Debunking 6 Frequent Myths In regards to the Triathlon Swim

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Let’s face it. Swimming (in open water particularly) is the most important barrier to entry for triathlon.

If I had a greenback for each time somebody advised me- “I would totally do an Ironman, if I didn’t have to swim…” I’d be a really wealthy particular person certainly.

The factor is that 80-90% of age group triathletes are adult-onset swimmers. Sure, we’d have splashed round within the pool as a child, however we didn’t develop up realizing methods to swim a correct freestyle. And most of us weren’t on a aggressive swim group.

Therefore, the primary time we discover ways to swim laps in a pool, with some semblance of type and approach, is in our 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s. In truth, many individuals gained’t discover ways to swim till they join their first triathlon.

Raise your hand if that is you.

The excellent news is that 1000’s of individuals, similar to you, have realized methods to swim nicely sufficient to finish a dash or Olympic distance triathlon and even the 1.2-mile swim of a 70.3 and the two.4-mile swim of an Ironman. Although it may appear intimidating at first, I’m right here to inform you that it’s 100% attainable, as a result of I used to be as soon as in the very same place you might be.

But there’s a catch.

You must be prepared to place within the work. You must affected person. You must be a superb pupil.

If you don’t have a triathlon coach who’s writing exercises for you, offering video instruction, and critiquing your type, it may be arduous to make any actual progress. Then, you begin looking out movies on YouTube or social media and get 1,000,000 completely different items of conflicting recommendation from 1,000,000 completely different “experts.” It will be SO complicated.

In an upcoming put up, we’ll speak about simplifying the triathlon swim. We’ll cowl the fundamental abilities you need to be taught, important drills to enhance type, methods to breathe correctly, and methods to turn out to be extra assured within the water.

But as we speak, I need to begin by debunking 6 widespread myths concerning the triathlon swim.

1. You don’t must spend as a lot time engaged on the swim, as a result of the bike and run are the place larger beneficial properties will be made.

This is my favourite fable, as a result of it’s one thing that even veteran triathletes get mistaken. Typically, the argument is that the period of time you spend within the swim is a decrease share as in comparison with the bike and run.

That half is true.

• Sprint Triathlon: (750m) The swim is 15-20% of the entire time.

• Olympic Triathlon: (1.5K) The swim is 15-20% of the entire time.

• 70.3 Triathlon: (1.2 miles) The swim is 10-15% of the entire time.

• Ironman Triathlon: (2.4 miles) The swim is 5-8% of the entire time.

Therefore, the swim isn’t as essential because the bike or run.

That is a lie.

You can’t take into consideration a triathlon (of any distance) in segments. Each self-discipline builds upon the following and can affect your vitality degree, fatigue, and endurance.

Here’s the underside line: You can’t bike to your potential when you’ve exhausted your self in the course of the swim, since you didn’t prepare for it correctly. You can’t run to your potential when you’ve used up all of your vitality on the bike, since you got here out of the swim exhausted.

Although the swim takes up much less whole time than the opposite two disciplines, when you can’t swim effectively, it’s going to inhibit your means to bike and run in addition to you might. In truth, many athletes focus a lot on elevated bike quantity or observe classes pondering they should get quicker at biking or operating, when in actuality, they should present as much as the bike and run feeling more energizing. That begins within the swim.

2. You don’t must follow swimming in wetsuit, as a result of it makes swimming simpler.

Does carrying a wetsuit make swimming really feel simpler? For most of us, that’s a sure. A wetsuit offers added buoyancy, helps you glide by the water with better ease, and provides much less assured swimmers a psychological increase. But a wetsuit isn’t a crutch for use to make up for dangerous type or neglecting swim coaching.

Also, swimming in a wetsuit is a talent that should be realized prior to race day. You must get used to the sensation of slight chest compression that may contribute to open water nervousness. If you’re utilizing a sleeved wetsuit (and let’s face it, why wouldn’t you?) you might want to get used to how your shoulders will really feel whereas swimming with tight neoprene stretched over them.

You can follow swimming in a wetsuit within the pool. Typically, swimming pools aren’t chilly sufficient to justify swimming lengthy distances in a wetsuit, however you’ll be able to definitely do a pair 100s to get used to the sensation. Then, ideally you need to follow in your wetsuit in open water.

Please don’t let your first open water swim (or the primary time utilizing your wetsuit) be on race day. That’s a really dangerous thought.

3. You must follow “swimming the distance.”

This is a quite common mistake amongst new triathletes, and I utterly perceive why. I see this occur throughout all distances of triathlon, however particularly when the swim is lengthy, just like the 1.2-mile swim of a 70.3 or the two.4-mile swim of an Ironman.

You think- “I need to get used to swimming the distance without stopping, because I can’t stop during the race.”

So, you see individuals swimming laps within the pool with out ever stopping… 1,000y, 1,500y, 2,000y at a time.

This is an effective way to get actually good at swimming poorly.

By swimming with out ever stopping, all you’re doing is exhausting your self, and also you most likely didn’t have that nice of type to start with. So, as you swim, you get an increasing number of drained, your type will get worse, and also you swim slower and slower. You by no means see enchancment and also you get annoyed.

A correct swim exercise will embrace smaller intervals with a relaxation interval on the wall. For instance, you may swim 6 x 50y with 15 seconds of relaxation. You may swim 3 x 100y with 20 seconds of relaxation. You may do 20 x 25s with 10 seconds of relaxation.

Breaking your swim into smaller intervals (50s, 75s, 100s, 200s) is an effective way to work on swimming at completely different intensities, whereas sustaining good type, which improves swim health. You should discover ways to maintain good type and approach at shorter distances first, with the intention to turn out to be extra environment friendly within the water. That effectivity will carry over into endurance, which is what will get you thru these 1.2-mile and a pair of.4-mile swims.

4. In order to enhance in swimming, you might want to swim quick/with depth on a regular basis.

I see a variety of triathletes doing these intense swim units, with little relaxation, and their sole focus is on swimming arduous and quick. I imply, that’s the one approach you get quicker at swimming is to swim quick, proper?

Not essentially. While swimming at completely different intensities is a crucial a part of constructing swim health, so is engaged on type and approach. This entails many elements: good head place (neck lengthy, eyes trying barely ahead), taut physique alignment (robust core), managed respiratory sample, catch (what propels your physique by the water), and kick (simply sufficient for steadiness).

Sometimes, the way in which you get quicker at swimming is by slowing down. It’s essential to incorporate drills in every swim exercise, with function and intention. Is as we speak’s session centered on physique place? Catch? Breathing?

You could be shocked to be taught that 1/3 to 1/2 of our swim units include drills! You can incorporate just a few drills into your warm-up to realign your physique place and set up a superb catch earlier than you get to the primary set.

Sometimes, the primary set even contains some drills, which can be utilized as energetic restoration between more durable intervals. Finally, we’d do just a few drills throughout our cool-down, like kicking in streamline on our again or utilizing a entrance snorkel.

It’s not simply depth or simply drills. You want each.

5. Triathletes don’t must kick to save lots of their legs for the bike and run.

More dangerous recommendation. This simply isn’t true. But, typically, I discover that new swimmers do the precise reverse. They kick like a motorboat, pondering that’s what’s going to propel them by the water. If you have been going to the Olympics to swim 50y as quick as humanly attainable, that could be true, however you’re not.

In actuality, the catch is what offers most of your propulsion by the water. But as a result of most of us haven’t developed a superb catch and really feel for the water, we overcompensate by kicking an excessive amount of. Over-kicking wastes vitality and can gradual you down in the long run.

So, let’s not kick in any respect! Nope, that’s dangerous too. You do must kick some, as a result of that’s what helps you keep balanced within the water. You can’t separate the swim stroke into simply arms or simply legs. It’s all interconnected. You want good rhythm, catch, pull, and glide with a taut physique line, engaged core, and sure, you might want to kick.

6. You ought to discover ways to flip flip or else you appear to be a beginner.

This is an enormous pet peeve of mine. I’m sorry, when did swimming (or triathlon for that matter) turn out to be a judged sport? Also, why do you care what anybody else thinks about your exercise within the first place?

If you need to spend just a few hours perfecting your flip flip, go forward. But most athletes can be higher served in the event that they centered on issues that may truly assist them swim higher.

Bottom line: Is being able to flip flip a enjoyable talent? Yes. Is it important for triathlon? No.

Also, when you’re flip turning anyplace on an Ironman course, one thing has gone terribly mistaken. So, when you like flip turns, do them. If you don’t like flip turns, don’t stress about it.

BONUS- You need not gas swim exercises, since you gained’t get to drink throughout an Ironman.

I truly noticed a put up (from a swim coach) about this the opposite day. Le sigh…

Are you expending vitality in the course of the swim? Yes. Are you sweating within the water whilst you swim? Also, sure. Therefore, you might want to gas the swim. Plain and easy.

It isn’t an enormous deal. Just have a water bottle on deck with 30g of carbs and electrolytes and take just a few sips throughout breaks. Done.

But prohibiting or advising athletes in opposition to consuming on deck, as a result of “your body needs to learn how to swim without fuel” is moronic.

The truth is that the majority triathletes (particularly these coaching for 70.3 or Ironman) are doing two-a-days- ie. a couple of exercise a day. Therefore, you have to take each alternative to remain forward of fueling to make sure you can full your exercises to the most effective of your means and recuperate nicely, so you will get stronger, quicker, and so on. This contains pre-workout diet, exercise diet, and post-workout diet.

Am I not fueling my 3,000y swim after which doing a 7-mile run after? I don’t suppose so.

Have a drink on deck.

If you need to be taught extra concerning the triathlon swim, take a look at this posts.

Today is our Monthly Expert Webinar!

Tuesday, February twenty fourth at 2:30 pm EST (replay can be accessible for paid subs.)

Webinar Topic: How to show the triathlon swim from a legal responsibility right into a secret weapon with skilled triathlete and swim coach, Andrew Horsfall-Turner

Andrew is a husband, father, professional triathlete, and coach. Upon completion of his elite swim profession, he fell in love with teaching. It’s a journey that helped him rediscover his ardour for competitors and train, which induced him to come upon the loopy sport of Ironman.

Since 2018, Andrew went from age-grouper to professional and now races in opposition to the most effective of the world over Ironman and 70.3 distances. In 2021, he set the Welsh iron-distance file of 8:26:27 at Outlaw Triathlon. In 2022, he positioned fifth at Ironman Wales.

Let’s uncover what Andrew has to say about swim frequency and quantity, his favourite drills and swim units, open water swim prep, and methods to un-complicate the triathlon swim.

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