General fitness, health and nutrition · Public discussion

Jerry Heidenreich's 21 Laws of Swimming

Bill Geiser · 2004-01-09T05:34:41+00:00

Donal.....here you go: 21 LAWS OF SWIMMING By Jerry Heidenreich 1. Three of the most important components of swimming are: technique,technique, technique. 2. Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance. 3. Learn to balance, align, and stabilize your body first. Everything else will become easier. 4. Seek the path of least resistance. 5. Find the path of most resistance. 6. To become effortless requires great effort. 7. Listen to the water, feel the water, be one with the water. Swim quietly. 8. The mind leads the body. 9. The harder you work, the harder you can play. 10. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. What you do in practice will determine what you do in meets. 11. The fastest swimmers are the ones who slow down the least. 12. The fastest you ever travel is when you dive off the block and push off the wall. 13. Slice through the water, don't plow. Make your middle name "streamline". 14. Don't think of pulling the water. Learn to anchor your hands,wrists, and forearms, and hold onto the water. Learn to use your legs for balance and body stabilization. 15. Power is generated from the hips and torso. Use your shoulders for your recovery and to generate additional arm speed. 16. Relax from the inside out. 17. Never look back. 18. Attack your race, attack your opponent. 19. Embrace your opponents. They make you a faster, better swimmer. 20. Use visual and mental imagery of yourself achieving and surpassingyour goals. 21. Swim smart, use your head, and keep your head still.

Started by Bill Geiser · 9 January 2004 · Last activity 12 January 2004 · 8 posts · 815 views

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01 / Original postJerry Heidenreich's 21 Laws of SwimmingBill Geiser · 9 Jan 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–8Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #8Nelson · 12 Jan 2004

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Original section: General fitness, health and nutrition
Published: 9 January 2004
Last activity: 12 January 2004
Original author: Bill Geiser
Posts: 8
Discussion status: Public discussion
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Original post
Bill Geiser
Archived post

9 January 2004, 05:34 UTC #1

Donal.....here you go:
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING
By Jerry Heidenreich
1. Three of the most important components of swimming are: technique,technique, technique.
2. Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance.
3. Learn to balance, align, and stabilize your body first. Everything else will become easier.
4. Seek the path of least resistance.
5. Find the path of most resistance.
6. To become effortless requires great effort.
7. Listen to the water, feel the water, be one with the water. Swim quietly.
8. The mind leads the body.
9. The harder you work, the harder you can play.
10. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. What you do in practice will
determine what you do in meets.
11. The fastest swimmers are the ones who slow down the least.
12. The fastest you ever travel is when you dive off the block and push off the wall.
13. Slice through the water, don't plow. Make your middle name "streamline".
14. Don't think of pulling the water. Learn to anchor your hands,wrists, and forearms, and hold onto
the water. Learn to use your legs for balance and body stabilization.
15. Power is generated from the hips and torso. Use your shoulders for your recovery and to generate
additional arm speed.
16. Relax from the inside out.
17. Never look back.
18. Attack your race, attack your opponent.
19. Embrace your opponents. They make you a faster, better swimmer.
20. Use visual and mental imagery of yourself achieving and surpassingyour goals.
21. Swim smart, use your head, and keep your head still.

Report
Donal Fagan
Archived post

9 January 2004, 05:34 UTC #2

On Thu, 08 Jan 2004 19:15:13 GMT, Bill Geiser
[email protected] said:
Donal.....here you go:
Thanks, Bill. A lot of this will sound familiar to any Boomer/TI grad. When did Heidenreich come up
with these?
BTW, I corrected a few word spacing typos (I couldn't help myself) :
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING
By Jerry Heidenreich
1. Three of the most important components of swimming are: technique, technique, technique.
2. Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance.
3. Learn to balance, align, and stabilize your body first. Everything else will become easier.
4. Seek the path of least resistance.
5. Find the path of most resistance.
6. To become effortless requires great effort.
7. Listen to the water, feel the water, be one with the water. Swim quietly.
8. The mind leads the body.
9. The harder you work, the harder you can play.
10. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. What you do in practice will
determine what you do in meets.
11. The fastest swimmers are the ones who slow down the least.
12. The fastest you ever travel is when you dive off the block and push off the wall.
13. Slice through the water, don't plow. Make your middle name "streamline".
14. Don't think of pulling the water. Learn to anchor your hands, wrists, and forearms, and hold
onto the water. Learn to use your legs for balance and body stabilization.
15. Power is generated from the hips and torso. Use your shoulders for your recovery and to generate
additional arm speed.
16. Relax from the inside out.
17. Never look back.
18. Attack your race, attack your opponent.
19. Embrace your opponents. They make you a faster, better swimmer.
20. Use visual and mental imagery of yourself achieving and surpassing your goals.
21. Swim smart, use your head, and keep your head still.
Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name to reply by e-mail)

Report
Bill Geiser
Archived post

9 January 2004, 05:34 UTC #3

Donal - I would have replied to your reply....except I inadvertently blew it away.....
I really don't know when Jerry wrote these.....I'm guessing in the early '90's.....but I will find
out and get back with the group.
BG
Quoted message said:
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING
By Jerry Heidenreich
1. Three of the most important components of swimming are: technique,technique, technique.
2. Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance.
3. Learn to balance, align, and stabilize your body first. Everything else will become easier.
4. Seek the path of least resistance.
5. Find the path of most resistance.
6. To become effortless requires great effort.
7. Listen to the water, feel the water, be one with the water. Swim quietly.
8. The mind leads the body.
9. The harder you work, the harder you can play.
10. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. What you do in practice will
determine what you do in meets.
11. The fastest swimmers are the ones who slow down the least.
12. The fastest you ever travel is when you dive off the block and push off the wall.
13. Slice through the water, don't plow. Make your middle name "streamline".
14. Don't think of pulling the water. Learn to anchor your hands,wrists, and forearms, and hold
onto the water. Learn to use your legs for balance and body stabilization.
15. Power is generated from the hips and torso. Use your shoulders for your recovery and to
generate additional arm speed.
16. Relax from the inside out.
17. Never look back.
18. Attack your race, attack your opponent.
19. Embrace your opponents. They make you a faster, better swimmer.
20. Use visual and mental imagery of yourself achieving and surpassingyour goals.
21. Swim smart, use your head, and keep your head still.

Report
Nobody
Archived post

9 January 2004, 05:34 UTC #4

When I was 13 around 1971, Jerry gave a small clinic to my club in Oklahoma City. Several of the
rules listed here were mentioned in his talks to us. I can also remember many of the things
people attribute to TI being talked about in the 70's. A lot it isn't really all that new. It is
packaged better.
"Bill Geiser sbcglobal.net>" <wpgeiser@<nospam> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Donal - I would have replied to your reply....except I inadvertently blew it away.....
I really don't know when Jerry wrote these.....I'm guessing in the early '90's.....but I will find
out and get back with the group.
BG
Quoted message said:
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING
By Jerry Heidenreich
1. Three of the most important components of swimming are: technique,technique, technique.
2. Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance.
3. Learn to balance, align, and stabilize your body first. Everything

else
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
will become easier.
4. Seek the path of least resistance.
5. Find the path of most resistance.
6. To become effortless requires great effort.
7. Listen to the water, feel the water, be one with the water. Swim quietly.
8. The mind leads the body.
9. The harder you work, the harder you can play.
10. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

What
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
you do in practice will determine what you do in meets.
11. The fastest swimmers are the ones who slow down the least.
12. The fastest you ever travel is when you dive off the block and push

off
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the wall.
13. Slice through the water, don't plow. Make your middle name "streamline".
14. Don't think of pulling the water. Learn to anchor your

hands,wrists,
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
and forearms, and hold onto the water. Learn to use your legs for

balance
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
and body stabilization.
15. Power is generated from the hips and torso. Use your shoulders for

your
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
recovery and to generate additional arm speed.
16. Relax from the inside out.
17. Never look back.
18. Attack your race, attack your opponent.
19. Embrace your opponents. They make you a faster, better swimmer.
20. Use visual and mental imagery of yourself achieving and

surpassingyour
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
goals.
21. Swim smart, use your head, and keep your head still.

Report
Nobody
Archived post

9 January 2004, 05:34 UTC #5

My memory is getting bad. It was 73.
"nobody" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
When I was 13 around 1971, Jerry gave a small clinic to my club in

Oklahoma
Quoted message said:
City. Several of the rules listed here were mentioned in his talks to us.

I
Quoted message said:
can also remember many of the things people attribute to TI being talked about in the 70's. A lot
it isn't really all that new. It is packaged better.
"Bill Geiser sbcglobal.net>" <wpgeiser@<nospam> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Donal - I would have replied to your reply....except I inadvertently

blew
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
it away.....
I really don't know when Jerry wrote these.....I'm guessing in the early '90's.....but I will
find out and get back with the group.
BG
Quoted message said:
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING
By Jerry Heidenreich
1. Three of the most important components of swimming are: technique,technique, technique.
2. Strive for optimum, not maximum, performance.
3. Learn to balance, align, and stabilize your body first. Everything

else
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
will become easier.
4. Seek the path of least resistance.
5. Find the path of most resistance.
6. To become effortless requires great effort.
7. Listen to the water, feel the water, be one with the water. Swim quietly.
8. The mind leads the body.
9. The harder you work, the harder you can play.
10. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

What
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
you do in practice will determine what you do in meets.
11. The fastest swimmers are the ones who slow down the least.
12. The fastest you ever travel is when you dive off the block and

push
Quoted message said:
off
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the wall.
13. Slice through the water, don't plow. Make your middle name "streamline".
14. Don't think of pulling the water. Learn to anchor your

hands,wrists,
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
and forearms, and hold onto the water. Learn to use your legs for

balance
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
and body stabilization.
15. Power is generated from the hips and torso. Use your shoulders for

your
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
recovery and to generate additional arm speed.
16. Relax from the inside out.
17. Never look back.
18. Attack your race, attack your opponent.
19. Embrace your opponents. They make you a faster, better swimmer.
20. Use visual and mental imagery of yourself achieving and

surpassingyour
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
goals.
21. Swim smart, use your head, and keep your head still.

Report
Duncan Heenan
Archived post

9 January 2004, 19:02 UTC #6

"Bill Geiser sbcglobal.net>" <wpgeiser@<nospam> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Donal.....here you go:
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING snip <
I think these should really be better described as the 'laws of racing.' Swimming is for fitness and
fun, and so long as you enjoy it, does it really matter if you don't win or set an new PB each
session? My own 'law of swimming' would be - 'enjoy it', if you do the rest will follow. If you
don't you'll soon give it up.

Report
Donal Fagan
Archived post

9 January 2004, 23:02 UTC #7

nobody said:
When I was 13 around 1971, Jerry gave a small clinic to my club in Oklahoma City. Several of the
rules listed here were mentioned in his talks to us. I can also remember many of the things
people attribute to TI being talked about in the 70's. A lot it isn't really all that new. It is
packaged better.
Explained and taught very well, too.
Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name to reply by e-mail)

Report
Nelson
Archived post

12 January 2004, 05:28 UTC #8

"Duncan Heenan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
"Bill Geiser sbcglobal.net>" <wpgeiser@<nospam> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Donal.....here you go:
21 LAWS OF SWIMMING snip <
I think these should really be better described as the 'laws of racing.' Swimming is for fitness
and fun, and so long as you enjoy it, does it really matter if you don't win or set an new PB each
session? My own 'law of swimming' would be - 'enjoy it', if you do the rest will follow. If you
don't you'll soon give it up.
I couldn't agree more. The first law of swimming should be "Enjoy it"! 🙂 Now, searching for
efficient and more fluid swimming is a way of achieving it, but we see too many people giving
up swimming with signs of mental and physical burnout just because they will never be the
fastest person in the pool...
Enjoy swimming Nelson

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