My new book, The Way of the Water: Mastery, Mindset, and the Craft of Swimming is not a manual of drills or a catalog of sets, it is a meditation on movement, mastery, and the Way of the water.
 
Inspired by Miyamoto Musashi’s timeless classic, this book weaves philosophy, coaching wisdom, and lived experience into a guide for swimmers, coaches, and seekers of excellence alike.
Across the five “rings”—Freestyle as Ground, Backstroke as Water, Breaststroke as Fire, Butterfly as Wind, and The Mind as Void—author and coach Julio Zarate explores how swimming is more than a sport: it is a discipline of body, mind, and spirit.
 
Drawing from Christianity, Stoicism, and Eastern philosophy, as well as decades of poolside coaching, Zarate challenges readers to see suffering as sacred, training as art, and competition as a duel with the self. From reflections on rhythm and momentum to meditations on character, service, and presence, this book reframes swimming not just as performance, but as a lifelong Way.
For athletes, it’s a compass for discipline and self-discovery.
For coaches, it’s a new language for building teams and shaping character.
 
For readers outside the pool, it’s a reminder that excellence is less about medals and more about living with rhythm, balance, and integrity.
 
This is a book about swimming. But it is also a book about life.