Criticism of TI Principles

Former Member
Former Member
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.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Maglischo's 'Swimming Fastest' advocates training at 60% of the weekly mileage in anaerobic threshold. This means training at maximum Stroke Rate for 60% of the weekly mileage, otherwise the Stroke Rate (and its cause, the cardiovascular) atrophies. Olympians Pieter van den Hoogenband (Ned.), Jason Lezak (U.S.), Lenny Krayzelburg (U.S.), Gordan Kozulj (Cro.) and many more, they train this way. In 'Total Immersion', Terry Laughlin writes in page 33 "...Tell me which part of the swimming-speed equation you'd rather work on:...", Strole Length or Stroke Rate, and argues to work on the skill of Stroke Length, and neglect the brawn of Stroke Rate. This is intended for middle aged Master swimmers who 'think' that they don't have the time to get fit, but they have the 'smarts' to work on skills, like in golf. Olympians van den Hoogenband, Lezak, Krayzelburg, Kozulj and many more, they argue to work mainly on the brawn of Stroke Rate. For example, in 'The Coach Swimming Bible' by *** Hannula coach Mike Bottom (U.S.) describes working on increasing the Stroke Rate of Kozulj who then went on to win 200 back at the 2000 European Championships in a Personal Best of 1:58. Also 'Total Immersion' argues not to kick with a board, not to pull, not to use the dry land Vasa Trainer. Olympian Larsen Jensen (U.S.) argues to kick 1/3 of the weekly mileage with a board, Olympians pull and use Vasa. There is no Olympian produced by Terry Laughlin with his antagonist principles described in 'Total Immersion'. I look up to what works best, the Olympians.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Maglischo's 'Swimming Fastest' advocates training at 60% of the weekly mileage in anaerobic threshold. This means training at maximum Stroke Rate for 60% of the weekly mileage, otherwise the Stroke Rate (and its cause, the cardiovascular) atrophies. Olympians Pieter van den Hoogenband (Ned.), Jason Lezak (U.S.), Lenny Krayzelburg (U.S.), Gordan Kozulj (Cro.) and many more, they train this way. In 'Total Immersion', Terry Laughlin writes in page 33 "...Tell me which part of the swimming-speed equation you'd rather work on:...", Strole Length or Stroke Rate, and argues to work on the skill of Stroke Length, and neglect the brawn of Stroke Rate. This is intended for middle aged Master swimmers who 'think' that they don't have the time to get fit, but they have the 'smarts' to work on skills, like in golf. Olympians van den Hoogenband, Lezak, Krayzelburg, Kozulj and many more, they argue to work mainly on the brawn of Stroke Rate. For example, in 'The Coach Swimming Bible' by *** Hannula coach Mike Bottom (U.S.) describes working on increasing the Stroke Rate of Kozulj who then went on to win 200 back at the 2000 European Championships in a Personal Best of 1:58. Also 'Total Immersion' argues not to kick with a board, not to pull, not to use the dry land Vasa Trainer. Olympian Larsen Jensen (U.S.) argues to kick 1/3 of the weekly mileage with a board, Olympians pull and use Vasa. There is no Olympian produced by Terry Laughlin with his antagonist principles described in 'Total Immersion'. I look up to what works best, the Olympians.
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