Yesterday marked one year that I've been swimming and I'm embarrassed to say that I only just embraced swim technique a month ago. Matthew had been telling me for months (after reading this book) about how swimming is 80% technique and no matter how much energy you put into it, if you don't have the proper stroke you'll struggle to grow. So I finally decided to sit down and give Swim Secrets for Swimmers and Triathletes a read. |
Taormina's basic premise is that most swimmers do not have the proper technique of the "pull." Taormina discusses the pull at great length but essentially she outlines the stroke through the proper placement of the elbow and arm during the catch, pull and finish of the stroke. Taormina advocates for a high elbow for the first two phases of the stroke, she asserts that lifting the elbow allows for a greater pull of the water. Check out the photos to see what she means.
One of my biggest complaints with pool time is that it gets boring. Spending 45 minutes to an hour looking at the dark line at the bottom of the pool trying to remember what lap I'm on is only so stimulating. Using Taormina's approach, I'm constantly assessing my stroke and making sure that I'm using the best technique. Another thing that has helped get me out of pool boredom is Taormina's supplemental workouts. These are daily workouts where she has a warm-up, drill-set, main set, bonus set, and warm-down. |
I cannot recommend the book and workout series enough! It's an easy read and concise workout plan that has drastically improved my swimming in just the month that I've been using it. I do have one caution: this is a book that assumes you already know how to swim freestyle. She does not go over every detail of the stroke so a basic understanding is necessary to get the most out of this resource.
Happy swimming!