#400 : How Much Can Your Swimming Improve In 2 Years? with Brian Hans
Two years ago, Brian Hans was swimming 2:00 per 100 yards—struggling to find rhythm and wondering if he'd ever feel smooth in the water. Fast forward to now, he's cruising under 1:30s and just placed 9th out of 171 in his Half Ironman swim. How did he make that kind of jump? What changes in his stroke made the biggest difference? And what nearly stopped him along the way? In this episode, Brian shares the breakthroughs, setbacks, and lessons from his two-year transformation—proving what's possible when you combine patience, feedback, and the right focus in training. 01:43 Introduction to Brian Hans and His Background 04:36 The Journey from Recreational to Competitive Swimming 07:06 The Importance of Technique and Video Analysis 10:06 Experiencing Breakthroughs in Swimming Performance 13:01 Navigating Open Water Challenges 15:57 Training Consistency and Session Structure 18:29 The Role of Flip Turns in Swimming Efficiency 21:39 Current Focus and Future Goals in Swimming 24:11 Patience and Long-Term Progress in Swimming
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31:58
#399 : 12 (unusual) lessons from Michael Phelps' coach
Bob Bowman — the legendary coach behind Michael Phelps and Leon Marchand — was recently on the Exponential Athlete Podcast, and listening to that episode completely changed the way I think about swimming. In today's episode, I'm going to share with you 12 powerful ideas I learned from that conversation — insights that can help you take your swimming to the next level. 00:53 Consistency Beats Perfection 01:40 Practice Performing Under Pressure 02:43 Process Over Outcome 03:35 Relax And Focus Under Pressure 04:02 The Power Of Underwaters 05:08 Different Approaches Can Work For Different People 06:97 Training Volume And Breaks 08:04 Visualization 11:52 Making Deposits To Your Swimming Bank Account 13:04 Creating An Environment Where Success Is Inevitable 14:09 Always Be Willing To Experiment 15:20 Importance Of Feedback And Data
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17:12
#398 : Exhausted A One Lap? 5 Ways To Swim Forever with Brenton Ford
If you find yourself gasping for air after just one lap in the pool, this episode is for you. After coaching nearly 10,000 swimmers over the past 19 years, I've discovered that mastering your breathing is one of the quickest ways to transform your swimming. In this episode, I'll show you how to regulate your breathing so you can swim lap after lap without feeling exhausted — like taking an evening stroll in the water instead of fighting to stay afloat. You'll also learn the number one mistake most beginners make that can stall their progress for months, and how to fix it fast. Plus, if you're new to swimming, don't miss our free 7-day email series that breaks down every key part of your stroke to help you swim more efficiently and confidently. 01:14 Why Does Your Breathing Matter? 01:42 Breathing In 02:16 Are You Exhaling Enough? 05:36 Time Your Breathing Correctly With Your Stroke 06:53 Breath In The Correct Position 08:20 Breathing Patterns 10:14 Keeping The Heart Rate Down 10:54 Drills 12:00 Adapting To Openwater
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#397 : Transform Your Catch In 17 Minutes with Brenton Ford
The freestyle catch is one of the most confusing parts of the stroke — and that's exactly why so many swimmers either avoid it or get it completely wrong. In this episode, we'll break down what the catch actually is, how to do it right, and why it's the key to real propulsion in your freestyle. If you've been swimming for a while but not seeing much progress, this might be the missing piece. I'll share what I've learned from watching thousands of swimmers, coaching nearly 10,000 people in our freestyle clinics here in Australia, and studying what truly makes a great catch work. By the end, you'll understand how the freestyle catch ties into your whole stroke — and how to use it to swim with more grace, speed, and efficiency the next time you hit the pool. 01:20 Parts Of The Stroke 2:00 Anchor Your Arms In The Water 02:46 Beginning Of The Catch 03:17 Fingers Below The Wrists, Wrists Below The Elbow 4:57 Catch-Slow To Fast 05:33 Initiating The Catch 7:23 Pulling Straight Back 11:43Angle At The Elbow 12:16 Rotation 12:50 Pull/ Press Phase 13:29 Power Diamond 14:37 The Exit 17:30 Recovery 18:20 Skinny "S"
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#396 : 12 Ways To Make Your Swimming Unrecognizable In The Next 12 Months with Brenton and Tas
In this episode of the Effortless Swimming Podcast, Brenton Ford and Tas discuss the key takeaways from their recent training camp in the Maldives. They cover essential themes such as identifying bottlenecks in swimming technique, the importance of community support, overcoming self-doubt, and the significance of consistency in training. The conversation emphasizes practical strategies for improvement, including the use of simple cues, the power of reframing concepts, and the benefits of practicing techniques on land. The hosts also highlight the value of rhythm in swimming and the effectiveness of contrast drills to enhance performance. 00:57 Identifying and Focusing on Bottlenecks 04:13 Simplifying Drills and Progression Sets 07:26 The Importance of Community in Swimming 11:23 Believing in Yourself and Overcoming Doubts 15:37 Consistency Over Perfection 19:54 Process and Feel Over Data 23:54 Simple Cues Unlock Big Changes 26:11 Breaststroke Technique Insights 28:08 The Importance of Reframing Concepts 29:56 Rhythm in Swimming: The Waltz Analogy 33:13 Practicing Technique on Land 36:18 Using Contrast Drills for Technique Improvement 40:04 Sighting and Pack Swimming Strategies
Faster times and better technique aren't a guarantee when you train hard. What really makes a difference to your speed and efficiency in the water? The Effortless Swimming podcast helps make a complex sport really simple to better your swimming. We cover open water swimming, triathlon swimming and pool swimming. Hosted by Australian National swimmer and coach Brenton Ford.
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