Stepping into a pool for the first time as a grown-up feels daunting. Your heart races, your muscles tense, and a voice in your head whispers that you should have learned this decades ago. Here’s the truth: adults often learn swimming faster than kids in many ways because they bring patience, discipline, and clear goals […]
How the official rules don’t just define what’s legal — they actually build a faster, more efficient Butterfly stroke.By Abbie Fish — Founder, Swim Like a Fish | Coach, Clinician & Stroke Specialist What if your Butterfly technique doesn’t feel smooth because you’re fighting the rules — not using them? Most swimmers learn Butterfly by […]
Some of the most “difficult” swimmers to coach are also the ones with the highest untapped potential. For athletes with ADHD, the same traits that can disrupt practice—distractibility, impulsivity, emotional intensity—can be the very qualities that fuel elite performance, if coached the right way. Don’t take my word for it… see what Michael Phelps has […]
What if I told you the fastest swimmer in your relay…isn’t the one in the water? It’s the one on the block. Relay starts can WIN or LOSE races—and most swimmers don’t train them enough. A great relay start isn’t just a dive. It’s timing, momentum, and trust between teammates. When all three line up, […]
The #1 Mistake Young Swimmers Make Around the Pool What if I told you one of the biggest performance limiters in swimming… has nothing to do with technique? It’s awareness. I’ve coached hundreds of swimmers, and I see the same pattern over and over again. They know their strokes. They track their times. But when […]
Individual Medley races are unique because they test far more than just your ability to swim four strokes. They test your ability to connect those strokes without losing speed. A swimmer can have excellent Butterfly, strong Backstroke, and solid Breaststroke technique — but if the transitions between those strokes are sloppy, the race quickly falls […]
Imagine stepping up onto the blocks before your big race. You notice your hands are clammy, your legs are shaking, your heart is beating out of your chest, and your mind is racing with a million fearful thoughts like what if you don’t swim well or make a mistake. You may be experiencing performance anxiety. […]
What if I told you that your Breaststroke Turn could be costing you an entire body length every 100 yards? Most swimmers obsess over their kick timing and pullouts. But they glide into the wall… slow down… pop their head up… and lose EVERYTHING they just built. Here’s the deal: Breaststroke Turns swimming are not […]
Most swimmers think a Pull Buoy is a rest tool. It’s not. If your Freestyle with a Pull Buoy feels easier than your normal swim, you’re using it wrong. Pull Buoy drills should feel honest. They should expose weaknesses in your core control, your catch mechanics, your Freestyle Flipturn precision, and your alignment. When used […]
What if I told you that most Breaststroke swimmers aren’t slow because of weak legs… or poor flexibility… but because their TIMING is off? I see it every single week. Swimmers: – who work HARD — but overlap their pull and kick.– who kick too early.– who glide… and glide… and slow down. Breaststroke timing […]
What if the best way to build a strong heart, powerful muscles, and mental toughness… wasn’t in the weight room — but in the water? As a coach, I get this question all the time from swimmers and parents: “Is swimming good for you?” Short answer? YES. Long answer? Swimming is one of the most […]
Olympic Breaststroke rarely rewards shortcuts. It rewards patience, precision, and an almost stubborn commitment to fundamentals. That’s why the coaching partnership between Jack Bauerle and Nic Fink stands out as one of the clearest modern examples of how elite Breaststroke success is actually built. This isn’t a story about talent peaking early or sudden breakthroughs. […]
