What do you think of total immersion?

Welcome to Bizarro World, Terry. I think this forum is typical of much internet discourse: prone to hyperbole, much efforting to Get Each Other's Goat and wildly variable attempts at humour. Most of the time it is informative, occasionally moving and yes, downright bizarre, but we like it. I can certainly see how you could be dismayed by some of the assertions re your enterprise have been thrown around and I applaud your early-morning determination to set the record straight. A close observation of elite swimmers will reveal that whatever they do differently technique-wise, they have much in common as well; however they got there, they all exhibit great efficiency under the water and great minimization of water resistance. The work load that they carried to get there is as variable as the number of swimmers you observe. If Terry's approach allows a beginning, middle or elite swimmer to accomplish an improvement in their efficiency then how can one quarrel? There remains the application of that efficiency to achieving the swimmer's goals through using the workload philosophy that they and/or their coach chooses to apply. I do not believe that there is one Way to maximize efficiency & I don't see Terry claiming that.

I had every intention of avoiding any more posting in this thread but with the addition of Terry's comments I thought I would add one more of my own. Wonderful commentary Terry. However, somehow I think that certain individuals are bound and determined to belittle your program. I think that should be taken as a sure sign of success for the TI program in general.

Originally posted by Peter Cruise I think this forum is typical of much internet discourse: prone to hyperbole... Not unlike the TI website.

Originally posted by gull80 Not unlike the TI website. Relentless.

Anyone else notice a very sneaky trick Ion pulled? Over-generalizing is an easy mistake to make, but that doesn't mean we should agree with it. That is one of the reasons I find it very frustrating to try to have a debate with him. Originally posted by Ion Beza When geochuck says that swimmers were swimming like described in Total Immersion since 1952, well they don't swim like in 1952 now in 2006. That certainly makes it sound like "TI-style" swimming was part of the general swimming population back in 1952. But if you read what he did say Originally posted by geochuck I am not a fan of TI I am a swimmer who swam the way I do for years, TI is the way I have been swimming since 1952. Not arriving there by Terry's drills but getting there naturally. So we have a *single* swimmer saying he has been doing "Geochuck"-style swimming since 1952. And since he is an "elite" swimmer, I'd guess that not everyone was doing what he was doing. (Ion also fails to say what people were doing in 1952 that is different than today, unless he is implying that TI and Geochuck-styles of swimming are not done today.)

I don't recall any posts here referring to TI as an "Evil Empire." What I have seen (and participated in) is a discussion of the relative merits of TI training for Masters swimmers. The thread is entitled: "What do you think of Total Immersion?" Like some others here, I have argued that TI is more appropriate for novices, lap swimmers, triathletes, etc. In fact, you state: "... our focus is not on elite athletes but on providing a high level of encouragement and guidance for "average" adult swimmers, who seldom have access to the resources and support enjoyed by elite athletes." To be competitive in USMS, I believe it takes hard work, and I have yet to meet anyone in the top ten who disagrees. Finally, while I'm not sure this would be considered "examined swimming," as we were completing our 200s yesterday, descending to En3 and race pace, our coach was videotaping us, pointing out errors in our stroke mechanics. And I didn't swim a single length without thinking about my technique, stroke rate, and pace.

Great Terry I have under my restrictions of health over the years always swam to get the most out of each stroke. I find your program to be very interesting and the deeper I get into it I have begun to realize that we need you. I am not saying every one that takes one of your courses is going to the Olympics but you have changed the course of swimming.

From the TI website: Only TI teaches Fishlike Swimming. Traditional instruction focuses on pulling, kicking and endless laps. TI teaches you to swim with the effortless grace of fish by becoming one with the water. You’ll feel the difference from your very first lap of intelligent, purposeful TI practice and get more satisfaction from every lap that follows. Only TI teaches the qualities of beautiful swimming as well as the mechanics. Swimmers come to us with the goal of swimming faster. They quickly learn that it’s far more helpful and satisfying to swim with grace, flow, and economy…and that speed will surely follow when they master ease. Only TI teaches transformation along with fluid strokes. TI, alone among all swimming-improvement programs, teaches swimming as a practice — in the same mindful spirit as yoga or tai chi. Our students tell us that by swimming the TI way they sharpen the mind-body connection and achieve heightened self-awareness and self-mastery, leading to greater physical and mental well-being. Only TI teaches you to master swimming as an art. TI teachers emphasize the same patient precision and refinement taught by martial arts masters. We start with simple skills and movements and progress by small, easily-mastered steps. Our students thrive on the attention to detail and the logical sequence of progressive skills.

Really, removing 'only' from each paragraph would do the job.

this weekend full of triathletes only interested in freestyle was not a four stroke clinic? i am assuming.