The Effortless Swimming Podcast

How do you break through a swimming plateau when it feels like you've already tried everything?
In this episode, I sit down with Sandra Surkamp to discuss her incredible swimming journey—from struggling to swim 25 meters without stopping to swimming comfortably in open water and dropping her pace by nearly 50 seconds per 100 meters.
Sandra shares the key lessons she's learned over the last few years, including how revisiting the fundamentals, improving body position, refining her catch, and finding the right coaching cues helped unlock a major breakthrough in her swimming. We also talk about the frustrations that come with progress, why improvements don't always happen in a straight line, and what it takes to make lasting technique changes.
Whether you're stuck at a plateau, learning to swim more efficiently, or looking for motivation to keep improving, Sandra's story is packed with valuable insights and practical takeaways.

00:00 Introduction to Sandra's Swimming Journey
01:18 Overcoming Initial Challenges in Swimming
03:24 The Importance of Technique and Coaching
05:48 Experiencing Breakthroughs and New Goals
08:33 Key Insights on Swimming Technique
11:06 The Role of Mindset in Performance
14:42 Navigating Setbacks and Maintaining Progress
18:21 The Value of Video Analysis in Improvement
20:55 Revisiting Basics for Continued Growth
23:43 Current Focus and Future Goals

Join Adam Wilkie as he embarks on a year-long challenge to honor his Olympic champion father by attempting to match his legendary 2:15 record in the 200-meter breaststroke. Despite limited swimming experience, Adam has quit his job to train full-time, proving that dedication can make the impossible possible. Discover his intense training regimen, the emotional journey of honoring a legacy, and the mindset driving his pursuit of greatness. Follow Adam's inspiring story on Instagram at Wilkie Swims and support his fundraising for SportsAid at inmyfatherslane.com. What's your 215?

00:12 The Challenge Begins: Honoring a Legacy
08:38 Training Regimen: The Path to 2:15
18:55 The Decision to Commit: Quitting the Job
22:24 Lessons from Dad: Life Beyond Swimming
25:24 Inspiration and the Journey Ahead

Stuck at the same swimming speed? In this episode, we break down how to smash through your training plateaus by fixing the "bottlenecks" in your technique. Drawing from 19 years of coaching experience, we share the exact step-by-step checklist to optimize your stroke: reducing drag through perfect head and body position, mastering breath control to avoid fatigue, and engaging your lats for a more powerful, effortless pull. Stop just training harder—learn how to swim smarter and finally unlock your next breakthrough.

00:00 Why swimmers plateau and the concept of stroke "bottlenecks."
01:11 The simple formula for speed: Reducing drag vs. increasing propulsion.
01:35 Step 1: Head position, posture, and why you need an "open chest."
03:22 The "Iceberg" rule: Balancing head weight to keep your hips up.
04:05 Posture secrets: How correct body position lets the water support you.
05:08 Step 2: Breath regulation and how improper exhaling causes CO2 buildup.
06:51 Step 3: Catch and pull mechanics (using the catch as a setup, not for power).
08:17 Mastering gradual stroke acceleration instead of pulling too hard early.
08:58 Muscle activation: Engaging your lats and triceps to prevent shoulder injuries.
10:01 Using video analysis to find your bottleneck and build a 3-to-6-month plan.

In this episode, I sit down with Grant to share what I've learned over nearly two decades of coaching and racing in both pool and open water environments, including qualifying for Open Water Nationals as an adult.
We explore the gap between pool-perfect technique and what actually works in real race conditions like chop, fatigue, and contact. I break down why swimmers often struggle when they try to carry over overly rigid pool habits into open water, and how that leads to overthinking and breakdown under pressure.
We also get into how I now approach stroke rate, breathing, sighting, and recovery in a more adaptable way, depending on conditions.
A key theme is simplicity, learning to stay relaxed, trust feel, and avoid constantly chasing technical changes. We also cover what truly transfers from pool to open water, and why consistency and mindset matter more than constant technique overhauls.Timestamps

03:51 – Why pool technique doesn't always translate to open water
07:40 – Stroke rate, sighting, breathing patterns, and adapting to rough conditions
12:19 – Common mistakes swimmers make with technique and body awareness
16:55 – How Brenton simplifies coaching and decides what not to change
21:49 – Why some swimmers improve long term while others stay stuck
28:29 – Overthinking technique and finding the "feel" for swimming
32:40 – Qualifying for Open Water Nationals and improving later in life
37:20 – Strength, mobility, VO₂ sets, and training after 40
41:50 – Drafting tactics, "effortless swimming," favorite swim sets, and final advice

I recently joined the That Triathlon Show Podcast with Mikael Eriksson for a deep dive into freestyle technique and what I call the "swim technique hierarchy of needs."
 
In this conversation, we break down the key elements of efficient swimming including breathing, body position, rotation, catch mechanics, timing, and how to adapt your stroke for open-water racing. We also discuss some of the most common mistakes triathletes make in the water, how to fix them, and why many swimmers plateau even when their technique looks good on video.
 
We also get into topics like kick timing, front-quadrant swimming, stroke rate, drills that actually transfer to faster swimming, open-water skills, and what it really takes to become a strong swimmer as an adult-onset triathlete.
 
If you're looking to swim faster, feel more efficient in the water, or better understand how to prioritize your technique work, this episode is packed with practical coaching insights you can apply right away.



03:37 A hierarchy of needs for freestyle technique
 
07:50 Building the frame of the body
 
12:20 Kick tempo and stroke rate
  
17:05 Training the Kick for racing options
  
18:40 Rotation
 
23:30 The catch and pull
 
29:32 YMCA Drill
 
35:10 Timing and creative freedom in racing
 
38:20 Speed versus stroke appearance
 
41:15 The importance of purposeful drills
 
46:05 Capturing your technique on camera
 
48:00 The nature of swim talent
 
52:46 Swim frequency and distance
 
57:00 Structuring swim workouts
 
59:01 Intensity distribution across swim sessions
 
01:03:30 Open water versus pool technique
 
01:07:20 The importance of drafting
 
01:08:36 Drafting and preparation for open water
 
01:15:50 - Racing bravely in the swim
 
01:18:42 -The Goggles
 
01:23:50 - Choosing the right lens for conditions