The Effortless Swimming Podcast

If you've ever been confused about the different types of freestyle kicks — two-beat, four-beat, and six-beat — this episode is for you. I'll break down what each kick pattern means, how to do them correctly, and when to use each one in your own freestyle to improve efficiency, rhythm, and speed in the water.

00:48 What Do Beats Refer To?
00:59 2-Beat Kick
05:31 4-Beat Kick
07:38 6-Beat Kick

Get your HydroClear goggles here and get 15% off from your first purchase. Code: PODCAST
https://shop.effortlessswimming.com/

Grab the freestyle checklist here:
https://effortlessswimming.com/freestyle-checklist/

Work with us (stroke analysis coaching):
https://effortlessswimming.com/es-training-and-membership-page/

Join a camp:
https://effortlessswimming.com/camps

5-Day Catch Challenge ➡ https://members.effortlessswimming.com/c/5daycatchchallenge/
The easiest way to improve your catch and shave 5 seconds off your 100m free.

Transform your freestyle in 33 minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ignysw4pFO0

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PreNoGOEUE&t=7s

Two years ago, Brian Hans was swimming 2:00 per 100 yards—struggling to find rhythm and wondering if he'd ever feel smooth in the water. Fast forward to now, he's cruising under 1:30s and just placed 9th out of 171 in his Half Ironman swim.
How did he make that kind of jump? What changes in his stroke made the biggest difference? And what nearly stopped him along the way?
In this episode, Brian shares the breakthroughs, setbacks, and lessons from his two-year transformation—proving what's possible when you combine patience, feedback, and the right focus in training.

01:43 Introduction to Brian Hans and His Background
04:36 The Journey from Recreational to Competitive Swimming
07:06 The Importance of Technique and Video Analysis
10:06 Experiencing Breakthroughs in Swimming Performance
13:01 Navigating Open Water Challenges
15:57 Training Consistency and Session Structure
18:29 The Role of Flip Turns in Swimming Efficiency
21:39 Current Focus and Future Goals in Swimming
24:11 Patience and Long-Term Progress in Swimming

Bob Bowman — the legendary coach behind Michael Phelps and Leon Marchand — was recently on the Exponential Athlete Podcast, and listening to that episode completely changed the way I think about swimming. In today's episode, I'm going to share with you 12 powerful ideas I learned from that conversation — insights that can help you take your swimming to the next level.

00:53 Consistency Beats Perfection
01:40 Practice Performing Under Pressure
02:43 Process Over Outcome
03:35 Relax And Focus Under Pressure
04:02 The Power Of Underwaters
05:08 Different Approaches Can Work For Different People
06:97 Training Volume And Breaks
08:04 Visualization
11:52 Making Deposits To Your Swimming Bank Account
13:04 Creating An Environment Where Success Is Inevitable
14:09 Always Be Willing To Experiment
15:20 Importance Of Feedback And Data

If you find yourself gasping for air after just one lap in the pool, this episode is for you. After coaching nearly 10,000 swimmers over the past 19 years, I've discovered that mastering your breathing is one of the quickest ways to transform your swimming.

In this episode, I'll show you how to regulate your breathing so you can swim lap after lap without feeling exhausted — like taking an evening stroll in the water instead of fighting to stay afloat. You'll also learn the number one mistake most beginners make that can stall their progress for months, and how to fix it fast.

Plus, if you're new to swimming, don't miss our free 7-day email series that breaks down every key part of your stroke to help you swim more efficiently and confidently.

01:14 Why Does Your Breathing Matter?
01:42 Breathing In
02:16 Are You Exhaling Enough?
05:36 Time Your Breathing Correctly With Your Stroke
06:53 Breath In The Correct Position
08:20 Breathing Patterns
10:14 Keeping The Heart Rate Down
10:54 Drills
12:00 Adapting To Openwater

The freestyle catch is one of the most confusing parts of the stroke — and that's exactly why so many swimmers either avoid it or get it completely wrong. In this episode, we'll break down what the catch actually is, how to do it right, and why it's the key to real propulsion in your freestyle.

If you've been swimming for a while but not seeing much progress, this might be the missing piece. I'll share what I've learned from watching thousands of swimmers, coaching nearly 10,000 people in our freestyle clinics here in Australia, and studying what truly makes a great catch work.

By the end, you'll understand how the freestyle catch ties into your whole stroke — and how to use it to swim with more grace, speed, and efficiency the next time you hit the pool.

01:20 Parts Of The Stroke
2:00 Anchor Your Arms In The Water
02:46 Beginning Of The Catch
03:17 Fingers Below The Wrists, Wrists Below The Elbow
4:57 Catch-Slow To Fast
05:33 Initiating The Catch
7:23 Pulling Straight Back
11:43Angle At The Elbow
12:16 Rotation
12:50 Pull/ Press Phase
13:29 Power Diamond
14:37 The Exit
17:30 Recovery
18:20 Skinny "S"