#419 : Only 6 Swimmers In History Have Done This with Sam Short

#419 : Only 6 Swimmers In History Have Done This with Sam Short

From The Effortless Swimming Podcast by Brenton Ford

March 9, 2026 · 10 min

About this episode

Brenton Ford interviews Sam Short about his unique swimming technique and training regimen that sets him apart from other swimmers.

So what does he do that 99.999% of swimmers don't? How is he able to swim this fast? I've spent my career analyzing the best swimmers in the world, but watching Sam swim up close is a completely different experience. I've never seen anyone hold as much water as he does, even at world-record pace. What stands out the most isn't just the speed. It's the relaxation. His recovery looks effortless, and the way he reaches forward into the catch is incredibly fluid—almost calm—despite the intensity of the pace he's holding. When Sam shared some of his training with me, one thing surprised me. He's consistently swimming up to 80 kilometers a week. Massive volume. Huge power in the stroke. But when you ask him what really matters, he often comes back to the basics—simple things like rock-solid head position and clean fundamentals. If you're a triathlete or an open water swimmer, Sam's power stroke isn't just impressive to watch. It's actually a blueprint for efficiency. So today, we're breaking it all down—the sets, the technique, and the mindset around recovery that helped take him to the very top of the sport. 01:27 Sam Short Intro 01:30 How Do You Describe Your Stroke When You Race…

People in this episode

Host: Brenton Ford

Guest: Sam Short

Topics covered

  • swimming technique
  • training volume
  • efficiency in swimming
  • recovery mindset
  • open water swimming

Keywords

  • swimming
  • training
  • efficiency
  • stroke technique
  • open water
  • triathlon
  • recovery

More episodes of The Effortless Swimming Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Effortless Swimming Podcast podcast page.