I swam competitively as a junior and then again for a while in masters events in my late 40s and early 40s. I was a competent swimmer who had reasonable pace over 100 to 200 metres but I always struggled with distances beyond 400. The notion of swimming 1500 to 5000 metres or more was pretty much unthinkable to me.
It was only when I came across Total Immersion that I started to learn about how swimming really worked for the first time; how balance and streamlining are vital to becoming an efficient swimmer. The TI approach was transformational for me. Learning to swim with my whole body enabled me to enjoy swimming distances over 1500m and the joy of open water swimming opened up to me. It was also the beginning of my further research into swimming and studying the theories of other notable coaches.
My journey with TI culminated when I took the coach training and became a certified level 3.0 Total Immersion Coach in 2014. I became a certified TI workshop director in 2018.
I have over 5000 hours experience one to one coaching, directing swimming workshops and leading swim camps. During this time I have refined and distilled my thoughts on swimming to keep it from becoming unnecessarily complicated.
My favourite swimming conditions are the calmest and also the gnarliest. Swimming through still calm glassy waters at dawn is a great joy but also relaxing into waves when it gets a bit rough can be great fun too. Just like in life, you have to roll with the punches in those conditions.
When not coaching swimming, swimming, or thinking about swimming, I enjoy playing chess, keeping fit in the gym, good food and being taken for a walk in the beautiful Sussex countryside by my working cocker spaniel Daisy.
It was only when I came across Total Immersion that I started to learn about how swimming really worked for the first time; how balance and streamlining are vital to becoming an efficient swimmer. The TI approach was transformational for me. Learning to swim with my whole body enabled me to enjoy swimming distances over 1500m and the joy of open water swimming opened up to me. It was also the beginning of my further research into swimming and studying the theories of other notable coaches.
My journey with TI culminated when I took the coach training and became a certified level 3.0 Total Immersion Coach in 2014. I became a certified TI workshop director in 2018.
I have over 5000 hours experience one to one coaching, directing swimming workshops and leading swim camps. During this time I have refined and distilled my thoughts on swimming to keep it from becoming unnecessarily complicated.
My favourite swimming conditions are the calmest and also the gnarliest. Swimming through still calm glassy waters at dawn is a great joy but also relaxing into waves when it gets a bit rough can be great fun too. Just like in life, you have to roll with the punches in those conditions.
When not coaching swimming, swimming, or thinking about swimming, I enjoy playing chess, keeping fit in the gym, good food and being taken for a walk in the beautiful Sussex countryside by my working cocker spaniel Daisy.
"I cannot thank you enough - I can't believe I have gone from feeling like I'm drowning on a 20m length to swimming 2km without too much of a problem. Absolutely thrilled."
Maike H - Petersfield
Maike H - Petersfield
