YOU TOO CAN SWIM AS GOOD AS MARK SPITZES, MICHAEL PHELPSES, IAN THORPES OF THE WORLD

Yes, you can swim as good, as those Olympians do. You can learn how to operate your body in the water as swiftly and as smoothly.

The task might seem daunting at first, since despite all the research, study and theories, there is no consensus on proper swimming technique and conventional academic swimming instruction varies. On top of that, the naturally talented ones can't really tell us, what they are really doing. (When Mark Spitz' coach, legendary Dr. James Counsilman, asked Spitz to describe his technique, Mark's detailed answer that followed was very different from what he was actually doing in the water.)

Here's our solution. Swimmers like M. Spitz, M. Phelps, G. Hall, Jr., et al are natural talents, who swim based on feel. They possess an innate talent in movement absent from most 'normal' people. Their feelings, i.e. their perceptions of their movement are on a whole new level, unfamiliar to us, mortals. So it is only logical that we try to get where they are and try to develop a better level of our perceptions.

One school of thought recommends just that, "swimmers should be encouraged to feel pressure and differential pressure through the pressure sensitive cells and kinesthetic proprioceptive system. By doing so, the swimmers become better at controlling the direction of resultant force as their ability to feel difference between pushing water and applying effective force is increased." (McCabe, C. and Sanders, R. Propulsion in Swimming). While there is a lot of wisdom in this concept, it comes without instructions, as does the old tactic of some swim coaches, telling their swimmers to develop a "feel" for that water.

Here's where you can get very detailed instructions. Pose Swimming technique makes it easier by offering very specific swim drills in and out of water, exercises and training tips to help you develop a better perception of your body moving in water. Of course there are detailed instructions on technique, too.

The concept of perception might be new to you and many, many others, but the truth is, everyone uses perception on a subconscious level. Those athletes who recognize and use their perceptions are the ones who will be the most successful.

Learning how to apply your perception of your movements in the water will be one of the keys to dramatically improving your swimming.

Article by Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov