The Effortless Swimming Podcast

Ryan Evernden is the founder of Formidable Strength and Conditioning, a coaching service that's reshaping how swimmers integrate strength training into their routines. Ryan isn't just any strength coach; he specializes in tailoring strength and conditioning programs specifically for swimmers, helping them power through the water with more speed and resilience while safeguarding against injuries. T...

What does it take to finish second at the Ironman World Championships? In this episode, I'm joined by professional triathlete, Kat Matthews, who's not only a fierce competitor, but also a source of inspiration for anyone looking to elevate their performance. Kat opens up about the strategies and habits that helped her climb to the top, from staying consistent with her swim training, even while tra...

Mitch Kibby is a professional triathlete who's placed 16th in the 70.3 World Championship. He began his triathlon career without a swimming background, and has gone on to compete with some of the strongest swimmers in the pro field. This is how he did it. 00:22 Introduction 00:57 Favourite cue 01:56 Kick 03:03  Breathing both sides 05:11 Catch and pull 08:38 Developing speed 09:57 Long-term approa...

With experience coaching over 8,000 swimmers, I'm sharing what really works to improve your freestyle—from finding a relaxed, efficient stroke to mastering the catch and pull. Tune in now! 00:34 Introduction 00:59 The Importance of Relaxation and Breathing 02:54 Reducing Drag for Better Swimming 04:41 Achieving the Perfect Body Position 06:04 Effective Leg Movement and Core Engagement 09:56 Master...

In this episode, we sit down with Tracey Baumann to explore swim stroke synchronization and body connection for a more efficient swim. We discuss six key synchronization points, the importance of feeling the water, and the role of joint mechanics in creating a powerful stroke. Tracy shares her coaching evolution toward focusing on technique and sensory cues, emphasizing the benefits of short-inter...

Kiah Melverton, an Olympian, former world record holder, and World Championship silver medalist, joins us in this episode. Kiah offers advice on improving freestyle technique, highlighting key areas swimmers should focus on to achieve a faster, more efficient stroke. Tune in now! 00:30 Meet Kia Malverton 00:5 Head and Body Position 01:26 Kicking 04:01 Recovery and Catch 05:24 Breathing Techniques...

I've spent 25 years helping adults become better swimmers, from beginners to pro triathletes. In this podcast, I'll share what really works to go from feeling slow and frustrated to swimming fast, efficiently, and effortlessly. 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Balancing Tension and Relaxation 01:34 Reality vs Perception  02:24 Finding Your Unique Swimming Style 03:34 The Importance of Technique Over Effor...

Today, we're joined by Craig Lewin, founder of Endurance Swimming, who discovered his passion in the open water. Though he started as an average swimmer in the pool, Craig found his stride in marathon swimming, where endurance and mindset matter more than speed. In this episode, he shares his journey and insights on tackling challenging open water swims. Tune in now! 01:24 Journey into Marathon Sw...

In this episode, we sit down with Ash Delaney, coach of Olympic Gold Medalist and 100m freestyle world-record holder Kyle Chalmers. Ash shares his approach to coaching freestyle and offers valuable insights into how swimmers can improve their speed and technique in the water. 00:13 Introduction 00:37 Body Position and Kick Mechanics 01:58 Coaching Kyle Chalmers 03:01 Recovery and Entry 04:41 The I...

Jaimie Fuller is the founder of EO, the creators of the SwimBetter device, which measure the force and direction of a swimmer's hand movements. These devices were used by gold and silver medalists in the 100m freestyle, Pan Zhang Lee and Kyle Chalmers, in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics. Tune in now! 00:00 Introduction 02:08 Top Swimmers Using eo SwimBETTER 05:55 Downward Force in Swimmers: What...

The women's 10km open water race at the Paris Olympics was a thrilling and grueling event that saw Sharon Van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands and Moesha Johnson of Australia showcase extraordinary endurance and strategy. Taking out the gold and silver medals, Sharon and Moesha put together a race for the ages. In this episode, we dive into the details of the race and how it played out.  00:00 Introd...

Join former 6x Ironman Distance Champion and high-performance triathlon coach, Bek Keat, as she shares her insights on adapting your swimming stroke from the pool to the open water. Discover the changes triathletes must make to swim effectively in challenging conditions such as chops, waves, and crowded environments. Beck also reflects on her journey as a professional triathlete, discussing the le...

In today's episode, Dr. Sandra Harrell, a former 5-time NCAA All-American swimmer and physical therapy expert, shares her insights on injury prevention, strength training, and performance optimization. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Harrell covers the importance of consistent strength training, nutrition, and recovery. Her tips are valuable for athletes and those looking to stay fit as they...

We're thrilled to have Chipper and Chris, the powerhouse duo behind the Löw Tide Böyz, join us. Based in Northern California, this dynamic SwimRun team is on a mission to grow the sport of SwimRun and bring it to the forefront of endurance athletics. In this episode, we'll explore why many endurance athletes are making the transition to this sport. We discuss the reasons behind its rapid growth an...

James Anderson is an Australian-based international speaker, author, and educator passionate about helping people become better learners. In today's episode, we cover how to fast-track our improvement as swimmers, when and how to use feedback on our technique, as well how to develop the skill of learning for better results in our swimming, work and family lives. Tune in now! 02:53 Introduction to...

Today, we're excited to welcome Tracey Bauman back to the podcast! She was a hit on episode 338, where we discussed making swimming more comfortable and efficient. In this episode, we'll dive deeper into building a strong connection between your torso, legs, and arms, and the importance of good posture and alignment. We'll also explore the benefits of experimenting with different kicking technique...

In today's episode, we're diving into a Q&A session where I will answer your questions submitted on Instagram ! Tune in for helpful tips and insights on how to improve your swimming. 00:48 I tried adjusting my head position, but my legs still sit too low. Do you have any recommendations? 02:42 How do you keep your hand up and gliding during the reach phase? 05:26 How do I ensure I feel my lats dur...

In today's episode, we have Laura Quilter, a New Zealand swimmer and coach who has previously been the national champion in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle. Laura has achieved a lifetime PB at the age of 31, with only a third of the training she was doing in her earlier years. She's also ventured into the sport of ice swimming (water under 5 degrees celsius) and is coaching through her platform a...

In this episode, we welcome back Nick Jankovskis, a sports scientist and endurance performance coach at METS Performance Consulting. Nick is an expert in improving endurance performance through accurate analysis of physiological testing. We dive into fueling and how to test physiology for endurance sports, particularly focusing on Ironman events and long-distance races. Nick shares insights on the...

I'll share some helpful tips from the clinics and sessions we run that will improve your swimming speed and efficiency on today's podcast. I'll also discuss some new equipment I've purchased that has improved my strength, made swimming more enjoyable, and boosted my overall performance.   00:18 Introduction 00:47 Avoiding Early Breathing in Freestyle: Head vs. Shoulder Rotation 02:37 Exploring Dif...

Join us on this episode as we sit down with Tracey  Baumann , the co-founder of SwimMastery and author of 'The Swim Mastery Way'. With over 20 years of teaching and coaching experience, Tracy has worked with swimmers of all levels, from beginners to English Channel swimmers. In this podcast, Tracey shares her expert insights and cues from her book, offering valuable tips to help you become a faste...

Felipe Telles broke the magical 60-minute barrier in his first ever Ironman swim, coming in at 56 minutes with an average of 1:28/100m. When he first started swimming a few years ago, Felipe struggled to go faster than 2:00/100m. So how did he manage to increase his speed by that much? Find out in today's podcast episode. 00:56 Swimming Background 03:34 The Impact of Learning the Right Technique 0...

In this episode, Quest Meeks shares his inspiring journey of transforming from a non-swimmer to comfortably swimming over 1000 yards without stopping. He opens up about the mental and physical obstacles he had to overcome along the way.  Join us as we dive into this episode! 01:02 Swimming Background 9:00 Doing Half Ironman 09:30 I Gotta Start With Something 16:52 But Swimming 25:53 Signing Up For...

In this episode, we have Carl Reader, a functional movement coach with a background in exercise physiology and Pilates. We will discuss the connection between hamstring strength, mobility, and how it can improve swimming performance. Carl has extensive experience working with swimmers to improve their movement and strength training. Join us as we delve into his research and practices in today's ep...

Prescott Balch is an ironman triathlete who started at 2:10/100m, and is now able to consistently swim under 1:30/100m. He recently broke through a plateau in his swim times by focusing on one change to his swim technique. In this podcast we delve into what change Prescott made and some unique approaches he took to fixing these areas of his stroke.  00:00 Introduction 01:09 Overcoming Plateaus and...