-like Position
Criticism
Rotation is good to get extentsion and
a good catch + power into the stroke,
Excessive rotation slows down the stroke.
TI PRINCIPLE 2
Swim DownHill
Press your Bouy
Criticism:
Holding head too deep creates drag
Makes breathing Difficult
TI PRINCIPLE 3
No Kicking
Criticism
Kicking essential to fast swimming
+ to maintain good form particularly
for male swimmers.
TI PRINCIPLE 4
Front Quadrant Swimming/
Distance per stroke,
Criticism
A reasonably high Stroke rate is necessay for
fast swimming,
Unless you have a very strong kick a glide
phase in your stroke will cause decelleration
TI PRINCIPLE 5
Drills will make you a better swimmer
Criticism
Drills are important, but there is no
substitute for good quality fast training.
Parents
Former Member
Total Immersion does not advocate "no kicking." Terry Laughlin has been a vocal proponent of integrated kicking. He teaches swimmers to use their legs for balance, and not to overkick in search of propulsion. He coached sprinters this way at Army, and they had much success. I think it's a good idea to approach the kick as assistant to the arm pull, because very few people have the ankle flexibility and foot shape and size necessary for a propulsive kick. These people tend to be very successful in swimming, because they have an extra weapon. But all of the two-beat kickers in the Olympics prove that a propulsive kick is not necessary for fast swimming. Jeff Commings admits to having a terrible flutter kick due to inflexible ankles, and he has gone under 51 seconds in the 100 backstroke. Maybe his kick is not as bad as it seems in kickboard training.
Total Immersion does not advocate "no kicking." Terry Laughlin has been a vocal proponent of integrated kicking. He teaches swimmers to use their legs for balance, and not to overkick in search of propulsion. He coached sprinters this way at Army, and they had much success. I think it's a good idea to approach the kick as assistant to the arm pull, because very few people have the ankle flexibility and foot shape and size necessary for a propulsive kick. These people tend to be very successful in swimming, because they have an extra weapon. But all of the two-beat kickers in the Olympics prove that a propulsive kick is not necessary for fast swimming. Jeff Commings admits to having a terrible flutter kick due to inflexible ankles, and he has gone under 51 seconds in the 100 backstroke. Maybe his kick is not as bad as it seems in kickboard training.
