From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World
LAST UPDATED 05/13/2008
Pool Your Efforts
Whether you're serious about racing your first triathlon or you just want to do some cross-training in the pool, there are two types of swimming workouts that offer the most benefits for runners. The first is swimming laps, where you simply swim for a predetermined amount of time or complete a designated distance at a moderate intensity. Lap swimming is a great form of active recovery after a hard run, while it also prepares you for the rigors of a triathlon's swim by requiring you to swim for an extended period without rest.
Swim intervals are the other important workout, because they teach you how to vary your swim pace. A typical session starts with a few easy warmup laps, followed by some drills to improve your technique. For example, pick four drills and do 25 yards (typically one lap) of each drill with a 10-second rest after each lap. Next, do a set of higher-speed intervals to develop efficiency, such as swimming 6 x 50 yards a bit faster than your normal lap-swimming pace, with a 20-second rest after each 50-yard interval. Finally, cool down with a few more easy laps.
Nearly all triathlon swims take place in open water and in a big crowd, which is very different from cruising along in your own pool lane. So all beginning triathletes need to learn to swim in crowded conditions. "One of the hardest parts of swimming in a triathlon is the nervousness you feel knowing you have to swim among hundreds of other people," says Lindley. "Confidence is key."
To build this confidence you need to experience a little contact with other swimmers while training. Try gathering some friends and swimming together in a single pool lane. As you get more comfortable, increase the contact you have, intentionally swimming over the top of each other's legs, which often happens during triathlon swims.
It's also important to do some of your swim training in an open-water environment so that you can get comfortable with the poor visibility, cooler water temperature, the need to "sight" (look ahead at a buoy or landmark every few strokes), and the lack of walls to push off (or rest on). When choosing a training site, make sure it is a designated swimming area, and always work out with at least one partner. "Open-water workouts are also good opportunities to practice starts and exits," says Watson. Practice running into the water, diving forward, and swimming hard for 30 seconds, as you will have to do in a triathlon. Then turn around and practice swimming toward shore until your hand touches the bottom, standing, and running back onto the beach.
Reach and Pull
The five elements of proper freestyle technique:
- Body Position. The optimal body position is to float high in the water, as this minimizes drag. Beginners tend to allow their hips and legs to sink. To avoid this error, concentrate on pushing your chest toward the bottom of the pool. This will naturally cause your hips and legs to rise.
- Rotation. By rotating your body from side to side with each stroke, you can slice through the water with less drag. As you extend your leading arm ahead of you, rotate your body from the hips about 60 degrees toward the opposite side (as though you're plucking an item off a high shelf). Keep your neck and head neutral.
- Arm Cycle. Your leading hand should enter the water about a foot in front of your shoulder. Once you've reached full extension with your leading arm, rotate your shoulder and elbow so that your hand and forearm form a single "paddle" that pulls back toward your feet. Your hand should exit the water next to your upper thigh. Your arms are always at opposite points of the arm cycle, so when one hand is entering the water, the other is leaving it.
- Kick. Kicking too hard creates more drag than it does propulsion, so swim with a tight, "flicking" kick that uses minimal energy. "Imagine you're kicking a soccer ball gently with the top of your foot," says Roch Frey, who coaches triathletes through multisports.com. Kick twice with each leg for each stroke.
- Breathing. Turn your head to the side and inhale when your leading arm hits full extension, then turn your head toward the bottom of the pool and exhale. Inhale on one side every second or fourth stroke, or on alternating sides every third stroke.
