Can you read & follow this basic practice?

[rbs24h]

Originally Posted by igorner

and maybe throw the caveman some advice?
Ian

Focal Point: WIN!

[jtravis]

Originally Posted by CoachSuzanne

1A (500)
WU: Superman Glide to Swim Progression - Do 3 rounds of the following wiht each of the focal points below
SG X 4, with Focal Point (FP)
SG to swim 3-6 strokes with FP (no breath)
SG to swim 1/2 LENGTH x 2 with FP (0 - 1 breaths)
SG to swim x 25yd, with FP (breath as needed)
Repeat up to 4x25

Focal Points Round#1 Hang head, #2 Hang Hands, #3 Draft Legs (300)

S2: Swim 4-6 additional 25s of chosen FP (150)

Um, I'm a new swimmer, but I don't understand a word of this, except I know that SG=Superman Glide. I'm sure your triathletes will fare better than me.
To me, FP (no breath) means the focus point is not to breathe...would it be clearer to write it like this?

SGx4, with FP #1
SG to swim, 3-6 strokes without breathing, all with FP #1
SG to swim 1/2 length x2, breathing once, with FP #1
etc

Then you could say: Repeat whole set with FP #2 (hang hands) and FP#3 (draft legs)

Just a rookie's $0.02, so worth exactly what you paid for it.

By the way, your last line should say breathE as needed.
And can they really go half the length of the pool with 0 breaths?

Also, if you say "3 rounds of the following with EACH of the focal points below", I read that as 3 rounds for #1, 3 rounds for #2, ..., so 9 altogether. Is that what you meant? Can you tell I've been spending too much time lately editing my dissertation?

Since I started swimming, I've had a pipe dream of doing a triathlon someday (just a little one!). After seeing this, I'm not so sure. I don't know that I will ever be able to do a drill set like this!

[FrankJ]

Originally Posted by jtravis

Um, I'm a new swimmer, but I don't understand a word of this, except I know that SG=Superman Glide. I'm sure your triathletes will fare better than me.
To me, FP (no breath) means the focus point is not to breathe...would it be clearer to write it like this?

SGx4, with FP #1
SG to swim, 3-6 strokes without breathing, all with FP #1
SG to swim 1/2 length x2, breathing once, with FP #1
etc

Then you could say: Repeat whole set with FP #2 (hang hands) and FP#3 (draft legs)

Just a rookie's $0.02, so worth exactly what you paid for it.

By the way, your last line should say breathE as needed.
And can they really go half the length of the pool with 0 breaths?

Also, if you say "3 rounds of the following with EACH of the focal points below", I read that as 3 rounds for #1, 3 rounds for #2, ..., so 9 altogether. Is that what you meant? Can you tell I've been spending too much time lately editing my dissertation?

Since I started swimming, I've had a pipe dream of doing a triathlon someday (just a little one!). After seeing this, I'm not so sure. I don't know that I will ever be able to do a drill set like this!

These sets are certainly valuable for some, I am sure. But for what I am concerned, what has attracted me to TI was the simplicity of the approach, of the language and of the logic of the drill progression. In my daily practice, I strive to keep it that way.

[CoachSuzanne]

Originally Posted by jtravis

Um, I'm a new swimmer, but I don't understand a word of this, except I know that SG=Superman Glide. I'm sure your triathletes will fare better than me.
To me, FP (no breath) means the focus point is not to breathe...would it be clearer to write it like this?

SGx4, with FP #1
SG to swim, 3-6 strokes without breathing, all with FP #1
SG to swim 1/2 length x2, breathing once, with FP #1
etc

Then you could say: Repeat whole set with FP #2 (hang hands) and FP#3 (draft legs)

Just a rookie's $0.02, so worth exactly what you paid for it.

By the way, your last line should say breathE as needed.
And can they really go half the length of the pool with 0 breaths?

Also, if you say "3 rounds of the following with EACH of the focal points below", I read that as 3 rounds for #1, 3 rounds for #2, ..., so 9 altogether. Is that what you meant? Can you tell I've been spending too much time lately editing my dissertation?

Since I started swimming, I've had a pipe dream of doing a triathlon someday (just a little one!). After seeing this, I'm not so sure. I don't know that I will ever be able to do a drill set like this!

jtravis...this has been really valuable feedback! The practice is not clear enough to be followed without misinterpretation, and therefore should be made simpler.

And no, it doesn't mean no breathing, it means only do as much as you are able on your initial breath. I can see that this could be misinterpreted as people trying to force a certain distance without breathing.

And no, i only wanted 3 roudns, not 9 rounds.

Simplify, simplify, simplify

[CoachSuzanne]

Originally Posted by FrankJ

These sets are certainly valuable for some, I am sure. But for what I am concerned, what has attracted me to TI was the simplicity of the approach, of the language and of the logic of the drill progression. In my daily practice, I strive to keep it that way.

Frank, thank you...what I'm trying to do here is too complex. The above practice is almost exactly what I did in my group class last week...and when delivered by an instructor over a 1 hour lesson, it is simple. But clearly it's not simple for an athlete to expect to sit down at the poolside and follow it...at least not the audience I have in mind.

Frank, how would you outline the most basic of "TI" style practices if you were writing it down for someone?

[CoachBillL]

Suzanne, James Murdoch, who makes Endless Pools, has complained to me several times (in a genial way) about the opaqueness of TI terminology to swimmers who haven't had TI instruction; basic terms like "balance" and "rotation" have very particular meaning in TI, as you know, and people often find these confusing or just meaningless without careful explanation -- which sounds like it would not be appropriate in your situation. It's hard to get across just a little bit of TI!

Best wishes --

Bill

[rbs24h]

Originally Posted by jtravis

Since I started swimming, I've had a pipe dream of doing a triathlon someday (just a little one!). After seeing this, I'm not so sure. I don't know that I will ever be able to do a drill set like this!

If you want to be a triathlete, you can be a triathlete. Before TI, and before my first Sprint Tri, I would look at some of the on line "Couch to Sprint" training plans and they would start with a 200 yd. warmup.

WHAT????!!!! After training for a few months, I could bike and run(jog) well enough. But in what world could I ever use a 200 yard swim as a warmup. Triathlon was out of reach without the swim.

I couldn't swim 150 yds without stopping no matter what, even though I was getting in better shape every day. In other words, my problem was not an aerobic one.
I started TI in May of 2011 and did my first Olympic Distance Tri, on September 25, 2011. It started with a 1 mile Ocean Swim. A 1 MILE OCEAN SWIM...I would have bet anything that I would not have had that ability, EVER, let alone in that time frame.

The 10 Lesson DVD changed my life. Trust it.

PS: I injured my foot in December and have been in a boot for the last 6 weeks. Swimming is the ONLY form of exercise that has enabled me to continue on this path. I have every confidence that I will be back training on the bike and run as soon as possible, but only because TI Swimming bridged this injury gap for me.

I could list my weight, cholesterol, type II diabetes, blood pressure stat differences. But suffice to say again, TI changed my life. It gave me Triathlon and a window to peace.

[rbs24h]

Sorry for adding on, but Coach Suzanne relayed to me a drill/technique Terry told her about that I could use to make sure I didn't injure my foot further while swimming. The "Toe Tap" drill.

I let my bad foot streamline only. I kick with the other leg only, in a 2 beat rhythm. First beat: I kick/flick good foot to a position above my bad foot and tap its toes to the bottom of my bad foot , then streamline.

Remember, feet are upside down so I do actually go above the bad foot to tap the bottom of it with the good one.

Second beat: When my bad foot should kick, I initiate that rotation by moving my good foot from streamline underneath my bad foot "Toe Tap" or actually, kind of cradle with the arch, the top side of my bad foot then drive hip,spear etc.....streamline.

It helps me keep my rhythm and "protects/holds" my bad foot from second nature kicks that may (but probably wouldn't) injure it further.

Just a shout out to Suzanne, Terry and TI..

After reading that, I hope I do the "Toe Tap" better than I describe how to do it. Suzanne can explain better if anyone needs it.

Almost out of the boot..Thanks.

[jtravis]

Originally Posted by rbs24h

If you want to be a triathlete, you can be a triathlete. Before TI, and before my first Sprint Tri, I would look at some of the on line "Couch to Sprint" training plans and they would start with a 200 yd. warmup.

WHAT????!!!! After training for a few months, I could bike and run(jog) well enough. But in what world could I ever use a 200 yard swim as a warmup. Triathlon was out of reach without the swim.

I couldn't swim 150 yds without stopping no matter what, even though I was getting in better shape every day. In other words, my problem was not an aerobic one.
I started TI in May of 2011 and did my first Olympic Distance Tri, on September 25, 2011. It started with a 1 mile Ocean Swim. A 1 MILE OCEAN SWIM...I would have bet anything that I would not have had that ability, EVER, let alone in that time frame.

The 10 Lesson DVD changed my life. Trust it.

PS: I injured my foot in December and have been in a boot for the last 6 weeks. Swimming is the ONLY form of exercise that has enabled me to continue on this path. I have every confidence that I will be back training on the bike and run as soon as possible, but only because TI Swimming bridged this injury gap for me.

I could list my weight, cholesterol, type II diabetes, blood pressure stat differences. But suffice to say again, TI changed my life. It gave me Triathlon and a window to peace.

Paul, thanks for the encouragement. My doubts about being able to do a triathlon come not from a swimming fitness standpoint, but from a swimming skill standpoint. Last summer, I couldn't swim a stroke. Now I can swim the length of the pool, but it's not pretty. It's coming along, though! If I can ever figure out how to get horizontal and keep my legs from sinking, I'll have hope for a triathlon.

I do have the 10-lesson dvd.
(Well, actually I don't, because I loaned it to my swimming lesson friend. I'm sure she'll give it back soon! Hopefully she will like it, so I will have someone to share TI drills with. Right now, it's hard to sell her on TI because she already can stay horizontal, and is puzzled why my legs sink so much worse than hers.)

Appreciate the good wishes! Glad to know the notion of a 1-mile ocean swim seemed just as impossible to you as 150 yards in a pool seems to me.

[rbs24h]

Originally Posted by rbs24h

I couldn't swim 150 yds without stopping no matter what, even though I was getting in better shape every day. In other words, my problem was not an aerobic one.

JT-

Exactly my point. My whole problem was technique. I was in decent shape from the bike and swim training (left that part out), but could not do the swim.

Stay with it. Good luck.