Renaissance Swimmer is a way of exploring swimming as a whole, across strokes, settings, conditions and ideas, for people who want to become more capable, adaptable and thoughtful swimmers.
Renaissance Swimmer started life as an idea for a follow‑up book to Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 Days a Year.
I believe we can get more out of swimming, and become more competent and adaptable swimmers, if we embrace and pursue a wide range of swimming activities.
Different swimming activities condition our bodies and minds in different but mutually beneficial ways. It is not that we must be “good” at all types of swimming. But by experimenting with them and practising them, we become fitter, stronger and more versatile and resilient swimmers.
Moreover, the skills and capacities we develop through swimming often help and support us in our daily lives too.
From book to online project
When I showed an early draft of the manuscript to my publisher, their reaction was, “interesting, but not for us”. They were looking for something more specialist, a detailed guide to sea swimming, for example. But the idea behind Renaissance Swimmer was the complete opposite.
The aim is to help swimmers develop skills across pool and open water, on all strokes, and in a wide range of conditions. It is a guide to becoming an all‑round swimmer.
But it is not just about swimming technique or training methodologies. Renaissance-era thinkers were generalists. They pursued arts and sciences. They looked back to classical Greek and Roman ideas in order to move forward. They were curious, humanist and experimental in their approach. These traits are invaluable to swimmers too, especially those who want to embrace swimming as a long‑term practice and way of life.
With the book option temporarily off the table, I decided instead to create a website to share these ideas. In principle, Renaissance Swimmer Original is that book in online form. But it has become more than a book. It is an evolving body of work that explores swimming from multiple angles and encourages readers to think more broadly about what swimming can be.
New media options
Publishing online allows me to do things a little differently from a traditional book. Some chapters are free to read. There are links between sections, links out to external resources, and additional downloads and worksheets. I can add to and update the material as my ideas develop and as I learn from readers.
Renaissance Swimmer Original works both as a reference guide and as a practical “how-to” guide. People can dip in, follow themes, or return to topics over time.
What about the Renaissance Swimmer Club?
One limitation of a book, whether printed or online, is that it is largely a one‑way conversation. The author shares their thinking and hopes it informs or inspires the reader.
The idea behind the Renaissance Swimmer Club is to make that conversation two‑way. Rather than presenting ideas only through static pages, the Club creates a space where they can be examined, questioned and developed through dialogue.
This happens through our exclusive WhatsApp chat and live Zoom events and workshops. Future developments will include an online forum.
The Club is also about community. Reading can be a solitary activity. You may read similar things to people you swim with but never have the chance to talk them through. The Renaissance Swimmer Club brings together swimmers who are curious, open‑minded and experimental, and who want to explore what they can do in swimming and share those experiences with others.
Do I need to read Renaissance Swimmer Original to be in the Renaissance Swimmer Club?
Short answer, no. The two are separate and offer different routes into Renaissance Swimmer ideas.
People learn in different ways. Some like to read and reflect. Others prefer to listen, watch and discuss. When we explore topics in the Renaissance Swimmer Club, there is no expectation or requirement to have read Renaissance Swimmer Original.
That said, the two work well together. Renaissance Swimmer Original can provide background and reference, while the Club brings ideas to life through conversation and shared experience.
What about Reflections?
Reflections is a free weekly email newsletter from Renaissance Swimmer. Each week, I share a short piece of writing about swimming, usually linking to a new article on the website. It is a simple way to stay in touch with ideas from Renaissance Swimmer as they develop, and to reflect on swimming in a thoughtful, open‑ended way.
Finding your way into Renaissance Swimmer
There are currently three ways to explore Renaissance Swimmer ideas, depending on how you prefer to learn and engage.
- Renaissance Swimmer Original is the online body of writing that explores swimming across strokes, settings and conditions.
- The Renaissance Swimmer Club is a space for conversation and shared exploration, including workshops and discussions.
- Reflections is a free weekly newsletter offering a more informal and reflective entry point.
You are welcome to take part in any or all of these, and to move between them over time.