Practice worksheet from Helenita

Congratulations on just completing your Total Immersion Weekend Workshop.

You have taken the first steps towards more efficient and effortless swimming. The class you have taken has given you all of the tools that you need to continue to improve for as long as you swim.

You will have left the class with some questions on how to continue from here…

For the next few weeks you may want to concentrate more on the drills than on swimming. Once you are comfortable doing the drills, your muscle memory will have started to imprint the new form and you will find it much easier to put the new stroke together.

If you have an event coming up very soon, you may want to drill 50% of the time – the easiest way to work on both drills and swimming is by alternating lengths. Take the focus from the drill length into the swim length.

Here are some sample workouts that should get you through the next few weeks. Remember, you can always call me or email me with any questions.

There is a discussion board on the TI website that can also offer you some valuable information and help along the way. Be sure to visit it often. http://www.totalimmersion.net/talk-back.html


Also, Terry Laughlin loves to hear from swimmers and it you have questions, suggestions or comments, please feel free to contact him at totalswimm@aol.com

We will be offering Drill Review classes on a regular basis if you ever feel that you want to have us ensure that you are still doing the drills correctly. These classes can also help you get out of any problem areas that you might have. Check my website for these classes and I will also occasionally send out emails. Additionally I am happy to set up private refresher sessions at any time.





Happy Swimming!
><((((º>•´¯`•.¸ .•´¯`•.><((((º> ¸.•´¯`•.¸.•´¯`•.><((((º>•´¯`•.¸

Helenita Jacobs
206-930-8263
www.totaltricoaching.com












Sample practice while learning how to drill successfully


• For drill descriptions and pictures refer to your blue manual (as of today some of the drills may not be in the blue book since these are from the new DVD)
• Belly buttons always to the same side
• 1 x 25 (the pool is 25 yards long so this is the equivalent of one length)
• 4 x 25 (same drill, each length will have a different focus point)
• palm up when nose is pointing up, palm down when nose is pointing down

1 x 25 Superman Glide
• Goal: move through the water as smoothly as possible and to glide as far as possible.
• Things to think about: your head is hidden underwater (hanging, not pushed) and nose and eyes are pointing straight down
• Try: to be so streamlined that you can make it across the pool in three to five pushoffs
2 x 25 Superman Flutter
• Goal: kick only as much as needed to sustain a lazy glide
• Things to think about:
o Glide first then start kicking gently.
o Keep the kick smooth.
o If you feel that you are breaking the surface with lots of bubbles, slow the kick down. You are creating drag and turbulence.
• Try: to remain streamlined
2 x 25 Laser Lead Flutter
• Goal: to move through the water like a laser beam
• Things to think about:
o align head and spine and pull arms back to rest on your pockets (front of thighs)
o keep elbows tucked in
o release the weight of the head
o laser beam should point forward
• Try: to remain streamlined
2 x25 fish (Core balance)

• Goal: to move through the water balanced on your side (top shoulder just barely out of the water) like a laser beam
• Things to think about:
o top shoulder is slightly rotated towards the wall, eyes are locked on the tiles beneath you (laser beam from your nose to the tiles beneath you)
o let your head hang (laser beam straight ahead)
o keep your kick in line with your body (if you feel your kick is behind you, pull your legs to line up with the body)
o keep your hands in your pocket with the inside of the elbow touching your body
• Try: to remain streamlined




3 x 25 skate
• Goal: to be in a streamlined position from the tip of your fingers to your feet along one of the two tracks
• Things to think about:
o leading hand is at 4 o'clock with head hanging by the armpit - palm is facing down (hang the hand from the wrist)
o follow the tracks (body should be lines up from fingertips to toes)
o keep head in contact with shoulder as you rotate nose-down/nose-up
o top shoulder should be turned in just a little bit (this will help stay on the tracks)
o hand at the back should be in your pocket
• Try: to become very familiar with this position. Your leading hand is your target and it needs to be the same every time you spear forward.

2 x 25 spearswitch preparation
• Goal: to become comfortable with the timing and coordination needed to start switching
• Things to think about:
o wait until head is hanging…lead hand is hanging…shoulder is touching chin…hand in your jeans pocket
o check that your hip remains high while you bring the hand from your pocket forward
o the hand coming forward goes in a straight line from the pocket to just past your goggles (in your field of vision, not looking right at it)
o the path of the hand coming forward is pointing straight forward from the shoulder
o when you slide the hand back to your pocket check its position
o stay perfectly balanced on your side as you slide the hand forward and back
• Try: to feel streamlined and balanced during this movement

4 x 25 single spearswitch
• Goal: to establish the correct timing of a switch and to find the correct target every time
• Things to think about:
o Use the 2 pause technique – pause to check your target on the leading hand, pause at the goggles to ensure the switch is initiated from the spearing side
o hand goes forward at the same rate as the hip that is driving it forward
o the hand going back drifts to your pocket and gets released just as the spearing hand passes your goggles
o once the spearing hand is past the goggles, aim straight for the target and upon arrival hold that position
o feel long and quiet
o feel your hand slide past your face and then make the switch
o release the leading hand only when you have started to make the switch
• Try: to be just as streamlined after the switch as you were before the switch, just on the opposite side

4 x 25 multiple spearswitches
• Goal: to find rhythm and balance by waiting for the correct timing and always spearing to the target
• Things to think about:
o Start out with the 2-pause switch as above
o Go to the 1-pause switch when the above feels easy (just pause at the goggles before spearing)
o switch only when your hand slides past your face
o spear your hand to the target imprinted in skating
o rotate 45 to 60 degrees – only need to clear the shoulder and hip from the water on each switch
o breathe in a bite of air at the end of the stroke when you are in skate position
o feel the energy coming from the high hip as it allows your hand to come forward at the same rate
o keep the flow going – don’t pause when your hand goes back, rather touch and keep on going
• Try: to do three switches and have them all feel the same

2 x 25 zenskate
• Goal: to lead with your elbow in a straight line on your track
• Things to think about:
o In order for the elbow to be over the track, it will need to be away from your body
o The lower arm will be submerged almost up to elbow
o wait until your skate is balanced before bringing arm and hand forward – stay balanced througout
o check that your lower arm is in the water as your elbow is leading the arm forward and back
o once you are comfortable with the lower arm in the water, raise the elbow so it is just the wrist, and then finally, just dragging your fingertips through the water
o lead with your elbow (soft arm) as long as possible until forearm is alongside your ear
o if you sink wait until your hand is in your pocket, kick a couple of times and then come up for air
o picture a seal swimming next to you – gently stroke its back towards the head and then gently stroke its back as your hand glides back to the pocket
• Try: to remain streamlined and balanced as your arm moves forward and back
•
4 x 25 single zenswitch
• Goal: to smoothly switch from one streamlined skating position to the opposite streamlined skating position while finding the target every time
• Things to think about:
o Start with a 2-pause switch. Check that your leading hand is on the target, pause at the goggles just before switching and then pause again when your spearing hand reaches its target
o hang your head…keep it perfectly still
o soften your arms….feel your hand flex back as you yield to water resistance
o pause at your ear…. To make sure lead hand is still engaged
o drive the hand to the target… keep elbow high as you switch
o feel the energy coming from the high hip as it allows your hand to come forward at the same rate
o pause for a moment when you make the switch to ensure that you are still on your tracks (if your spearing hand went to the target and remained there, you are on your tracks)
• Try: to feel equally balanced and streamlined on each side

4 x 25 multiple zenswitches
• Goal: Feel an effortless flow when putting switches together
• Things to think about:
o Start with a one pause switch – pause just past the goggles to check that you are spearing from the high side of the body
o hang your head…keep it perfectly still
o soften your arms….feel your hand flex back as you yield to water resistance
o pause at your ear…. To make sure lead hand is still engaged
o drive the hand to the target… keep elbow high as you switch
o feel the energy coming from the high hip as it allows your hand to come forward at the same rate
o keep the flow going – don’t pause when your hand goes back, rather tgraze your thigh with your thumb and keep on going (archer position)
• Try: to do three switches and try to make them all feel the same


4 x 25 multiple overswitches (ear hops)
• Goal: Feel an effortless flow when putting switches together
• Things to think about:
o Have your fingertips drag through the water until they briefly float over an imaginary laser beam that comes straight out of your ear before entering the water and spearing to the target
o hang your head…keep it perfectly still
o soften your arms….feel your fingertips skim over the surface
o drive the hand to the target… keep elbow high as you switch
o feel the energy coming from the high hip as it allows your hand to come forward at the same rate
o keep the flow going – don’t pause when your hand goes back, rather tgraze your thigh with your thumb and keep on going (archer position)
• Try: to do three switches and try to make them all feel the same. This will lead into effortless breathing


Breathing
• Goal: fit rhythmic breathing into the rhythmic stroke
• Things to think about:
o commit to the breath when your hand enters the water, start exhaling and turning to the breath
o breathe into the armpit (your inhale is going to happen as your arm starts coming forward and you can see your armpit)
o learn to exhale slowly and rhythmically while underwater and exhale the last 20% forcefully as you rotate to the breath (that exhale continues all the way to the surface)
o If you have concerns about the breathing, TI has just published a new DVD on breathing and it may be worth purchasing
• Try: just one breath with four strokes before linking too many together. Keep a steady rhythm as you count out 1, 2, Breathe, 1…. (each number represents the moment the hand enters the water)





Sample practice for combining drilling with swimming

100 warmup

25 x 50 (25 drill, 25 swim)

superman glide
superman flutter
laser lead flutter
core balance R (fish)
core balance L (fish)
skate R
skate L
spearskate R
spearskate L
single spearswitch
double spearswitch R
double spearswitch L
triple spearswitch
zen skate R
zen skate L
single zenswitch
double zenswitch R
double zenswitch L
triple zenswitch
triple zenswitch – very briefly in sweet spot
triple zenswitch – one breath, one sweet spot
triple zenswitch – two breaths, one sweet spot
triple zenswitch – all breathing

8 x 25 swim and count your strokes – try to reduce stroke count

2 x 100 swim

100 cool down


Focus points
Keep looking down at the tile beneath you
Keep head close to leading arm
Think long
Keep arm extended when breathing
Palm down when looking down, palm up when looking up
Rotate with your hips
Aim to feel a straight body when you are breathing and gliding on your side
(be on your tracks)






Once you are comfortable doing more of a swimming workout…

100 swim
100 swim other than freestyle

8 x 50 count your stroke (20 seconds rest between sets)

Main set: (rest 30 sec between sets)
2 x 25 (easy, moderate)
2 x 50 (easy, moderate)
2 x 75 (easy, moderate)
2 x 100 (easy, moderate)
2 x 75 (easy, moderate)
2 x 50 (easy, moderate)
2 x 25 (easy, moderate)

100 swim with fistgloves
100 kick (the best kicking exercise is doing drills like skate or hand-lead sweetspot – the kick board only makes you lift your head)

4 x 25 fast on the 30’s (or the 45’s whichever works for you) (you swim as fast as you can while maintaining your form and you get to rest only as much as your next start time allows)

300 warm down (try to do this without stopping)

Total – 2000 yards


Most important – Enjoy your time in the water !