Fishlike Sports Academy Pte. Ltd.

I would say that formal training with Tang started one fine Thursday evening in October 2008. I had just completed a TI workshop then, and while reasonably good in doing drills like turning to 'sweet spot' and 'skating' merrily, I was a whale amongst the numerous sleek gliding forms that were Tang's advanced students. A thick sheath of water separated my mouth each time I turned to breathe and I was a classic textbook example of a catch up style in action. I wondered whether I will be halfway competent any time soon. At the rate I was going, Tang was going to take three years to coach me proper - an impossible task as yours truly would have given up by then.

Tang ended the first lesson, telling me about three focal points I ought to note. Return home and practise he said. And I did. I returned the next Thursday - things were pretty much the same - sheath of water, great catch up - absolutely brilliant. Repeat for the next few months. Throughout, Tang gave me numerous focal points and there were so many that he probably didn't even have to repeat after a while (yes, swimming really isn't my forte). It was only one fine day several months later that everything snapped in place. The lesson to be learnt from this? Patience. You don't end a session shaving minutes off your time - that's unrealistic. Swimming is inevitably a long learning process that requires patience. Patience is what one needs when learning. And patience, as Tang has repeatedly demonstrated, is his middle name.

I would tell anyone that Tang does not hold swimming lessons. No boards, no hard kicking, no forceful pulling. What he conducts every lesson is a stroke clinic. Every drill I did had a purpose although I may not have at that time realised it. What Tang has done and continues to do is to break down or deconstruct my stroke. Anyone can thrash through the water by simply increasing stroke rate and maintaining it over the required distance. But stroke length has always been one of the primary focuses of Tang's coaching. To increase stroke length, one either grows taller or improves technique. And that is what Tang focuses on - technique (not growing taller). There is no mindless distance thrashing as Tang advocates swimming with a purpose. It could be proper anchoring of hands or doing a two beat (this should be trademarked - three weeks of this and goodbye scissors kick). If you want a swimming lesson, any coach in any pool will do - you will pretty much be able to swim from point A to B after 8 weeks. If what you want is constant technical analysis, learning and then re-learning every session, then Tang receives my wholehearted recommendation.

I started a blank slate and it has been a constant learning experience under Tang. I picked up a couple of bad habits (my fault, not Tang's) but I have learnt much too. The journey thus far - some seven months now - has been great. It can I guess only get better and I am grateful to have Tang by my side.

• Edmund Tham