you both have a point.
swimmers often say "practice makes perfect", i learned it from swimmers.
to learn swimming, i think one should:
1) get into
water, get moving;
2) practise with imperfect technique to improve technique;
3) practise with imperfect technique to improve stamina;
4) if technique is perfect, goto 10)
5) goto 2)
10) practise with perfect technique to improve stamina;
there is no perfect technique, but in the pursuit of perfect, one get closer and closer to perfect, in the process, stamina is also improved.
in a swimming tournament, both technique and stamina count. i guess that is the story behind "practice makes perfect".
[ April 19, 2005: Message edited by: Roger Johnson ]