Episode 48: Deliberate Practice in the Pool Leads to a TEN-MINUTE Olympic-distance Improvement
Swim improvement is slow, frustrating, and worth every minute — and this episode is proof of that. Chris walks you through Alex W.’s amazing 2:35 to 1:52/100 threshold pace improvement in today’s episode: what wasn’t working, what Chris prescribed, and how Alex took the reins and put in the hard work. We track her development step by step: the front quadrant breakdown that was costing her propulsion, the drift toward her breathing side that threatened her open water navigation, the elbow angle problem that was limiting her pull power — and the specific drills that addressed each one. Along the way, Chris explains why triathlon is an energy cascade, what deliberate practice actually requires, and why more yardage without technique work has a ceiling that most swimmers hit much sooner than they expect. If your swim has been stuck at the same pace for longer than you'd like to admit, this is the episode to listen to twice.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book a swim analysis with Chris: campfireendurance.com/swim-analysis
Swim Smooth (methodology and drill references): swimsmooth.com
Campfire Endurance coaching (spots opening July 2026): campfireendurance.com or email chris@campfireendurance.com
The Infirmary is a production of Campfire Endurance Coaching. Note: this episode is best experienced as a video — head to our YouTube channel for the full before-and-after footage of Alex's development.