Can slow tempo and stroke rate be a reason for syncing legs? While learning TI, in the begining, it is inevitable to be slow as you need to focus on technique.
Shinji Takeuchi
Yes and no. It is easier to sync leg and hand movements at a slower tempo. But you can do it at a faster tempo, too. And the timing can be adjusted not in accordance to the tempo, but the degree of propulsion.As you delay the timing, you can get more propulsion.
問：更慢的頻率是不是有利於手腳動作的協調？
答：是，也不是。更慢的頻率，手腳協調確實更容易。但更快的頻率，同樣也可以達到。手腳配合的時機，不僅和頻率有關，和推進力也有關係。延遲打腿，你能獲得更大的推進力。
You seem to stick your arm and then extend it underwater. Why is and does it save energy on long distances?
Shinji Takeuchi
You can move the other hand underwater more quickly by doing so.
問：你看起來好像在水底往前伸展手臂。為什麼呢？是因為長距離能夠節省能量嗎？
答：這樣，能加快划水。
My question: is 2 beat kick better than 6 beat kick?
Shinji Takeuchi
For long distance swimming.
問：二次腿比六次腿好嗎？
答：對長距離游泳來說是的。
you seem to be a good floater besides being a great swimmer! would I be right in thinking that if
your natural buoyancy is low, then you would have to kick more ?
Shinji Takeuchi
50-70% of body balance can be improved without kicking. If you are taller than 180cm, and your BMI is less than 18, you might need to hone your kicking skill.
問：你看起來浮力很好，如果浮力不好的話，是不是要更多地打腿？
答：百分之五十到七十的身體平衡能夠不通過打腿來提高。如果你身高超過180公分，BMI少於18，你可能需要提高你的打腿技巧。
I can see you are at about 1.40 sec/stroke on the video. I just got a tempo trainer and am trying to find my stroke rates. What are your range of stroke rates, for training, long distance, 200m…? How do you find the best stoke rate? Thanks!
Shinji Takeuchi
1.15: base tempo
1.00-1.30: for tempo pyramid practice
1.00: race tempo
問：我發現你視頻中的划水頻率是1.4秒。你的其他的划水頻率是多少？如果找到最適合自己的頻率？
答：1.15基本頻率
1.00-1.30: 頻率金字塔練習
1.00: 比賽頻率
I am left handed …and I tend to breathe only on one side which leads to right shoulder injury …any solution to that other than bilateral swimming ?
Shinji Takeuchi
There may be a problem in recovery rather than breathing. Check if you can see your elbow at the initial phase of recovery when you stand in front of the mirror.
問：我是左撇子，只在一側呼吸，這樣導致我的右肩受傷。我想知道除了雙側呼吸之外有其它的解決辦法嗎？
答：也許是移臂的問題，而不是呼吸的問題。在鏡子前試一試，看在移臂的初始階段，你能不能看到你的肘部。
Hi Shinji, I see a lot of videos of TI swim on the net. New learners like me get fascinated by the slow motion part of you incredible swimming and try to implement your technique as slow as in the slow motion part of the video. Which I believe is a big mistake. My concern by saying all this here is, what must be the minimum tempo rate to maintain the smoothness of the TI swim? In different words what is minimum tempo or stroke rate after which it gets impossible to maintain or follow TI swim rules?
Shinji Takeuchi
I did not use the tempo trainer, but it looks 1.40 seconds.
問：維持流暢自由泳的最低頻率是多少？
答：我沒有使用節拍器，但是我覺得是1.4秒。
How do you pull? With shoulder only? Entire hand power? Or something else?
Shinji Takeuchi
Catch and pull phase: Leaning forward while positioning the forearm vertical to the surface. Push phase: Syncronizing the hand movement with the body rotation.
問：你是如何划水的，是只用肩膀的力量還是其它？
答：抓水階段：身體前傾，讓前臂垂直於水面。推水階段：讓手臂動作，跟隨身體轉動。
Hi there, it’s been a while I am trying to learn TI on my own. No matter how hard I try, my legs are not parallel to the surface. They are around 10 inches down. Lot of talking on this issue on you tube but nothing helped me. Some says just keep the head down, some says engage the back and hip muscle…..so confusing. Can you please share your knowledge? Really need help.
Shinji Takeuchi
If your BMI is less than 18, you need to practice efficient kicking. If not, many factors can raise your legs.
問：我的腿老是下沉，有的人說是要頭部朝下，有的人說要用上背部和髖部的肌肉。我想問一下你有沒有什麼好辦法。
答：如果你的BMI少於18，那麼你需要練習有效的打腿。如果不是的話，那麼有很多其它的方法來幫你的腿部上浮。
What is the ideal number of strokes to swim a 25 m pool ? I noticed you did 14 strokes in this video ..assuming this is a 25 m length pool.
Shinji Takeuchi
+Anas Bahsas , it depends on your height. 16-18 strokes/25m for 170 cm height swimmer.
問：25米的理想劃次是多少？我注意到你在視頻中的劃次是14下。
答：這要根據你的身高來決定，對於170公分的人來說25米16到18下是比較合適的。
amazing. How do you stay afloat with such a low cadence? I am trying to learn to swim with less effort, but I fail pretty badly…
Shinji Takeuchi
+BikerProfesor , lean forward. Pressing the water with your face might work.
問：你是如何在這麼慢的頻率下，保持身體漂浮呢？
答：身體前傾，用臉部壓水也許有效。
just amazing! you just slide through the water. really soft! can i ask you something? i can do that ‘flexible’ armstroke like you did in this video. (my swim trainer taught me that posture) but if i swim like that i can’t swim for a long time. about 200m i guess. it make my shoulder muscle lump and tired so can’t swim longer. in a word, it doesn’t feel natural for me. so if how can you swim naturally like that? and do you feel your shoulder and arm feel lump?
Shinji Takeuchi
+lucky7 , maybe you pulled your elbows during finish. You might try to open your armpits to engage recovery instead of using the shoulders.
問：我的移臂也能像你那樣，但是游不到200米就累了，你這麼游肩膀和手臂累嗎？
答：也許是因為你划水結束的時候，把肘部推直了。移臂的時候試著把腋下多打開一些，而不是只用肩膀。
hi Shinji, does this work for sprint distances? This looks more like stayer/open water distance style. what sort of time can you produce over 50/100m?
Shinji Takeuchi
+Dmitry Drozdov , some fundamental skills can be applied to sprint swimming. Some will be set off with more energy consumption movement since you do not have to worry about spending energy for such a short time.
問：這個技術適合短距離游泳嗎？好像比較適合公開水域的長距離游泳。
答：有些基礎的技巧能夠運用到短距離游泳中。
Hi! I can’t catch when you breath.
Shinji Takeuchi
+Selamar Moren, I lower the surface of the water just before I breathe by a bow wave. So you cannot see my head.
問：我好像看不到你在呼吸？
答：我是在水面的波谷中呼吸，所以你看不到。
how can he move so fast with that leg movement? i do move my leg with faster frequency, but no significant move towards at all
Shinji Takeuchi
+ReizaVanHalen , my kick contributes my body rotation rather than making propulsion by itself.
問：這麼打腿，怎麼能夠游得這麼快？我的打腿頻率比這高的很多，但是卻不怎麼向前移動。
答：我的打腿更多的是幫助我身體轉動，而不是產生推進力。
Hi Mr. Takeuchi. You swim beautifully!….I was just wondering….wouldn’t you reduce more drag by pulling with a higher elbow? ..maybe an inch below the surface of the water?. Thanks for your response Mr. Takeuchi
Shinji Takeuchi
+Juan Jimenez Guerrero, I think higher elbow positions are for elite swimmers. An ordinary guy like me, it is hard to move the hand back without push-down action.
問：你划水時肘部更高一些，是不是能夠減少更多的阻力？
答：更高的肘部對專業選手來說比較適合，對我這種一般人來說很困難。
Hi,
Thanks for the inspiring video. I have a question. Which one initiates the roll the kick or the hips ? Thanks.
Shinji Takeuchi
+Ali Dengizek, I use my hand entry as a queue to switch sides. I use hip rolls when I get tired.
問：是什麼啟動了身體的轉動？打腿還是髖部？
竹內：我用手臂的前插來幫助身體左右轉換。但如果覺得累的時候會使用髖部來滾動。
Do you ever do faster stroke rates with your 2-beat kick?
Watching videos of Laure Manaudou and Sun Yang who also have used 2bk during competitions.
It’s really amazing how they keep up with rest of the field with less effort…almost matrix like ;-)
Shinji Takeuchi
+nemrut , it depends on the distance. If it is short such as 200m, I use 6 beat kick.
問：你有沒有試過快頻率的二次腿？
竹內：要看距離，如果是少於200米，我會用六次腿。
hellos mr. Shinji Takeuchi, with the help of your technique I can swim up to 1500 m / h
– Is what this distance is in the standard for hours
– How far can you make yourself
(sorry for my bad english)
Shinji Takeuchi
Hi,
The first goal for beginners is to swim 1500m non-stop. Then the second goal will be to swim in 35 minutes. To achieve it, you practice will be shifted to swim faster.
問：你最遠可以游多遠？
竹內：對於初學者來說，第一個目標是連續游1500米，第二個目標是能在35分鐘內完成，這需要你游得更快。
Will it make any difference if breath just from one side all time?
Shinji Takeuchi
+Kerem Otag, I think it does not matter until you do open water swimming.
問：只用一側呼吸行不行？
竹內：沒問題，但公開水域不行
+Shinji Takeuchi Mr. Takeuchi, would you please explain the breathing technique you use? I don’t see you breath out under water and hardly see you breath in either.
2
Shinji Takeuchi
+Tam Nguyen , I just breathe out to get enough air for me. I create “bow wave” to lower the surface of the water. It is why my head is hidden in the water.
問：能不能介紹一下你的呼吸技術？好像看不到你在呼吸
竹內：我會頭前造波，這樣呼吸水面會降低，頭可以藏在水裡。
Hi Shinji,
I have question about Superman Glide practice. As many others, I’m having the problem with sinking legs and find it difficult to keep balance and floating longer. I see Superman Glide is the most basic and important lesson to be successful in TI freestyle swimming so could you please give me some advice to take Superman Glide more effectively?
Thank you very much!
Shinji Takeuchi
+Khanh Nguyen , when you do Superman Glide, it is very important how you push off the bottom. 1) Lean enough so that your shin is parallel to the bottom, 2) Stretch the back of your knee very quickly.
問：關於超人滑行你有什麼建議？
竹內：1 盡量前傾，讓上身平行水面 2 快速伸直膝蓋打腿
how do my head and body always go up to surface about all the time ? It’s cause me hard to take a breath,
although I keep my head on bottom. But it’s not work.
what’s the keys ?
Shinji Takeuchi
3 key points.
1) Head position: Top of the head is just beneath the water surface
2) Hand position: 6 inch (15cm) deeper from the water surface
3) Hand entry angle: 45 degrees so that you can shift the weight during recovery
問：你的頭和身體如何總是保持在水面附近？
竹內：三個關鍵點：
1 頭的頂部在水面附近
2 手在水面下方15公分
3 手入水45度角，這樣能重量轉移
I have a question. Yes it looks graceful but from this technique it seems acceleration is the key to look ‘efficient’ for propelling forward. My question is, does the energy expend from strong kick like this is even more tiring than the standard 4 beat kick? I tried it, but it felt that the kick use relatively the same amount of energy than the 4 beat flutter kick.maybe im doing it wrong
Shinji Takeuchi
In my style (not TI standard), kicking itself does not create propulsion, So I do not get tired from kicking. If you try 2-beat kick with scissors style, you might get tired mainly coming from tension. If you use 6 beat kick, you might swim faster but you get tired sooner.
問：二次腿比四次腿累嗎？
竹內：我的二次腿並不是全浸標準的二次腿，不產生推進力。如果用剪刀式二次腿，你覺得累可能是因為肌肉緊張。
Hello Shinji, my extending arm sinks. If i don’t press down with extending arm I have to lift my head to breathe. How to solve this?
Shinji Takeuchi
+Amit Verma, 1) Just before you breathe, insert your hand closer to your head and extend it underwater very quickly. 2) Match the timing of inhaling with the extension of the elbow.
問：呼吸時老是壓手怎麼解決？
竹內：1 呼吸前，在頭附近入水，水下快速前伸 2 肘部前伸的時候吸氣
Hello! Just found you and TI. Beautiful Freestyle Swimming. I am encouraged that I can improve my swimming after seeing this! Curious, how many strokes to you take and then breath? I am capable of like 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 something like that for a 2 mile workout. I never seem to tire, but need an improved method to become better at what I love! I taught myself to swim at age 50 through YouTube! Now do TRI’s! Swimming was the only thing I didn’t know how to do so I turned to YouTube! Worked!
Shinji Takeuchi
+Lolly , I breathe every 4 stroke. When I need to speed up, I breathe every 2 stroke.
竹內：我四下呼吸一次，如果需要提速我兩下呼吸一次。
I am a big fan of yours Shinji. How fast can you do 400m and 1k with this style of swimming?
Shinji Takeuchi
+outlawcatcher1 , I try to keep my pace at 90 seconds / 100 m.
問：你這麼游1000米的速度是多少？
竹內：保持在90秒/100米
if im kicking that little my feet would sink way too low :(
do you guys try to keep ur torso relatively flat or are you supposed to twist it from side to side w each stroke?
Shinji Takeuchi
You do not have to worry about twisting.
1) Insert your hand closer to your head and spear down in the water. It will help your lower body to go up.
2) Press the water with your face and chest. You will feel your weight shifts forward. The leaning sensation is important to keep your body flat.
問：我需要扭動軀幹左右轉動嗎？
竹內：1 靠近頭部入水，向下插，會幫助你下身抬高。
2 用臉和胸部壓水。你會感覺重心前移。這種前移的感覺對保持身體水平很重要。
Takeuchi-san – I could not make out from the video but are you moving your hand in a S like fashion? (Right arm in a S and left in a mirror-S). If so how close your hand is to your torso when you are in the middle of the pull.
Shinji Takeuchi
+Nasir Khan
I just focus on the form of the arm in the beginning. Then I relax my arm while my body rotation move it. Then I focus on the way of pushing the water to add more momentum for recovery.
問：你的划水是s型嗎？
竹內：划水開始時我關注手臂的形狀，然後放鬆讓轉動帶動，快出水時推水讓回臂更快速。
When I first saw this video – about one year ago – I said to myself ‘Wow!! I would like to swim like that’ So, one year on, I’m nearly there….hopefully. So thank you for all your videos, they have been a huge inspiration. I do have one question, how much do you pull on your catch? I was under the impression that you hardly pull at all and that it is the leg kick plus rotation of body that creates the propulsion. This is the only mental part that I cannot seem to get quite right.
Shinji Takeuchi
+Wondrin Minstrel
My intentions is to form my arm then let the body roll do the rest. I may need to push more for open water swimming.
問：你是如何划水的呢？
竹內：我是固定好手型，然後讓身體轉動來帶動，在公開水域我也許要推水。
Hi Shinji. Awesome swimming. Just have a question about kicking. I have recently started doing the two-beat kick but I can’t seem to get my hips level after I breathe. For example,after I breathe on my right, and as my left hand is pulling thru, I kick with my left leg but I can’t get my hips level like you do in your video. Any suggestion will be much appreciated.
Shinji Takeuchi
+Jae Lee
Your legs might get tensed after down-kick. Once you move down your leg, you try to relax it so that the water pushes it up.
My dry-land rehearsal for 2 beat-kick will work for you. It makes you recognize the connection between toe-flick and hip rotation.
問：我打完腿後為什麼身體不平呢？
竹內：你打完腿後可能沒有放鬆，打完腿後要立即放鬆，讓水流把腿推回水面。
I have watched your video hundreds of times. Amazing technique. You are an inspiration. From not being able to swim 10-15 meters, I do 1200 meters trying to use your technique. I follow your guru Terry Laughlin as well. Thanks for the video. I still can’t get my lower body parallel to the surface with the 2 beat kick. Resort to the buoy every so often. Any suggestions.??
Shinji Takeuchi
It is great improvement swimming from 15m to 1200m!
As for your leg sinking, check as follows;
1) Is your top of the head submerged all the time?
2) Are you looking down (at most 1.5m ahead)?
3) Can you see the spearing hand?
4) Is the elbow in front of your ear when insertion?
5) Is the degree between the surface and the hand more than 45?
Once you say yes to all the questions above, you feel your lower body goes up.
竹內：如果你的腿部下沉，檢查一下幾點：
1 頭頂是不是一直沒在水中
2 是否眼睛朝下，最多朝前1.5米
3 能否看見前插的手
4 入水時肘部是否在耳朵前
5 入水角度是不是大於45度
如果回答都是是的話，你的下身就會漂起來
how can i kick like him? i tried but i lost my body balance.
Shinji Takeuchi
+park鞝戩榿 , the kick is to assist body rotation, not to raise your lower body. You can improve your balance with your upper body.
竹內：打腿是為了幫助身體轉動，而不是為了抬高下身。你可以通過上身來提高平衡。
This is very smooth really …iam trying to do your style but not yet reaching your level as i feel very slow , others told me that i am over-gliding because of the slaw stroke rate..so how can you keep your speed with the slow stroke rate?
Shinji Takeuchi
+mahmoud elsonbati , even the tempo is slow, you need to rotate your body very quickly with your arm stroke. It will create propulsion.
竹內：即使是很慢的頻率，也需要快速的轉動來產生推進力。
Hello,
I swim my freestyle with a six beat kick as I feel swimming TI with a 2 beat needs very strong and durable lat muscles, which I do not have. Even after using the six beat kick to add propulsion to my stroke, I am not able to sustain it for too long. I can swim only 500m, in about 12 mins or so. What may I be doing wrong? Should I just hit the gym and focus on building by back muscles?
Shinji Takeuchi
+fegdfg
You do not need very strong lat muscles to swim 2 beat kick. Using core enough to keep the posture is what you need. Find how to minimize engaging your core while doing Skate drill with kick.
竹內：二次腿不需要很強的肌肉，用軀幹核心來保持體態就夠了。在側漂的時候，練慣用盡量少的軀幹核心來完成。
I notice that my T.I. front crawl stroke is more like Terry Laughlin’s and my physique is more like his than yours, Mr. Takeuchi. I notice that Terry and I are more barrel-chested than you, and I also observe that Terry and I don’t shrug our shoulders as much as you during forward motion/recovery, nor do we have such extended shoulder lifting.
These are very subtle observations on my part and perhaps I am wrong. It is hard to see everything with different camera angles and with the water refracting the light. I wonder if it is because you have a wider shoulder to waist ratio than Terry and I?
Basically I am hoping that you can comment on differences in body types for stroke dynamics, in other words, how do different builds affect T.I. swimming style.
Thank you very much for offering to answer questions! Josh in Canada
Shinji Takeuchi
Hi Josh,
It is true swimming style may be different based on flexibility and other factors. In addition to that, I intentionally stretch my shoulder blade during recovery in order to put my elbows in higher positions before insertion.
I do not intend to shrug my shoulders.I intend to open my armpits and move the elbows to the side in the beginning phase of recovery. Then I engage my shoulder blade to bring the whole arm without changing the shape. Some of movements are introduce in my newly published “Freestyle Toolbox” digital content at
http://shop.tiswim.net/en/
竹內：在移臂時我主動伸展肩胛骨，這樣入水前我的肘部更高。我沒有刻意聳肩，而是在移臂開始的階段打開腋下，讓肘部在身體的外側。然後，不改變手臂形狀，用肩胛骨來移動手臂。
