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
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
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...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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
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 ...
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...
Two years ago, Brian Hans was swimming 2:00 per 100 yards—struggling to find rhythm and wondering if he'd ever feel smooth in the water. Fast forward to now, he's cruising under 1:30s and just placed 9th out of 171 in his Half Ironman swim.
How did he make that kind of jump? What changes in his stroke made the biggest difference? And what nearly stopped him along the way?
In this episode, Brian shares the breakthroughs, setbacks, a...
Bob Bowman — the legendary coach behind Michael Phelps and Leon Marchand — was recently on the Exponential Athlete Podcast, and listening to that episode completely changed the way I think about swimming. In today's episode, I'm going to share with you 12 powerful ideas I learned from that conversation — insights that can help you take your swimming to the next level.
00:53 Consistency Beats Perfection
01:40 Practice Performing Un...
If you find yourself gasping for air after just one lap in the pool, this episode is for you. After coaching nearly 10,000 swimmers over the past 19 years, I've discovered that mastering your breathing is one of the quickest ways to transform your swimming.
In this episode, I'll show you how to regulate your breathing so you can swim lap after lap without feeling exhausted — like taking an evening stroll in the water instead of fig...
The freestyle catch is one of the most confusing parts of the stroke — and that's exactly why so many swimmers either avoid it or get it completely wrong. In this episode, we'll break down what the catch actually is, how to do it right, and why it's the key to real propulsion in your freestyle.
If you've been swimming for a while but not seeing much progress, this might be the missing piece. I'll share what I've learned from watchi...
In this episode of the Effortless Swimming Podcast, Brenton Ford and Tas discuss the key takeaways from their recent training camp in the Maldives. They cover essential themes such as identifying bottlenecks in swimming technique, the importance of community support, overcoming self-doubt, and the significance of consistency in training. The conversation emphasizes practical strategies for improvement, including the use of simple c...
In this episode, I'll show you the 5 key steps to swimming freestyle with ease, so you can save energy, improve your speed, and feel confident every time you dive in.
If you're an adult swimmer or triathlete who gets tired quickly, this is a must-watch. You'll discover how to finally relax in the water, connect your stroke together, and build a freestyle that feels natural.
00:42 Good Body Line and Balance
02:05 Good Head Position
...
Sam Short recently went a 3 41 for his. 400 freestyle. Let's take a look at what he does really well in his freestyle technique and he uses a galloping style of freestyle. So let's take a look at this style and how this kind of technique might benefit you. And I think it can be a very effective way to swim open water for a lot of people because in the open water you've got a bit more buoyancy with the waves and the chop.
This sort...
What does it really take to swim the English Channel or any marathon swim? My guest today, Craig Lewin, is a triple crown marathon swimmer and coach who's helped athletes tackle some of the toughest swims on the planet. We talk about how to train for hours in cold, rough water. How to stay motivated over years of preparation and the mental tricks that can carry you through the tough times when you feel like quitting.
If you've eve...
Recently, Australian swimmer Lani Pallister made history by becoming the third-fastest woman ever in the 1500-meter freestyle. In this episode, we're diving into her stroke to see exactly what makes her technique so effective and what we can all learn from it.
00:25 2-Beat Kick
01:01 Head Position/ Breath Timing
02:26 Have The Head Turn In Time with the Shoulders
03:30 Catch Position
08:31 Kick Timing
10:01 Rotation
12:38 Recover...
How does an Olympic medalist take 19 seconds off her 800 meter time and nearly beat Katie Ledecky? In this episode, I'm joined by Jaimie Fuller from EO Labs, the creators of the Swim Better Handsets, a company I've worked closely with since their early days to share how this breakthrough tech is transforming performance from helping Paige Madden make that jaw dropping improvement to giving triathletes a way to measure swim power in...
This episode is taken from our latest Feedback Friday video. We have a triathlete from Sydney who holds 1:30/100m on his Ironman swims. Let's take a look at his strokes and see where he can find additional speed.
Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kEXXSc9eac
00:37 Head Position
01:04 Body Position
04:10 Reach And Extension
06:13 Arm Angle
Grab the freestyle checklist here:
https://effortlessswimming.com/freestyl...
Have you ever walked away from a swim thinking,
"Why does this still feel so hard?"
You're not alone. Most adult swimmers struggle with the same few challenges—again and again—and it's usually because no one ever showed them how to fix it the right way.
In today's episode, we're diving into the most common mistakes adult swimmers make—and more importantly, how to finally fix it.
Let's get started.
00:17 Mistake #1: Holding Too Muc...
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