i find swimsmooth.com to be very useful as a website. Infact i have a video 'lesson' booked this friday with paul newsome. Im a 1:55/100m pace swimmer over 1km and above trials, so he has his work cut out for him!
I would kill for a better swim like yourself. They say you cant win a tri on the swim, but you can def lose it. Playing catch up on the bike and run only gets you so far.

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"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn

I've won a few races on the strength of my swim.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Yes, we're all very well aware of your swimming prowess from your multiple posts and your list of accomplishments on your sig line. Mom and I are very proud of you son.

I was making a direct reply about the old saying about losing on the swim...

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I think TI is useful. I went from feeling like I was having a heart attack swimming to a 1:05 IM swim time doing TI 2x30 min a week in winter, off in fall and 3 open water swims per week in the summer. I was a serious spaz in the water b4 TI....and i actually like swimming now

you prob have a decent ride and run too though!

Local races its usually top 5/ bike, 10-15/run so only the really fast runners gain any considerable time.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

35-40min on olympics. i actually use a tempo trainer set at 1.2 during oly or HIM and find it very helpful. this is my second year using TI. love it. will have a good six months of practicing in a 50m pool before my next tri in may 2013 so i hope my time to drop a little.

I just finished reading Sheila Taormina's "Swim Speed Secrets" and I'm pretty impressed. Although I think Total Immersion has done a good job of making me feel comfortable in the water and teaching me the basics of swimming form, there's a lot it leaves out. Here are the big ones in my mind:

1. They don't place any emphasis at all on the underwater pull, which is the main focus of Sheila's book. Sheila aruges that the underwater pull is the most important part of swimming fast. A strong and proper underwater pull must be developed over time. This makes a ton of sense to me.

2. She argues that TI's total focus on streamlining and postion is overkill. This too makes sense to me - especially since we're all wearing wetsuits when we race. The wetsuits keep you in good position on top of the water - so why not focus more on the pull instead of devoting 100 percent of your time and effort to position in the water.

3. She argues that TI's focus on reaching forward as far as possible, a long, slow stroke and the "glide" leads to slower swimming. Makes sense. I've found that I tend to lose momentum during the glide and think I may be better served with a higher stroke count - which, according to Shelia, is easier to acomplish with a high elbow pull. TI's response is that this will lead to high heart rate swimming, which will kill you on the bike and run.

But I'm not buying that. I waste a ton of energy trying to reach as far as possible during my glide. I think a higher cadence with a stronger pull wouldn't necessarily require more energy or kill me on the bike and run.

It will be fun and interesting to put her ideas into practice over the next several months. There's a ton of great material in her book - which will need to be read and re-read several times. But I have a ton of respect for her and think she's done a great job explaining how to truly improve your time after you've gotten down the swimming A,B,Cs.

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“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.”
¯ Desmond Tutu

I just read her book and have started implementing the drills/technique. I can tell I used to be an elbow dropper. I knew I was slow but was never sore after swimming even after a mile and half open water swim. Last night I ran to the health club where we have a small 15 yard pool and spent half an hour doing various drills and just doing 30 yard sets focusing on form and gaining purchase on the water. I was much faster than I had been previously and at the end I my lats and delts were fatigued and today are sore. My turnover rate was much higher and I noticed bilateral breathing was much easier. Really excited to get in a longer pool and working up some endurance with proper form. I will start that when I can get back in the pool after surgery in late November. I won't be able to run for a few months and will be limited on what I can do on the bike but will be able to swim as soon as the wounds are healed. Will be all pull work but that will help me focus on what is important. Until then I am riding and running as much as my hip allows.

if you want to start using TI in swimming.
and in saying this as I'm currently trying to undo the persons F-ed technique.
and reprogram them away from all the bad habits they learned over the 2 years they did it would drive u insane
similar to driving NASCAR with Sunday drivers in a small village
better getting instructions from YouTube and saving time effort and money

Here's a case study. First IM swim, no formal swim instruction, wetsuit: 1:08. After TI camp and $500 poorer, following a year of countless focused 30-45 minute sessions, same course, 1:10. That said, I actually enjoyed the swim the second time, felt comfortable, only breathed every 4th stroke, and cut 15 minutes off the bike leg. A couple of racers from my gym who kill me in the pool finished behind me in both races. I'd do TI again but agree that the videos can do what the camp does if you're diligent.

I CAN NOT BELIEVE that the folks at Total Immersion do not teach or emphasize the high elbow catch. Wow. What a difference it makes. Sheila T is right. By focusing on extending your lead arm as far as possible and leaving it there for a long slow "glide," you cannot get your hand in position for a strong, high elbow catch. Also, if you're constantly dropping your arm down, not only don't you get any pull, but your in a bad position to start your recovery and, I suspect, also staying far less streamlined that you would otherwise be with a high elbow catch.

TI does a good job of teaching you to use your hips and to spear your recovery arm into the stroke. But leaving your lead hand out there while you glide is not free speed. It stops your momentum and prevents you from getting your arm in position for the high elbow catch. It's almost as if they've left out half the stroke. You're going to go a lot faster if you combine the hip thrust and spear with a high elbow underwater pull.

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“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.”
¯ Desmond Tutu