Swimming to Health
By BILL HAMMONS

Since January 2005, I have embraced TI swimming and it has been good to me in return. When I started, I’d been suffering chronic fatigue symptoms for several years. Chronic fatigue has no known causes, thus is identified largely by its symptoms. One tires easily and recovers slowly. Muscles ache. Extra sleep is needed. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

Exercise is important to regaining one’s strength, but in careful moderation. Any intense activity brought on muscle soreness that I had never experienced short of a 20-mile run or 100-mile bike. An hour of running, at a once-moderate pace would have me trying to sleep off soreness and fatigue for the rest of the day and able to do little for the next few days.

In an effort to exercise without crashing, I varied my activities. Cycling and the elliptical trainer helped, as there was no impact. Yet both targeted leg muscles and after two or three days, I’d crash again. As I was using exercise to de-stress and refresh, it was surprising to be humbled by something I once did so easily. So, I went back to the pool. I’d been a Red Cross swimmer and even a lifeguard. Fifteen years ago, I even tried Masters swimming for a year though I never advanced beyond the slow lane – usually feeling nearly swamped by the four to six other swimmers who shared it. Back in the pool, 15 years later, I was still slow, but swimming felt therapeutic. I wasn’t passing any “real” swimmers yet, but swimming felt like a massage compared to a run.

Because freestyle was exhausting, I searched the Internet for insight. Providentially, I came to the Total Immersion web site and was immediately encouraged by how different it seemed from everything else. I ordered the Freestyle Made Easy DVD and its downoadable study guide, both of which I devoured. I also used the TI Discussion Forum to learn from others and ask my own questions. Eventually I attended a Weekend Workshop.

What made TI ideal was that mindful, purposeful practice – rather than exertion – was the cornerstone for success. Not only did TI give me permission to go slowly, it also showed me how to turn ease into an asset. Before I started TI, I could swim 50 yards in 60 seconds, but only while fresh. After a few repeats, my times would quickly soar to 80 seconds. Nor could I swim much more than 100 yards of freestyle. To continue, I needed to switch to breaststroke or elementary backstroke. After six months of TI drilling and swimming, my physical strength had begun to return. As well, I had greatly increased my range of practice options, as illustrated by this practice I completed in the summer of 2005…after a 20-mile bike ride.

Freestyle swimming for forty minutes:

First, 20 minutes of "fast" 50s concentrating on time and stroke count. Times began at 57 seconds and steadily improved until I was repeating 51’s. Stroke count ranged from 40 to 44 for golf scores between 95 and 97. I recovered between “speed” 50s with TI drills for “active rest” with ample Sweet Spot pauses between drill cycles, beginning with basic balance drills and progressing to multi-switches.

Next, 20 minutes of "efficient" 50s concentrating on lowering stroke count and reduced focus on repeat time. Stroke counts started at 35 per 50, and improved steadily to 31. My times ranged from 60 to 57 and I surprised myself with a couple golf scores under 90! Again, I practiced drill 25s between whole-stroke 50s, progressing from balance drills to switches. The drills helped me train myself to maintain my best technique for the full duration of my practice. From previous training and coaching experience, I’d learned to do technique work when somewhat tired. Because one especially needs to rely on good form as fatigue mounts, technique work can have more benefit than just adding to your distance. One caveat: If one becomes too tired to even drill right, it's time get out of the pool.

Then I did 10 minutes of short axis drills. 25 yards of each short axis drill progressing to a 25 of whole-stroke butterfly. Having never done Fly, this was new and stimulating. Though I had no instructor for feedback, two lovely women told me how good my Fly looked. They were impressed because I didn’t swim Butterstruggle. After my 25 Fly, I swam a few minutes of easy breaststroke.

I finished by “playing” with elementary backstroke, recovering both arms out of the water and trying to get solid underwater pulls, with just enough of a breaststroke kick for balance and timing. I did several 50s in 51 - 52 seconds and felt completely exhilarated. Not only had I done the “exotic” elementary backstroke, I was doing it well, going fast enough to pass a fair swimmer doing freestyle with flip turns.

Sunday evening came and I was able to keep up with my family without crashing on the couch. With regular swimming, I was able to exercise, aerobically, for an hour or two each day and had fewer down days. My body and legs remained fresh.

Now, as a TI instructor, I have particular empathy for those who have experienced fatigue and injury and want to learn how to swim easily and well. As well, because really good swimming is fresh, satisfying and exciting. I want to share that with others as Dr George Sheehan, Jim Fixx, Kenny Moore, Hal Higdon and Joe Henderson have done with running. Thousands wanted to experience running as they described it. If I can share the benefits I’ve gained from swimming easily and confidently in the pool and open water, I hope others will seek it too.

Having competed in cycling and running, I am now doing triathlons too. The competition I’d most like to win is for the best looking, long and easy stroke. If I can make it look easier than anyone else and inspire others to want the same kind of stroke, I’d be thrilled. As I play and experiment with what TI teaches, I invariably come back to appreciating the TI focus on pleasure.


Bill Hammons has over 25 years experience in education, training, finance and sales. He lives, swims, and teaches TI in the Atlanta area.
Contact Bill at whammm@gmail.com.