The Effortless Swimming Podcast

The Effortless Swimming Podcast

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.

Episodes

March 16, 2026 5 mins
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So what does he do that 99.999% of swimmers don't? How is he able to swim this fast?

I've spent my career analyzing the best swimmers in the world, but watching Sam swim up close is a completely different experience. I've never seen anyone hold as much water as he does, even at world-record pace.

What stands out the most isn't just the speed. It's the relaxation. His recovery looks effortless, and the way he reaches forward into th...

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Six months of consistent training.
You're showing up to the pool. You're doing the sets. You're putting in the work.

But your times… haven't moved.

You're still sitting at 1:50, maybe two minutes per hundred, and no matter how hard you train, it just doesn't seem to change. And that can be one of the most frustrating places to be as a swimmer or triathlete.

Because it feels like you're doing everything right.

You're consistent. You...

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Last month, a 39-year-old swimmer joined our weekly coaching members call. She was training for her first Ironman. She'd been swimming for about a year—consistent, disciplined, three sessions a week, following her program exactly as written.

But there was a problem.

She was exhausted after every session. And her pace hadn't improved in four months.

In this episode, we unpack what was really going on—because when you're doing all th...

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What would drive someone to voluntarily swim through the most dangerous ocean channels on the planet — no wetsuit, no cage, no way out except forward?

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Sowerby, one of the few athletes in the world to complete the Ocean's Seven — often described as the Everest of open water swimming — a feat achieved by just 36 swimmers.

His new film, Don't Be Prey, captures a decade-long pursuit across five co...

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There's a timing pattern that separates fast swimmers from slow swimmers—and most people never see it.

You can watch someone swim in real time and miss it completely. But slow the video down, frame by frame, and suddenly it's obvious. Every fast swimmer has this. A lot of slower swimmers don't.

And when you fix this one timing detail, it doesn't just make you smoother—it feels like someone just switched the engine on in your stroke...

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I watched a swimmer fix one breathing mistake and drop 12 seconds per 100 meters—not in four months, but in four weeks.

No extra fitness.
No added training volume.
Just one specific change in how she breathed.

That single adjustment took her from 1:48 per 100 down to 1:36 per 100.

In this episode, I break down exactly what she changed, why it worked so fast, and how you can apply the same breathing fix in your very next swim—whethe...

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At 20 years old, I missed qualifying for the National Championships by three hundredths of a second in the 50 backstroke. Fast-forward 18 years, and at 38, I qualified for Nationals in the five-kilometer open-water swim—training mostly just three times a week.

In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly how I did it in my late thirties: the one thing an Olympic gold medalist taught me that helped me generate more power with less eff...

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.Today, we are talking about the 5th and final Core Principle of Fast Freestyle: find your rhythm and timing.

00:36 The Dancing Part Of Freestyle
01:13 Kick Timing
04:35 Use Different Types Of Kick
10:33 Serape Effect
13:35 Hand Speed
14:07 Split Tempo
17:54 Drills
19:22 8 Week Faster Freestyle Course

Join the 5 Day Catch Challenge
Join the Effortless Swimming Membership
Effortless Swimming Freestyle Clinic

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01:40 No Need To Overpower The Catch
03:07 Teaching The Four Key Positions
04:00 Start Of The Catch
06:00 High Elbow Catch
07:35 Power Diamond Position
10:20 Exit Of The Stroke
11:36 YMCA Drill Progression
14:38 More Drills To Work On Your Catch
15:07 Setup Phase
16:35 Path Of The Hand
17:57 Hand Speed

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Today, we are talking about the third core principle of Fast freestyle which is Rock, Return And Align.

00:36 Rock v.s. Rolling
02:15 Return
03:24 Correct Entry
06:08 Align

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01:46 Proud Posture
05:06 Taut Core
9:00 Effective Kick

The 5 Core Principles Of Fast Freestyle:
https://effortlessswimming.com/5-core-principles-of-fast-freestyle/

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01:45 Use Your Diaphragm
02:29 Breathing Exercises Out Of The Water
03:42 Box Breathing
04:04 Relax Your Chest And Upper Back
05:38 Having The Right Posture
06:52 Letting Go When You Exhale

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In this episode, I'll share ten ways to increase your swim speed and become a better swimmer. So, let's dive in and explore these effective strategies.

00:35 Train Another Stroke
01:56 Change The Way That You're Training
03:10 Being Diligent With Your Skills
05:12 To Become Supple
05:59 Joining a Squad Or a Group of Swimmers
09:06 Occasionally, Don't Track Anything
10:25 Keeping Calm Under Pressure
10:43 Commit To A Swim Block
13:4...

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Imagine holding a 1:05 pace per hundred for nearly two hours—no walls, no turns, just pure precision. Every stroke efficient, every breath controlled. How do you sustain that kind of speed without breaking down? What should your catch feel like? And how do you stay smooth when the ocean, the pack, and your own heartbeat are all working against you?

In this episode, we dive into the story of Nick Sloman. He's not the biggest guy on ...

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If you're someone who avoids flip turns—or you're completely out of breath every time you try one—chances are, it's not your fitness holding you back. It's your technique. In this episode, I'm breaking down a simple, step-by-step method to help you master the tumble turn, so you can actually save energy on your turns, move faster off the wall, and keep up with the swimmers beside you.

By the end, you'll know exactly how to execute ...

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Struggling with your arm dropping whenever you take a breath in freestyle? You're not alone—and there are five common reasons this happens. In this episode, we break down each cause, show you exactly how to fix them, and help you transform your breathing technique. By the end, you'll swim farther with less effort and finally feel like you have all the time in the world to take a smooth, controlled breath. Dive in and level up your ...

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There are so many different things you can do to get faster in your freestyle. In this episode, I'm gonna break down five proven ways that you can swim faster for less effort. Let's get into it. 

00:26 Point Your Toes Inwards (42% Faster) 

2:07 Dont Pat A Cat

3:19 Press On Your Chest To Bring The Hips Up

4:24 Reach And Extension

7:15 Increasing Your Distance Per Stroke

8:41 Accelerate Through Each Stroke

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If you're taking 50 strokes a lap but should be in the low 40s, the issue might be your body connection — not your strength. In this episode, we explore how elite swimmer Becca Mann fixed her "shoulders and hips not connected" problem, dropped her stroke count by nearly 20%, and became a record-breaking open-water athlete.

You'll learn what shoulder-to-hip connection really means, how to tell if you're disconnected, and the simple ...

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If you've ever been confused about the different types of freestyle kicks — two-beat, four-beat, and six-beat — this episode is for you. I'll break down what each kick pattern means, how to do them correctly, and when to use each one in your own freestyle to improve efficiency, rhythm, and speed in the water.


00:48 What Do Beats Refer To?
00:59 2-Beat Kick
05:31 4-Beat Kick
07:38 6-Beat Kick


Get your HydroClear goggles here and g...

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