Product Description

In Breakthrough Swimming, legendary swimming coach and historian Cecil Colwin describes how competitive swimmers of the modern era—such as swimming giants Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett—apply innovative training methods and stroke techniques to set new standards of performance.

All four strokes as well as starts and turns are presented in thorough detail in Colwin’s easy-to-grasp instructional style. Not only will you gain a greater understanding of competitive swimming through its origins and evolution, but you’ll also learn these skills:

• Improve stroke technique, starts, and turns.

• Develop a better training program and understand the principles of training.

• Apply the latest research in hydrodynamics and the propulsive mechanisms of speed swimming to create ultimate speed through the water.

• Coach the “feel” of the water to help swimmers detect and manipulate the water flow with ever-increasing dexterity.

Internationally acclaimed sport physiologist Dr. David Pyne, recipient of the Australian Sports Medal for his work with that country’s Olympic swimming team, contributed a special chapter to the book. Pyne covers all phases of modern training, from physiological testing and monitoring to race preparation and post competition analysis.

The engaging book also offers an inside look at how the sport has evolved, especially in recent years, with the advent of professional swimming and the growing specter of performance-enhancing drugs. Combining the latest technical innovations with a revealing historical context, Breakthrough Swimming is the definitive work on the past, present, and future of competitive swimming.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81702 in Books
• Brand: Human Kinetics
• Published on: 2002-02-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 262 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780736037778
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Publisher
”What a marvelous undertaking! Readers can use as much or as little of the information as one would want; those just beginning their careers can gain enough relevant data to get started on a correct course, while seasoned coaches and swimmers will certainly be challenged by the book’s in-depth information.”

Paul Bergen Member of the International Hall of Fame Has coached 10 swimmers to 22 world records

”In Breakthrough Swimming, Cecil Colwin has called upon all of his years of experience as a coach, teacher, historian, scientific analyst, writer and iconoclast to create a brilliant, comprehensive and eminently readable work of art. Colwin's unique insights make this book an absolute must-read for every serious swimmer, coach, and lover of the sport.

Breakthrough Swimming has reconfirmed Colwin as the dean of the world's swimming scholars.”

Phillip Whitten Editor-in-Chief Sports Publications, Inc.

"Cecil Colwin continues his major contributions to the thought processes of swimming in a fascinating book that gives meaning and relevance to a mountain of information ."

John Leonard, Executive Director, American Swimming Coaches' Association Editor, American Swimming Magazine

"Like Counsilman's The Science of Swimming, Colwin's Breakthrough Swimming serves as a comprehensive technical manual on competitive strokes and training, and is certain to stimulate creative thinking on the part of novice and veteran coaches alike."

Murray Stephens, Director, North Baltimore Aquatic Club, USA Olympic Coach

About the Author
Cecil M. Colwin is a legend among swimming coaches. He has had a distinguished international coaching career in which he developed Olympic medalists, world-record holders, and national champions. Colwin is also acknowledged as one of the swimming world’s most influential coach educators and historians. His indelible mark on the sport spans from pioneering swim training in South Africa to coaching Canadian national and international competitors. Colwin is acknowledged as a dynamic lecture-room and pool-deck clinician with a gift for vivid imagery and the ability to analyze and simplify complex techniques.

A former national technical director of Canadian swimming, Colwin was instrumental in researching, designing, and implementing Canadian Swimming’s National Plan for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as well as the Canadian National Apprenticeship Program for training coaches in all sports. Colwin has also designed and conducted coaching certification courses for Level III coaches in the United States and Australia. In 1985 and 1986, he received the American Swimming Coaches Association’s (ASCA) certificate of excellence for outstanding coaching achievement in the United States. In 1993 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Colwin has authored hundreds of articles, papers, and books on competitive swimming, and he continues to serve as a consultant to administrators, coaches, and swimmers worldwide. He is a regular contributor to several swimming magazines, including Swimnews, Swimming World, Swimming Technique, and The American Swimmer. Known as one of the swimming world’s most inspirational lecturers, he has addressed the World Swimming Coaches’ Conference on several occasions and has given hundreds of lectures and clinic presentations worldwide. Since 1995 Colwin has served as a member of the World Swimming Coaches’ Association’s Anti-Doping Committee. He is also the founder of Cecil Colwin’s International Swim Camps, a leading stroke clinic and training experience for swimmers and coaches from many countries.

Colwin and his wife, Margaret, live in Ottawa, Ontario, where he pursues a variety of interests including portrait painting, videography, cartooning, reading, weight training, and listening to music.

Customer Reviews

Outstanding, Amazing
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.

History, Hydrodynamics and Training
The average swimming book prescribes stroke techniques, then offers a sample training routine. In 'Breakthrough Swimming', Cecil Colwin sets his stroke and training advice amid much firm background and some speculative discussion. Coach Colwin covers three subjects: History, Hydrodynamics and Training.

The history is broken into two parts which begin and end the book. The first is a history of swim technique (sidestroke, trudgen, overarm, etc.) which leads to a description of the four current strokes. As in Swimming Dynamics, he illustrates a "typical" way of swimming each stroke even though he admits a wide range of technique possibilities. (Colwin is an excellent draughtsman, but there seems to be a drawing error: In the text and in his side view drawings of the crawl, he describes a full body rotation of 35 - 45 degrees each way as desirable. His front view, however, shows the swimmer almost dead flat throughout the crawl.)

Continuing the exploration of hydrodynamics that he began in Swimming Dynamics, Colwin discusses the bow wave, lift, his vortex-shedding theories of propulsion, strategies of streamlining, using the hands to direct the water and many other ideas.

In covering training, Colwin (and Pyne) offer the usual ideas of aerobic vs anaerobic, interval vs distance, etc. I find myself thinking of his section, "Development of the Will to Overcome Fatigue," as I swim. I realize that I have rarely reached Hurt, much less Agony or Pain since high school (at least not in the pool).

The book ends with a history of competition that discusses rule changes, better pools, the World Cup tour (he's not impressed), national team vs club-based coaching, a chronicle of doping, fistgloves, the problems with bodysuits, a ranking of the stars of the 20th century and a look forward.

I definitely found the book worth reading.

An absolute "must" for past and present swimmers .
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 !