As a certified Swim Smooth Coach, Julian Nagi is fully trained in advanced Video Analysis and Stroke Correction for swimmers of all ability levels. Stuck on a plateau with your swimming? Too many things going around your head when you swim? Julian will show you very clearly what you are doing wrong and exactly how to improve your stroke using all of Swim Smooth’s cutting edge methods. It’s a revelation for your swimming!
One Very High Quality Session
Swim Smooth don’t believe stroke correction should involve visiting a coach for 6, 8 or 10 sessions. Our process is of such highly quality and so focused on your individual needs that a single session with a follow up 8-12 weeks later is enough to transform your swimming. How do we do this?
– We use a 25m heated swimming pool to film you using an extremely high quality HD camera from above and below the water from the side, in front, overhead and any other angle required.
– We then get you out of the water to look through your footage on the computer. This filming is recorded for you and will be sent to you via we transfer post session – This will include your raw footage and key stroke development clips as the session progresses. This is perfect for you to watch back as often as you like in the comfort of your own home.
– During the analysis we will dig into Swim Smooth’s unique tools, animations and elite video archive to really highlight how your own stroke compares in key areas for improvement. These visualisations of good stroke technique are so important, especially if you are a visual learner.
– After the analysis we will have you jump back in the water for the second half of your session: the stroke correction session. Using exactly what we saw on the computer this session is completely tailored to your individual needs as a swimmer. Swim Smooth are famous for their individual approach to stroke correction (‘coaching the swimmer not the stroke’) and this is another reason why our methods are so powerful (and fast!).
– The combination of you understanding your current swimming from the video analysis and Julian using all of Swim Smooth’s coaching methods to correct and refine your stroke technique will rapidly improve your speed, efficiency, relaxation and confidence in the water.
– But we’re not quite finished there! At the end of your session Julian will give you a training plan to take away with you, tailored to your individual needs as a swimmer. This includes reminders of all the drills you performed during your stroke correction session and also training sessions to follow specific to your individual needs. Everything you need to transform your swimming!
Follow Up Sessions
Depending on your progress and how you feel, you can arrange a follow up session with Julian normally 8-12 weeks after your initial session. We’ll normally film you again and brush up on some areas to improve on.
David Lloyd, Acton Squads (West London)
Local to the area? After your video analysis session, the perfect follow-on is to join one of our squads at David Lloyd Acton Park, East Acton Lane, Acton, West London, W3 7HB. This is a members facility. Julian leads every session and will keep a special eye on your stroke in relation to your Video Analysis session. Further feedback, monitoring and encouragement guarantees your improvement!
Book Your Session
To book your Video Analysis And Stroke Correction Session, contact Julian at julian.nagi@gmail.com
Swim Smooth Video Analysis & Stroke Correction Session
World class stroke analysis and correction, all the way from Australia!
Price: £140 ( this includes a full 12 week tailored training plan to develop both fitness & technique)
Duration: 90mins
Location: David Lloyd Acton Park, East Acton Lane, Acton,West London, W3 7HB. The analysis takes place in a 25m heated pool.
Content: Full HD filming, progression video clips, full SS stroke correction session, individual training development plans to take away.
See your stroke above and below the water in glorious high definition!
Hi Julian
I’m a runner-turning-triathlete, started triathlon last year (two events, including London Olympic distance). I’ve had a few swim lessons, but know that I’ve got loads of work to do. I live in Scotland but am in London every week on wednesday and Thursday (my office is on Wood Lane). Could I book a session with you for Video analysis and correction? I’m really keen to become a better swimmer.
thanks
Hamish
I really enjoyed the session.
Julian was able to identify immediately my weakness and put in place an action plan after few hours the end of the lesson. (can not ask better than this)
I earned confidence and appreciated his professionalism.
I would reccomend to anyone and it is a unique experience.
Tks
Stefano
Hi Julian,
Wondering if you are planning on doing any more Cardiff sessions in the near future? Thanks
Tim
Hi Tim, yes im thinking of doing them quarterly so the next one will be in June sometime. Drop me an email at julian.nagi@gmail.com and tell me a bit about your swimming history /experience and i will put you on the list.
Very best
Julian
Tanks thats very nice for coathes.
I had a training session with Julian 15/04/12. My background is mainly football and recently decided to turn my hand to Triathlon. Originally i was a little worried as im more of a brick with legs, super swimmer i am NOT :-). I need’nt have worried. Julian was very relaxed and put me at ease straight away. I found the training very beneficial and know my technique will come on leaps and bounds now with Julian’s excellent examination and guidance. It was such a breath of fresh air to have some professional coaching. I would advise anyone who requires training from beginner to advanced to let Julian help you out, you will definatly reap the benefits
I will go away and work hard on his advise and will book again without hesitation.
Rgds Lee
Just been to one of Julian’s Swimsmooth video analysis correction sessions. Being quite a novice, I was very impressed from the start with his approach and professionalism. Julian was very quick to point out the many strengths and mainly weaknesses in my self taught stroke technique in a straight forward and easily understood manner. I now feel that with the correction techniques that he has given me, I have far more confidence and knowledge to take my Triathlon race swim speed forward to the next level!
I had a video session with Julian just before the Easter break. Coming from a racket sport background, I was new to professional swim coaching, and like a lot of people, was a complete novice in the water – the last time a coach stood with me on the side of the pool was to fish a black brick out for my life savers certificate at high school! Julian is exceptional in his approach to you as an individual. In combination with the video analysis and his feedback, you very quickly have a good idea of what is happening above and below the water. He is extremely encouraging, but also challenges any pre- or misconceptions you have about swimming. As someone has commented already, you can’t wait to get in the pool to try out the tailor made drills which he sets up for you, and it is great to be able to see how you swim and then visualise more in your practise. We have also been working together in group sessions since January 2012, and I can honestly say that I relish each and every one. I have gone from being someone for whom swimming was a cool down activity, to someone who could imagine taking on some bigger challenges in the water over the next few years!!
I have had the pleasure of training with Julian in his swim squads since January this year. In just 5 months he has helped me finesse my swimming and rid myself of 30 years of bad habits. His approach is kind, jovial and very straightforward. After several months I thought I’d check my work and booked in for a video analysis with Julian. The HD footage of my swimming is so helpful to see and I’ve revisited the DVD often to remind myself of all the work I’ve done. What I found particularly helpful was the various angles which he can capture from above, under and the side. I had to change from a unilateral breather to a bilateral breather and seeing myself swim helped me visualize this change to the point where now it is second nature which is extremely exciting. I highly recommend a video session with Julian for anyone from a rank beginner to someone like me who is a competent swimmer but needed the cobwebs brushed off of a decent stroke. With Julian’s help I have gained the courage to attempt distance swims I would not previously have considered and I am constantly challenged to want to swim better. Bravo Julian!
A video analysis session with Julian is fantastic. Seeing yourself swim from all different angles and particularly underwater is really useful, Julian then points out the areas that you need to work to really fine tune your technique. It is so much more effective than being filmed in a tank with a current.
It can expose errors that simply are not visible to a poolside coach. Julian is great at making you feel good about the things that you are doing right and designing a plan that will help you correct the things that need work.
Julian’s enthusiasm for swimming and desire to help you become a better swimmer are hugely motivating. You leave his session with specific, personalised drills and the belief that you can become a great swimmer. And a DVD that you can watch time and again to refresh yourself.
Time very well spent.
I was a bit sceptical at first after hearing many people tell me what I am doing wrong over the years and this was going be another of these sessions that I learn more about what I am doing wrong. I have taken underwater videos myself so really did not expect much. BUT was I wrong!
The video taking was well planned out, showing side view, top view, underwater front and side view. I could see exactly what I was doing which was NOT what I thought I was doing. Julian is very experienced and was able to combine computer technology to show how I was swimming. During the video review, he was able to provide answers to many of questions which helped clear my mind (I am a glider and I think a lot you see).
The real benefit of the session is the drills that Julian prescribed to help me correct my strokes/timing/breathing, the lot! I have been a swimmer (so I thought) for many years, I now feel I can really improve and move on to be a real swimmer. The confidence I have gained from this 90 mins will last a life time.
REAL POSITIVE
Dear Julian,
I am now an official Olympic Distance Triathlete! In a time of
02:54:52
I can’t thank you enough for all your help in accomplishing this amazing feat-
When I came to you for coaching, I could only swim 2 lengths (50m) before getting breathless. After spending just 1 hour with you, that went up to 10. Now I have swum a 1.5km open water course (my first ever open water swim!!) and have a respectable time.
Julian, you not only have been extremely supportive in your coaching style but what you say and advise simply.. works! You are actually amazing! I have already recommended you to about 6 people who are looking to strengthen their swim technique.
Thank you so much for all your coaching, it was worked wonders, and enabled me to complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon at first attempt.
Best wishes,
Dr. Patel (;
Hi Julian,
I am a triathlete who is interested in improving my swimming technique. I live in Frankfurt but happen to be in London regularly. I would potentially be interested in a video analysis. I would like to know a bit information: place, times, price, etc to see if it could work out for me.
Many thanks,
Jesus Carrasco
If you ever come to Fuerteventura let me know. We have a fantastic sports hotel here called Las Playitas with a 50m pool. Great for winter training both pool and open water.
the previous cototneammrs especially Emily! Of course you should go pass on regards to Terry, Bernie (aka brown David), Charles and all the others tell them I will be struggling aboard a cruise ship all be it with 16 passengers max although probably a lot less since I paid well under half the posted rate Have a great time!!!!!!
As a triathlete with a strong swim, I put careful thought into finding the best swimming coach in London and Julian came with good recommendations.
Julian exceeded my expectations and we found some key areas to work on. The video analysis is superb, allowing a comprehensive understanding of your stroke, and Julian was excellent at breaking down improvements into manageable steps along with suitable drills.
I would firmly recommend Julian, and am looking forward to another session in 8 weeks to see how I have progressed.
I used to swim in a club throughout my school years and then took up triathlon after a few years of no swimming at all. I was routinely and increasingly frustrated with a lack of progress despite putting a lot of hard work into my sessions and buying books on swimming technique. I think that swimsmooth has a fantastic approach to swimming, with great understanding and logical explanations about technique and that is why I requested the video analysis with them.
At the swim analysis, which was with Julian, it was a fantastic eye-opener into my stroke – I never realised how much I was slowing myself down! Julian gave great encouragement to me and explained the areas I needed to work on in great detail. Having swum in a club for many years I am used to receiving advice from coaches but this was the most informative 90mins I have spent with a coach. It was certainly money well spent.
I have been working on the drills that Julian gave me and purchased the swimming aids that he advised – Finis paddles and tempo trainer – (these are not gimmicks but excellent training aids when used properly). My swimming has developed tremendously over the past 8-10 weeks and I am looking forward to the follow-up session.
Thanks Julian!
Hugo
I just had my follow up session with Julian. Its been a while since my initial video analysis so a few bad habits had crept into my stroke. Julian quickly identified these and talked me through them whilst watching the video. We then spent the next part of the session working on drills which re-focussed my stroke – straight away I could feel the difference and by the end of the session I felt my stroke had not only been corrected but significantly improved. The proof is in the pudding – already my times are reducing and I feel stronger than ever. Julian has a tremendous eye for working on a couple of key areas which really can transform the whole stroke and I really cant recommend him enough to new and established swimmers.
Many thanks
Donna
I did a video session with Julian a few months ago – absolutely brilliant. I’m a novice swimmer and Julian very quickly identified some fundamental changes that I needed to make to my stroke. His explanations were very clear, and suggestions very effective. I’ve been following the drills and session plan that he suggested ever since and can really feel the difference. I would recommend him without hesitation to anyone.
Julian,
What a terrific coaching session you provided me, today. Thank you so much. It was very well worth the 10.5 hour flight from Los Angeles to your pool in London! I found it fantastically educational and enjoyable. As I’d mentioned, I had really hit a plateau in my swimming (certainly due to some deficiencies and a few bad habits picked up along the way) and needed an expert review to help me break through to a higher level. I really appreciate your making me feel comfortable and relaxed, ready to learn all that I could in a very understandable, absorbable manner. Seeing myself on camera was truly revelatory, as I could observe my stroke from above and below the water; the critique and notes you provided, while watching the frame by frame footage, was extremely helpful. I can’t wait to get home and start following the workouts you’ve created/tailored for me. I’ll be back in a few months to show you the improvements and advancements, which I’m confident I’ll make. Thanks again – truly a great day with you at the pool.
Julian is a thoroughly professional and clearly very experienced coach. It took him no time at all to identify the flaws in my stoke (some of which I knew, but others I had no idea about) and set me a programme to address them. I have no doubt at all that as long as I put the programme to use I will be a better swimmer. I would have no hesitation at all in recommending him.
Since I started with recreational triathlon about two years ago, the open water swim has always been some kind of unavoidable evil I had to get through: relief describes best the feeling I typically experienced when I was able to pull off my wetsuit again. As I decided to take my training to another level, swimming was clearly the part where most improvement could be made.
Having no particular swimming background, it was easy to make some improvements, but the progress quickly started to level off. Accidentally “discovering” SwimSmooth was a first revelation: it made me realize what I should be doing… the only problem was I didn’t know what I actually was doing. So what to change? Luckily they also provided solutions, like Julian’s great coaching and video analysis session.
Even though I’m coming from Belgium and do not frequently spend time in London, we quickly managed to find a suitable time for a video analysis session (even arranged some nice weather: best day of the year so far!). Actually, it turned out to be very easy to reach by Eurostar and underground from Brussels (ideal as part of a weekend city trip!).
Having read through quite some reviews here before going there, I got my expectations up pretty high. I didn’t get disappointed. Julian was very professional, experienced, friendly and clear in his explanations. The video analysis session was completely worth it: it turned out that some of my biggest stroke errors were those things I was pretty sure I was actually doing right. During the drills after the video analysis Julian was very encouraging and quickly found the right triggers to help me make the necessary stroke adjustments. The technical insight I gained, the mental support and the confidence boost all made this session completely worth it. I can’t wait to put the personalized training sessions he provided into practice! I can definitely recommend him and would surely consider a follow-up session some (sunny) day.
I had a 1-2-1 video Analysis session with Julian on 17-4-13.
I’m a novice, and have been teaching myself FS using the swim smooth DVD’s and website since Oct-12.
Julian’s session was invaluable to me for seeing where I am now, what i need correct in my technique, and how to go about doing it!
Even though i knew some of the theory, i still wasn’t sure how to go about correcting it/what drills to use.
I now have a full personal training plan to make sure i’m not wasting time in the pool.
Highly recommended, and I will be booking a followup after I’ve completed my plan!
The training venue is a great place also.
I had a 1-2-1 video analysis about 3 weeks ago with Julian to help me improve my stroke while I train for my 1st triathlon. This was my first swimming lesson since I was a child. Julian emphasises the positive aspects of your stroke and quickly identifies the areas that need work. During the training session. Julian keeps his instructions clear and simple so that within a very short space of time his coaching was already having an effect on my stroke.
Within a few hours of the analysis and training,Julian had emailed me a training plan that built on what I had learned that morning. Because of the clarity of his instructions, when I follow his program, I know exactly what is expected for each session. After 3 weeks’ training, I can already feel major improvements.
I can certainly recommend Julian as a coach to anyone who wants to improve their swimming quickly.
Julian told me that I’d be able to swim three times as fast if I wrote him a good review! Ok, I made that up, but seriously if you listen to Julian’s expert advice you WILL be swimming faster – I know I am!
So a few weeks back I had a 1-2-1 video analysis session with the man himself and here’s how it went… I met up with Julian on the deck of the outdoor pool and was immediately put at ease by his friendly manner. After a brief chat to ascertain my current level of swimming and aspirations it was time to hit the pool. After a short warm-up (during which Julian noticed, not for the first time, my lack of being able to pace myself!) it was on to the filming from above and below the water (side, top and front). Next stage was reviewing the footage – arrgh! Here’s where Julian’s coaching style really comes into its own – he really knows how to balance the positive and negative feedback (which was always constructive) – it’s not a case of ‘you’re doing this wrong’, but more of ‘if you just changed this part, you’ll see improvements’. I came away feeling confident that a lot of my stroke is good and that I have areas to work on that should result in a big improvements. Last part of the session was to practice the drills that are specific for my faults. I came away with a cd-rom of my swim footage, a recording of the whole discussion post-filming and a copy of my swim type profile.
Later that day Julian emailed me a training programme specifically tailored for me, which included the drills I’d practiced. I had a great time during the session with Julian and most importantly with the help of his expert knowledge and friendly, professional manner I’m confident that I’ll be swimming even faster! Thanks man!
I had a very enjoyable session with Julian today
There are many good coaches out there but his relaxed yet informative style made it easier for me to pick up the reason for the changes and a method to go about improving them, linking for me a number of symptoms to a relatively small number of technical issues
The direct video feedback from a range of perspectives is very informative and taking a little video and showing it as I completed an exercise is a really good feedback mechanism
Real encouragement and not platitudes when I was able to grasp the concept and put it into practice
I ended the session not feeling like a hopeless swimmer but one with hope that I could find a more efficient faster stroke if I put in the effort to work on the technical details
If you think that £150 is a significant investment, then it is but if you value your ability to be a better swimmer then I would suggest that a 121 session with Julian is a very worthwhile investment
Later the same day I received a mail from Julian summarising the learning points with reasons and methods to address them plus pictures of me and a professional swimmer to illustrate the before and after aspiration
Finally a 3 session swim plan with full details of each session
I’m looking fwd to getting in the water (not something I always say!) and putting the theory into practice
I had a session with Julian yesterday and it was brilliant! Julian anylsed my technique and picked up on lots of things I wasn’t doing right and he then showed me drills to do to correct them! I learnt a huge amount about how I should be swimming!
If you want to become a better swimmer, this session is a must! For me this was price less and one of the best £150 I have ever spent!
I will be following he’s 3 session plan he has given me and will be going bk in a few months time for a follow up!
Big thanks to Julian
I had an enlightening video + training session with Julian and thought I would share some feedbacks with other people considering doing it.
First of all, with Julian, you do not get a 30 min video session. You get a full 2h one to one video + analysis + training + action plan session designed by a seriously experienced professional coach.
Before I get into too many details my latest times are: 200m in 2’54 and 400m in 5’58. If you are faster then no worries Julian is training world class people: he will help you find those extra precious seconds. If you are slower then great, Julian will gladly help you too and you have a great deal to gain believe me!
A few points:
* Video: it is so obvious when you see yourself from different angles especially with Julian pointing out the issues and the effects this has. I was convinced I was bending my arm for the catch. Well I have a very pretty picture saying the opposite. The video shows what you do – not what you think you are doing indeed 🙂
* The training session: Julian made me tried kit I had never used before: pull buoy, paddles, fins, snorkel, tempo and doing a few drills such as sculling. Now I understand how, why and when to use them. They are no longer ‘toys’ in my mind – they are tools to help me correct my weaknesses.
* Understanding that CSS and better structured sessions will help me get to the next level
This 2 hours session with Julian was not just beneficial in terms of: ‘hey this is what you do look at the video’ – it had a profound impact and has literally transformed my approach to swimming. I no longer wonder how to progress – I have a plan!
If you have any interest in improving your swimming technique I can highly recommend Julian’s video analysis sessions to help improve your swimming. Having reached a plateau with my swimming the time spent in the x2 hour session had me looking to a structured plan to improve my technique with confidence and is certainly money well spent. All credit to both Julian and the Swim Smooth approach
I had a session with Julian on 20 April 2013 and can only recommend it – money well spent, smooth organization and very nice infrastructure. The video is quite amazing in terms of quality of image, and the analysis session is helpful and detailed. It was quite evident from the video that I did pretty well things that I thought I was not good at (and was wasting valuable time doing drills) while I had never thought that my stroke had some other flaws. One example – despite having spent endless hours in the pool, I had never suspected that my fingers were spread apart and so despite a nice high elbow and an early catch a lot of power was not put to use. The video made this immediately apparent. We discussed with Julian and he gave me some helpful drills and it only took me a few sessions to fix the problems, dropping a couple of seconds on my 100fs. The session in the pool was also very useful, we discussed pacing, how to train, training intensities. After the session, Julian sent me a very thorough email with suggestions and a few sample training sessions. Overall, a great return for a small investment – Julian gave me a work plan that I followed and after several months of my times not improving, I’ve been able to break through, shave a few seconds off my time and have longer, more enjoyable sessions thanks to better pacing. I also want to add that for those based outside London/UK, the pool (a beautiful outdoor heated pool) is really easy to reach by public transport.
What’s going on in your head doesn’t always correlate with what’s going on in real-life, and the video session I had with Julian was a real eye-opener on that front. The way I thought I was swimming was very different from the way I was actually swimming! It was a great session, focussing in on the weaknesses and giving me specific stuff to work on and to improve. I’m looking forward to putting Julian’s training plan in place and for my triathlons to begin with the swimming from now on, and not with T1…
I can highly recommend a video session with Julian.
Words can’t describe how elated I am in regards to my swim analysis with Julian! I have been working for a good long time on my swim stroke and I have made changes based on all the feedback. I was looking good, I had morphed myself into a close proximity of what Swim Smooth calls a “Smooth.” In just one session with Julian he knew I was in fact a “Swinger” style! He absolutely hit the nail on the head with this comment and in so doing released me back to my natural swim technique. I am back in the pool with newfound joy and that alone has transformed me. Julian can see what most swim coaches cannot. If you are reading this comment and looking for an A++ swim analysis look no further…. Julian is it!!!
I finally have hope about improving my swim! I had a session with Julian while in London two weeks ago. It was everything I hoped it would be after following swimsmooth for a couple of years online. I used their website and worked as much on my own to address my technique flaws as I could. But I was at the point where I was working my tail off and making only slight improvements – very discouraging. Masters wasn’t working for me, as I needed specific and individual attention in order to make true progress. Finally, a trip to London and the opportunity for the sought-after swimsmooth expertise.
Julian’s approach and experience clicked with me instantly. I am a visual learner and he made it very real for me. I had diagnosed myself as a Bambino who tends to over glide. Well, I was wrong! Julian quickly pegged me as a Kicktastic – trying to make up for what wasn’t working for me in my upper body stroke by kicking ferociously. As a triathlete, this was expending too much energy on the swim that I should be saving for bike and run.
Julian broke down my primary “challenges” into the top few areas of focus. Then we jumped back into the pool to figure out which drills were going to work for me to fix these challenges. This is the key difference between Julian’s approach and any other approach I have tried in the past: he worked with me to tell me exactly what a drill should feel like and accomplish for me (i.e., what is the point and how “should” it feel?). We settled on a breathing style that is most comfortable for me (breathing out thru nose and mouth), switched me to bilateral breathing, chose primary catch and pull drills that resonate with me, focus on lifting my head to look 1m ahead (vs. too low as I was doing before), flat-hand entry, entering hand closer to my head (vs. outstretched straight, which was contributing to elbow drop and splayed kick when I breathed) and so on. It is broken down in ways I fully understand and can address.
I returned from my England vacation and am one week into my 4-6 week technique focus using the Swim Sessions that Julian prepared for me. I am confident these sessions are working for me and that this technique-focused period will form the base of correcting my primary flaws so I can get faster. I am so excited to feel better about my swim and stop viewing it as a hopeless cause that I just need to make up for by biking and running faster in triathlons.
THANK YOU, JULIAN! I only wish we had some Swimsmooth-certified coaches in the U.S., specifically the Northeast part of the U.S., as I have several triathlete friends who want the session I had without traveling to London or Australia.
Best,
Carla
I love love loved my video analysis session with Julian. The whole experience was magical – so much has come together for me as a result of my session with Julian. He knows how to pick out the one or two things that need fix’in AND write up specific drills to address these areas AND he didn’t let me leave the session until he had a chance to worked with me in the water on those specific drills to help me ‘feel’ the correction. Days later I was in the pool doing my assigned drills and thinking about every word Julian wrote down in the workout and then the magic happened – about 1hour into my drilling session I FELT IT – oh my God, I was sooo excited to find my power under water. I felt like a real swimmer! The next day I went back to the pool for my second technique workout, and FELT IT again, and again the next day and the next day – I am on my way!!!
I am very selective in who I go to for swim instruction and I can tell you Julian (and the Swim Smooth approach) are the BEST of the BEST! Thank you Julian and Thank You Swim Smooth, you are the BEST!
Recently I attended the World Tri Champs in London , and was fortunate enough to have a 1-2-1 video Analysis session with Julian . From the outset Julian put me at ease and made me feel confident and comfortable , as was “as nervous as hell ” . Being a typical male ” sinky legs ” Tri swimmer , I also had many other usual poor ,terrible faults , like splayed legs, over rotation , dropping arms underwater, little pull and catch etc – yes the list is long. He straight away could see these faults and soon remedied a lot of them , giving me the drills and explanations to diffuse them , which were easy to understand and follow the concepts of them . The Video analysis that we went thru afterwards were discussed and talked about openly , honestly and really informative. He pointed out every aspect that needed attention , with detail and accuracy , giving me all the confidence in how to succeed with the changes that are necessary to make the “switch ” to become the best in the water that I want to be .
Not only did he show and explain everything , clearly and precisely , but he described with logic and ease what happens along the way and how these changes to my stroke will give me that TOTAL improvement that I am looking for . For many years I have struggled with my Swim and have done virtually every other programme available , via the Web , with ZERO RESULTS. What Julian has done , succeeded and achieved with me in this 1 2 -1 session was mind blowing . Its unbelieveable how straight forward what is required to change and improve. I now have all these tools and techniques in which work on , which equate to a better faster , efficient and more streamlined swimmer/triathlete. It has also allowed me to now exit the water in far, far better shape , which means more fuel in the tank for the Bike and Run !!. Thats a huge Bonus. Julian , words cannot wholly explain my THANKS AND GRATITUDE for what you have done to me . Look no further , JULIAN IS YOUR 1 STOP SHOP FOR TOTAL, COMPLETE SWIM IMPROVEMENT !!!! . Cheers , Top Regards , Shorty from ” Down Under “
I recently had a video analysis session with Julian and, less than two weeks on, really feel as though I am reaping the benefits. I WAS that guy who did lots of different drills without fully understanding what element of my stroke I was truly addressing. Within a single session, Julian identified the top three issues requiring attention and showed me the SPECIFIC drills to iron those flaws out. Now two weeks of working through the comprehensive, bespoke eight week training block provided I feel faster, more efficient and definitely smoooooother!
As an added bonus, Julian is a thoroughly nice bloke and we had a lot of laughs during the session – I will definitely be back for more!
Having found Swim Smooth I needed some help to achieve this ideal. Julian IS that answer. His video session opens your eyes. His personalised drills (hopefully) cure the problems.
2 hour video session = money well spent !
Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a completely different topic but it has pretty much the same page layout and design.
Superb choice of colors!
I recently had a video analysis session with Julian and found the 2 hour session excellent. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone wanting to improve their swim technique. Julian is a great coach with extensive knowledge and his teaching style was very relaxed and engaging. The whole session was exactly what I was hoping for and I am really looking forward to following his training schedule.
Before taking the session I had been swimming consistently for a year after taking a 15+ year break as I had decided to try triathlons for the first time this year. My swimming had improved massively but I had reached a plateau and I was really struggling to progress any further. So I decided to purchase the swim smooth book and investigate my stroke issues this was a great read and really helped my understanding of swimming front crawl.
However, although I managed to identify that I was an arnie swim type and I knew I had a number of issues with my stroke I was not qualified to identify the main flaws in my technique. Therefore, with the video analysis Julian noted that I was focusing my training on a number of areas that were not improving my stoke and he was able to focus on the areas that required the most work.
The video / picture analysis, accompanying data and related articles plus the tailored technique and training schedule make this session a must for anyone who wants to improve their front crawl.
Thanks Julian.
After a year of spending a lot of time in the pool without getting any faster I figured it was time to ask for help! From the moment of meeting Julian I felt comfortable and confident that he was going to help me improve my times. It was great to see how Julian works and how quickly he picks up on and identifies areas for improvement. He knows how to explain and make you understand changes to incorporate these into your stroke in the most simple way possible making you automatically adopt the correct technique after working on drills. The session was extremely educational and the swim sessions that Julian followed up with are extremely fun. I already feel faster!
Wanted to wait a while after doing my video analysis and working with my training plan to see what effect it would have on my swimming and can only say so far so good.
Been great working on the things we spoke about and it feels like the refinements are slowly bedding in and having a plan to work to as been great, something solid for the 1st time in years. I feel like I have really gained something when I swim – it all just feels so “right” now
I really enjoyed the video session when we did it, good fun and very informative, have re-watched the raw footage a few times and looked at the analysis when I was trying to remember things we’d spoken about – though would’ve been good to have had video of the drills and the 2nd part of the swim just to remind me of when I was doing things correctly – though that’s a small thing.
Am trying to talk my daughter and her partner, both triathletes, into making the trip to be filmed as well
Julian thank you very much again for keeping this man’s swimming renaissance alive even longer
I can only say to anyone who’s serious about their swimming, that booking up with Julian is a “must do”
Seeing is believing! I had a video session with Julian a few weeks ago and wish I’d done it a lot earlier. As I expected, the video analysis showed some textbook overgliding problems.
What I hadn’t expected was that Julian would provide a few suggestions that would balance my stroke, improve my rhythm and lift my turnover by the end of the session. I’d made feeble attempts at bilateral breathing in the past, but always abandoned them with the thought that I would pick it up when I’d raised my stroke rate: seeing the effects on video convinced me that the benefits for me are bigger than I’d imagined.
The training program Julian provided was realistic, uncomplicated and designed to imprint the basic improvements we identified. I’m two weeks into it and the bilateral breathing is feeling comfortable, and my stroke already feels a lot smoother. I’m definitely going to stick with the program and follow up with Julian in a few months.
Highly recommended.
As other people have mentioned on here, there are lots of potential benefits from booking one of these sessions. I swum quite a lot when younger and have got back into it again. I wasn’t entirely sure that I would benefit from something like this because, while I knew that there were issues with my stroke, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to devote the energy to changing it or whether this would even be worth it. Here’s why I would recommend it:
– Julian made me feel really comfortable from the very beginning and it was great to just talk through my thinking about my swimming and what I was trying to achieve. He was obviously attentive and genuinely interested in helping me to improve.
– The video analysis was easy to do and the results were so interesting. I’d never seen myself swim before and it was fascinating to see both the things that were good about my stroke but also the things that do need addressing. There were things that have been mentioned to me before but which I’ve found it impossible to really address because I haven’t understood what the actual ‘problem’ was. Seeing my stroke, with Julian talking it through with me, made all of this clear.
– The time spent talking this through and looking at other strokes and drills made me keen to get back in the pool and work on what we talked about.
– The second session in the pool was excellent in terms of Julian giving advice (and encouragement) and made me really see what I was trying to do. The drills were things that I have done before but never with such a fixed idea of why I was doing them or what I was trying to achieve.
– The follow-up information was very clear and helpful. I have come away from it all with real motivation to improve my swimming and a focused idea of how to do this.
I’m sure that any analysis session could be very useful but Julian made this one feel really beneficial due to his knowledge, interest and enthusiasm. Thanks Julian!
I have only been swimming a few years now and have read books, watched You-Tube videos and looked into swimming meticulously to try and improve my technique and to feel more at ease in the water. I ended up doing Ironman Lanzarote last year, more by default than choice, and have signed up for Austria this year so I thought I would bite the bullet and look into some video analysis to help me .
I checked out the Swimsmooth website and found Julian would be easiest got to for me, 5 mins from the central line in London. I e-mailed him and we arranged a session.
I arrived at the beautiful outdoor pool setting and was immediately put at ease by Julian and his pleasant manner , we talked about my swimming and then set about getting videoed, we then analysed the first few clips and spoke about the way forward for me. I realised that my stroke was not that bad but he did say I would need to build fitness and stamina! we worked on a number of drills that would help me improve long term and discussed a training plan.
I got home to find that I had already received an e-mail from Julian with my video analysis and a 12 week plan to help me move forward
I have to say I am glad I took this step because I had what I can only describe as a “EUREKA” moment,( the way I think swimming should feel), and the one thing that all the books and videos cant give you
So if your are reading these comments and wondering should I give it a try, well all I can say is I wish I had done it years ago, it would have saved me a lot of time and effort looking into something that as a professional Julian could show you in a couple of hours!!
Highly recommended
Thanks for the help Julian
I am a novice swimmer – didn’t do any swimming as a child and only finished taking lessons to learn front crawl about a year ago. I met Julian for my Video Analysis on 31.01.2014, the session was great and it had a huge positive impact on my swimming! Literally, within a few weeks, my time on 100m dropped from 2min to 1:46 (14 seconds per 100m).
I was a bit nervous meeting Julian but he is such a lovely person! Friendly, easy-going, attentive, non-judgmental, he made me feel really comfortable. I also liked the fact that the session with him is 2 hours long (most other coaches offer 1.5 hours or even less). I felt you really need 2 hours to have enough time to chat to Julian about your swimming before the video is taken, do the warm-up, get the filming done, get into a nice little hut at the pool side to receive very detailed feedback of your stroke and then jump back into the pool to do the technique work.
When I got home, an e-mail from Julian was already waiting for me – with the links to my video analysis (raw footage and the full session), as well as 12-weeks detailed training plan, 5 video clips of my technique work (all the drills I did after the actual filming) and 20 photos – the screenshots of technique elements. These were great: images of me during the session (for example, how I don’t bend the elbow during the catch& pull phase), contrasted by under-water shots of Becky Adlington and Shelley Taylor-Smith, showing how it should be done.
11 months ago I hardly managed to swim 100m front crawl and was not able to do 200m freestyle (I was out of breath and had to switch to breaststroke). Last month I completed a “Swim for a Mile Challenge” – 1600m in 35:27, the entire distance in front crawl and from 78 people who took part in the event in my town, I made the top 20 (with the number 20 🙂 ). This is a huge achievement for someone like me, who was never sporty at school, did not take a single swimming lesson as a kid and only learned front crawl a year ago.
THANK YOU JULIAN!!!
Thank you Julian for a really useful swim analysis session. The two hours raced by and I was surprised at how much we covered and that in that time you were able to spot my bad habits, help me to immediately start rectifying them and come up with an action plan for my technique and swim speed! I had reached a plateau in my swim times and I feel re-motivated now and can’t wait to put it all into practice! I have recommended your swim analysis to several friends already – though maybe I should have kept it a secret!!! Thanks very much! Sylvia
I’d never really had any formal swim training although I’d watched a ton of videos. At IM Frankfurt a few years ago I’d managed 1h29mins for the swim which put me way behind the guys I should be racing given my relative bike and run strength. It also left me shattered for the first half hour of the bike.
I decided last year I was going to do something about it and booked a session with Julian. I’ll second what pretty much everyone else says that the session was enjoyable and fun. I was surprised that above water my stroke actually looked pretty good, underwater was a different matter though. Julian pointed out my main failings clearly and concisely and gave me areas and drills to work on.
A year later in IM UK I swam a very easy 1.06 and in all probability could have gone faster. That’s a 23 minute improvement which I put down purely to improved technique as a result of Julian’s analysis.
I’ll be booking another session this year, maybe I can push it under an hour!
Nick
Well I’m now back home in Oz after my session with Julian in June. I had a really enjoyable session with Julian, truly a great way to combat jet lag for anyone traveling from overseas!
Julian is a great coach, able to put you at ease and find unique ways of engaging your mind to help improve your swimming technique. I am now working on bilateral breathing, something I had previously discounted as unachievable and already in the early weeks after my session with Julian I am feeling much more comfortable with it. I would be surprised if anyone came away from a session with Julian without feeling more confident and motivated about their swimming.
John
I’ve just arrived home after a trip to London which included a visit to Julian for a video analysis of my swimming. This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip and well worth the visit.
I only started learning front crawl a year ago in a bid to complete a triathlon but having had a year of loving swimming I decided I wanted to get fitter and faster.
From the onset, Julian put this novice at ease. He found out a bit of background and what I wanted to achieve so right from the beginning everything was totally tailored to my needs.
After being filmed, Julian pointed out the positives which was a really great platform for encouraging my improvement. This led to a full and clear explanation of what I was doing, what I needed to do and how we would achieve this. Watching myself on video was quite a revelation and Julian’s coaching method led me to a transparent understanding and eagerness to find out more.
The drills were fully explained in a way that appealed to my way specific way of learning and understanding and there was lots of feedback and encouragement leaving me really excited about going home to start employing the improvement techniques.
The training programme was very quickly sent to me via an email which contained video footage, stills – which were very useful – and a brilliant personalised and realistic training plan with a focus on getting me fitter and faster.
I can’t recommend Julian highly enough. This session opened a new door for me and has allowed me to move forwards in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I’d been looking for this type of focus for a while and I’m so pleased I booked this session.
If you’re thinking about it … think no more – just do it. You’ll never look back.
Hi all i had a two hour lesson with julian today because i had no clue of what i was doing . i am now enlightened !!!!! You have no chance of getting any better until you know whats wrong and its no good wondering you need to be told by someone who knows what there talking about while they show you .
I learnt more about my swimming in two hours of excellent tuition than in 5 years of pounding up and down a pool thinking I’m doing it right .
The two hour video lesson was fun ,enlightening ,concise,very interesting .I was left in no doubt what was wrong ,what i had to do to put it right and how to go about it ,i could not have got any more from it if michael phelps himself had been there .
Plus Julian is a good egg who knows his onions ,so if anyone is in any doubt ,TRUST ME this is the best thing you can do for your swimming .
2 years ago I returned to swimming following a 15 year break from college days. I’ve had just 3 video analysis and coaching sessions with Julian in that time and he has made an immeasurable difference to my stroke, efficiency in the water, and my understanding of what is needed for high performance swimming. With the stroke now in better shape, he’s laid out a training schedule for me which I will report back on in a year! On top of all the technical analysis, he’s an inspirational coach and I defy any swimmer not to be thoroughly energised working with him. Thanks a lot.
I booked a two hour session with Julian to help me understand what I need to do to improve my swimming and stamina. The video analysis was excellent, some real surprises to see what I am actually doing in the pool, which is very different from what I thought I was doing. Julian was very clear, direct and balanced in his feedback and advice. He was also very encouraging and prepared to flex his instruction to match my learning style. It was a very helpful session, followed up very promptly by the video analysis and a training plan to help me improve. I am very glad I decided to book a session with Julian and would highly recommend him to anyone who is keen to improve their swimming.
The session today was absolutely fascinating in so many respects:
the things that I was unaware of doing,
the impact of minor changes,
the different sensations,
way that word association/visualisation works.
Furthermore, the use of technology to provide immediate video feedback is brilliant.
Bit of a cliché but it felt really easy swimming at the end of the session. Just hope it continues to feel like that!
I really enjoyed my video session and learnt so much from it. The constand videoing during the session was fantastic and made understanding of concepts really easy. Worth every penny.
Had a session on 29th October with Julian. Absolutely loved it. Pool and facilities are fantastic. Julian clearly loves his job and has worked with some of the best athletes out there but at no point did I ever feel he didn’t give his complete focus and interest in me and my goals. Top bloke.
The feedback and suggested drills instantly made a difference and the time flew by. Easily the best investment I’ve made in my training and I’m itching to get back in the pool and continue my swim development. Planning on going back for a follow up in 12 weeks time.
Many thanks Julian. Swimming mojo definitely back and looking forward to the winter months with real focus.
The coaching session I had with Juilan was excellent.The best I have every had, the feedback on the day was impressive, but the great thing is the recorded conversation and filming he sends you afterwards, allowing you to go over it again and again making sure you never forget what he teaches you.
I’ve been really struggling with progressing my swimming and having decided to spend the winter months focussing on it, contacted Julian to arrange a session. Best investment that I could have made, Julian gives great feedback in an easy to understand manner and the video analysis is invaluable, my kick was horrendous….amongst other things!
Just started the personalised drills and really enjoying having a structured program to focus on and I’ll definitely be booking a follow up session in the new year.
Highly recommend Julians sessions, plus he’s Welsh and plus I got to swim in the next lane to the legend that is Duncan Goodhew!
Thanks Julian. I thoroughly enjoyed the analysis session yesterday. I now have a much better grip on my strengths and weaknesses – and a plan to work on them. I’ll be putting the drills into practice in the coming weeks and hopefully check back for a follow up session during which I can show off my improved technique!
For those browsing these comments considering a session, I’d highly recommend it. Cheers
I had a session with Julian today. I have been swimming for about three years now and today was by far and away the most useful thing I have ever done. I should have come three years ago. It would have saved me many hours ploughing up and down the pool. It wasn’t aerobic fitness I needed, it was efficiency and technique, which Julian nailed in two hours flat. A very strong recommend.
Today after swim team practice the talk in the locker room was about how fast I was swimming. Not a typical conversation! The credit goes to Julian for his great video analysis session a month ago. He was able to pinpoint a couple of specific aspects of my stroke that were holding me back. Most importantly, he sequenced the right kind of drills so that not only did I understand cognitively what to do, but my body could make the change happen. I have been practicing my “homework” workouts and the improvements are clear. I am very pleased. Thanks, Julian!
A big thanks to Julian for today. A 2hr video session that has left me feeling very excited about swimming and my potential. Which is not something I was expecting to say (ever, let alone after 2hrs)! I’d looked at a few of the example sessions so knew broadly what to expect in structure – analysing the stroke (both goods and bads), examples of great swimmers strokes to help visualise (Becky Adlington, wow!), and then some drills to begin the process of improvement. What I liked was how he picked 4 key things (there were now doubt plenty more) and then broke each of them down. And then gave me specific drills for each area. Point being, it really helped pinpoint why I was doing each drill and what I was looking to correct. It was simple, clear and really narrowed down what I should be concentrating on. Something I need! The most incredible thing for me was just how different my stroke felt after a 2hr session. Julian is clearly big on muscle memory and changing stroke habit and didn’t move on from any drill until he was happy that I’d “got it”. I now have a program that I have no doubt will take my swimming onto a different level. Couldn’t recommend enough to anyone thinking about it. Oh, and he’s clearly a top bloke too.
Had a really enjoyable 2 hour swim session with Julian Nagi today that left me buzzing with the constructive advice and positive support and what i might now be able to do – if i follow the detailed programme (with supporting videos and pictures etc) that has arrived the same day. Impressive stuff.
I had a lesson with Julian last week and found it really helpful. The analysis was easy to understand and personal to what I wanted to get out of my swimming. I left feeling really positive about taking on the constructive advice and am looking forward to another session in a couple of months. I would definitely recommend Julian to anyone looking on improving there swimming stroke and fitness. Thanks
My before and after videos are like Beauty and the Beast. An astonishing difference in only 2 hours.
Julian, sorry, have just noted the price, blind as a bat!!!
If you are serious about about improving your swimming then you need to seriously consider a session with Julian! I just had a really inspiring 2 hour lesson with him which exceeded my expectations. He was extremely professional, starting by establishing what I wanted out of the session. (I’m a self-taught front crawler who wants to do open water swimming). Once the video analysis was done, we established the type of swimmer I was/ pinpointed areas that needed attention/ looked at a good swimmers stroke and compared it to what i was doing. All this was so I had a clear picture of what I was aiming for when I got back in the pool. Then it was lots of drills to help make the changes I needed. After another hour in the pool my stroke was pretty much unrecognisable! I have photographs pointing out what’s going wrong and videos of what it looks like when I put something right. The followup material Julian puts together is invaluable to getting the most out of the lesson. I have a intensive programme I can work with between now and the next session. Julian made everything simple, straight forward and easy to follow. Brilliant!
I just had my follow up session with Julian and I took 26 seconds off my 400m time after 10weeks following his training programme. How cool is that?!
From the moment I first heard back from Julian after requesting a coached session with him I was really impressed. He asked me to answer a series of questions about my background as an athlete and what my goals are for the future. He showed a genuine interest in finding out about me as a person as well as what I’d been doing in training and racing.
The session itself was the best I’ve ever had. Despite feeling a little bit nervous beforehand, Julian soon put me at ease with his friendly and reassuring manner. It was so nice to have someone with such a depth of knowledge in swimming and triathlon show a real interest in how I swim, what motivates me and identify ways I can improve. It was so useful to get instant feedback from the video footage…and talk through what I thought I was doing before Julian told me what he thought. In fact, talking to Julian was equally as helpful as being in the pool. Comparing my swim stroke on screen with other swimmers was also really helpful – it made it really easy to see what I was doing wrong, and also right!
After video analysis Julian got me working on some drills, specific to the areas I need to work on. I couldn’t believe how instant the effect was. What I really liked was how Julian used visualisation techniques to help me understand how to perform the drills. I also love Julian’s sensory approach to swimming….feeling the water and how you move through it, rather than over thinking it all. The follow-up material was already in my email inbox when I arrived home, together with video footage, swim sessions and suggestions on how to progress over the coming weeks. I very much look forward to a follow-up session in a month or so.
I can’t thank him enough for his help so far. It’s made a huge difference to me already. The best coaching experience I’ve had by a long way.
I’m a 48 year old and have been a Masters swimmer since the late 90s. I came to see Julian because I felt that there was something wrong with my front crawl stroke. I was relatively so much better at both fly and breaststroke in comparison to crawl and didn’t know what was wrong. My FC stroke didn’t feel solidified in the way that the breast stroke did, and I tended to ‘blow up’ in long sessions, leading my lane at the start and then rapidly tiring after ten to twenty minutes of the main set.
I saw Julian in late January 2015, and in the 90 minute video session we had identified three key problems with my stroke. I came away with drills to fix the three problems and a program for the next couple of months. At the risk of sounding as though I am on his payroll, I should point out that he actually did fix the worst problem, the leg kick, in about five minutes in the pool (I’m hopefully returning for another video session shortly to confirm..). Since the session my stroke has been transformed. I can hold the stroke for the whole 90′ / 120′ Masters sessions now and have moved up a lane in the pool. I swam 25×100 FC off 1’55 this week with a club this week, something I’d never have been able to do before. “You’re still getting faster..” I was told by a fellow swimmer last night at training. I am delighted that I booked and cannot recommend Julian highly enough as it has transformed my swimming.
The difference Julian has made in my appetite, focus and enjoyment of swimming is a miracle given just 2 hours (if only I had the same for running). I’m now structured in what I do, see the horizon and always know when I’m lagging behind the goals that have been set – most importantly my training is efficient and not a total, unenjoyable and demoralising waste of time (though it never lasted very long). I’m sure the speed and stength will come – it’s lifted me to a level that I couldn’t have attained in years of trying to figure out swimming myself. Oh and he’s Welsh and that’s also a good thing. What can I say – I even recommended my wife to him.
I had a session with Julian following a friend’s recommendation from my local swimming club. I’ve always enjoyed swimming but had reached a plateau and after being given well meaning but sometimes contradictory advice from many people was starting to get confused as to what I really needed to work on. Julian was great because he highlighted what I most needed to work on quickly and precisely (even when I went down the wrong way in the pool for the video camera!) He was great at explaining ideas using many different methods and also was very encouraging throughout the session. The video footage I received afterwards was interesting as it compared my stroke to that of some professional swimmers and the training plan was very detailed and focused on the areas I need to look at most. Thank you!
I’m an age group triathlete with ingrained bad technique. Julian’s advice on how to improve my stroke and what to focus on during my training has been invaluable. Like a lot of triathletes there are minutes to be saved from my swim tiime. I’m convinced he’ll help me save them but in the process will improve my enjoyment of swimming for the rest of my life. Outstanding. Thank you.
I have just had a one to one with Julian, which was fascinating and I am sure will prove really valuable and shave lots off my swim time, which is my triathlon Achilles heel at the moment. I felt it was very insightful about my individual stroke and am looking forward to putting it into practice. I will be back for a follow up!
Just like Holly above, I’d reached terrible sticking point and every class/teacher I saw gave fragmentary and contradictory advice. As Julian was focussed just on me and not 10 other people problems were spotted and advice offered.
I’ve written more here:
http://62point1.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/swim-coaching.html
Briefly though, the best, and most productive swimming advice I’ve ever had.
I am 60 this year and determined to complete a triathlon before I get too old. I was never taught to swim properly as a child and have always found swimming a struggle, so my goal of completing an Olympic length triathlon was clearly going to require hard work plus some very special assistance. I had read about the Swim Smooth system and was hopeful, though a little cynical, that this could just be my salvation. I wrote to Julian and explained the extent of the challenge, he was positive he could help. After watching me swim, Julian realized this was no simple challenge, I could tell by nervous way he scratched his head while thinking of what to say next. Well Julian did rise to the challenge and create a program for my specific needs. I stuck to the program and the results…Amazing. I am still coming to terms with the scale of the improvement in such a short period of time. I cannot thank Julian enough and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Julian’s clinic for any other hopefuls out there. He truly is a miracle worker.
My session with Julian was extremely productive. He’s a solid professional, quickly identified the areas of my swimming where I could make the most gains, clearly documented and showed me visually what they were and what good form was, provided exercises for working on them, and gave coaching lessons on these drills including video analysis of my corrected form and technique. Then set up a program to hone these skills over the coming months. He was also able to understand my training objectives and stage of progress enough to recommend some very helpful further readings and provide tips throughout the session. I took a lot away from the experience.
Went to see Julian because I wanted to improve my swim technique and wanted to address specific elements of my swim that needed fixed the most.
The Park Club is a very nice and luxurious place and the 25 m pool is nicely heated.
Julian was very pleasant and explained everything in detail. He was very thorough in wanted to make sure I understood the reason behind the changes we were to make.
Julian pinpointed 2 elements of my technique were I would benefit the most from improving which was exactly what I came I. Was tired of guessing in blind which areas I should focus on.
Obviously not a cheap experience but the session was definitely worth it, traveling from Copenhagen, Denmark. Very much looking forward to getting back in the water and I’ll surely be back in start October to see how I’ve improved.
I would recommend this session for anyone serious about taking their swim abilities to the next level.
Cheers
Michael Knudsen, July 2015.
Well that was a real eye opener and did just what I hoped it would. Julian is a superb communicator who tailors his advice completely to your individual needs. Rather than a one size fits all approach, he really hones in on your particular areas in need of development. His constructive, low key approach also gets the best from you. I now have lots of video footage and a very comprehensive 8 week training plan for me to follow in preparation for Ironman Barcelona this year. Thoroughly recommended.
Went to see Julian a month ago a few days before my first 70.3, and 6 weeks before ironman wales. He made a few technical adjustments which made an instant impact – I can swim further without getting as tired. Since I have completed the 70.3 in a time I was happy with, then a tough 2.5 mile sea swim in a time I was very pleased with.
Julian managed to full me with confidence, and also gave me a gentle kick up the bum to get in the water more. I’m now very confident leading up to the ironman swim, and will definately book a follow up session with him in a few months
I live in Paris and I have been training on my own for three years aiming at long distance swim. I got mainly all the learning material from Swim Smooth web site, but “what you think you do is never what you actually do”… So I went to see Julian for a video analysis of my swim.
Julian was very pro and able to correct my major flaw : my catch and pull through. We had a couple of drills and at first, i must say, it didn’t feel right. Julian told me that my body and my muscles have been used to my type of swim and it may take a while before it feels right. Well, actually, after three sessions, it really starts to feel right and to feel good! I don’t have the sensation i’m fighting against the water anymore.
Thanks Julian for this great session, i’ve learnt a lot ! And thanks too for the 10 week program !!
See you in 3 months to check the improvements…
Phil
For the past few months I have been following the Swim Smooth principles after purchasing the Paul Newsome videos and a tempo trainer as suggested by some of my triathlon club buddies in Sydney. With a long background in swimming and triathlon I was able to comprehend the principles but struggled to implement them.Whilst passing through London I took the opportunity to schedule a video analysis session with Julian.In a nutshell it was excellent and extremely thorough. After an initial discussion about mt background and future goals we got straight to business with an initial Gideon of my stroke then compared it to the very best of pool and open water swimmers with a few key differences noted and suggestions to improve my stroke rate and efficiency put forward immediately.Julian provided constant feedback and adjustments until this old dog learnt the new tricks.Julian also provided a detailed 12 week plan specific to my needs to ensure I become a fitter, faster and more efficient swimmer which I can’t wait to put into action.In summary an excellent investment for anyone serious about improving their swimming.
Having swum for many years and trying so hard to improve my swimming style by watching loads of videos resulted in small improvements to my technique so I decided to seek the advice of a pro. My session with Julian this morning was absolutely valuable and in a couple of hours I have learnt so much: tweaks here and there but I am sure will make a whole heap of difference to my routine. Julian’s encouragement and easily digestible advice is the mark of an excellent teacher and this morning’s session was money well spent. Regardless of your level, there is much to learn when you can review your swim from many angles – I was pleasantly surprised!
When I first looked at the Swim Smooth site I noticed lots of posts from triathletes and wondered whether I ought to get in touch. I am so pleased that I did and I now look forward to putting into practice all that I have learnt today. Even if you are a social swimmer, with an interest in improving your fitness regime in the pool, a session with Julian will enlighten you.
I had a coaching session with Julian in October 2015 and would strongly recommend it to anyone wanting to improve their swimming. Julian is a very personable coach who was quickly able to understand my goals and tailor the session to achieving these goals. In a very short time, Julian was able to identify the inefficiencies in my technique and provide and demonstrate accurate cues to correct them and I feel I came out a much better swimmer with a tailored plan to make me an even better swimmer!
Excellent and inspiring.
I did Swim Analysis with Julian today. Great relief to me that he advises me against focusing on leg-kick (which I hate) and he says I should do majority of swimming with pull-buoy for Ironman preparation in wetsuit.
Interestingly, I have had slightly slower 3.8km swim times since ditching pull-buoy a couple of years ago.
Biggest revelation is he showed me that I swim better breathing to the right every 2 stroke instead of bilateral breathing every 4 stroke like I have been doing.
I preferred breathing to left but it messes up my rhythm and position more.
Also I have to slow down to just 60 strokes per minute instead of my current 80.
Now got a comprehensive training plan and pictures/video to remind what I tend to do compared to great swimmers I need to emulate.
Brilliant.
Hi Julian
Thank you for an excellent video analysis and stroke correction session yesterday!
Never in my four years since I started swimming have I been clearer in my head regarding what I need to work on – and how. And never have I been more confident in my ability to make significant progress to become a better, faster swimmer.
So thank you, you did a fantastic job and I look very much forward to coming back and showing off my improvement – and learning what the next step will be after that.
Highly recommended, simply brilliant!
Raymond
Hi Julian
A belated thank you for an excellent and enjoyable session in July. I really found it a worthwhile investment and I left with a clear road map of what I needed to do. Three months of executing the plan and I have just checked back the times I did that day and I’m very pleased to see some serious daylight between then and now! Thanks again, I will see you again next summer!
Cheers
John
I can’t thank Julian enough for his highly personalised approach, lessons and attitude. I was met by a friendly, understanding and very genuine guy and as the session progressed I felt comfortable and completely reassured that Julian knows his subject and how to get the message across. Best of all, he has the passion and immediate likeable personality that I’d hope to find in someone who is coaching me.
After the session Julian emailed me with videos, photos with correctional markings and a personalised lesson plan, so I’ve got much to get on with. Due to the great session today I have the confidence to continue with the lesson plan alone until the follow up lesson.
This has been hugely motivating and the value for money is second to none. £180 is a big amount for me, but it’s been very well spent and I couldn’t be more pleased.
Thank you Julian.
A highly focused and individual approach which took into account my personal ambitions to produce a tailored plan encompassing technique, drills, training and fitness. A great session and highly recommended
I’ve had a few ‘coached’ sessions before in endless pools and didn’t find them particular beneficial and was looking for someone that was able to critique me in a pool. As an avid Swim Smooth follower, I found Julian conducted session in an outdoor 25m pool in Acton and after the first communication I knew I was onto a winner.
After arriving on poolside and having an initial chat, Julian totally understood where I was coming from and what type of swimmer I was. He was able to see what part of my stroke wasn’t working – something that others hadn’t spotted before. Since working on the new drill and his 12 week plan (4 weeks into it) I’ve already noticed massive changes in the way I ‘feel the water’ and how much I enjoy the sessions without feeling totally beasted afterwards.
If you are after a more holistic style of coaching, rather than just ‘do this drill to improve’ etc, Julian is the coach for you. Looking forward to returning to Julian after completing the 12 week plan!
Thanks again Julian
Absolutely class and worth the trip!
Coming from a football/running background couldn’t have asked for anything better to help get my swimming on track!
Great setup and relaxed atmosphere to get the best out of everyone, definitely feeling more positive when I jump in the water now. Going through pointers of where I can improve and setting the drills to help me improve definitely has me feeling a lot more confident for the races already planned in next year. Less like a brick now which helps!
Much appreciated.
On a trip to the UK last June I attended a video analysis and stroke assessment session with Julian. He quickly identified my major stroke flaws and prescribed 8 weeks of focused workouts. I cut my Ironman swim time from 1:38 (Yuk!) to a respectable 1:13. The clock doesn’t lie.
I had my second session with Julian last week, 2 months after my video analysis. The results exceeded my expectations, I had stuck to the programme Julian devised for me and found his analysis and input to be spot on and a gift. I now see my swimming as pre Julian and post Julian!
I’ve started my new programme, fully confident that Julian has written the right one for me and that I can succeed. The first two sessions have been great and a good step up in endurance for me. Due to a physical condition which causes pain I’d usually be quite sceptical about a plan like this…. No worries at all though as I’m full of mental focus and confidence thanks to my confidence in Julian’s person centred coaching abilities. I hope to continue to surprise myself in the pool and will be back for my next session as soon as I can!
I’m a 64yr old woman who has been swimming since I was a kid. I came to see Julian because I wanted to be able to swim more than 2x 25m without feeling totally exhausted.
After analysing my stroke Julian gave me very clear feedback; identifying the parts of my stroke that I needed to work on and praise on the sections that were good enough.
I came away excited to start the sessions he would send me.
I’ve just completed the 4th week of the sessions Julian prescribed for me and I’m buzzing! Not only am I able to swim length after length, but I’m really enjoying my swimming.
I’ve booked a follow session and am looking forward to the next input from Julian.
I can’t speak highly enough of the coaching session I had with Julian. We spent 2 hours in discussion including video observation which made me recognize the good swimmer I am and could develop from rather than the poor relative of the elite who needed to change. I can’t wait to start on the training program and see what difference it will make. Julian is a real inspiration and a really nice guy.
After years of struggling with front crawl, some lessons, and much frustration at not being able to swim as far as my (reasonable) fitness would allow, I decided I needed some expert help. I could not understand why I was out of breath after 2x25m lengths so asked Julian for help. I can honestly say it’s the best decision I could have possibly made. Julian was able to cut through all the jargon and general “advice” you read online and actually identify what I needed to do differently. He also made sure I knew what I was doing well. He made a massive difference to my swimming literally within 5 minutes of starting the session (I swam 8 times further than I ever have before without stopping….and that was just for starters!). I now have detailed videos, comparisons with other swimmers and a detailed training plan just for me. I will definitely be back and thoroughly recommend Julian – I wish I had come to him years ago!
I had my first session with Julian this weekend and can’t recommend it enough. Having learnt to swim freestyle about four years, I found the 2 hour session incredibly useful and have already found myself re-watching the videos of my swimming so I can better understand what I need to work on. Julian has given me sessions to work on and I can’t wait to see how I get on.
Julian is a really nice coach and found his explanations and examples really easy to understand. His interest in my swimming background and training sessions demonstrated to me his focus to help me to improve.
I look forward to my next 12 weeks of sessions and can’t wait to have my follow-up session to see how much improvement I will have made. Thanks again Julian!
Mark, so pleased to hear you enjoyed the session.
You picked things up really quickly, you have got a terrific mindset for sport. Loved the “swimming for the soul” , this very much aligns with my thoughts and beliefs of how to train and enjoy what you do.
Would be really great if you could basically just copy and paste what you wrote on the email below into my testimonials page ( at the bottom), would be very much appreciated if you could because good feedback like that goes a long long way.
http://www.juliannagicoaching.com/?page_id=283
Also i wanted to suggest you do a 400m time trial at point when you feel 100% healthy to gauge where your current fitness is at before you get stuck into the belly of my plan. Maybe one with and without a pull buoy on different days.
Keep me posted
Best
Julian
Hi Julian,
Thanks, I honestly say I feel it was of great value (time and money).
Feedback for you then:
I really felt that you sought to identify understand my goals and help me towards them, at no time did I feel you drop sight of those goals.
The session was very much specific on me, it was a 1:1 session and it remained feeling that way throughout, although I had an idea what the ‘package’ entailed and that it was tried and tested, which gave me confidence to ‘go with it’.
I like the way you sought to understand me, a holistic approach if you like.
You had a sense of fun at the same time which kept the session light hearted but also purposeful at the same time.
I liked the way you identified the key issues and considered a number of different approaches to remedy them.
I just love the outcomes.
· I felt the remedy of wider hand entry is key to improvement. Its not the end yet and we will see what happens to my leg sway in due course.
· I love the package of sessions that you provide, it gives me a more confident pathway to the swim at the year end.
· I love the clips of me swimming ‘after correction’ what a difference! Fab, it might get a few viewings today!
Thanks again for your help today
Mark
Update. I had that initial ‘analysis and correction session’ just 6 weeks ago. I have managed to go over half a minute quicker over 400m over a time taken just a week before the session. Fabulous, so grateful for all the advice.
Mark
The mans a Magician – he turned me into a swimmer!!
Signed up for IM Mallorca back in May, and it was touch and go if it would be wetsuit or not. At the time could swim 50m in pool before getting exhausted, and 2k in lake with wetsuit at 26 min/k. Had done 2 previous IM’s many years ago and always dreaded the swim, (last IM was a 96 minute long tedious swim). I had previously even DNS a standard when it turned out to be non wetsuit!
Went to see Julian end of May, for help with my swim technique, which I was convinced was awful and legs too low etc. Swimming was hard work, but I could run and cycle all day – i was very fit.
First up, video analysis showed I actually had a good swim technique, a couple of things to be improved but Julian told me that essentially I was unfit. That basically I didn’t need to worry too much about drills and technique, I just needed to get swim fit. Basically I was told to do exactly the opposite of the conventional wisdom for self coached age group triathletes swimming – i.e. that fitness is what happens when you practice technique etc.
I was given a programme along these lines and off I went and swam 3 times a week. 2 things happened – i got faster each session and most importantly I enjoyed swimming. From previously hating the tedium and lack of results from fist and fingertip drills etc, I now looked forward to each swim to see how much quicker I was, and also for the pure enjoyment.
After 8 weeks returned for follow up session, 400 TT had improved by 49 seconds. Swim endurance had improved and i was doing my 4k swims without getting tired. A new programme was set focussing on race training, long endurance sets, the only drills i was given was sighting, nothing else.
Race day was looking like non wetsuit – which didnt bother me in the slightest, the day before I had swum my fastest kilometre ever, which was without wetsuit.
Morning of race day was wetsuit and I lined up in the 1:10 to 1:20 pen, (having been able to swim 2 k in 52 minutes 3 months previously). I felt so good and confident with my swimming I got stuck in with the masses and followed the shortest swim line along the buoys – i did get kicked and pushed a bit and swallowed water – but it didnt bother me as felt so good and confident in the water (previous IM I stayed away from other swimmers).
Finished swim 76 minutes for a swim PB, and 20 minutes faster than last IM. Most importantly though, i enjoyed swim and wasn’t tired at all. Put me in great mindset for the rest of the race.
Having had my 2 video sessions, i am going to go back to Julian for more coaching to improve my swim even further. In the few months since I have met Julian, i have now become a good confident swimmer who thoroughly enjoys swimming. I have knocked about 6 minutes a kilometre off my times which I can sustain for race distance. I no longer have to select races based on swim factors (wetsuit/non wetsuit etc) as I know I can swim well anywhere and enjoy it.
I can’t thank Julian enough for his help and would recommend any triathlete wanting to develop their swim to go and see him. Best triathlon investment you will ever make.
Daryl
When I had my hips replaced a couple of years ago my consultant told me swimming was good for me – but NOT the breast-stroke. I had to learn the front crawl from scratch. I built myself up to 20 lengths but it was exhausting and everyone else seemed to be swimming much faster than me. That’s when a friend recommended Julian. Two hours later, he had taken my stoke apart and rebuilt it. Six weeks later, I was comfortably swimming 40 lengths in roughly the time it took me to swim 20. Even better, I was enjoying the whole thing so much more.
Be prepared: having my swim stroke recorded on video was one of the more humiliating experiences of my life. But put your trust in Julian and you will soon be swimming faster – and more elegantly – than you ever thought possible. You don’t have to be a budding tri-athlete to have your experience of swimming transformed!
Thanks Julian.
Had a session with Julian on 10/07/2018. Julian is a very professional, friendly and experienced coach. He was able to instantly identify issues unique to my swimming style and give me a detailed and objective-based plan in order to rectify those issues. His coaching style is excellent, addressing any concerns one may have. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to get more out of their swimming! (I am a mere beginner)
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