{"podcast":{"title":"The Effortless Swimming Podcast","slug":"the-effortless-swimming-podcast-535850","podcast_index_feed_id":535850,"rss_url":"https://effortlessswimming.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"http://effortlessswimming.com","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/0/9/8/2/098286095f53828c27a2322813b393ee/Untitled_design_2.jpg","author":"Brenton Ford","episode_count":439,"summary":"Faster times and better technique aren't a guarantee when you train hard. What really makes a difference to your speed and efficiency in the water? The Effortless Swimming podcast helps make a complex sport really simple to better your swimming. We cover open water swimming, triathlon swimming and pool swimming. Hosted by Australian National swimmer and coach Brenton Ford.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-23T14:17:52.063160+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-effortless-swimming-podcast-535850"},"episode":{"title":"#436 : How to Master Open Water Pacing, Swim Anxiety, and Stroke Mechanics with Brenton Ford","slug":"436-how-to-master-open-water-pacing-swim-anxiety-and-stroke-mechanics-with-brenton-ford","published_at":"2026-07-17T01:58:06+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-effortless-swimming-podcast-535850/436-how-to-master-open-water-pacing-swim-anxiety-and-stroke-mechanics-with-brenton-ford","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-effortless-swimming-podcast-535850","url":"https://effortlessswimming.libsyn.com/436-how-to-master-open-water-pacing-swim-anxiety-and-stroke-mechanics-with-brenton-ford","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/effortlessswimming/trivelo_libsyn_online-audio-converter.com.mp3?dest-id=161224","summary":"In this episode, I join the TriVelo Podcast to share my approach to swimming faster and more efficiently in open water. We discuss where to focus first when improving your stroke, the differences between galloping and balanced swim styles, why I believe many triathletes kick harder than they need to, and practical ways to stay calm and confident when racing in open water. We also dive into my thoughts on the Enhanced Games and the journey behind developing NanoClear anti-fog goggles to solve one of the biggest frustrations swimmers face. A big thanks to Gerard Donnelly and Jordan Donnelly from TriVelo Coaching for having me on the podcast. If you're a triathlete looking to train smarter and race faster, be sure to check out TriVelo Coaching. 0:11 – The starting priority for your stroke 2:09 – Analyzing Open Water galloping action 5:21 – Why you shouldn't swim like a speedboat 6:59 – The secret to fixing dragging legs 8:27 – Which Pro Athlete Has The Style To Copy? 11:33 – The kicking mistake costing you more time 15:00 – How to simulate open water in the pool 24:13 – How to sight without breaking your rhythm 27:50 – The recovery adjustment for choppy water 31:04 – Where to apply power in the pull 36:14 – Threshold sets to build raw durability 39:41 – Overcoming physical panic and hyperventilation 45:15 – Shifting your mindset on the beach 51:38 – Our honest thoughts on the Enhanced Games 56:13 – Designing a fog-free goggle","meta_description":"In this episode, I join the TriVelo Podcast to share my approach to swimming faster and more efficiently in open water. We discuss where to focus first wh…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3841,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-effortless-swimming-podcast-535850/episodes/436-how-to-master-open-water-pacing-swim-anxiety-and-stroke-mechanics-with-brenton-ford/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-effortless-swimming-podcast-535850/436-how-to-master-open-water-pacing-swim-anxiety-and-stroke-mechanics-with-brenton-ford.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}