Fishlike Global

Boat | Head Coach and Co-founder of Fishlike Thailand

Boat is the current head coach at Fishlike Thailand, and a passionate triathlete. He learned to swim as a child but didn’t really pursue it seriously until 2010, when he became interested in triathlon. He started to swim and practice again in preparation for the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, which involves a 1.8KM swim. While searching for a swim technique that would get him through that distance, he found Shinji Takeuchi’s Total Immersion videos on YouTube. Boat used the videos and online material to teach himself as much as he could until 2017, when he took his first TI course with Master Coach Fish Tang. That course completely changed his swimming experience, and inspired him to become a coach.

Boat launched Fishlike Thailand in 2017. Over the past five years, with the help of Coach Tang, they have been adapting the Total Immersion method and translating key techniques into Thai for local audiences. According to Boat, “Having a Thai coach means students can understand quicker and easier, and it’s very satisfying process for me as a coach to refine my understanding too.”

Boat is a trained pilot who captains for Thai Airways, flying the Airbus A350. He also runs a triathlon store in Bangkok, where he imports and sells the best triathlon equipment from all over the world.

Achievements and Qualifications: Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2010, Ironman 70.3 (Switzerland) 2014, Ironman 70.3 (Busselton) 2015, Thailand Swimathon (10K) in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022

What do I enjoy most about swimming?
“Swimming is the most sophisticated of the three triathlon sports. In running and cycling, it’s simple: if you put more power, you’ll have more speed. But in swimming, it’s the opposite—more power doesn’t mean more speed. To swim well and fast requires feeling, timing, coordination, and more—so it’s much more interesting to me.”

What do I love about TI?
“Right away, it answered all the swimming questions that I had in my mind. Whatever I was unsure and unclear about, I found the answers in TI because it is a very rational method. Once you understand it, you immediately know what you need to do. There’s no zigzagging, just a direct path to becoming a better swimmer. And as a coach, it’s also easy to each because of the step-by-step method.”

What is the best part of being a coach?
“I teach for that WOW moment, when I can see the excitement and the transformation in the student’s face. I love hearing their experience: “It’s so smooth! I never knew it could be so effortless!” That’s where my passion is. From my triathlon business, I also meet a lot of triathletes who struggle with swimming. Coaching them in this method helps me fill that gap and meet their needs.”

Nakorn Phamok

Coach Nut is the current head coach of Fishlike Thailand. Prior to joining Fishlike Thailand in 2020, he has been coaching swimming since 2013, during his studies in Physical Education at Srinakharinwirot University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in 2018.

He believes in the benefits of swimming, having previously sustained a debilitating injury at his knee when he was playing soccer, which left him in physical therapy for more than 6 months. Swimming was a form of exercise which he could do during and after his rehabilitation.

Since joining Fishlike Thailand, he has ventured into multiple long distance swimming events. In 2023, he did his very first Ironman at Frankfurt in 13:43:37, with swimming as his strength. Besides swim coaching, he is broadening his skills into triathlon coaching.

Achievements and Qualifications:

Ironman European Championship Frankfurt, Germany 2023 @ 13:43:37
Thailand Swimathon (10K) in 2020 and 2023
Oceanman Phuket 10K 2022
Total Immersion Level 1 Swim Coach
SSI Level 1 Swim Teacher
Certificate of Attendance Swim Coaches under the auspices of the Department of Physical Education Ministry of Tourism and Sports
Certificate of Attendance Swim Coaches under Thailand Swimming Association Level 1.1
Internal coach training with Fishlike

What do I enjoy most about swimming?
There is freedom of movement in the water, and I enjoy swimming the 4 different swim strokes – butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Swimming all 4 strokes provides me with a full body workout that exercises all parts of my body and helps to improve heart health without impact on my joints and cartilage. Besides swimming in the pool, I enjoy swimming in the open water and participating in events.

Why Fishlike swimming?
The difference of Fishlike swimming from conventional swimming is that we develop awareness to go deeper into understanding movement rather than imitating just the action or form. The approach of learning is gradual and progressive (step-by-step), and we blend in focal points into our swimming to build better habits instead of swimming without thought. With better awareness, the swimmer can understand and improve easier.

What are my unique skills as a coach:
I am patient and able to communicate well. I go into the details with my swimmers and can break down concepts and movements into smaller steps to facilitate learning. With many years of coaching experience, I have coached swimmers from not being able to swim, to being able to swim all 4 strokes. My experience as a long distance swimmer and triathlete also helps me to understand competitive athletes who are looking to improve to the next level.

Coach Kom

Coach Kom joined Fishlike Thailand in 2023 as a full-time swim coach. Prior to joining Fishlike Thailand, he was a swim coach at Singapore International School of Bangkok. He graduated with a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Physical Education at Srinakharinwirot University in 2017.
He has helped many people who come to him with aquaphobia overcome and eventually enjoy being in the water and swimming. With patience and the right guidance, he believes that swimming can be enjoyable for everyone.

Achievements and Qualifications:

SSI Level 1 Swim Teacher
Certificate of Attendance Swim Coaches under Thailand Swimming Association Level 1.1
Internal coach training with Bangkok Dolphin
Internal coach training with Fishlike

What do I enjoy most about swimming?
I enjoy playing and relaxing in the water. Depending on my goals, I can swim as recovery after higher impact sports or swim to improve my cardiovascular fitness by increasing the intensity, speed and distance of the swim.

Why Fishlike swimming?
The difference of Fishlike swimming from conventional swimming is that we go deeper into detail and have a specific approach to swimming. We train with the right habits of generating propulsion through technique, rather than brute force.

What are my unique skills as a coach:
I am very patient, and good with kids. I have a learner mindset, and with my background from Physical Education, I am equipped with the tools on how to teach well and understanding of psychology from a teaching perspective. I use these skills to coach, especially with people who has had fearful experiences of being in the water.

Coach Nath

Coach Nath is a triathlon enthusiast, having participated in many events of swim, bike and run since 2016. He started out as a Shimano bike fitter for 3 years, and is one of the earliest coaches of Fishlike Thailand. Having experience in all three sport disciplines, he hopes to be a coach that can provide a ‘one stop service’ for triathletes in the future.

Achievements and Qualifications:
Ironman Barcelona 2022
Ultra Trail Nan 2022 30k
Tanaosri Trail 2022 20k
Ultra Trail Nan 2021- Pha Wiang Trail 30k
Thailand Swimathon 10k 2019 @ 03:54:57.
Toyota Pattaya Triathlon Tour Series 2019 by MAMA
25KM Klong Madeua Trial 2019
Ironman 70.3 Bangsaen 2019
20.1km Half Marathon 2019 – The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok by Toyota
Toyota Satttahip Triathlon 2018 by MAMA
TOA Rockman Triathlon 2018 Standard Distance
Internal coach training with Fishlike
Total Immersion Level 1 Swim Coach
SSI Level 1 Swim Teacher
Masters Degree in Marketing and Communication from NIDA
Bachelor Degree in Engineering from Mahanakorn University of Technology

What do I enjoy most about swimming?
I find comfort, ease and freedom in swimming, I imagine it to be the closest sensation to flying. I can put aside my worries and focus on swimming when in the water.

Why Fishlike swimming?
It is linked with what I enjoy most about swimming. Applying the concepts of Fishlike swimming to myself, I am able to swim with comfort and ease, and find freedom when swimming.

What are my unique skills as a coach:
I am interested in the biomechanics of movement. I used to power through my swims without understanding swim technique, so I am able to empathize with swimmers who feel that they are not able to swim fast or smooth even with much effort. I am able to analyze problems that the swimmer might face as I have experienced those problems myself too. I was able to change my swimming technique and I would like to help swimmers who are looking to swim more efficiently too.

Kim | Coach, Fishlike Thailand

Kim is a Sports and Exercise Science graduate from Burapha University, where he specialised in the study of biomechanics. He has a passion for how the human body moves, and is a keen athlete in all kinds of sports. Having tried many sports through his life, he found that he was repeatedly getting injured. Eventually he discovered that cycling and swimming were the sports that he could perform without hurting his body.

In 2020, he found Coach Boat (Fishlike Thailand’s founder), and got curious about his swim technique. When he learned the Fishlike method, it immediately connected and he felt that everything fell into place. Although he had been swimming since the first grade, he’d never learnt anything like it and immediately signed up for more, going on to train and then certify as a coach. He now loves to challenge himself to cycle and swim for longer distances, and since 2020, has also started training and competing in triathlons.

Achievements and Qualifications:

CIMB Thai Triathlon (2020)
Tridash Bangkok (2021)

What do I enjoy most about swimming?

It’s kind to my body, as a low-impact sport. It’s something that I can keep doing for a long time without feeling any kind of pain or suffering later. And on a mental level, it helps me calm down and concentrate—swimming feels like meditation to me. My mind is very dynamic and doesn’t naturally slow down, but in the water I can feel the inner quiet and be in my own company with ease.

What do I love about the Fishlike method?

The structure and the teaching method really surprised me when I first learned them. It was so different from how I had been taught in my youth, yet it connected so well with what I had learned at university about biomechanics. When I learned with Fishlike, it was like all the dots connected and the swimming technique got digested much more deeply. I was able to understand it much more easily, and even teach it to others in a way that they could experience it.

What are my unique skills as a coach?

Because of my background in biomechanics, I can analyse people’s swimming technique and see a lot of details. It helps me point out what is right and wrong, and make corrections for my students to work on. I really enjoy working with adult swimmers, from beginners to intermediate and even pre-competitive swimmers.

Ant | Coach, Fishlike Thailand

Ant is a longtime triathlete and swim coach. She has a BA from Srinakharinwirot University, and has been swimming competitively since the age of 10. Over the past 10 years, she has completed numerous triathlons. She also achieved 3^rd place in Swimathon 5K in 2019, with a time of 2:30.

As a child, Ant never liked swimming. But once, when she was on a trip with her family, she fell of a boat into the water. Since she couldn’t really swim, she was very scared. That was the moment she realised that swimming was an important skill that she had to learn. By the age of 10, she had begun to train with the YMCA club. She swam daily and competed with them until the age of 15.

Ant began doing triathlons in 2014, and found Fishlike in 20XX. She currently coaches kids, bringing a playful atmosphere to all her classes.

Achievements and Qualifications: Swimathon 5K in 2019 (2:30), 3^rd place

What do I enjoy most about swimming?

What do I love about the Fishlike method?

The step-by-step approach, detailed teaching sequence and coaching cues. With these tools in my pocket, I know I can guarantee my students’ success.

What are my unique skills as a coach?

I love working with kids of any age, making lessons playful and enjoyable for them while they learn.

Bow | Coach, Fishlike Thailand

Bow is a swim coach and mother of two. She first started swim training in order to prepare for triathlons. While she initially didn’t enjoy swimming, after learning the Fishlike method with Coach Tang, she felt like she could finally relax in the water and her stroke improved immensely.

Bow has learned a lot about swimming by accompanying her two children to various swimming schools and observing the different techniques being used to teach kids. Through that experience, she found that the teaching technique that resonates with her the most is the Fishlike method, because it’s easy to follow and allows you to easily track students’ progress. As both a coach and a parent, she can assess how her students (or kids) are managing, and what they are able to do in the water. It also helps her to have clear expectations and understand what’s going on in each lesson.

Bow loves to coach young kids, and is skilled at keeping things light and relaxed, so that kids discover the water as an environment where they can learn and have fun.

Achievements and Qualifications:

Oceanman Thailand (2KM), 2020 and 2021

Swimathon Thailand (2KM), 2020 and 2021

Ironman (70.3KM), 2022

What do I enjoy most about swimming?

I can relax when I swim long-distance.

What do I love about the Fishlike method?

It’s a good technique that helps a lot with how to relax in the water. It made me able to do long-distance swimming, and complete all of my races.

What are my unique skills as a coach?

I’m a fresh coach so I may not have as much experience with the swimming side, but being a mum of 2 I can handle young kids very well. I feel confident with kids in the water, because I know how to be with them, how to make them have a good time and be safe, and how to make sure they learn at the same time.