Important Tips for the Triathlon Swim Josh Stevens Below are three brief articles I have recently written on training for the triathlon swim. They are aimed more so towards the beginning triathlete, but anyone at any level may benefit from something they find here.
1. Swimming Faster and More Efficient Finding the best tricks and tips that will help you swim faster and more efficient will make swimming in the open water much easier in a triathlon. When you are swimming a long distance, why not try some techniques that will conserve some energy and make that swim as easy as possible. How about this, race car drivers draft the cars in front of them to save fuel and let the other car pull them along. Did you realize you can do just about the same thing swimming? If you can get right up behind a swimmer close enough to not get kicked, they can pull you along in their wake. It's not a lot, but it can help your energy output a little. Another technique is to swim with your head about even with another swimmers midsection and as close in as possible. This will allow you ride on the wake that the other swimmer creates. Again it may not be much but it sure as heck helps conserve some energy. Keep in mind that if you get too close to the other swimmer when drafting, you can slow them down. A swimmer creates a slip stream that allows you to swim easier. If you get too close they will be pulling you like a trailer and it can slow them down which means you too are swimming slower. Another thing you should be doing as you approach the beach is take advantage of the momentum of the waves. The waves will help propel you forward at a faster pace as they move toward the beach.
2. Beginning Swimmers and the Open Water If you are new to triathlons and are preparing for your first event, be aware that open water swimming is going to be much different than swimming in the pool. There are a number of factors that you must deal with when you race in the ocean, and to a lesser extent a lake. Below is some triathlon swimming tips that will help you get ready for your first triathlon. Swimming in the ocean will pit you against waves and currents. As soon as you run into the water at the start you will be confronted with the surf which can be small to a couple feet high. Learning how to negotiate this first part of the race will make your experience much better. Once past the surf and into the open water you may encounter the windblown chop which can make breathing somewhat of a challenge. You will find when taking a breath the water tends to
go in your mouth. The waves can also block your view so you must find a technique that allows you to check the direction you are going. Remember there are no lines at the bottom to follow. You also have the challenge of fighting your way through the crowd of other swimmers who are jockeying for position. You need to be careful of flying elbows and kicking feet. After everyone gets settled in, the crowd starts to spread out and this becomes less of a problem. It all sounds like a lot of work, but once you have done your first race you will understand how to handle them. If you have access to the ocean for swimming, try to make at least a couple trips so you can practice running into the surf and swimming to get a feel for it.
3. Train to Swim for the Triathlon Of the three events in the triathlon, swimming is most likely the least expensive as far as equipment purchases. Many people have to pay for the use of a pool and this can be a detriment to some because of the cost. All that aside, the triathlon swim is the one event that too many people don't spend enough time training for and are missing out on an important part of triathlon training. Of those that do take the time to swim, how many actually train like swimmers to improve their form, increase speed and improve their endurance? Many triathletes have a background in running and may have participated in 5k or 10 races before crossing over to the triathlon. Then there are some that come from a biking background. If they spent time training to swim like they know how to do for running or biking then they could experience better times and more efficiency. If this is you, set yourself up with a regular program that will help you gain more endurance so you are stronger when you exit the water, and also to be a little faster in the water. Instead of just swimming laps up and down the pool start doing fast intervals of different distances. Every couple weeks try for a distance day where you cover a longer distance nonstop than you are accustomed to. Try to get to the point where you are swimming for distance at a faster tempo. You should also be working on your swimming form. The more efficient your form is the easier you will be able to propel yourself through the water. This means you could use less energy and leave the water not as worn out. Resouces: These links let you access two great ebooks to help you with your swim training. The first is focused on the triathlete and the second is the best on learning to correctly use the freestyle and get faster. http://www.squidoo.com/triathletes-swim-training http://www.squidoo.com/master-the-freestyle-swimming-technique