I went up to Santa Monica for this interview with Chris Schauble of KNBC-LA to do a couple of segments on swimming for their morning show. Chris was at the time training for an Ironman race, but the segments were more about the benefits of swimming and some basic tips.

Transcript:

I’m here with swim coach Kevin Koskella of Triswimcoach.com and Kevin we all know swimming is good for you but why is it good for you?
Well, it is good for you because it is an efficient work out. You’re working all of your muscle groups and you’re also getting a cardio workout at the same time. Another benefit to swimming is there’s not a lot of injuries involved so it’s a really safe sport and you can really get a lot out of one workout, whereas if you go out on your bike, you are probably going to spend an hour and a half doing the same thing as in a pool that you would probably do in 45 minutes.
So how does this stack up with other cardio? Is it about the most efficient? One of the most efficient?
Yeah, it’s up there. Swimming and running are both really efficient workouts.
But less stressful on your body?
Less stressful on your body, right.
Now when it comes to getting started, I know that you can go to a gym to find a pool. You can go to your own backyard for half of southern California. How easy is it to get started?
Well I always recommend getting started by hiring a coach or instructor that really knows what they’re doing. My recommendation would be to hire a US Masters swim coach and take some lessons.
Why?
You want to learn how to swim efficiently. Most people were brought up swimming on their stomach so you are using your arms and legs and burning up a lot of energy but not getting very far. What you want to do is learn on your side; from side to side rotating your hips and that a lot of swim coaches out there will know how to teach that method.
Swim Coach Kevin Koskella, thanks for your time.
Thanks Chris.