The Triathlete Blueprint Newsletter #128-Swim speed secret: you learn to swim in the wrong order!

Yan Busset
5 hours ago
5 min read

Read time: 5min.

By Coach Yan Busset

The Three Pillars of Swimming – And Why Most People Get Them in the Wrong Order

I often say it: swimming is simple.

It might sound paradoxical, especially since swimming is usually the discipline triathletes struggle with the most. And if you’re reading this article, chances are you’re one of them or at least someone who wants to get faster.

So why do I say it’s simple? Because it is , and yet it’s complicated at the same time. Swimming is made of many small simple things that, when you put them all together, make it complex. But if we strip it down to its essence, swimming is built on three fundamental pillars: breathing, balance, and propulsion. These three pieces, when combined, are what make a swimmer efficient.

The problem is that most people approach them in the wrong order. Let’s break it down and see how these pieces fit together to build a strong foundation.

Everything is interconnected

Breathing, balance, and propulsion all affect each other. They are deeply linked. If you struggle with one, it will almost always create problems with the others.

For example, if your breathing technique is off, say you lift your head too much or turn it late, you’ll disturb your balance. If the head is too high, your body will tilt, and your legs will sink. When your legs are too low, you lose the ability to kick efficiently, and you’ll struggle to recover your arms over the water.

The reverse is also true. A propulsion problem can affect your breathing. If your kick is weak and your legs sink, you’ll have to lift your head higher to breathe, which will again ruin your balance and body position.

Everything is connected. One weak link pulls the others down.

And here’s the key point: true swimming mastery happens at the intersection of these three pillars. Imagine them as three overlapping circles, breathing, balance, and propulsion. Where they all meet in the middle, that’s the sweet spot. That’s where swimming becomes smooth, efficient, and almost effortless. It’s not about having one of them perfect in isolation, but about how they work together. When they support each other, every movement flows naturally into the next, and that’s when you truly swim rather than just move through the water.

There is a correct order

Even if these three pillars influence each other, there’s a clear order in which they should be addressed. This is where most people go wrong.

Step 1: Breathing and comfort. Before anything else, you need to be comfortable in the water. Without this, you simply can’t build good technique. Comfort means mastering your breathing, being relaxed with your face in the water, and not panicking. If you are not at first in peace with water you will drag this discomfort a ball and chain and it will be hard to focus on technique.

Step 2: Balance and body position. Once you’re comfortable, the next step is to master your position in the water. The goal is to be as much horizontal and hydrodynamic/ streamlined, like an arrow. Think of the arrow position as a shape that cannot be broken or bent: Arms extended forward, head tucked between the arms, legs straight and together, feet pointed like a ballerina. Everything long, everything stretched. Think of it as active tonic stretching. The position of the head is crucial here, it should be slightly down. Practice floating horizontally, pushing off the wall and gliding without movement. Master this.

Step 3: Propulsion. Only once breathing and body position are in place should you focus on propulsion.

Most people do it backwards

Here’s the big mistake: most swimmers focus almost exclusively on propulsion. They want to move forward, go faster, swim harder, all while their breathing is chaotic and their balance is poor. It’s like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on. You’re dragging two anchors and wondering why you’re not improving.

If you’re stuck, go back to basics. Deconstruct to reconstruct. Check your breathing. Is your timing correct? Are you lifting your head too much? Are you gasping for air too quickly?

One common cause of breathlessness isn’t that you don’t have enough air, it’s that you have too much. Most swimmers don’t exhale enough underwater. Out of the water, breathing is passive: you exhale effortlessly and actively inhale. In swimming, it’s the opposite. You must actively push the air out underwater. If you don’t, you accumulate air, feel “out of breath,” and the whole system falls apart.

Then, check your balance. Can you hold a proper streamlined position? Can you push off and glide without moving? Can you float horizontally? If not, go back and master this fundamental skill.

And finally, make sure you’re truly comfortable in the water. Many swimmers never really learn this because they jump too quickly into drills and technique work. Play with the water, relax, and learn to enjoy it first.

Conclusion: Build on a solid foundation

As I said at the start, swimming is simple. I hope this breakdown helps you demystify it a bit and see it as three essential pillars. Think of them like a tripod – if one leg is missing, the whole thing collapses.

And remember, there’s a right order. Be willing to slow down. Focus on the fundamentals and rebuild from the ground up. If you feel breathless, check your breathing. If your legs sink, check your balance. Don’t rush. If you can’t swim well slowly, the chances of swimming well fast are close to zero.

Technical drills and awareness work must be done slowly. Triathletes always want to go fast – but there’s a time for that and a time to slow down. And right now, this part of the season is perfect for focusing on technique.

So take the time to build solid basics. If you want to dive deeper and improve your swim speed, check out my below YouTube channel, you’ll find plenty of videos to guide you. We also run three group swim sessions every week to help athletes improve their technique, and I’m available for one-on-one swim session if you want more personalized help. Just drop me a DM.

See you in the pool.