Total Immersion Freestyle: Made Easy Drill Cards

Some years ago, when Terry Laughlin was Technique Editor of Fitness Swimmer magazine, reader surveys indicated the illustrated technique articles were the most popular feature. That experience taught her the value of great pictures complemented by a few well-chosen words to show the difference-making details of the strokes or drills.

This all-new edition of Total Immersion Freestyle: Made Easy Drill Cards is the first in a series of new photo-illustrated guides on technique from Total Immersion. These high detailed water-proof training drills cards are great learning devices while your in the water. Each of the 14 water-proof cards in the Total Immersion Freestyle: Made Easy Drill Cards series includes the great visual detail and focal point captions as shown below.

Example of Drill Cards:

Photo #1 shows the starting point for all ZipperSwitch drills. After rotating to Skating Position I pause to check that my head is in line with my spine (taught on Page 5), that my left hand is below my head, with fingertips angled down (taught on Page 6) and I’m balanced on my left Track (also Page 6.) When I know I’ve got that right, I begin drawing my right hand forward underwater, softening it as I feel the water’s resistance.

In Photo #2, while anchoring my left hand to hold onto my place in the water, I’ve drawn my right hand forward – leading with my elbow for as long as possible. Just as it reaches my ear, I can feel the resistance on my hand decrease. This cues me to slice “spear” it directly to the spot I’ve imprinted in the Skating drill. All the following are worth observing in this pic:

1. Both hands are forward of my head – helping keep my bodyline long.

2. My left hand is in position to hold “an armful of water” which will help propel me forward as I spear my right hand.

3. My right hand and shoulder are poised to benefit from my hip drive as I spear – powerful energy that takes no work to produce.

4. My legs are minimizing drag even as they help rotate my body.

In Photo #3, my right hand has driven to the spot I imprinted in Skating. I’ll keep it there – cultivating the same firm grip – as my left hand completes its stroke and begins the next Zipper recovery. My head is remaining aligned on the head-spine line and my left leg is completing its downbeat at the same moment my right hand reaches full extension – the coordination described in my articles on the 2-beat kick and “diagonal power.”

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So, to get the complete “self-coaching toolkit” for Total Immersion Freestyle, order the Total Immersion Freestyle: Made Easy DVD along with the Total Immersion Freestyle: Made Easy Drill Cards. Study the DVD to see the dynamic of the movements and understand the flow of each sequence. And complement the DVD with the Freestyle: Made Easy Drill Cards so you can study the key points as shown here – both at home, and most importantly, while you’re in the pool practicing.