Mastering Swimming (The Masters Athlete Series) [Paperback]

Jim Montgomery (Author), Mo Chambers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2008 | Series: The Masters Athlete Series

Trim seconds off your time, train more efficiently, or simply maximize your fitness workouts with Mastering Swimming.

Renowned coaches Jim Montgomery and Mo Chambers have teamed up to create the ultimate swimming guide for masters athletes. Swimmers aged 18 to 120 will benefit from a targeted approach that covers these essentials:

-Stroke instruction and refinement for freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly

-Workout plans for fitness and competition

-Training for open-water swimming and triathlon

-Second-saving starts and turns

In addition, Mastering Swimming covers equipment, dryland training, motivational strategies, and guidance for selecting a masters coach or program. With such complete coverage, it's the one resource you'll turn to time and again for a lifetime of serious swimming.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"From gold medals to Coach of the Year honors, Jim Montgomery and Mo Chambers have done it all, including building two of the greatest masters swimming programs in the country. In Mastering Swimming, their expertise is evident on every page. This is a fantastic resource for fitness and competitive swimmers from 20 to 90.”

Tom Boak, USMS President, 1985 to 1989
Coach, Woodlands Masters Swim Team
Masters Swimming Competitor Since 1978

"Jim Montgomery and Mo Chambers combine expertise and experience in this outstanding book. Mastering Swimming covers every aspect of technique, training, motivation, and organization that should meet the needs of every masters swimmer regardless of age and ability. It is bound to become the standard reference on the subject for years to come."

Cecil Colwin
Hall of Fame Coach

From the Publisher

"From gold medals to Coach of the Year honors, Jim Montgomery and Mo Chambers have done it all, including building two of the greatest masters swimming programs in the country. In Mastering Swimming, their expertise is evident on every page. This is a fantastic resource for fitness and competitive swimmers from 20 to 90."

Tom Boak, USMS President, 1985 to 1989
Coach, Woodlands Masters Swim Team
Masters Swimming Competitor Since 1978

"Jim Montgomery and Mo Chambers combine expertise and experience in this outstanding book. Mastering Swimming covers every aspect of technique, training, motivation, and organization that should meet the needs of every masters swimmer regardless of age and ability. It is bound to become the standard reference on the subject for years to come."

Cecil Colwin
Hall of Fame Coach

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics; 1 edition (October 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736074538
• ISBN-13: 978-0736074537
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Water Sports > Swimming

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous resource, November 19, 2008

By 

William Robinson (Dallas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Swimming (The Masters Athlete Series) (Paperback)

Several decades elapsed between my brief high school competitive swimming experience and my foray into masters swimming, and I find myself amazed all over again at the way having a good coach motivates me and improves my performance. Why does a phrase or two of technical advice or encouragement cause me to work harder and feel better about myself? Why is it that I'm willing to push myself to exhaustion just because somebody is watching?

There's something about the relationship between coach and athlete that transcends what the athlete can accomplish on his or her own. It's in that ineffable realm that the value of this book is found. I'm only halfway through it and already I've learned - and implemented - three things that have helped me improve my stroke. It's great to try something in the pool, then go back to the book and reread what the coach said and compare it to how it felt in the water.

Not only does Montgomery know how to swim - he's a triple Olympic gold medal winner, fer cryin' out loud! - but he's supremely able to TEACH people how to swim. I'd be willing to bet that if there were a waterproof edition of this book, a rank beginner could get in the pool with book in hand and learn how to swim from scratch.

I don't pretend to have much swimming expertise, but I'd also be willing to bet that these two coaches' explanation of the science of swimming represents the current state of the art worldwide. I recommend this book for anyone who's remotely interested in swimming. It's straightforward and well-written, and its techniques and teaching methods work.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth much more than the price, December 30, 2009

By 

Pablo "Copyrider" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mastering Swimming (The Masters Athlete Series) (Paperback)

I was a competitive swimmer as a kid, and now I've returned to the pool after more than 25 years to try to become a competitive masters swimmer.

The basics came back like riding a bicycle (except for the butterfly, which I couldn't remember how to do at all) but a lot has changed over the years, and my technique was clearly rusty.

I don't have a coach, doing it on my own, and this book has been a tremendous help... and I'm not even done with it!

The tips on a proper catch, and their little listening trick to correct hand entry, took 2 full strokes off my pool length in freestyle, for example.

This week I used their 4 phase method for learning butterfly to teach myself the stroke, and did my first pool lengths in fly. I'm looking forward to using their other tips to refine the stroke and start adding it into my regular workout.

This is just a tremendous book. Easy to read and follow.

I strongly recommend it for anyone starting out, or making the transition from fitness swimming to competition, or returning to the water after a long time away.

Definitely worth many times the cover price.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you swimmer? Buy this book., November 8, 2008

By 

Krisitanne Hinkamp (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering Swimming (The Masters Athlete Series) (Paperback)

When I heard that Jim Montgomery and Mo Chambers were writing a book about swimming for masters, I couldn't wait to read it. I want to recommend this book highly to anyone who is a swimmer or is thinking about `taking the plunge.'

Mastering Swimming is the complete guide for newbies and experienced swimmers alike. You can read it start to finish or just go to a specific topic such as dry-land training, planning for success, or preparing for competition in the pool or open water. The layout of the book makes it an easy read and a go-to reference throughout a swimming career.

The book is loaded with practical advice and expert technical descriptions of the four strokes along with starts and turns. It also offers great motivation with insights from Olympians about swimming, training, and racing. If you want to kick up your fitness level with dry-land training, Mastering Swimming gives you the template. If you are thinking about adding open water swimming to your repertoire, Mastering Swimming gives you the blueprint for that endeavor.

The only thing missing from Mastering Swimming is Coach Montgomery's sprint effort scale, and I'd like to share that with you. As you descend your sprint 50s or 100s, start out with a fast swim. Then take it to a blast. After that take your effort to a blow chow. And finish up your set with a double blow swim. Good luck.