Unusual Strategies For Developing Your Swimming with Andrew Sheaff

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Andrew Sheaff—coach, educator, and the author of A Constraints-Led Approach to Swim Coaching. We dive into one of the most important skills for adult swimmers and triathletes: learning how to self-coach. Whether you're swimming solo, training without feedback, or stuck on a plateau, Andrew shares a practical roadmap to finally break through. You’ll learn why progress isn’t about doing more drills—but choosing the right ones. We talk about how to create built-in feedback loops, what to do if you feel like nothing’s changing, and why slowing down and being intentional could be your fastest path forward. Andrew also shares one of his favorite drills—“power pulls”—and how it reveals exactly what’s working (and what’s not) in your stroke. If you’re someone who trains alone, or you’ve been working hard without seeing results, this episode could be the turning point. If you enjoy this conversation and want to dive deeper, Andrew’s Stroke Fundamentals course is a fantastic next step. It breaks down the key elements of freestyle technique in a simple, actionable way—and as a listener of the podcast, you can get 50% off. Click this link to get Stroke Fundamentals for 50% off — www.coachandrewsheaff.com/effortless 00:00 Self-Coaching In Swimming 02:08 Setting Clear Goals For Improvement 04:24 Effective Drills For Feedback 08:37 Understanding Pressure and Technique 12:32 Improving Rotation in Freestyle 19:01 Identifying and Solving Problems in Training 21:44 Mastering Breath Timing in Swimming 24:05 Identifying and Addressing Common Mistakes 26:31 Challenging Drills for Skill Improvement 29:02 Integrating Skills and Training Effectively 34:18 Creating Engaging and Purposeful Workouts 36:58 The Importance of Consistency in Skill Developtment 39:26 Fundamentals of Effective Swimming Techniques Try PILLAR today, head to pillarperformance.shop and enter code EFFORTLESS for 15% off, or for any North American listeners, enter the same code at TheFeed.com. Get your HydroClear goggles here and get 15% off from your first purchase. Code: PODCAST https://shop.effortlessswimming.com/ Want to really transform your swimming? Join us on a swim camp in 2025 in the Maldives, Galapagos Islands, Whitsundays or Thailand: https://effortlessswimming.com/camps/ Change your technique and swim a smoother, easier freestyle with the Effortless Swimming membership: https://effortlessswimming.com/training-and-membership-plans/?el=blog