Breakthrough Swimming

I am one of those swimmers Mr Colwin talks about; natural, skilled, elite. Call it what you will, I swim easily and fast. Fast enough to win the Olympics (Tokyo, 1964, 400 IM) This book is astounding in its breadth and depth of knowledge. If you are at all serious about swimming for speed or enjoyment you need to read this work. The first and second chapters on stroke development and recent breakthroughs would be enough to make this book a classic,The fluid dynamics section is excellent, a good thing to know in your mind. But far more valuable to me is the chapter about feeling the water. Here we dive into the heart of the matter. The more talented swimmers feel the water more. You can swim most efficiently when you can tell when the water is most ready to pull against. I stand in awe of Colvin's ability to explain an intuitive process that leaves me blubbering for words.All of us who love the water owe Cecil Colwin a deep and sincere thank you.

In "Breakthrough Swimming", Cecil Colwin has done a fantastic job in bringing together the thoughts, techniques and advice of many famous and successful coaches and their swimmers from all over the world. Of particular interest are the changes in techniques over the years and the preparation of today's star swimmers. Also of great interest was the comparison and use of scientific principles in assisting in streamlining the body and optimising the use of energy and strength to gain more speed.As a past competitive swimmer, this book is a "must" for anyone with an interest in this great sport. It is a book where you need to have your own copy so you can read and re-read it from time to time as well as use it as a reference guide.A real "winner" from Cecil Colwin !

This is a really wonderful book with an in-depth insight into the latest techniques and training methods, encompassing a collection of successful techniques from numerous very famous coaches from all over the world. Some of the most fascinating aspects of this book are the application of modern day scientific principles to make swimmers go faster and become more streamlined and effective in the water. Not only is this an excellent read, but it is a book to be kept and re-read from time to time by anyone interested in swimming. As a former competitive swimmer, this is certainly the best ever book I have read on a great sport. You definitely need your own copy !

A Review of Colwin's:Breakthrough SwimmingThis book has it all: descriptions of historical swimming moments, explanations of the controversies surrounding the use of performance enhancing drugs, in depth discussions of the complex technical principles of human hydrodyamics, as well as the analysis of training and racing skills of the world's best competitive swimmers. The competitive swimming enthusiast will, without a doubt, be rewarded and recharged after reading this extensive and rich anthology.In his quest to keep competitive swimming at the forefront of international sport excellence, the author has left no stone unturned. Colwin's knowledge and passion for competitive swimming translate well into his concise and comprehensive books through which he has established himself as the pre-eminent researcher and writer in this sport. This is his third book in the past ten years, and it is, thus far, his finest work. Colwin has an uncanny knack of selecting the perfect anecdotal material, and conjuring up vivid imagery of the past, in order to enhance the reader's enjoyment and understanding of issues that face competitive swimming today and to help establish realistic goals for the future of this unique sport. The title, "Breakthrough Swimming," is apt as it is consistently used and developed as the major theme of this book; from the cover photo of a breaststroker breaking through the water's surface tension, to the recent breakthroughs of scientists, coaches and swimmers at the elite level. It is certain that this book will play an important role in the continued development of competitive swimming.This treatise is a must have for swimming coaches everywhere and a great read for everyone who enjoys this sport. "Breakthrough Swimming" is exceptionally presentable, readable, and interesting. This is a comprehensive and important book which will set the tone for the sport of competitive swimming for many years to come....

In his newest book Colwin places the sport of swimming in the historical context of continuous breakthroughs to new levels of human performance. Drawing on his five decades of coaching experience - from developmental to world records - and a wealth of research material drawn from many sources, the author provides much practical information along with theoretical background. This reader came away with the impression of being challenged to continue the process of innovation to faster swimming. Very well organized, the book will set beginners in the right direction and contains many items of interest for those with years in the sport. Ought to be on the bookshelf of all coaches, or anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of the sport.