My One-Day Makeover

By Lisa Dee

“For many people the greatest benefit of balance may be the trans-
formation of what was a fearful experience into a powerful trust
in your own capabilities and eventually the capacity for calm self examination”.

I read this in the handout sent to me before taking a 1-day TI Workshop in their new Swim Studio in New Paltz. Although I understood the words on a cognitive level when I re-read them at the end of my one-day “swimming makeover,” the import of their true meaning came to life.

The word transformation is often bandied about nowadays. I experienced it
in a physical reality during the Total Immersion One Day Intensive.

When I registered for the workshop I knew myself to be a good swimmer. However that was what I knew from my swimming team experience at 15.
I am now 43. There had been little swimming between now and then. I had decided to incorporate swimming into my new fitness regimen and had just read Terry’s original Total Immersion book. If what he wrote was true, then there really is only one way to swim. And I had to learn it.

The results speak for themselves.

In approximately five hours of instruction my stroke efficiency, when tested at a fairly brisk current speed in the Studio’s Endless Pool, increased 91%. And I could see exactly why because I took home a DVD of my before-and-after strokes plus the key drills we did throughout the day. A good thing, because by the time we reached our third pool session of the day, my memory of how I swam at the beginning of the day had nearly been wiped clean. As we reviewed my video record at the end of the day I was stunned at my own progress.

For anyone interested in fast, effective learning, completed in a stunningly brief time, the Studio is the place to come. I came because, when I told a mentor I wanted to swim better, he handed me Terry’s book. I had not halfway finished it when I knew I had to learn this technique. When I arrived at the ‘lab’ I was impressed. Terry was there to greet me personally along with several coaches from around the world who had come to study with him. The day’s lessons were conducted in the Endless Pools with a coach alongside you in the water at every step. As we progressed from balance drills, to UnderSwitches, ZipperSwitches and finally to swimming, they explained what we were about to do, then demonstrated it beautifully. Then it was my turn, assisted by hands-on correction that allowed me to master each step with remarkable speed.

This step by step process of explaining, showing and doing led to a completely effortless progression. Before I knew it I was swimming in a thoroughly new way.

The Endless Pools were fantastic to learn in. In 88-degree water, I was comfortable the whole day; no shivering at the end of the pool waiting your turn. This was highly conducive to being able to focus entirely on new movements and sensations.

The mirrors, positioned strategically below me allowed me to check myself
and make the necessary adjustments – was my head in-line, was my arm and body traveling “down the tracks,” was my hand tipped down – a glance in the mirror would tell me. Connecting what I could see with what I was feeling set me up to feel confident I could take what I was learning home with me...without the coaches! Setting you up to be independent – your own coach – is a brilliant part of the TI program.

Setting the current speed at specific rates to measure how fast I was stroking, at the beginning and end of the day, gave me a meaningful measure on how efficient my stroke had become: I traveled the equivalent of 10 meters in 10 strokes at my highest current speed before the workshop and improved to 19 meters in 10 strokes at the end. Testing this way meant I could not only feel how much more energy and control I had, I could see it. As a new triathlete, I knew this is how I want to start my races...less effort on your swim leaves more energy for the bike and run.

I am still wearing my grin... and my new silicone ‘graduation’ cap. Every swim session now will be focused on how easily I can swim. No more tedious laps thanks to TI and their Endless Pools.

Thank you Terry and team.


Lisa Dee is president of Beaucoup Chapeaux, a Manhattan-based outsource broadcast resource company. She is training for her first triathlon.

Comment on this article