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Swimming Made Easy
Swimming Made Easy is guaranteed to help you swim better than ever in all four strokes. Refine your form and increase your pleasure with 10 lessons, illustrated with 150 surface and underwater photos. Ten chapters on self-coaching show you how to be your own best coach. A proven way to gain the knowledge to enjoy every stroke you ever take!
- GenresSportsNonfictionFitness
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2001
4 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Terry Laughlin
14 books17 followersTerrence James Laughlin was an American swimming coach, author, and the founder of Total Immersion, a groundbreaking swim technique that revolutionized the sport by emphasizing efficiency, form, and ease over speed. Starting his coaching career in the 1970s, Laughlin trained 24 national champions and developed Total Immersion in 1989 to help adult-onset swimmers, especially triathletes, gain confidence and efficiency in the water. His method focused on balance, streamlining, and energy conservation, attracting a global following and influencing coaches at all levels.
A best-selling author, Laughlin penned Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster and Easier and several other influential books and videos, with his teachings amassing millions of views online. He was also a sought-after instructor who inspired swimmers worldwide—from elite athletes to fearful beginners.
Even while battling metastatic prostate cancer, he continued to swim, teach, and inspire. Laughlin passed away in 2017, leaving a transformative legacy in swimming education and technique.
A best-selling author, Laughlin penned Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster and Easier and several other influential books and videos, with his teachings amassing millions of views online. He was also a sought-after instructor who inspired swimmers worldwide—from elite athletes to fearful beginners.
Even while battling metastatic prostate cancer, he continued to swim, teach, and inspire. Laughlin passed away in 2017, leaving a transformative legacy in swimming education and technique.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 7, 2025
I learned a lot from this book's emphasis on how to smooth out and lengthen one's strokes. The author describes his approach as teaching "fishlike" swimming, and effortlessness is emphasized.
The book covers all four of the strokes one sees in competitive swimming (i.e. crawl [a.k.a. freestyle,] backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.) For each stroke one learns how to improve balance, stroke length, and fluidness, as well as a bit about breath and coordination.
The book is presented in two parts. The first is the more theoretical bit and the second describes drills one can use to improve one's technique. Part one is longer, more detailed, and written in more readable prose. Part two is shorter, more picture-laden, and tends to stick to bullet points. Photos are monochrome, mostly from above water level, and of varying degrees of clarity / informational value.
My biggest peeve with the book is that it frequently breaks into advertisement for other products (i.e. DVD's [dates the book, as I'm pretty sure no one has an operational DVD player anymore] and gear.)
I'd recommend this book for readers interested in learning to swim more efficiently. The book is geared toward competitive swimmers interested in shaving time, rather than recreational swimmers who are just interested in a move pleasant experience (e.g. if one swims for fun, one will probably not be running a sequence of drills as that kind of defeats the fun of the activity.)
The book covers all four of the strokes one sees in competitive swimming (i.e. crawl [a.k.a. freestyle,] backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.) For each stroke one learns how to improve balance, stroke length, and fluidness, as well as a bit about breath and coordination.
The book is presented in two parts. The first is the more theoretical bit and the second describes drills one can use to improve one's technique. Part one is longer, more detailed, and written in more readable prose. Part two is shorter, more picture-laden, and tends to stick to bullet points. Photos are monochrome, mostly from above water level, and of varying degrees of clarity / informational value.
My biggest peeve with the book is that it frequently breaks into advertisement for other products (i.e. DVD's [dates the book, as I'm pretty sure no one has an operational DVD player anymore] and gear.)
I'd recommend this book for readers interested in learning to swim more efficiently. The book is geared toward competitive swimmers interested in shaving time, rather than recreational swimmers who are just interested in a move pleasant experience (e.g. if one swims for fun, one will probably not be running a sequence of drills as that kind of defeats the fun of the activity.)
January 18, 2024
I'd give this 3.5 if I could. I found it pretty repetitive, which is fitting for a book about swimming. I definitely learned a decent amount and will practice several of this drills.
August 29, 2012
This book and the DVD have changed the way I swim. It was slow going trying to read a book and watch a DVD to teach myself how to swim. It slowly started to come together as I practiced the drills. I really value this book.
May 10, 2018
Terry is the greatest swim coach ever.
November 29, 2025
Thanissaro Bhikku-approved
December 13, 2011
Go with the flow, don't fight the water...
Easier said than done, but this book actually makes me consider swimming again soon... I'd better if i want to race triathlons again, but god! how i hate swimming =)
Easier said than done, but this book actually makes me consider swimming again soon... I'd better if i want to race triathlons again, but god! how i hate swimming =)
August 27, 2011
Loved it. Great read. Paradigm shift in my swimming routine. New concepts has improved my stroke length. Swimming is getting easy. Feeling the flow instead of fighting the water. Swim slippery!!!
July 26, 2015
A good book to read if u wanna swim well but don't have a coach, maybe even if you do
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews