Building the Prologue: Why The Way of the Water Warrior Begins Here

One of the promises I made with this blog was to let you follow along as I build my book, The Way of the Water Warrior (working title, ;-). Not just the finished product, but the process, the choices, the influences, the shaping of ideas.

So, let’s start at the beginning: the Prologue.

Most swimming books don’t have one. They dive right into training sets, stories of races, or lessons learned on deck. But for me, a prologue was necessary. This book is not just about swimming, it’s about something more internal, deeper. It’s about the Way.

As I wrote in the opening lines:

“This is not only a book about swimming. It is a book about the Way.”

Why Musashi?

The backbone of the prologue is inspired by Miyamoto Musashi’s classic, The Book of Five Rings. Written centuries ago by a swordsman, it wasn’t just about fighting, it was about mastery. He wrote of five elements: Ground, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. Each revealed a principle inseparable from the others.

When I first read Musashi, I saw swimming written in those same elements. The prologue, and the book for that matter, became my attempt to “translate” Musashi into the language of the pool:

• “Freestyle / The Ground Book — foundation and balance.”

• “Backstroke / The Water Book — flow and adaptability.”

• “Breaststroke / The Fire Book — timing and decisive force.”

• “Butterfly / The Wind Book — breath, freedom, and grace.”

• “The Mind / The Book of the Void — the unseen realm where victory begins.”

This wasn’t me forcing philosophy onto swimming, it was me recognizing that the water already teaches the same truths.

East and West, Movement and Mind

In writing this prologue, I also wanted to bring together different traditions. From the East, Musashi’s clarity and Ido Portal’s philosophy of movement, seeing motion as language, as practice, as a way of life. From the West, the grounding of Stoicism—Marcus Aurelius’ calm, Seneca’s focus on what is within our control.

As I wrote:

“The pool, like the battlefield, tells the truth. Strength without rhythm collapses. Speed without awareness shatters. The water does not lie.”

That’s Stoicism in a lane line. That’s Musashi in a swim cap.

My Own Influences

I come to this book wearing several hats. I was an art major in college, so I see swimming not just as sport but as art in motion. I’ve been a swimmer since age 10 and a coach for over 20 years, so I know the grind of training and the lessons the water teaches. I’m also a reader, Hemingway, Anne Rice, Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, Musashi, Marcus Aurelius—all of them left marks on the way I think and write.

And then there are the masters of the pool: Ian Thorpe’s patience, Aaron Peirsol’s flow, Ed Moses’ precision, Anthony Ervin’s freedom. And the coaching greats that I have been fortunate enough to engage with, David Marsh, Chuck Batchelor, Eddie Reese, Kerry Reed Elliott and whose voices echo in my own.

All of that came with me into the prologue.

Why a Prologue for a Swimming Book?

I kind of look at it like warm-up. Like Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings or other philosophical texts the language used can take some time to get used to. The poetic flow forces you to slow down and think. While for most of the book I will be doing my best to keep it simple. There will be moments of what I will call poetic flare. I love poetry. Single lines at times that pack so much meaning and feeling. The prologue’s goal is to preps you for the read ahead.

The prologue is also my compass. It’s the place where I lay out what this book is really about: presence, resilience, spirit.

Writing in Public

By sharing this here, I’m letting you in on the process. Not just the polished pages, but the thoughts that led me there. Some weeks, this blog will be about writing the book. Other posts, it will be about coaching, training, or philosophy. I will be getting into chapter 1 very soon!

Help Launch The Swimming Book of the Five Rings

This blog will always stay free, no subscriptions, no paywalls. But to make my dream of publishing The Swimming Book of the Five Rings a reality, I need your support.

Donations go directly toward editing, design, production, and promotion of the book. Every contribution, big or small, brings this project closer to the starting blocks.

If you’ve enjoyed the content here and want to see the book in print, please consider donating. Together, we can make it happen. Click the donate button below.

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