The Effortless Swimming Podcast

Today, we’re excited to welcome Tracey Bauman back to the podcast! She was a hit on episode 338, where we discussed making swimming more comfortable and efficient. In this episode, we’ll dive deeper into building a strong connection between your torso, legs, and arms, and the importance of good posture and alignment. We’ll also explore the benefits of experimenting with different kicking techniques, how body rotation affects propulsion, and finding the right balance between stroke rate and stroke count. Tune in now! 01:33 Building the Body from the Inside Out: The Key to Connection and Timing 5:35 Breaking Down the Catch 11:00 Visualizing the Ideal Arm Position for Faster, Safer Swimming 14:38 Understanding the Role of the Kick 19:56 Choosing the Right Kick Type and How to Execute It 30:00 Finding Balance and Power through Body Rotation 37:23 Stroke Rate and Cadence 43:32 Why Chasing Times Isn't Always the Answer 46:45 Get in touch with Tracy!

In today’s episode, we’re diving into a Q&A session where I will answer your questions submitted on Instagram! Tune in for helpful tips and insights on how to improve your swimming. 00:48 I tried adjusting my head position, but my legs still sit too low. Do you have any recommendations? 02:42 How do you keep your hand up and gliding during the reach phase? 05:26 How do I ensure I feel my lats during a workout rather than my traps and upper back? 06:47 I went from a 1:45 to a 1:32 pace in four months, thanks to you. Now I'm hitting a wall. Any advice? 09:04 Can you explain the timing for rotation in catch phase? 13:18 How long does it take to go from being a leisurely swimmer to a highly competent swimmer? 15:48 How do you improve the skill of feeling the water? 19:20 When I push hard on the pull, it speeds up my entire process. How do I keep the cadence regular? 22:20 First focus priority, kick or catch? 23:25 Why is swimming focused on rep time cycles instead of work-to-rest ratios? 24:38 My stomach drops, but my head and legs are up, resulting in this weird U-shaped form. How do I fix it? 26:31 Send your questions!

In today's episode, we have Laura Quilter, a New Zealand swimmer and coach who has previously been the national champion in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle. Laura has achieved a lifetime PB at the age of 31, with only a third of the training she was doing in her earlier years. She’s also ventured into the sport of ice swimming (water under 5 degrees celsius) and is coaching through her platform at Aura Move. Tune in now! 02:14 Introduction and Background 04:33 Training Changes and Mindset Shift 06:55 Understanding the Sprint Stroke: Differences and Techniques 10:03 Coaching Middle to Long Distance Swimmers: More Time to Work Through 14:56 Paralysis by Analysis: The Pitfalls of Overthinking in Swimming 16:39 The Importance of Fun and Play in Swimming and Racing 20:42 Shifting Competitive Focus to Skill Execution 23:37 Curiosity as a Key Element in Consistency 29:27 Ice Swimming: Challenges and Experiences 34:24 The Recovery Process: Stripping off wet clothes and getting warm 35:47 Adapting Coaching Techniques for Individual Swimmers 40:22 Get in touch with Laura!

In this episode, we welcome back Nick Jankovskis, a sports scientist and endurance performance coach at METS Performance Consulting. Nick is an expert in improving endurance performance through accurate analysis of physiological testing. We dive into fueling and how to test physiology for endurance sports, particularly focusing on Ironman events and long-distance races. Nick shares insights on the new equipment at METS Performance that allows for more detailed testing and provides better numbers for fueling requirements. Tune in now! 00:49  Introduction and Upgrade in Equipment 03:37 Understanding the Breakdown of Fuel Utilization 08:35 Common Issues with Fueling 14:01 Timing and Frequency of Fuel Intake in Training Sessions 18:38 The Importance of Flexibility in Fueling 25:40 How Proper Fueling Can Improve Performance in Long Swimming Sessions 29:30 Challenges of Testing for Swimmers 39:41 Understanding Individual Differences in Fueling 52:12 The Power of Implementing Basic Fundamentals 53:18 Get in touch: Testing and Consultation Services

I'll share some helpful tips from the clinics and sessions we run that will improve your swimming speed and efficiency on today's podcast. I'll also discuss some new equipment I've purchased that has improved my strength, made swimming more enjoyable, and boosted my overall performance.   00:18 Introduction 00:47 Avoiding Early Breathing in Freestyle: Head vs. Shoulder Rotation 02:37 Exploring Different Kick Techniques 06:09 Addressing Fatigue and Comfort in the Water 09:07 Improving Balance and Efficiency in the Water 13:37 The Game-Changing Custom Earplugs for Swimming 15:32 How a Chin Up Bar Helped Improve My Upper Body Strength 18:07 The Benefits of Anti Fog Goggles 20:10 How This Magnesium Powder Transformed My Sleep 21:25 ES Squad: Level Up Your Swim Workouts 24:25 Exciting Camps Planned for Next Year   Try PILLAR today, head to pillarperformance.shop and enter code EFFORTLESS for 15% off, or for any North American listeners, enter the same code at TheFeed.com.

Join us on this episode as we sit down with Tracey Baumann, the co-founder of SwimMastery and author of 'The Swim Mastery Way'. With over 20 years of teaching and coaching experience, Tracy has worked with swimmers of all levels, from beginners to English Channel swimmers. In this podcast, Tracey shares her expert insights and cues from her book, offering valuable tips to help you become a faster and more efficient swimmer. 00:15 Introduction and Background 04:01 Breath Management and Overcoming Fear exchange and calmness 09:18 Teaching Swimmers to Breathe Using Their Diaphragm: Challenges and Solutions 12:18 How Often Should You Breathe? 18:20 The Role of Bones and Joints in Achieving Proper Body Position 21:58 Exploring the Relationship Between Hip Flexors and Body Position in Water 26:04 Teaching Effective Kicking Techniques 28:00 Over-Rotation and Losing Position: Common 33:35 The Trident Analogy 35:16 Shoulders and Scapula Mechanics in Swimming: Debunking Common Misconceptions 38:33 Tapping into Natural Joint Mechanics for a Better Catch 42:44 Developing a Sensory Connection to the Water 47:11 The Power of Tactile Feedback in Swim Coaching 48:56 The Physics Behind a Correct Arm Recovery 55:00 Get in touch with Tracey! 

Felipe Telles broke the magical 60-minute barrier in his first ever Ironman swim, coming in at 56 minutes with an average of 1:28/100m. When he first started swimming a few years ago, Felipe struggled to go faster than 2:00/100m. So how did he manage to increase his speed by that much? Find out in today’s podcast episode. 00:56 Swimming Background 03:34 The Impact of Learning the Right Technique 07:09 How Relaxation Transforms Your Swim 09:50 The Benefits of Incorporating Drills in Swim Workouts 13:18 Structured Sessions: Warm-ups, Technique, and Intense Training 16:46 Finding the Balance: Consistency vs. Pushing Too Hard in Training 20:35 How to Get the Most Out of Your Swim Training 24:23 How Observing Others Can Improve Your Technique 31:20 Catch and Pull: Finding the Right Amount of Power 37:23 Swimming Tips for Triathletes: Small Changes, Big Results 41:24 Follow Felipe on Instagram for Inspiring Content

In this episode, Quest Meeks shares his inspiring journey of transforming from a non-swimmer to comfortably swimming over 1000 yards without stopping. He opens up about the mental and physical obstacles he had to overcome along the way.  Join us as we dive into this episode! 01:02 Swimming Background 9:00 Doing Half Ironman 09:30 I Gotta Start With Something 16:52 But Swimming 25:53 Signing Up For The Stroke Analysis 35:53 Kicking Hard 44:18 Climbing Up A Mountain 47:10 It's Not Comfortable But I Am Not Dying

In this episode, we have Carl Reader, a functional movement coach with a background in exercise physiology and Pilates. We will discuss the connection between hamstring strength, mobility, and how it can improve swimming performance. Carl has extensive experience working with swimmers to improve their movement and strength training. Join us as we delve into his research and practices in today's episode. 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Techniques and Tips from a Functional Movement Coach 01:59 The Role of Hamstrings in Maintaining Speed and Efficiency in Swimming 05:21 Exploring the Relationship Between Hamstrings and Calf Muscles 08:14 Factors Affecting Hamstring Strength 11:20 Strengthening Techniques for Better Posture and Muscle Activation 13:39 Squats: One of the Best Ways to Strengthen the Hamstring 17:43 Signs to Look Out for: Indicators of Hamstring Issues 21:08 Core Engagement in Squats: Finding Balance

Prescott Balch is an ironman triathlete who started at 2:10/100m, and is now able to consistently swim under 1:30/100m. He recently broke through a plateau in his swim times by focusing on one change to his swim technique. In this podcast we delve into what change Prescott made and some unique approaches he took to fixing these areas of his stroke.  00:00 Introduction 01:09 Overcoming Plateaus and Finding Speed 05:27  Weak Core, Weak Performance 12:02 Body Awareness Challenges for Adult Onset Swimmers 16:35 How Dead Hangs and Handstands Improve Upper Body Strength 21:14 Executing a Well-Planned Race: Negative Splits and Smooth Pacing 30:45 How a Good Swim Sets the Tone for the Rest of the Race 34:57 What's next for Prescott? 38:27 Exploring the Concept of "Swimming Downhill"