Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

“It was amazing,” said triathlete Mike Pugh about his lesson on the Big Island of Hawaii with Karlyn Pipes, the greatest masters swimmer in history.

“If anyone can do this at any cost, it’s worth it. I wasted so much time trying to do what needs to be done alone.”

Pugh had a swim lesson in an Endless Pool in Kona, Hawaii. “I offer private swimming lessons to people of all ages.“

Whether the athletes are taught in her Endless Pool or on an adventure swim on the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon swim course in Kailua Bay, Pipes is passionate about what she offers. “I love teaching in an Endless pool because I see my students making huge improvements in a very short period of time.

With my guidance and the use of contrast drills, I will teach you the difference between faster and slower, efficient and inefficient swimming. The Endless Pool also has two large mirrors on the bottom providing you with instant feedback.”

Pipes explains her contrast drills that are video-taped and then analyzed. “Throughout your session, I will ask you to compare and contrast a variety of techniques to see what works best for you. This is where swimmers really begin to feel the differences. At the end of the session, we will do a drill called amnesia and revisit your old stroke. While your old stroke may feel comfortable and familiar, you are going to be surprised at how much harder you have to work to go the new speed.

Many students actually lose ground and get pushed back towards the end of the pool. Switch to the new stroke and its no problem to maintain the speed. With the help of the Endless Pool and contrast drills, it becomes obvious that your new stroke allows you to swim faster with less effort.”





The cost of her Aquatic Edge initial 90-minute session is US$250 and includes a 30-minute mini-clinic followed by about 60 minutes of water time with video analysis and real-time feedback. Additional sessions are US$160 per hour.

Aquatic Edge lessons by Karlyn Pipes are described here.

Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association