Imagine teaching yourself how to swim, never having a coach, never training in a pool, just figuring it out by watching others. That was Alex Roman's reality for most of his life. He swam to survive, but certainly not to thrive. But one day, a swimmer effortlessly glided past him in the open water. And it sparked something, curiosity, what made them so fast, and what was happening beneath the surface that he had never considered.

That moment sent Alex on a journey of discovery. One that transformed him from a struggling swimmer with inefficient technique, Doing slower than two minutes per hundred into someone now who competes at national meets and swims a 50 meter sprint in under 30 seconds. His improvement wasn't just about training harder.

It was about training smarter. And in this episode, Alex shares the pivotal moments that fueled his rapid progression. The techniques and the drills that made the biggest impact and why understanding the science behind swimming changed everything for him. If you've ever felt stuck in your swimming or wondered if it's possible to make huge gains as an adult, this episode is packed with insights that could change the way you approach your own training.

So let's dive into it.

10:58 What Are The Big Things That Should Be Improved? 13:38 Tuning On How Your Body Feels 25:35 Controlled Chaos 30:55 The Importance of Warm Up 36:28 Building Strength 37:42 Getting Feedback 39:53 Drills

Welcome to the podcast. This is a rebroadcast of another podcast called the Human Endurance Podcast with two friends of mine, Bruna and Fabi. I was a guest on there recently, and I wanted to share this episode with you because I feel like a lot of key things were covered that if you're a swimmer or a triathlete, this is going to help you improve.

Whether you want to get better at open water swimming, making sure you fuel correctly, how you should train, what are some common mistakes and foundational skills 

01:28 Meet Brenton Ford: Founder of Effortless Swimming

11:24 Common Mistakes and Foundational Skills for Swimmers

18:56 Improving Swimming Technique and Training Tips

29:16 The Importance of Drills and Effective Training

39:45 Skills in Open Water Swimming vs. Pool Swimming

44:02 Increasing Stroke Rate vs. Distance Per Stroke

47:47 Choosing the Right Wetsuit

58:15 Fueling for Long Swim Sessions

01:03:14 The Journey of Effortless Swimming

01:15:12 The Future of Swimming

01:20:38 Fire Questions

Have you ever felt like you know what to do, but you're just not sure how to make it happen? Whether you're an athlete looking to unlock better performance or a coach wanting to make lasting impact. Today's episode is for you. Our guest is Nick Winkelman, author of The Language of Coaching, a groundbreaking book on how the right words can transform how you move.

Train and perform. Nick has worked with elite athletes and coaches around the world. And today he's sharing the secrets of using cues, analogies, and storytelling to spark real lasting change. In this episode, we'll cover how the words you hear or tell yourself can supercharge your improvement. Why using the right cues can make your stroke smoother, your technique sharper, and your training more effective, and the power of storytelling to break down barriers, shift mindsets, and help find your edge.

And it's not just for coaches. This is about understanding your own journey. Nick's insights will help you spot what's holding you back and how to focus your energy where it really counts. Whether you're looking to shave seconds off your swim, find more confidence in the way that you're moving or performing, or learn to enjoy the process of getting better.

This episode is packed with a heap of takeaways that you can use in the pool and beyond.

The Start Of Language of Coaching How My Role As A Coach Is Making An Impact Internal And External Cues How Often Do You Repeat The Analogy? Nothing Seems To Stick Storytelling Technique Writing The Book

I'm thrilled to bring back Bobby McGee, a legendary endurance coach with a knack for unlocking an athlete's full potential. But before we dive in, let me tell you a story about one of Bobby's transformative experiences.

Imagine this, a room filled with some of the world's top Olympic coaches from sports as diverse as gymnastics, field hockey, and bobsledding. Bobby found himself immersed in conversations that challenged his perspective and sharpened his skills. And it wasn't just about technique or training plans. It was about understanding people on a deeper level.

And this experience opened Bobby's eyes to the power of emotional intelligence in coaching and performance. It's something he's applied ever since. And in today's episode, Bobby shares some of the lessons he learned in that room. How understanding yourself and your coach can unlock new levels of performance and trust, and why mastering pacing strategies is crucial for success, and how fine tuning your mechanics can help you move more efficiently.

It's a fascinating conversation filled with a lot of actionable advice, and whether you're a swimmer, a runner, a triathlete, I've got no doubt you'll take away a lot from this episode with Olympic run coach, Bobby McGee. Let's get into it.

Coaching Concepts Athlete Profiling: Understanding Each Individual Athlete Emotional Analysis Building Trust Coaching Philosophies Coaching Olympic Level Athletes and Mid-Range Athletes Hardness Factor Thrive Mentality You've Got To Have That Killer Mentality Identifying Inefficiency Looking More Into Conditioning in Swimming Breathing Technique In Running Stroke Length and Stroke Rate Pacing and Energy Conservation Visualization

In today's episode, I'm speaking with Dudley Duncan, a seasoned coach and author of The Art of Swimming and The Game of Racing. Dudley has spent years refining his approach to swimming and he's sharing some incredible insights that will help you improve both your mindset and your technique in the water.

We cover stroke mechanics, the power of visualization to boost your performance, and strategies to build confidence so that you feel stronger and more capable every time you swim. Dudley also talks about how to balance hard work with mental toughness, giving you practical tips to stay motivated and achieve your goals.

Whether you're training for a big race, or just looking to swim smoother and faster, this episode is packed with ideas to help you take your swimming to the next level. Let's dive in.

02:22 How Did You Get Into the World Of Swimming 05:40 Philosophy in Developing Personal Growth of Swimmers 08:02 Setting Standards 09:00 Pulling People Back In The Line 11:28 Pushing Athletes To Their Limit 14:20 Philosophy in Developing Good Technique 19:59 Kayak Analogy 21:43 Drills 26:42 Visualization 35:22 Developing Confidence 38:13 Dealing with Failure 40:48 Advise to New Coaches

Welcome to this week's episode of the Effortless Swimming podcast. My guest today is four time guest, Tracey Baumann. On this episode, we're talking about the speed equation, your combination of stroke length and stroke rate, and how to find that sweet spot for whatever distance or whatever effort you're doing.

This is really the art of it. This is the art of swimming where we want to develop good technique, but then in order to swim faster, we need to make sure that we maintain that technique. but we consider the stroke rate side of the equation. So on this episode, Tracy and I talk about how to find that sweet spot, some sets and some ways that you can practice this and find this in training and some ways that you can develop gears in your swimming.

If you find that you're stuck and you can't get faster and you've only got this one speed that you're always stuck in, how can you actually go about developing those different gears? So let's jump into the episode with Tracey Baumann.

02:58 Everybody Can Learn Something 04:48 Direction of Energy 06:44 Purposeful Exageration 08:42 Remembering Knowing Where To Look 09:50 Fingernails Forward     12:21 Flattening Out A Tablecloth (Breast Stroke) 13:31 Speed Equation  17:18 What is the Magic Number? 19:53 Sets 21:25 Fast and Slow Tempos 26:42 Having Different Gears 34:54 For Intermediate Swimmers 36:18 What People Should Know 38:31 Intention Setting

This week, we are featuring some of the best bits from 2024. We had dozens of different guests on, and we've picked out what we think are some of the highlights, some of the best bits from some of those episodes. So it's like a highlights reel for 2024.

And if you have listened to this show once or a hundred times, If you haven't left us a review in the Apple app store or on Spotify, it would mean a lot to me. If you could do that, it helps us out and helps us get in front of more people. I'm looking forward to 2025. We've got some big plans for the podcast, our YouTube channel, and then also the clinics and the camps that we run.

So if you haven't joined us on any of those things and you'd like to, you can head to effortlessswimming.com. If you're in Sydney, we've added a bunch of more clinic dates for freestyle and fly back and breast. Through late December and early January. So if you are in Sydney at that time, come and check us out there.

And you can find that on our website as well at effortlessswimming.com. Let's get into this week's episode highlights from 2024.

01:18 James Lawrence 02:44 Sharon Van Rouwendaal 05:11 Hollie Buerckner 06:49 Jarrod Briffa 08:55 Dan Eisenhardt 10:07 Dean Summers 13:18 Tracey Baumann 14:44 Nick Jankovskis 17:04 Jaimie Fuller 18:17 Craig Lewin 20:02 Sharon Van Rouwendall and Moesha Johnson 22:32 Bek Keat 23:56 Sandra Harrell 26:09 Laura Quilter 28:18 Kat Matthews 30:39 Ryan Evernden

Are you struggling with the unpredictability of open water swimming? I used to hate every second of it, until I learned these tips, which completely changed the way that I thought and went about open water swimming. In this episode, you'll learn how to transform your swimming from feeling anxious and uncomfortable in the open water, To feeling confident and at ease.

00:00 Introduction 00:52 Don't be a victim 01:42 Sighting 04:01 Course Recon 04:50 Goggles 05:25 Stroke Changes 09:19 Stroke rate 10:21 Why am I Slower in open water? 11:57 Drafting 14:41 Pack swimming 17:41 Wetsuits 20:24 Bi-Lateral Breathing 21:20 Dealing with cold water 22:28 Tides and currents 24:00 Entry and exit  25:33 Dealing with panic 27:20 Practice in the pool 29:39 Race Day Strategy 31:35 Swim camps

Ryan Evernden is the founder of Formidable Strength and Conditioning, a coaching service that’s reshaping how swimmers integrate strength training into their routines. Ryan isn't just any strength coach; he specializes in tailoring strength and conditioning programs specifically for swimmers, helping them power through the water with more speed and resilience while safeguarding against injuries. Today, Ryan will share his insights on the essential strength exercises for swimmers, how to prevent common swimming injuries, and some truly inspiring success stories from the athletes he’s worked with. Whether you’re a competitive swimmer looking to enhance your performance or a recreational swimmer aiming to swim smarter and stronger, Ryan’s expertise is sure to provide valuable guidance.

02:19 Veering towards Strength Training for Swimmers 03:11 Trying to Create Swimmers For Life 04:14 Preventing Injuries 04:32 Coming Right Back Around The Basics 06:14 Assessing Mobility and Range of Motions 07:20 Improving Overhead Range of Motions 11:18 Starting Inside Out 12:13 Finding The Balance  14:51 Strength Required For Long Distance Swimmers 21:38 How Do I Fit My Strength Sessions 29:00 Common Misconceptions 35:33 Age Group Strength and Conditioning

What does it take to finish second at the Ironman World Championships? In this episode, I'm joined by professional triathlete, Kat Matthews, who's not only a fierce competitor, but also a source of inspiration for anyone looking to elevate their performance. Kat opens up about the strategies and habits that helped her climb to the top, from staying consistent with her swim training, even while traveling, to making small technique tweaks that delivered massive results.

We talk about her mental approach to open water swimming, How she tackles the swim to bike transition, and the mindset required to thrive in tough race conditions. Kat also shares her journey of recovering from injury, and how it transformed her mental resilience. We discuss why creating a stable training environment, and dialing in proper nutrition, and learning to fuel correctly during workouts can make all the difference.

Not just in racing, but in life. Whether you're a triathlete, a swimmer, or someone looking to gain a competitive edge, This episode is packed with actionable tips and powerful insights to help you achieve your best. So dive in and let Kat's story motivate you to push past your limits.

03:02 Leading up to the World Championship. Keeping the consistency and structure.

06:59 Vo2 Sets.

09:13 Travel and Training Calendar.

10:44 No Pressure Swims.

12:48 Change of Pace, Feeling of Control.

17:02 Swimming From Inside Out.

19:14 Race Conditions.

24:52 Don't Be A Victim

26:50 Openwater Stroke.

28:04 Bike Transition

33:00 Creating a Stable Training Environment

39:54 Fueling Correctly.