Trying to find the perfect, thoughtful gift for the swimmer or triathlete in your life can be a challenge. You want something unique and useful that won't just sit in the back of their closet. Whether they are a beginner, a seasoned triathlete, swimrunner or an avid open water explorer, this guide...

Recognizing flaws in a swimming stroke is the first step to fixing them. Often, what feels right in the water looks very different on video. This article breaks down a video analysis of a swimmer with four common but critical freestyle mistakes. By learning to spot these errors, from a deep kick t...

Hand paddles are commonly used in swimming pools around the world. In fact, you hardly ever see a pool deck or the infamous Lost and Found basket (yes, they do exist) without a pair of them laying around. They are either loved or hated. The main rudimentary idea behind the original hand padd...

If you swim breaststroke exclusively every time you get in the pool, you could be setting yourself up for a common and painful injury: breaststroker's knee. Many competitive swimmers who didn't train properly in their younger years now suffer from chronic knee pain. Don't become a statistic. This...

One of the toughest things to learn in swimming is a proper effective and efficient kick. Many coaches can tell you that having a great kick is the essence of fast swimming, however, they also struggle with teaching the proper kicking technique. No wonder though, the right kicking movement, wh...

The freestyle flutter kick is the engine of your stroke. A proper kick provides propulsion, lift, and balance, but it's also one of the hardest swimming skills to master. This guide will break down the mechanics of an effective flutter kick, using analogies and a unique "learn-by-doing-it-wrong" a...

I try not to live by too many rules, but when it comes to kickboards (or swimming boards), I have one: Do not use them when you are learning to swim! Kickboards can be a huge impediment to your swimming progress. Ok, that’s not entirely true:). Kickboards do have their place in training...

In one of my previous posts, I discussed how adding another sport as an alternative to swimming is beneficial, not only for your health, but also for improving your swimming. To make the point even stronger, listen to what Aaron has to say about the cross-training of running and swimming. This...

I have already discussed proper body position while swimming freestyle and the drag forces that act upon your body on numerous occasions on this blog. However, the reality of it is that it is very easy to say, "swim relaxed with good body position", but a bit more difficult to actually perform...

Sinking legs are one of the most common and frustrating problems in swimming. The cause, and the solution, almost always comes back to one fundamental skill: the position of your head. This guide is a follow-up to the "Tree Log" lesson, reinforcing why your head position is the building block of y...

Many of you have asked for some breaststroke workout advice, so here it is. This workout is designed to improve your 50 and 100-meter breaststroke, but the principles will help with longer events as well. Keep in mind that breaststroke is a combination of powerful leg drive and perfect timing. T...

The head lead body rotation drill is the foundation of a successful swimming stroke. If you skip this drill or rush through it, you’ll likely struggle to improve your stroke efficiency later on. Proper body balance is one of the most important aspects of fast, effortless swimming. I...