The Effortless Swimming Podcast

In this episode, we’ll break down that key insight—how chasing speed can hold you back, why real progress comes from subtle adjustments, and the shift in perspective that turns resistance into flow. If your stroke has ever felt more like a struggle than a rhythm, this episode is for you.

1:10 Progress Isn't Linear
2:18 Video Yourself Early
3:12 Control The Mental Side
4:23 Consistency
5:52 The Clock
6:49 Your Stroke Does Not Have T...

In this episode, I'll give you the exact issues that hold swimmers back at each pace from beginner swimmers at two 30 per hundred or slower, all the way to advanced swimmers at one 15 per hundred for a kilometer.
And I'll also give you actionable drills and strategies to help you progress to the next level.

02:10 – Drill 1: Horizontal body posture
03:30 – Drill 2: Balanced tempo
05:00 – Drill 3: Efficient breathing
06:20 – Drill 4:...

Hey, Brenton here. If you ever find yourself uncomfortable in the open water and not feeling that calm when you've got other people around and not knowing where to sit or where to draft off people to be most effective at it. This episode's for you. I joined the Low Tide Boys, Chip and Chris on a podcast, and they asked me all about the science of drafting.

So on this episode, I get stuck into that so you know exactly where to sit....

Have you ever realized you’re spending thousands on supplements that do little more than clutter your cabinet? One athlete was on the hook for $6,500 a year—until Taryn Richardson helped her strip it back to what truly makes a difference. In this episode, Taryn breaks down how to use simple blood tests to guide your choices, and spot the supplements worth keeping (and those you can dump). Stick around—you’ll finish this show knowin...

This a rebroadcast from the Get Fast Podcast with Jordan and Gerard Donnelly from TriVelo Coaching
Trivelo Coaching: https://www.trivelocoaching.com.au/

Welcome to this week's episode of the Effortless Swimming Podcast. This is a rebroadcast of an episode where I was a guest on the Get Fast Podcast with TriVelo Coaching with Jordan and Gerard Donnelly. On this episode, I'll talk about how triathletes can swim minutes faster in any...

Imagine a group of busy parents hesitating in front of a pair of 25 pound dumbbells, unsure, even a little intimidated. Fast forward two years and those same people are confidently pressing 75 pounds, moving through life with more energy and far less pain. That's the kind of change Kate Galliett creates.

Kate works with moms, dads, and everyone in between to build lasting strength without burning out. In today's conversation, we'll...

I recently joined Rich Bolus on the Dad Mindset podcast, and we had a great chat about something I see all the time. Especially with triathletes and parents, you're fit. You've got a big engine from the bike in the run, but in the water it doesn't translate. And that's usually down to technique. We talked about why swimming is so different from the other two legs of a triathlon.

How to help your kids develop strong fundamentals in ...

On this episode, we've got a guest who’s been at the sharp end of elite performance for over 50 years — Robin Williams.

Robin’s a former Cambridge rower and the coach behind multiple Olympic gold medal crews. He was actually recommended by one of you —  a fellow listener — and once I dug into his story, I knew we had to get him on the show.

This episode kicks off with a promise:
We’re going to uncover the lessons Robin has learned ...

In this episode, Carl, our go-to strength and conditioning guru joins us again to finally demystify core engagement for swimmers.

We're unpacking the Pilates inspired Halloween technique. Versus Stuart McGill's bracing method and revealing simple land drills. Think step ups, carries and hip rotations that make your core switch on automatically. Once you hit the water, Carl will share why loosening your hips could be the missing lin...

What if the secret to crushing your next open water swim isn't just logging more miles, but learning to embrace the chaos, drafting like a pro, taking the occasional hit, and then surging ahead with confidence. Today on the Effortless Swimming Podcast, I'm joined by Damien from Flow State Swimming it's premier open water coaching squad.

Damien didn't learn to swim in a pool. He learned to survive and thrive in choppy conditions. Ma...

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Andrew Sheaff—coach, educator, and the author of A Constraints-Led Approach to Swim Coaching. We dive into one of the most important skills for adult swimmers and triathletes: learning how to self-coach. 

Whether you're swimming solo, training without feedback, or stuck on a plateau, Andrew shares a practical roadmap to finally break through. You’ll learn why progress isn’t about doing more drills—...

Struggling to keep your legs from sinking in the water—no matter how hard you kick or how low you keep your head? You're not alone. But why do some swimmers maintain a perfect body position even when they're looking forward and barely kicking?

In this episode, after coaching over 6,000 swimmers, I break down the real reason your legs are sinking, what you can do to fix it (even if you feel like a natural sinker), and share one powe...

What happens when a veteran swim coach, who's spent years refining adult swimmers and triathletes, returns to coaching high school kids? In this episode, Frank Sole—coach, educator, and lifelong student of the sport—shares how “water is water” no matter your age, and why the principles of balance, buoyancy, and body awareness remain timeless.
Frank dives into the biggest crossover lessons he’s bringing from Masters swimmers to juni...

In this episode, we sit down with Sharon Van Rouwendaal, Olympic gold medalist in the 10 km open water marathon at Rio 2016 and Paris 2024, to talk all things freestyle—especially how adults can improve their technique in and out of the water.
Whether you're getting back into swimming or looking to sharpen your technique, this episode is packed with actionable tips and deep insights from one of the best in the world.

01:16 – Transi...

Today, we have a powerhouse guest—Greg Harper, the fastest swimmer in Ironman 70.3! 

Greg shares his key lessons from the pool to open water, how to develop speed and endurance, and the mental strategies that set top swimmers apart. From the snowball effect of smart training to the secrets of holding a faster stroke rate, this episode is packed with actionable insights for triathletes and swimmers alike.

01:53 Transition From Pool...

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to analyze the strokes of over 8,000 swimmers and triathletes, ranging from beginners to elite professionals. Throughout this experience, I've discovered the key factors that set fast, efficient swimmers apart from those who struggle to improve.

In this video, I'll be sharing the most valuable lessons I've learned from analyzing swimmers of all backgrounds worldwide. I'll debunk common myths...

What if you could go from struggling at 2:20 per hundred to cruising at 1:55? Today's guest, Fraser Hill, did exactly that, and he's sharing exactly how he did it. Fraser started swimming as an adult, dabbled in triathlons, and eventually found himself diving deep into the world of technique, training, and open water swimming.

From joining an effortless swimming camp in the Maldives, to refining his stroke using simple but powerful...

Imagine standing behind the blocks knowing that everything, years of training, sacrifice, and your Olympic dream, comes down to this one race. That was the reality for Brianna Throssell at the 2016 Olympic Trials, where she had just one shot to make the team. In this episode, Brianna takes us behind the scenes of her Olympic journey, what it felt like to step onto the world's biggest stage for the first time, the nerves, the lesson...

Imagine teaching yourself how to swim, never having a coach, never training in a pool, just figuring it out by watching others. That was Alex Roman's reality for most of his life. He swam to survive, but certainly not to thrive. But one day, a swimmer effortlessly glided past him in the open water. And it sparked something, curiosity, what made them so fast, and what was happening beneath the surface that he had never considered.

T...