Transform your technique and become a better swimmer with this remarkable new approach to freestyle swimmingWritten for both fitness and competitive swimmers, Swim Smooth contains the latest breakthroughs in swimming to help you radically improve your speed, enjoyment, and success. Hundreds of full-color photographs and three-dimensional graphics help you put theory into practice while detailed advice offers help for intermediate, advanced, and elite swimmers alike. The book's approach lets you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your stroke and drills and training tips let you make the most of your time in the water.Swim Efficently. Swim Fast. Swim Smooth.

Foreword by Paul Moss and Giles O'Brien viiPreface: The 11-Year-Old Girl ixAcknowledgements xiiiGETTING STARTED 1Chapter 1 How to Use This Book 3Chapter 2 Introduction to Freestyle Swimming 9Chapter 3 Swimming Equipment 15Chapter 4 The Three Keys to Better Freestyle Swimming 21KEY 1 TECHNIQUE 25Chapter 5 What Makes an Effi cient Freestyle Stroke? 27Chapter 6 Stroke Flaws - Cause and Effect 29Chapter 7 Breathing 31Chapter 8 Body Position 41Chapter 9 Leg Kick 45Chapter 10 Posture and Alignment 53Chapter 11 Rotation and Arm Recovery 61Chapter 12 Hand Entry 69Chapter 13 Catch and Pull-Through 75Chapter 14 Stroke Rate Development 95Chapter 15 The Science Behind an Effi cient Freestyle Stroke 101Chapter 16 Performing Your Own Video Analysis Session 109Chapter 17 The Swim Types System 117Chapter 18 The Arnie 127Chapter 19 The Bambino 131Chapter 20 The Kicktastic 135Chapter 21 The Overglider 139Chapter 22 The Swinger 145Chapter 23 The Smooth 151KEY 2 TRAINING 157Chapter 24 The Importance of Fitness Training 159Chapter 25 Balancing the Different Types of Fitness Training 163Chapter 26 A Simple Skeleton Structure for Your Swimming Month 169Chapter 27 Finding Your Critical Swim Speed 173Chapter 28 Pace Awareness in the Pool and Open Water 183Chapter 29 Dry-Land Conditioning 187Chapter 30 Prevention and Management of Shoulder Injuries 199Chapter 31 Pool Skills 213Chapter 32 Nutrition for Longer Sessions and Races 219KEY 3 OPEN WATER 223Chapter 33 The Importance of Open Water Skills 225Chapter 34 Managing Anxiety 227Chapter 35 Swimming Straighter 229Chapter 36 Drafting Effectively 233Chapter 37 Turning Around Buoys 239Chapter 38 Better Wetsuit Swimming 241Chapter 39 Adapting Your Stroke to a Variety of Conditions 247APPENDICES 251A Swim Smooth Drills 253B Swim Type Stroke Correction Processes 277C Training Sessions 297Index 311