This week I'm joined by swim coach and author Paul Eaglestone, whose new book Freespeed offers a simple but powerful approach to improving front crawl technique — especially for triathletes.
Paul shares insights from a lifetime in swimming, including his early coaching work with Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee, and why he believes most triathletes can find "free speed" in the water through better technique, not harder work.
From hydrodynamics and stroke mechanics to the role of kicking, turns, and even dryland training, this conversation is packed with practical advice for swimmers of all abilities — whether you're tackling your first sprint triathlon or chasing a Kona slot.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why Paul prioritises efficiency over intensity — especially for triathletes
- How he helped Alex Yee become a smooth and confident swimmer
- The importance of stroke count as a metric for swim progress
- What triathletes can learn from elite swim training — and what they should ignore
- Why drills, kicking, and even tumble turns matter for open water performance
- How to use "target pace" training for real, measurable swim improvements
- Paul's take on mobility, strength training, and the ideal swim training mix
- Open water training tips: how much is enough and what to practise
Grab the Book:
Freespeed by Paul Eaglestone – available now
Connect with Paul:
Find Paul on social media or Zwift. Reach out if you’ve read the book or want to challenge his ideas!
Facebook - Freespeed Swimming
Instagram - peagle1867
Paul highly recommends the following book
The Talent Code - Daniel Coyle
Like What You Heard?
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. Share it with someone you care about—and help spread the word about using FreeSpeed to swim faster
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Connect with Us:
- Website: www.simonward.co.uk
- Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com
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For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com<
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