Last month, a 39-year-old swimmer joined our weekly coaching members call. She was training for her first Ironman. She'd been swimming for about a year—consistent, disciplined, three sessions a week, following her program exactly as written.

But there was a problem.

She was exhausted after every session. And her pace hadn't improved in four months.

In this episode, we unpack what was really going on—because when you're doing all the "right" things but not getting faster, it's rarely about working harder. It's about working smarter. We'll talk about why consistency alone isn't enough, the hidden mistakes that keep adult swimmers stuck, and how small technical and structural changes in your training can unlock real progress.

If you're training for an Ironman—or any long-distance event—and feel like you're spinning your wheels in the water, this episode will show you what to look at, what to adjust, and how to start moving forward again.

01:19 From 2:10 to 1:55 Per Hundred
01:43 What Was Happening?
03:04 Getting A Good Catch
04:10 Think Of The Catch As The Set Up
05:53 Connect With The Water
06:54 What To Do?

Transform your freestyle to be effortless and smooth with online video analysis:
https://effortlessswimming.com/courses-membership/

Try the new Nanoclear Anti-fog Goggles: https://bit.ly/nanocleargoggles