Learning to Swim with Total Immersion:
The purpose of this psotign is to introduce Total Immersion, a method to learn swimming effectively and overcome the fear and insecurity associated with it. The method focuses on efficient body positioning and technique, such as keeping the body horizontal, focusing on side to side movement, extending the arms and keeping the head in line with the spine. Total Immersion emphasizes the importance of proper technique and practice, using drills such as hand swapping, to help improve swimming skills.
A Guide to Overcoming Worries and Improving Technique
Many individuals find learning to swim difficult, especially those who have tried for a very long time yet never seems to get the hang of it. Many people have been battling to stay afloat for years, and this has frequently been a cause of insecurity and embarrassment.
Total Immersion is often associated with coach Terry Laughlin, who has helped many people overcome their fears and insecurities around swimming. The technique is built on a few fundamental ideas that can significantly impact your swimming skills.
Focusing on maintaining your body horizontal and rolling your shoulders, rather than using your arms or legs to pull or kick, is one of the fundamental concepts of Total Immersion.
Maintaining a straight downward gaze when in Total Immersion requires you to keep your head in alignment with your spine..
This helps you maintain your balance and reduces drag in the water.
The method also involves thinking of swimming freestyle as moving from side to side, rather than on your stomach. This helps you streamline your body and decrease resistance in the water.
When it comes to your arms, Total Immersion focuses on extending them as far as possible beneath your head and penetrating the water with your fingers angled downward. This helps you reduce drag and increase your stroke length.
Total Immersion is also about practicing the right techniques, rather than just going through the motions of swimming. If you feel strained, it's important to stop and review your technique, rather than persist through the pain and develop bad habits.
One of the drills that is recommended in Total Immersion is hand swapping, which helps you focus on keeping your lead arm extended and swimming on your sides. This exercise has been known to cut an additional 3-4 strokes off each lap of freestyle.
Here are 8 tips for beginners who want to improve their swimming skills with the TI method:
- Focus on shoulder roll and keeping the body horizontal for least resistance.
- Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight down.
- Think of swimming freestyle as swimming on alternating sides, not on your stomach.
- Penetrate the water with your fingers angled down and fully extend your arm.
- Focus on increasing stroke length instead of stroke rate.
- Practice, not workout, to train your nervous system.
- Stretch your extended arm and turn your body to breathe.
- Use the hand swapping drill to focus on swimming on your sides, extend stroke length and engage in front quadrant swimming.
If you are looking to get started with the TI method, you'll need a good pair of swim goggles, swim cap, and a swimsuit. You can also invest in a pair of hand paddles or a kickboard if you need help building strength in your arms or legs. With time, effort, and dedication, it is possible to overcome your fears and insecurities and become a good swimmer using the TI method.
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