Coaching Ideas: Important Open Water Swimming Strategies

We’ve compiled recommendation and insights on two key swimming methods, with assist from our specialist coaches. Explore our Coaching Camps to hone your expertise and enhance your approach for the following stage of your open water journey…

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In this weblog, we’ll concentrate on freestyle and breaststroke, counting on knowledgeable suggestions and insights supplied by a few of our inspiring coaches world wide. For these of you pondering of creating the transition to open water, we’d advocate having a strong base of pool swimming capacity earlier than you achieve this. This gives a robust platform from which to be taught the mandatory expertise to develop into a protected and assured open water swimmer.

Venturing out into the open water doesn’t require a reinvention of approach, however there are essential variations you have to be conscious of. With information of those variables, you can be effectively geared up to swim safely and enjoyably in lots of circumstances. The method to strategy open water is to manage what’s controllable and adapt to what’s not. Part of the journey is the actual fact no two swims outdoor are ever the identical, so be aware of the potential for surprises and pleasure alongside the way in which.

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It is true, in open water, you’re coming into a comparatively uncontrolled setting. You ought to count on circumstances to vary and be ready to react. There is not any higher preparation for open water than truly getting on the market and doing it. Even you probably have diligently labored in your approach and coaching within the pool, nothing will correctly put together you for the euphoria, elation, nervousness and nerves which will effectively make up your first open water swim.

Following is a few recommendation and knowledge to help as you are taking your methods out of the strict confines of the pool – into the extra diversified, and fewer predictable realm of the outside. Key variations between pool swimming and open water, embody: temperature, visibility/navigation, climate circumstances, and assist/security.

‘The method to strategy open water is to manage what’s controllable and adapt to what’s not…’

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GETTING SWIM FIT

Firstly, earlier than we have a look at approach, let’s rapidly speak about getting match. Every open water swimmer is aware of their capacity to deal with the huge array of circumstances depends on a strong base of bodily conditioning. Obviously, the perfect place to coach for open water swimming could be the open water, however we notice this can be not all the time be attainable, or lifelike.

It is essential to coach appropriately for an acceptable degree as effectively. If you’re simply swimming for pleasure then a really primary understanding is all you would wish, however when you intend to compete, fine-tuning for a sooner tempo, a extra thorough understanding could be useful.

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Put simply, the body produces energy in two ways: anaerobic system (without oxygen) and aerobic system (with oxygen). As a general rule, the shorter and more intense the activity, the greater the percentage of energy comes from the anaerobic system. As the duration of the exercise increases and the intensity drops, then proportionally more energy comes from the aerobic system. So, a five-second burst of activity will likely be fuelled 100% anaerobically. Whereas a steady sustained hour-long swim will be close to 100% aerobic.

This has implications for how you may want to train for your swimming. If you want
to keep it simple, divide your training into just two categories (aerobic and anaerobic).
Otherwise, these four categories might be more applicable to you as a way to make sessions more varied and enjoyable:

• Aerobic base training: low intensity training 60-75% (longer sets, short rests)
• Aerobic endurance training: higher intensity 75-85% (long sets, short rest)
• Anaerobic training: higher intensity again 85-95% (short sets, longer rest)
• Sprint training: maximum effort 100% (very short sets, rest to full recovery)

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FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE

As you will no doubt see if you take a look at the swimmers in your local pool, or even most Olympic finals for that matter, there can be quite a range of interpretations as to what constitutes an effective arm action for freestyle.

These variations come about because of individual differences in strength, flexibility and experience. However, the ultimate aim is the same and the effective principle is very simple and easy to understand.

Your arms will provide the vast majority of the propulsive force in freestyle. Be clear what you are trying to achieve. Ultimately, you are trying to use your hands and arms as levers to propel your body forward – rather than pushing water backwards.

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Focus Points

• The underwater (propulsive) part of the arm stroke accelerates from slow, at the front, to fast, at the back
• At the front of the stroke keep the arm relaxed and weightless
• Keep the elbow high as you feel for the catch
• Keep arms close to the body to lever body forward
• Maintain hold on the water Continue to push beyond the hips
• Relax arm as elbow exits water for recovery

‘Your arms will provide the vast majority of the propulsive force in freestyle…’

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BREASTSTROKE TECHNIQUE

Breaststroke may be chosen in preference to freestyle for a number of reasons:

• Difficulty mastering the alternating nature of freestyle
• Inability to maintain freestyle for duration of swim
• Easier to navigate in open-water
• More sociable option / enjoy surroundings

Essentially, a well-executed breaststroke can be more efficient and enjoyable than a poorly executed freestyle and therefore, may be the preferred option for a number of swimmers. As with other strokes however, many of the principles remain the same and observing a few basic rules can make your breaststroke an effective alternative to freestyle.

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The arm action for breaststroke can be broken down into four distinct phases:

• Out-sweep from full extension the arms pull wide and straight
• Catch as the arms travel wide of the shoulders the elbows begin to bend and press down on the water
• In-sweep as the arms continue to accelerate in a semi-circular movement to bring the hands underneath the body
• Recovery as the hands release the water they continue up, in and forward until they reach the surface and extend again to the start position

These four stages should combine to produce a continuous action and there should be a smooth acceleration of hand speed from the beginning to the end of the above phases.

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The leg kick is important in breaststroke because it generates a much larger proportion of the propulsive force than it does in the other strokes. Again, the kick can be broken down into four phases:

• Recovery from an extended position, the heels are drawn up towards the buttocks. Keep the feet extended and the knees close (inside line of shoulders)
• Catch as the heels approach the buttocks the feet should be rotated out and dorsiflexed (turned up)
• Out-sweep when the hip and knee joints extend to drive the legs backward and outward
• In-sweep as the legs continue to accelerate, now sweeping back together and finishing completely extended

As with the arm action these stages should combine to produce a continuous movement, though there should be a notable acceleration through the final two phases.

The movements involved tend to create more resistance, which is why this tends to be the slowest of the strokes. However, just like freestyle, the aim in breaststroke is to maintain as streamlined a body position as possible. It helps if you can put your face in the water at the front of the stroke, keeping your body streamlined and your hips up near the surface.

‘Just like freestyle, the aim in breaststroke is to maintain as streamlined a body position as possible.’

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Focus Points

• Start and finish each stroke in an extended, streamlined position
• Inhale during the powerful in sweep of the arms as the head reaches its maximum height
• Drive out and back with the legs as the arms reach for full extension
• Hand speed continues to accelerate through all phases of the arm stroke
• As the feet come together at the end of the kick the next arm stroke begins

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You can join any of our open water training holidays with a swimming club, or group of friends. Reach out to our friendly Group Travel team to learn more and plan a camp to suit your needs…