Comments on: Triathlon Swimming Techniques – When to Catch the Water http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water Sprint Triathlon Training by Forging the Athlete Training Systems Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:55:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: MJ http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-75 MJ Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:55:59 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-75 I love all this great advice. Swimming is absolutely frightening for me, but I am doing it to get over my fear. I've signed up for a sprint tri on May 15th. I will be trying the moves in my workout tomorrow and let you know. For now, I'm just trying not to feel like I'm going to die! I can swim 200 yards in 4:15 mintues. I'm slower than tar! When I swim I feel like my legs are draggin' behind slowing me down. So, I'm hoping these new techniqes will help. Stayed tuned. Ya never know... I may end up being a speed demon after all! If not, I'll have to rely on my killer running and biking skills! I love all this great advice. Swimming is absolutely frightening for me, but I am doing it to get over my fear. I’ve signed up for a sprint tri on May 15th. I will be trying the moves in my workout tomorrow and let you know. For now, I’m just trying not to feel like I’m going to die! I can swim 200 yards in 4:15 mintues. I’m slower than tar! When I swim I feel like my legs are draggin’ behind slowing me down. So, I’m hoping these new techniqes will help. Stayed tuned. Ya never know… I may end up being a speed demon after all! If not, I’ll have to rely on my killer running and biking skills!

]]> By: admin http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-73 admin Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:29:16 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-73 Hi Steven, Drilling should not exert a lot of effort, and in fact, many coaches will use drills themselves as a warmup. Same with swimming a longer distance...if the intensity is not that great, use the long swim itself as part of the warmup. in any other sport, athletes will spend 20-30 minutes warming up before doing any significant intensity. So in swimming, spendign 20 minutes doing low intensity stuff which includes drilling and swimming with focal points is genearally adequate for a warmup. I hope that helps! Hi Steven,

Drilling should not exert a lot of effort, and in fact, many coaches will use drills themselves as a warmup. Same with swimming a longer distance…if the intensity is not that great, use the long swim itself as part of the warmup. in any other sport, athletes will spend 20-30 minutes warming up before doing any significant intensity. So in swimming, spendign 20 minutes doing low intensity stuff which includes drilling and swimming with focal points is genearally adequate for a warmup. I hope that helps!

]]> By: admin http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-72 admin Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:27:22 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-72 Scott, congratulations on your swim progress! I'd suggest if you havn't already, to get the DVD "Freestyle Made Easy" from Totalimmersion.net. Save 10% by using my coupon code, "coachsuzanne". Thanks for reading and stay in touch! Scott, congratulations on your swim progress! I’d suggest if you havn’t already, to get the DVD “Freestyle Made Easy” from Totalimmersion.net. Save 10% by using my coupon code, “coachsuzanne”. Thanks for reading and stay in touch!

]]> By: admin http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-71 admin Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:26:06 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-71 If you improve your body position in the water, the legs will frequently take care of themselves. I'd suggest getting the Total Immersion video, "Freestyle made Easy". Use coupon code "coachsuzanne" to save 10% on all of their products. Look for more articles on the website about swim technique too. If you improve your body position in the water, the legs will frequently take care of themselves. I’d suggest getting the Total Immersion video, “Freestyle made Easy”. Use coupon code “coachsuzanne” to save 10% on all of their products. Look for more articles on the website about swim technique too.

]]> By: Dave Reardon http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-46 Dave Reardon Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:46:48 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-46 Coach, I enjoyed the article and will try to impliment this technique on my next swim. I have struggled with the swim, particularly with body positioning which has caused me to use my legs too much and therefore tiring me out quickly. Any suggestions on proper use of the legs in swimming would be appreciated. Coach,

I enjoyed the article and will try to impliment this technique on my next swim. I have struggled with the swim, particularly with body positioning which has caused me to use my legs too much and therefore tiring me out quickly. Any suggestions on proper use of the legs in swimming would be appreciated.

]]> By: Scott Bates http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-45 Scott Bates Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:41:03 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-45 I am fairly new to swimming, having only really started in late October 2009 (I have swam since I was 7 years old, but never for any distance). I just turned 39 this past month and made a commitment to myself I was going to participate in my first triathlon this coming July. When I first started in the pool, I literally could not go more then 50 meters without feeling like my lungs would explode. It was horrible, but I eventually increased swimming from 2 days per week to 5-6 days per week and with the goal of at minimum a 1/2 mile. I'm at the point now where about half the time I can do the entire distance without stopping, with my best time of 20 minutes...and I pretty much got to this point without any coaching or help other then an occasional item I found on the internet. Though I wasn't able to completely comprehend everything discussed in this blog, I did utilize rotating the body at an angle and paying attention to how much drag I was creating this past week and the results were increadible. I finished my 800 meters (1/2 mile) in just over 18 minutes, and felt good enough to go another 200 meters! Not having to deal with the drag as much really made a difference in my endurance. What a great lesson. Also...I am 5'9" and when I started out in October I was 237 lbs. I played college football (running back) so have a fair amount of muslce underlying all the "chub", but weighing myself today at the gym (March 4, 2010)I was under 220 for the first time in probably 16 years! I am fairly new to swimming, having only really started in late October 2009 (I have swam since I was 7 years old, but never for any distance). I just turned 39 this past month and made a commitment to myself I was going to participate in my first triathlon this coming July. When I first started in the pool, I literally could not go more then 50 meters without feeling like my lungs would explode. It was horrible, but I eventually increased swimming from 2 days per week to 5-6 days per week and with the goal of at minimum a 1/2 mile. I’m at the point now where about half the time I can do the entire distance without stopping, with my best time of 20 minutes…and I pretty much got to this point without any coaching or help other then an occasional item I found on the internet. Though I wasn’t able to completely comprehend everything discussed in this blog, I did utilize rotating the body at an angle and paying attention to how much drag I was creating this past week and the results were increadible. I finished my 800 meters (1/2 mile) in just over 18 minutes, and felt good enough to go another 200 meters! Not having to deal with the drag as much really made a difference in my endurance. What a great lesson.

Also…I am 5′9″ and when I started out in October I was 237 lbs. I played college football (running back) so have a fair amount of muslce underlying all the “chub”, but weighing myself today at the gym (March 4, 2010)I was under 220 for the first time in probably 16 years!

]]> By: Steven Keller http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-44 Steven Keller Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:55:22 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-44 I live in a location where my only option is to swim in the open water. There are no pools around that are big enough or available for any sort of training. I have found ways to incorporate a lot of these drills into my training, but one question I have is about warming up prior to swimming. What is an effective warm up routine, especially if I am going to be exerting a lot of effort by doing these drills or swimming a longer distance that day? I live in a location where my only option is to swim in the open water. There are no pools around that are big enough or available for any sort of training. I have found ways to incorporate a lot of these drills into my training, but one question I have is about warming up prior to swimming. What is an effective warm up routine, especially if I am going to be exerting a lot of effort by doing these drills or swimming a longer distance that day?

]]> By: Chris Merrill http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-43 Chris Merrill Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:03:05 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-43 Couple more drills: Touch and pull: I wouldn't be surprised if you have used this before as it is fairly common. Pull from streamline with one arm at a time, keeping the other still until the moving arm comes back to touch the still hand. Then repeat with the previously still hand, so only one arm is moving at a time. Remember to use the same rotation developed with the previous drills. Distance per stroke (DPS): This is another common drill that consists of a long glide through the water. Swim freestyle, but try to glide on that edge as long as possible before rolling to the other side. "As long as possible" doesn't mean to a complete stop; it means as long as seems reasonable without losing momentum. Straight arm: It's self explanatory--swim with straight arms. Make sure not to bend the elbow through the pull AND the recovery. This helps create a long, deep stroke that will give you more distance per stroke. It may be necessary, however to retrain the forearm flop later. One last note--I have found it very helpful remember to brush my thumb on my thigh every stroke to create a long, fully developed stroke. Do this in both drills and swimming and it will soon become a habit. Couple more drills:

Touch and pull: I wouldn’t be surprised if you have used this before as it is fairly common. Pull from streamline with one arm at a time, keeping the other still until the moving arm comes back to touch the still hand. Then repeat with the previously still hand, so only one arm is moving at a time. Remember to use the same rotation developed with the previous drills.

Distance per stroke (DPS): This is another common drill that consists of a long glide through the water. Swim freestyle, but try to glide on that edge as long as possible before rolling to the other side. “As long as possible” doesn’t mean to a complete stop; it means as long as seems reasonable without losing momentum.

Straight arm: It’s self explanatory–swim with straight arms. Make sure not to bend the elbow through the pull AND the recovery. This helps create a long, deep stroke that will give you more distance per stroke. It may be necessary, however to retrain the forearm flop later.

One last note–I have found it very helpful remember to brush my thumb on my thigh every stroke to create a long, fully developed stroke. Do this in both drills and swimming and it will soon become a habit.

]]> By: admin http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-42 admin Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:13:45 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-42 Bonnie, your shoulder should not be aching from this. I will try to get that video up as soon as possible. Chris' drill suggestions are great. Bonnie, your shoulder should not be aching from this. I will try to get that video up as soon as possible. Chris’ drill suggestions are great.

]]> By: bonnie http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/swimming/triathlon-swimming-techniques-when-to-catch-the-water/comment-page-1#comment-41 bonnie Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:19:06 +0000 http://www.sprinttriathlontraining.org/?p=133#comment-41 Great Info. I tried it last night in my swim. I then came back to re-read, as my shoulder is aching pretty bad today - first time ever. I must have been doing it wrong. I will go slower and try it again this weekend. I will try some techniques Chris shared. I think that is valuable info and will make a stronger swimmer. Great Info. I tried it last night in my swim. I then came back to re-read, as my shoulder is aching pretty bad today – first time ever. I must have been doing it wrong. I will go slower and try it again this weekend.

I will try some techniques Chris shared. I think that is valuable info and will make a stronger swimmer.

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