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Beginner Triathlon

Joel A.
Joel A. Sendmail

Swimming a Trialthlon, where to start?

asked almost 2 years ago | Report

I want to start training for a triathlon and I'm seeing constant improving in my running but I am clueless on how to improve on swimming. I have access to a pool at my school but don't want to get stuck in bad habits by "teaching myself". Any suggestions on how to start off with good habits?

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  • Jacob R.
    Jacob R. Sendmail

    Swimming is very difficult to teach without actually being in a pool. That being said I recommend finding someone local who would be generous enough to offer advice that knows what they are doing. I completed a sprint tri last June and was a lifeguard for a year and a half before that. In all honesty I was AWFUL at swimming before I became a lifeguard, seriously I couldn't swim 50m without stopping. But I had a friend come in that knew what they were doing and fixed my stroke in 20min. Just in those 20min I was able to double the distance I was swimming and within a month or so could swim 300m.

    Good habits (for freestyle swimming):
    1. keep your body flat in the water- The more your legs sink and/or you lift your body out of the water the more drag you create, making it more difficult and energy costly.
    2. When you breathe don't lift your head out of the water, rotate it to a side.
    3. Short rapid kicks
    4. I also recommend swimming in a lake if thats where your tri will take place. I swam pool only up till mine and not being able to see other than when you breathe is not something I recommend getting used to on race day, its kinda freaky.

    These are very basic tips to try and help you out, but I strongly recommend finding someone that will help you out. Good luck!

    answered almost 2 years ago |Report

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  • Ben D.
    Ben D. Sendmail

    I'm in the same boat. Vaguely thinking about a sprint tri but swimming is a humbling experience. I started taking lessons last week at the Jewish community Center here in San Francisco (easy cause I work here). For about the cost of a new pair of running shoes for month of lessons, I can tell the difference already.

    answered almost 2 years ago |Report

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  • Joe P.PRO
    Joe P. Sendmail

    For my first (and most recent) triathlon, I thought the swimming would be a snap. I figured I'd hop in and do the front crawl. I only lasted about 20 feet before realizing that it wasn't going to work because of people bumping into me. I decided to do a side stroke which was a lot easier. I hadn't swam in over a year before that day and I had a decent time I think. You might want to practice holding on to kayaks...

    answered almost 2 years ago |Report

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  • NicolePRO
    Nicole Sendmail

    I have 3 month's before my race. I have always been a good swimmer so I am lap swimming a mile a week right now to get things going. I have no real clue what to do I just swim. I probably need to work on other strokes and my kicking..but even in the little time I have started I am feeling better. My issue is going to be how to translate this to a lake which I have a childhood fear of. But I am going to just do it. I have a bad habit at looking at the bottom of the pool ??I am teaching myself to look forward and this is helping me glide and move better. Good luck in your first Tri.

    answered almost 2 years ago |Report

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  • Sol S.
    Sol S. Sendmail

    I never trained for swim before this year, and I just watched some of the drills on this web-site:
    www.goswim.tv
    I never actually spent time in the pool exclusively doing the drills, but it gave me a lot to think/focus on while I was doing them. I'd actually get up a little early..watch a couple drills then drive to the pool.
    From there I just started hitting the pool 3 days a week. Started with a "long" swim of 500m, and progressively started adding some basic sprints (25m/50m/100m), with some hand-paddle and kick-board sets. Nothing fancy, and I didn't do any of the drills from the site, since I was getting such nice improvements (3-5% every 1-2 weeks), while adding about 10% per week to the distance.

    Open water swim is a big difference. I say the first 2-300m is like a karate match in a hot-tub. you can get kicked/elbowed in the head easy, and have your goggles knocked off. Plus even a little wind on some lakes can generate 2-3ft waves....which makes even a 600m sprint swim a challenge. Best thing is to get a wetsuit for openwater training. They run about $120, but the confidence you'll get makes the open swiming easier. It basically gives enough bouyancy to keep you from going under even if knocked out. Also it helps keep you flater in the water..which is like free speed since it is more hydrodynamic.

    answered over 1 year ago |Report

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