Small Critique on 10 Lesson Freestyle Video

[jpwkeeper]

I've begun working my way through this video, and I have one small critique:

It would be nice if it included a plan, focal points, and end goals for each lesson that could be taken to the pool.

For example, for lesson one it might include:

Drill: Superman Glide. Focus: Weightless Head, Relaxed Hands
Drill: Laserhead Flutter Focus: Weightless Head, Head/Spine alignment.
Endgame: SG-Wholestroke, 5 strokes maintaining relaxed head and hands.

Obviously this is incomplete, but I'm finding that I watch a chapter and I get all pumped up, then get to the pool (especially if its the next day or even a few days later) and kind of have a brain freeze. A few quick reminders would bring the lessons back. The best would be to watch a subsection at the pool, then swim it, then watch the next subsection (without shorting out the DVD player), etc. But that's kind of not practical (not to mention it would be a bit embarrassing).

It doesn't help that I watched several of the lessons first and I've seen the entire Easy Freestyle video, so which drill goes into which lesson keeps getting mixed up in my head.

The bonus material seems like it starts down that road, but then loses it.

Once again, just a nit. It's a fantastic video and I can't wait to start lesson 3 to get my breathing balance right, but I'm taking it slow.

[cynthiam]

I sometimes type up my drills and focal points and put the paper in a zippered plastic bag (or one of those full-size plastic page protectors) & take it to the pool with me. Put it on a damp kickboard at the end of the lane, and I'm good to go.

I also have Coach Brian's set of practices for beginners, though it's helpful to have the basic drills down before you start these. They have drills and focal points along with the goals of each practice. You can find it in the TI store under the books category. It's actually a PDF file you can print out.

[jpwkeeper]

Originally Posted by cynthiam

I sometimes type up my drills and focal points and put the paper in a zippered plastic bag (or one of those full-size plastic page protectors) & take it to the pool with me. Put it on a damp kickboard at the end of the lane, and I'm good to go.

I also have Coach Brian's set of practices for beginners, though it's helpful to have the basic drills down before you start these. They have drills and focal points along with the goals of each practice. You can find it in the TI store under the books category. It's actually a PDF file you can print out.

I saw those, but two things stopped me:

1. 29.99 is kind of a lot (it's 60% of the cost of the DVD)
2. I don't meet the 50 yard criteria

[Graziella]

btw under free stuff on this page is a printable log for the DVD.
Did you see this yet ?
http://www.totalimmersion.net/free-stuff
I watch the DVD from time to time,
then practice the things I remember : ) works for me : )

[mikeleegang]

Originally Posted by jpwkeeper

Once again, just a nit. It's a fantastic video and I can't wait to start lesson 3 to get my breathing balance right, but I'm taking it slow.

Hi jpwkeeper,
I had the similar 'can't wait' feeling as yours when practicing drills of 'Freestyle.and.Backstroke' 6 years ago.
At that time, I was ambitious to SWALLOW all the drills in one time practicing. So how to bring all drills to the pool? Obviously the best way is to remember them all by heart. But it is such a challenge to recite them with just watching DVD.
Then I try to note down all the drills name with playing/pausing the DVD. And I finished the job on 2 pages of A4 paper with detailed description of 18 drills of 6 lessons. I brought the paper to the pool and put them in a plastic bag at a corner. During the practice, whenever I forgot details of some drill, I climbed out of the pool, found my papers, and read them.
And probably from the 3rd time to practice the drills in the pool, I never need to climb out of the pool again. I also felt a better understanding of the drills when remembering them by heart.
In the past 6 years, whenever I am back to the pool from a long time without swimming, I can just start to practice the drills. It really helps to quickly recover the senses.

HTH
Mike

[jpwkeeper]

Originally Posted by Graziella

btw under free stuff on this page is a printable log for the DVD.
Did you see this yet ?
http://www.totalimmersion.net/free-stuff
I watch the DVD from time to time,
then practice the things I remember : ) works for me : )

Am I missing something? I see, and had read, the user's guide on this page. I don't see any printable log though.