Only Swimming Swimmingly
Jan Moffat Osband teaches adult group swimming lessons using the Alexander Technique-based Shaw Method, aka Art of Swimming.

Need Help with your Swimming?

"Right from the outset my aim is to get all my pupils swimming swimmingly whatever their age or ability".

Swimming is well known as the ‘best’ exercise however like any other form of fitness training it is still possible to injure oneself whilst swimming. For the ‘odd dip’ to cool off on holiday it is not really so important what your style is like. If you then go on to take an unrefined style and push yourself to do lots of laps to increase your cardiovascular capacity, you can get a good work out but you may also be increasing your stamina for repeating movements that will eventually cause injury! Using the Alexander Technique-based Shaw Method of swimming allows you to find the key to bring mindfulness to each stroke. It brings swimming back to the basics.

Everybody knows what swimmingly means but it is not how you see most people swimming! For my pupils to know how to swim each and every stroke swimmingly is the aim of my lessons. I encourage everyone to slow down and take the time to really listen with their whole body to what the water is telling them. It tells no lies. If there is a terrible struggle going on then don’t perpetuate it. Listen to what the water is trying to say—that’s not how it should be done! It should all be going swimmingly so you need to try differently. But how? I can help. By using the Shaw Method my own swimming has been completely transformed. I struggled for years so I know from the inside out how not to swim! For some of us it is completely counterintuitive and has to be learned (or relearned) in a step-by-step fashion. Like learning to play an instrument you don’t go straight for the whole piece; I also don’t go straight for the complete stroke.

Firstly there’s the tuning (balance and alignment) then the specific notes and their sequence (arm and leg actions) then rhythm and timing and along the way never forgetting to enjoy the music!

This indirect approach of enjoying each step of the journey develops effortless ease, efficiency and being at one with the water, rather than using it as a medium for resistance training. The brakes can be released and you may find yourself swimming faster than you ever dreamed possible without striving for speed.

If you are prepared to put more effort into practising the building blocks for this new technique rather than slogging up and down timing your laps, I can help you to reap the health benefits of improved strength, suppleness and stamina of this impact free way of exercising.

Right from the outset my aim is to get all my pupils swimming swimmingly whatever the age or ability.

Yours Swimmingly

Jan Moffat Osband MA, MSTAT (Member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique), MISTC (Member of the Institute of Swimming Teachers & Coaches) ASA Level

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE

F.M. Alexander, who founded the Alexander Technique at the turn of the century, was an actor who had a recurrent problem of losing his voice. As doctors could find nothing wrong and only prescribe rest he sought to help himself. He noticed that when he used everyday speech he was fine so therefore it must be something that he was doing to himself when he performed that caused his problem. After months of scrupulous self-observation using a set of angled mirrors he noticed that the source of his problem was in how he breathed when he recited. When faced with the stimulous of performing he identified that at the critical moment ( much to his surprise because he couldn’t feel the ingrained habit) he would lose his poise (alignment of head neck and back) and forcefully suck air in. This had a knock-on effect through his whole system and was the root cause of him losing his voice. This is exactly what many people experience while attempting to breath while swimming. However, as Alexander found out to change one’s habitual way of doing anything is quite a challenge, trying differently is simple to say but not so easy to do.

THE STROKES

Shaw Method Front Crawl: uses mainly upper body and core muscles (front wheel drive). Legs can be rested for e.g. the cycling and running phases of the increasingly popular sport of triathlon, or for some laps of

Shaw Method Breaststroke: uses mainly legs and core muscles (rear wheel drive). Breaststroke has a reputation for being bad for the back but this long-glide style emphasizes lengthening and toning of the abdominals and helps strengthen the back. For the waistline it is an excellent alternative exercise to sit ups which encourage shortening of stature. See the newly released ‘Breastroke with Ease ’ DVD published by Art of Swimming featuring Steven Shaw and myself. A short excerpt of which can be viewed on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiqs5NfB3bg

Shaw Method Back Stroke: using everything it is more like four-wheel drive. As the head is constantly supported by the water it is invaluable for learning the knack of freeing the neck, which being an Alexander Technique essential, is an imperative for improving all strokes, particularly front crawl breathing.

Shaw Method Butterfly involves mainly core and upper body, similar to front crawl. Perhaps it is also the most mentally challenging because few believe they will ever be able to do it! Preconceptions are the main problem with this stroke. Less is unbelievably much more with this one!

Testimonial

‘I have recently undertaken a series of swimming lessons with Jan Moffat and have been impressed with the improvement that she has made to my swimming.
My style is completely different (and much more competent) and I find it easier to swim distances. She is very patient and has a pleasant manner and I would thoroughly recommend her.’ Margaret