Best / favourite books on swimming?

I've enjoyed researching all titles in this thread so far. But the one book that I MUST have is Swimming Fastest. Thanks Allen Stark. I found a used but great condition copy for less than an arm and a leg.

I agree Swimming Fastest is still one of the most structured books on swimming This arrived today (used, but in excellent condition)!

Open Water: The History and Technique of Swimming, by Mickael Rosen is excellent. The title is a bit misleading: Rosen offers a history of competitive swimming and an excellent introduction to the basic principles behind training. Highly recommended! www.amazon.com/.../ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

On the training side ... www.amazon.ca/.../073607242X On technique, I'm a huge fan of Terry Laughlin's works - www.totalimmersion.net/.../. But, full disclosure as I'm biased because Terry was my age group swimming coach and got me to my first Junior Nationals when I was 13, so I trust his technical mind. I also re-discovered his approach around 2008 as a Masters swimmer and re-worked my freestyle, swimming my fastest of my masters career into my late 40s (e.g., Masters' best 1000/1650 and 1500 when I was 48-49). I have VHS total immersion tapes from way back when.... I would love a current thread discussing TI. It seems that more swimmers at my club (many of whom are triathletes) do not employ total rotation and I often wonder how the heck they are able to swim so fast with only shoulder rotation? One of our Ironman guys (who has won 3rd in age group) is just now working on moving from shoulder rotation to whole body rotation. Sorry, I'm digressing.......:D

I loved that book! My mom gave me an autographed copy she bought from Lynne at a book signing in Los Alamitos, California, Lynne's home town. We are from Long Beach, which is the adjacent city, and I used to watch Lynne train at the Alamitos Bay Penninsula, when I was growing up. She would run in the deep soft sand, and then swim along the shoreline. The lifeguards were all in awe of her! I thought she was amazing, too, and she inspired me to swim. I hated freestyle when I was a kid, though, and I would swim breaststroke along the shoreline. Sure enough, I grew up to be a breaststroker, and freestyle is my worst of the four strokes! You are also a wicked butter flyer, aren't you?:applaud: I never worked on the breastsroke, yet have often been complimented on that stroke, which I personally like the least. Go figure. Before I die, I only want to master freestyle. Unfrotunately, I'm a sinker, with a lousy kick. I will check out that book. Sounds wonderful.

You are also a wicked butter flyer, aren't you?:applaud: I never worked on the breastsroke, yet have often been complimented on that stroke, which I personally like the least. Go figure. Before I die, I only want to master freestyle. Unfrotunately, I'm a sinker, with a lousy kick. I will check out that book. Sounds wonderful. I don't know about that, but I do love to train and race fly. I'm just very slow at it! My breaststroke is much faster than my fly, and fly is by far my slowest stroke. Have you considered having somebody shoot some video of your freestyle and posting it on the forums? Several Forumites are good at giving constructive feedback to help you with your stroke. Perhaps we can help figure out what's happening with your body position and kick to help you master the freestyle faster!

I have VHS total immersion tapes from way back when.... I would love a current thread discussing TI. Terry Laughlin passed away a couple few years ago (too young), but I believe Total Immersion lives on, http://www.totalimmersion.net/. I'm not sure how much activity there is in terms of a discussion forum, but I imagine there are TI coaches in NJ. I know a few TI trained coaches, so Private Message me if you want to get connected to the TI coaching community.

I don't know about that, but I do love to train and race fly. I'm just very slow at it! My breaststroke is much faster than my fly, and fly is by far my slowest stroke. Have you considered having somebody shoot some video of your freestyle and posting it on the forums? Several Forumites are good at giving constructive feedback to help you with your stroke. Perhaps we can help figure out what's happening with your body position and kick to help you master the freestyle faster! Elaine, I've had a few coaches give me quick lessons and I took a few lessons last year before COVID. It seems most of the time, I'm given the usual drills to do, which I do well, but when I have to put it all together, I seem to be unable to rotate equally. I may be just overthinking it. I know I should focus on rotation one day, arm entry another, pull, etc. I'm my worst enemy. If I can gather a recent video, I will try and download it here. Thanks for the suggestion!