First, "BIG PROPS" to TI Master Coach Dave Cameron for producing an excellent Coaches Summit in Minneapolis, and to the Minneapolis YWCA for hosting it.  Our summit – held 30 September through 03 October – included roundtable discussions, as well as presentations by several of our coaches.  My favorite was "Grace and Speed", presented by both Dave and Shinji Takeuchi.  In my experience as a triathlete, the most promising pursuit of speed is to patiently pursue grace. 

And, of course, there were pool sessions each day, with opportunities for coaches to share unique perspectives and tips for doing what we love do to – support our clients in discovering both ease and speed in the water.

I was honored to speak Saturday morning on a topic so near and dear to my heart and soul – the deep philosophical foundations that distinguish Total Immersion as a resource for developing and enjoying efficiency, grace and ease not just in swimming, but in life!  In this first entry of a series, I share with you some of these elements.

Yoga and T’ai Chi:  I’ve often heard people label Total Immersion as the "yoga" or "T’ai Chi" of swimming.  Yoga translates as ‘yoke" or "union".  The union that yoga refers to is a harmonious union of body and mind.  As an approach to swimming, Total Immersion engages our minds and bodies together in a patient, curious, scientific and creative investigation of the three elements of efficient swimming – balance, streamline and propulsion.  The technique of Total Immersion arises from this brilliant mind-body union.  This enlightened approach distinguishes TI from proponents who feel that optimum gains can only come from a dominating mind that forces a submissive body to apply more physical force and endure more metabolic exertion in a struggle to move forward faster.  That’s the old school "mind over matter."

In T’ai chi, yoga and TI, we strive for mind in matter.  Through the union of body and mind, we engage the intelligence of the body.  Novices, especially adults, who muster up the courage to "learn how to swim" often discover that the TI experience is more than getting through the water with confidence, ease and efficiency. They discover a new relationship with their bodies.

Back to School:  Typically, as adults, education has dwindled down to a physically passive process:  Park the body in a chair of some sort, usually without regard to posture.  Feed it some sugar and caffeine to keep the mind sharp and zippy (even if the body suffers), and then task the linear-logical mind to absorb and retain some new information or to develop a new linear-logical skill.  Once the class is over, un-park the body from the chair and drive it to a new location.  For many of us, our first Total Immersion swim session – be it a 30-minute private lesson or a full weekend workshop – is the first form of physical education, the first opportunity to engage the body in an educational process since grade school.  By then, many of us have long forgotten the amazing intelligence of the body.

Patience, trust, humor and humility assure us that this re-awakening will be successful and enjoyable, and that we will transform our relationships with our bodies – beyond just learning how to swim.  For me as a TI teaching professional, it is paramount that I create a relationship with each client based on patience, trust, humor and humility.

There are some additional similarities between the practice of T’ai chi or yoga and TI swim practice.  These include balance, relaxation and conscious breathing.  All three are essential for a harmonious union of body and mind.

Conscious breath?  Heck, that’s a necessity while swimming, since we are fairly immersed in water, but must supply the active body and mind with oxygen.  Along with that precious supply of oxygen, breath is our source of buoyancy. Without air in our lungs, we sink.  Finally, conscious breath is an integral part of both physical and mental relaxation – indeed it is the common medium where mind and body find one another.

Just Relax!:   Well, we’ve all heard that before.  As paradoxical as it may seem, an overall state of relaxation – not tension – leads to greater efficiency, economy and grace in swimming, as well as in life.  Relaxation promotes accurate perception from all of our senses.  Want to develop a great feel for the water?  Relax and… well, feel the water.  Feel how the water responds to your movements, your balance, your shape.  The water is your ultimate high-level swim coach.

Yoga and T’ai Chi are widely regarded as effective practices for developing relaxation skills that enhance the quality of our everyday lives.  They can enhance your swimming as well. 

As for the profound element of balance, I will save that for a future blog.  (Be forewarned – I can expound at length on balance.)

In this entry, I have identified some of the deep philosophical foundations that Total Immersion Swimming is based on.  As you conduct your swim practice, I invite you look deeply into your approach to swimming and to enjoy the intelligence that arises from the harmonious union of body and mind.  The grace you are cultivating as you swim enables you to flow through your life with the same balance, streamline and propulsion!

Conclusion:  A mindful study of movement can profoundly enhance your mental and emotional health, as well as your physical health.  (I discussed this in a prior blog "Tao of Triathlon".)  If this is your ultimate purpose in swimming, consider this:  In my 40 years as a movement addict, T’ai Chi surpasses all others in it’s profound impact on my overall well-being.  It is the most effective way to develop proprioceptive and kinesthetic awareness as well as neurological strength that I have experienced.  (Yes, you can consider this a shameless pitch for my new DVD, "T’ai Chi for Athletes".)