I should say up front that I enjoy swimming. I had not thought about this for a while, but my son recently asked me what my favorite sport was and I said swimming. I start with this because enjoying the water makes a huge difference. If you want to become a better swimmer, finding some level of enjoyment is almost a prerequisite. You could argue that I like swimming because I am better than the average person at it, but no one is born a swimmer. At some point everyone has to practice again and again to improve. Which came first is debatable, but the bottom line is that it helps tremendously if you can look forward to getting in the water. Here are some ideas that might help.

If you enjoy company, find a friend who swims at a similar pace and go together. Even better, join a masters group where you will meet people who become part of your routine. I coached masters swimming in the past and there are always many regulars who use the sessions to connect, laugh, and enjoy the workout. It makes the whole experience more fun. On the other hand, if you prefer solitude, swimming is perfect for that. Once your head goes underwater, the world disappears. I coached and raced people for Ironman 70.3 San Juan, Puerto Rico and spoke with a local triathlete who swims an hour straight in a protected cove with clear water all by himself. He finds it therapeutic and even looks forward to seeing the same fish over and over along his route. They have become his swim companions.

Once you find some joy in swimming and not feel like its all about performance, you free yourself to improve naturally. You show up without pressure, and that consistency allows your body to absorb the volume needed to build endurance and strength. This is the first step toward becoming a good swimmer. Ideally you make swimming part of your weekly routine and continue year round. Many triathletes say the swim is their weakness, yet they only swim in the weeks before a race and stop during the winter or off season. Improvement becomes much harder that way. If you enjoyed swimming, you would not drop it.

If you already like swimming, here is how you can improve. Break your pattern. Maybe you always swim with the same lane mates and always go third. Maybe you always swim alone and never miss a session. Try something different. Masters swimmers often swim too hard all the time, which reinforces poor habits. They get fit but do not get faster because their technique breaks down. Lap swimmers often swim too easy and cannot find another gear on race day. Balance is the key. Mix easy solo swims with drills, and mix in harder sessions with friends where a little friendly competition brings out more intensity.

My final suggestion is to return to the basics. Get your stroke filmed and have someone knowledgeable review it. Work on the right drills. Learn how to float well. Learn how to kick. In freestyle, learn to rotate and do the same thing on both sides. Learn how to catch the water without dropping your elbow. This is exactly what I teach junior swimmers. If you never learned these skills as a kid, now is the time. It is never too late. People often say swimming can only be learned as a child, but I am not convinced. Kids are taught fundamentals instead of piling up yards. If adults were taught the same way, focusing on technique instead of endless laps, I believe many more would become strong swimmers. It simply takes time and a willingness to enjoy the process, just like kids do.