ISSUE NO. 5 APRIL 2018
SWIM, CYCLE, AND RUN, OH MY! SWIM LIKE A TRIATHLETE AND NOT JUST A SWIMMER
BLOCK IT OUT!
PART II IN OUR TECHNIQUE SERIES BY ABBIE FISH OF RITTER SPORTS PERORMANCE
RYAN MURPHY THREE TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST TELLS US HIS STORY AND WHY HE LOVES SWIMMING!
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HOW TO WIN: 1. FIND ALL FIVE OF THE CARTOONS HIDDEN THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE 2. EMAIL MARKETING@THELIFEGUARDSTORE.COM WITH THE CORRECT PAGE NUMBER OF EACH CARTOON 3. IF YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON TO RESPOND, YOU WIN AND GET YOUR CHOICE OF WHICH STORE YOUR $25 GIFT CARD COMES FROM! EMPLOYEES AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE THREE COMPANIES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
p. 4 SWIM LIKE A TRIATHLETE AND NOT JUST A SWIMMER LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES TO SWIM MORE LIKE A TRIATHLETE
p. 8 FEATURED ATHLETE: RYAN MURPHY THREE-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND SPEEDO ATHLETE RYAN MURPHY JOINS US FOR A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
P. 11 PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
p. 12 PART II: PROPER BLOCK SETUP ABBIE FISH OF RITTER SPROTS PERFORMANCE JOINS US FOR PART II OF HER STARTING BLOCK TECHNIQUE SERIES
Starting Block Magazine is used as a marketing and advertising venture, published by The Lifeguard Store, All American Swim, and Swim Shops of the Southwest. Cover Image: Ryan Murphy - Richard Phibbs for Speedo USA starting block magazine | p. 3
All American Swim Staff Writer A triathlon is a race that has three stages with different sports: Swimming, cycling and running all in one race. Once a stage ends, the athletes immediately start the next phase without breaks.
Triathletes are completing one part of their three-part race, so they want to conserve energy over shorter distances. Swimmers usually swim longer distances and are always trying to improve their time. •
While many people typically know how to swim, cycle and run, they don’t have the best techniques to do them as fast as possible in a competitive atmosphere. Triathlon races are intense and demanding, and require a lot of specific training.
Distance. TriSwimCoach states that triathletes swim about 2500-4000m, while swimmers cover 5000-6000m in one practice.
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Racing. Swimming doesn’t have as severe an impact on your body. That’s why swimmers recover quickly and can get back to racing. Triathlons take a lot out of triathletes, so they cannot race as often.
If you want to swim like a triathlete, you have to know how to pace yourself and mentally endure long stretches of each stage.
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Swimming Stroke. While triathletes focus on the freestyle to get them through choppy open waters, long-distance swimmers practice a variety of strokes:
What Are the Different Types of Triathlons? The distances for triathlons vary on who sets the course and what kind of triathlon it is. The common types of triathlons are Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman and Full Ironman.
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Breaststroke: The swimmer propels forward by making half-circular movements with their arms and using a flutter kick. Beginners and casual swimmers use this stroke.
Sprint triathlons tend to have shorter distances and still incorporate all three stages — swimming, cycling and running. These types of triathlons are recommended for beginner triathletes because they’re more likely to have a positive experience and be inspired to work up to a longer triathlon.
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Butterfly Stroke: This stroke is more advanced and has a strict technique. It also requires a lot of stamina. The swimmer’s arms are symmetrical and make circular motions out of the water, while they use a dolphin kick with their legs
What’s the Difference Between Triathletes and Swimmers?
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Backstroke: The swimmer alternates which arm goes back in circular motions and a flutter kick to move them through the water on their back.
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Triathletes and swimmers have different techniques when it comes to swimming.
Identity. Triathletes don’t consider themselves swimmers. They usually identify as one of the other sports in the triathlon, cyclist or runner. As a cyclist or runner, they often see swimming as something they have to improve. It’s the first stage of the race. Swimmers often identify with the stroke that they excel at, but most stick to the term “swimmer” as an identity.
Transitioning to Triathlon Swim Training Practices
If you’ve trained in swimming before for competition or general fitness, you might think you don’t need to focus on the swimming aspect of a triathlon. But triathlon swimming has a different set of skills than swimming in a regular pool: •
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Swimming in Open Water. Triathletes swim in a variety of environments. They can swim outside in lakes or oceans in different weather conditions. Their environments require specific techniques that won’t be picked up by training in a pool because pools are too controlled. A swimmer will face a greater challenge in a choppy ocean with strong currents than an inside pool. Breathing Technique. Triathletes with a swimming background should not bring their low-profile breathing strategy to the triathlon. Swimmers breathe close to the water, which works in a calm pool. Triathletes who try this in an ocean are going to get a mouthful of salt water. They need a highprofile style of breathing, so they’re not as close to the surface when they take a breath.
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Effective Kicking. Swimmers can kick more while they swim because they’re trying to beat records and be as fast as possible. Triathletes still want to be speedy, but they have to consider the cycling and running portions that are still ahead in the race. Too much kicking will tire you out. Triathletes might have two-beat kicks for this part of the race so they still have energy for cycling and running. Try and adjust your swim style to kick less frequently.
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Strokes. A higher stroke rate per minute helps you swim in outside water conditions. Turbulent waves could upset a swimmer’s rhythm. Higher stroke rates help you adapt to choppy waters.
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Build Endurance. When swimmers want to improve their stamina in the pool, they’re given advice to run. Going for runs provides a full-body workout. Triathletes who want to better their swimming stage of the race already have to train with running. They should focus on improving their technique and mechanics so they can move efficiently through the water.
Swimming like a triathlete means you have to train to stay balanced, efficient and focused on getting better with each day. If you’re a swimmer, this might require moving away from what you know. It’s more than getting faster or building your endurance. When you’re swimming like a triathlete, you have to think about all the separate mechanics of swimming and how they combine to propel you swiftly through the water without overexerting yourself. According to Active.com, you should pay attention to these main points to improve your swimming.
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Balance. Work on staying balanced in the water. When you’re off balance, your body will compensate by overworking to correct itself. This could be kicking too much or throwing off your rotation. When you’re balanced in the water, you’re able to conserve energy.
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Body Position. Your head should be kept down while swimming. One problem some swimmers get into is turning their head when they rotate each arm. Practice keeping your head straight down while your body rotates. Hand entry is technical skill that you might not think about but improving it could make a big difference in your swimming. Instead of bringing your hand all the way around and up for each rotation, bring your hand to your sightline and go through the water. Reducing the time your hand is in the air is more efficient. Your stroke should be pushing you forward. If you’re pushing up and out of the water, your balance and position are probably off.
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Weakness Improvement. Identify the areas you’re struggling with and make them your priority. Even if it means slowing your pace so you focus on fixing technical errors that are holding you back. As you develop muscle memory and gain better balance and body position in the water, you can increase your speed.
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Keep Practicing. Avoid long periods of time out of the water. Try and swim every other day. Your body needs to get used to being in the water on a regular basis. You’ll also have better habits for practicing and being in the water will be a familiar place.
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Bilateral Breathing. Most swimmers breathe on
Triathlon Swimming Techniques starting block magazine | p. 5
one side. You want to learn how to breathe on both sides because it suits outdoor swimming conditions. Your muscles improve equally and you reduce the risk of injury from overworking one side. Bilateral breathing also lends to your mentality. If you’re swimming in the ocean, you won’t have given lanes like a pool. Another competitor can choose to swim right next to you. If you can only breathe on one side and they’re on that side, you’re going to be watching them the entire race. This can be intimidating and make you focus more on them than what you’re doing. But a swimmer who can breathe bilaterally can simply choose to breathe on the other side and never have to look at the competitor for the remainder of the race. To help improve your bilateral technique, these tips should help you out: •
Relax Your Muscles: Keep your neck and shoulders loose. Stretch every time before you swim so you don’t strain or pull muscles while rotating.
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Time Your Breathing: If you feel like you’re not getting enough air on your weaker side, breathe earlier in the stroke cycle. When you start to extend your hand forward you should begin to rotate your head.
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Know Your Arm Position: Keep your arm strokes even and at a steady pace. This will keep your balance and you won’t have to worry about pulling yourself under water and not getting a full breath of air.
Swimming for Triathlons: Open Water The ocean is not a controlled environment. While you might be prepared to deal with choppy waters and cold temperatures, you also should be aware of what other aspects of the ocean you can encounter during your race. Training in distance and simulating ocean conditions will help you prepare for the swimming stage of the triathlon, but you should also mentally prepare for how triathletes race in the water. •
Open Water. Swimming in open water means you can swim into anything in the ocean. You might have to swim through clumps of seaweed or deal with the sound of boats in the distance. One particular event that triathletes need to think about is swimming through jellyfish. Jellyfish are unpredictable. The water could be crystal clear the day before your race and the next day they’ve washed up. Wearing a long-sleeved wetsuit deters stinging, and athletes can usually go on with a mild sting. If you think you’ve had a
serious injury from a jellyfish, you should go back to shore and talk to the lifeguard about getting proper medical attention. •
Swimming Without Lanes. Everyone is swimming to the same location and there aren’t individual lanes for each swimmer. You’ll be part of a pack of swimmers and could experience some occasional kicks or jabs. If the person in front of you kicks you, or if you’re touching them as you swim forward, give them space. The same goes if you’re stuck swimming next to someone. Stay calm and remember any hits or touches are not intentional. Focus on your swim and either let swimmers pass you or try and find more space.
If you want to try and avoid the pack swimming, you can swim out in front or hang back at the start and allow other swimmers to go first. Swimmers who have a strong speed and experience in highintensity conditions have a good chance of getting to the front. But there is nothing wrong with letting the crowd get ahead of you if you’re stronger in cycling or running. During your training, practice swimming with a pack of swimmers in a pool. This will simulate the noise and confusion that could overwhelm you if you’ve never been in that situation. Then, practice this same scenario in open water. When you put yourself in this position, you get used to being surrounded by swimmers and in rough currents. You’ll be able to develop techniques for keeping yourself calm and focused with all of the commotion around you. Practice can prepare you for the triathlon, but some athletes do experience panic attacks. If you have a panic attack during the race, swim away from the pack and float so you can calm your heart down. When you feel better, you can start your race again. If you don’t feel better or are light-headed and weak, do not resume the race. Seek medical attention. Your health should be your top priority. There will always be time for another race. Directional Awareness. Make a habit of checking your direction every four strokes. You can look for buoys that make up the course. If the water is choppy and blocks your sightline from the buoys, you can use natural landmarks like surrounding mountains so you know where you’re going. There’s no guarantee the
swimmers ahead of you are checking their direction, so use those physical markers to stay on track. Strengths From Triathlon Stages Triathletes are aware of how the stages of their race are so connected. All of these sports help build on the other. Whether it’s improving cardio, flexibility or strength, balancing your training between the three sports will have positive impacts on the others. When participating in these sports, you are gaining the benefits from each one: •
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Running • Cardio • Muscle Strength • Lungs Cycling • Cardio • Muscle and Bone Strength • Flexibility • Joints • Lungs Swimming • Cardio • Recovery/ No Impact • Muscle Strength • Breath Control and Pacing • Balance
If you want to improve one sport specifically, don’t let yourself get bogged down in doing the same workouts over and over again. It’s okay to switch sports and workouts. Let the crossover benefits inspire you to change up your workouts if you’re getting bored or stuck as you train to be a triathlete. If swimming is giving you trouble, try cycling to improve your flexibility and strength. After a difficult and high-impact training with running, let your body recover by switching back to swimming. Triathlete Swimmers Triathletes swim in open, rough water and still go on to cycle and run for hours. Proper training in the right environments, practicing situations you might encounter and building mental strength are all crucial to being a successful triathlete. As you make these changes and put in the time to practice, you’ll swim like a triathlete and will be ready for a triathlon.
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Ryan Murphy is an American competitive swimmer who specializes in backstroke. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and worldrecord holder in the men’s 100-meter backstroke (long course).
At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Murphy swept the backstroke events by winning gold in the 100and 200-meter backstroke. Murphy also won gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay and his leadoff backstroke leg broke Aaron Peirsol’s former world record set in 2009.
RYAN MURPHY
AARON OKAYAMA FOR SPEEDO USA
STARTING BLOCK MAGAZINE: How did you begin swimming? Who got you started? RYAN MURPHY: My family moved from Chicago to Florida when I was 6 month old. We loved the weather, so we were up at the community pool every day. I would get in with my floaties or sit with my mom on the steps. When I was old enough, I started swimming in Summer League.
RICHARD PHIBBS FOR SPEEDO USA
SBM: What makes swimming a passion of yours? Why does it stand out? RM: Swimming is a passion for me for many reasons. I love the competitive aspect, finding ways to improve, and the way I can feel the water. It stands out from other sports because it teaches accountability. You can see improvements based on times on a board. SBM: What are some things you are looking forward to in the near future? RM: In the immediate future, I am looking forward to Pan Pacs. Outside of that, I’m looking forward to cooking more, following the market more closely, and exploring the Bay Area. SBM: What are some other things that drive you both personally and professionally? RM: I’m driven by perfection and inspired by people. I strive to surround myself with people that want to be the best in whatever field they are specialists. I want to serve people, and I hope to find the way I can best do that. SBM: What is something you cannot live without, and how does it help push you forward in your career? RM: I could not live without my family. Their support and love impacts me every moment of every day. I would not be able to have success without them. SBM: What is something you get excited to do daily? RM: I get excited to go to practice. I enjoy being around my teammates and coaches at Cal. We have fun when we work hard, and it is
BIOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS (COURTESY OF TEAMUSA.ORG) Name: Ryan Murphy Sport: Swimming Event(s): 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 DOB: 7/2/1995 Birthplace: Palos Heights, Ill. Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla. High School: The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Fla.) ‘13 College: University of California, Berkeley ‘17, Undeclared Olympic Experience • Olympian (2016); Three-time Olympic medalist (3 golds) • Rio 2016 Olympic Games, gold (4x100m medley, 100m back, 200m back) World Championship Experience • Most recent: 2015 – gold (4x100m medley); 5th (200m back) • Years of participation: Long Course – 2015 • Medals: 1 (gold) • Gold – 2015 (4x100m medley) Other Career Highlights • 2011 Pan American Games, bronze (200m back) starting block magazine | p. 9
an awesome environment. SBM: Tell me about a time when you were challenged from swimming and you learned a great lesson from it. RM: I think my greatest lesson in swimming came from the summer of 2011, when I was a young 16 year. I had worked so hard that year and summer, but did not improve my times at all. I was confused and upset. However, I continued to press and work hard, and had incredible meets the next year. It taught me that hard work does not always show until a couple of months later. SBM: Do you have any nutritional or fitness recommendations for other swimmers? RM: This is such a hard question because it ranges so much person to person. My advice would be to talk to your coaches. Focus on eating balanced meals and do your research.
The only way to get to the top is through hard work in every aspect of your life. It is much easier to work hard in a group than it is by yourself. SBM: Where do you see your future going right now and what are your plans? RM: This is another loaded question. Right now, I am focused on swimming as long as I am able. However, I recognize that swimming is going to come to an end at some point. I worked really hard in school to attain a degree in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. I would love to use that degree to serve people. I am passionate about the impact of sports and education on youth, and would love to get involved in inspiring the next generation.
SBM: If you had any advice for aspiring athletes, what would it be? RM: Surround yourself by motivated people.
AARON OKAYAMA FOR SPEEDO USA
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
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© Steven Frink
PART TWO! Proper Block Setup By Abbie Fish Guest Contributor Technique Swim Coach Ritter Sports Performance
Welcome back to Part II of our starts series! Last month, we discussed how using your arms while performing a track start creates the MOST propulsion of any starting technique out there. This month we are going to dive deeper into what proper block setup looks like for a track start, so a swimmer is in the BEST possible “take your mark” position to use their arms and generate TONS of propulsion within their track start! If you missed last week’s blog post, CLICK HERE to catch up. Otherwise, let’s get started!
Abbie has been in the competitive swimming realm for over 20 years. From qualifying for the Olympic Trials to working at USA Swimming’s headquarters, Abbie has been on all sides of the sport. She is a University of Georgia “Double Dawg”–where she swam and graduated with M.S. and B.S. degrees. Abbie now spends her time in the Florida Keys, where she coaches a local swim club and manages a pool. She continues to further her knowledge about stroke mechanics and analyzing swimming technique with an array of different software programs. She has worked with clients as young as 5 and up to 90 years old. Abbie believes anyone with the heart to train can benefit from technical advice!
As we discussed last month, a track start is the block setup where a swimmer is standing in a split stance. Within the track start, a swimmer’s dominant foot should be placed at the front of the block with their toes curled over, while their back foot will be placed with the ball of their foot on the foot plate and their heel flexed above. Their feet should be about hip-width distance apart. The ideal positioning for the back foot plate is for a swimmer to create a 90-degree bend in their back leg prior to the start. If the back foot plate is too close or too far away (i.e. more or less than 90-degrees), the swimmer will not be in proper positioning to effectively load their muscles and generate the MOST propulsion possible.
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After a swimmer has found their proper leg setup, we need to discuss their arms. When a swimmer steps up to the block to setup, it’s always ideal for them to bend at the waist—as opposed to standing up. If a swimmer steps onto the block and only setups only their legs—by standing straight up and looking forward, they minimize the amount of time they have between the “take your mark” and “beep” to get their arms in proper positioning. This mistake is common in agegroupers and younger swimmers—see below.
If the elbows are facing to the sides, it creates force pushing back towards the body. This force does not help the swimmer get off the blocks. Ideally, we want a swimmer’s elbows facing their feet, so they create a force that will help the swimmer move forward—off the blocks.
Depending a swimmer’s hamstring flexibility, you may see an array of distances between the chest of the swimmer and the top of the block. It’s never a good idea to advise a swimmer to “pull” their chest down towards the block, as this will promote the body to jump “up” after they hear the beep.
Remember: The arms play a key role in the start, so allowing yourself the time to setup both your arms and legs on the block is critical. So after a swimmer has stepped up to the block, they should take the time to get their legs into the proper split-legged stance and then, bend at the waist gripping the block with all fingers curled over the front edge. From there, a swimmer rotates their elbows so they are pointing backwards (towards their feet) and not out to the side.
Also, the alignment of a swimmer’s spine should be neutral during the “take your mark” position. That means a swimmer’s lowest vertebrae should be in a straight line up to the base of their neck. That means the ears look comfortably down, and a little forward while taking your mark.
Remember: Newton’s 3rd law of motion—for every action, there is an equal and opposite starting block magazine | p. 13
As much as a swimmer can, they should feel comfortable and “active” in their “take your mark” position. This position setups a swimmer to EXPLODE off the block—reacting quickly and effectively. If a swimmer is loosely gripping the block with their hands and/or doesn’t have a 90-degree bend in their back knee, they will have a slower reaction time and slower horizontal velocity off the blocks. Stay tuned for next month, as we discuss a “slingshot” start versus a “streamline” start and finish up our starting series!
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CON NECT