Triathlon: Three Traps
Taking a different approach to training in the pool may be the key to overcoming triathlon race day.
Most triathletes they come from the field of cycling or runners and so swimming is the latest specialty to be added to their list, which certainly does not make it any less important than the other two events. After all, swimming may not be the one in which the race will be won, but it is the one in which it can be lost.
Although there is no substitute for
training in the open sea, below are some helpful tips to help you reach your triathlon goals more easily.
Stop "kicking" like cyclists
As much as it seems weird muscles have memory. Give your legs time to learn to kick like swimmers and the result will surprise you.
Invest in a good pair of soft flippers, suitable for training. This will help you both correct the way you kick and improve your overall swimming technique. You'll also strengthen those core and leg muscles that can't be worked outside of the pool.
Triathlon: Three Traps
Triathletes often say they can't work on kicking because they want to protect their legs for the rest of the race, since the gain will be only a few seconds off the swim and not worth the sacrifice. The answer is simple. If they kick properly, it will help the overall swimming part. The time may not be drastically reduced but the level of physical fatigue will be lower throughout the race and thus energy will be saved making the overall time reduction greater.
Train like a swimmer
A runner would never train for a marathon and for most athletes the moment of the race is the first time they have covered such a long distance. In swimming, the exact opposite happens. Swimmers train over long distances and often at race pace.
Plan your day and week so that you spend more time in the pool. This is the only way to become really good at swimming. This extra time in the pool will help you balance out physically and give the body's joints time to rest from all the pounding of the race.
Put the technology away
Especially if you are new to this type of training, do it the simplest way. Swimming is an old school sport. You just come to the pool and do your job in the best way. Of course there is plenty of very modern equipment out there. You might need him later, but certainly not from day one. First take time to learn yourself as a swimmer and assess your goals and needs. You can also borrow equipment from friends to see how useful it might be for your own needs. Spending a lot of money upfront is not a good idea for any activity. It might even work as an excuse not to come to the pool and not do the right training. And just for the record: swimmers don't use headphones!!!
Conclusion
Whether your goal is to become a better swimmer, or to lower your time on race day, the ideal way to train and enjoy swimming is to act like a swimmer. When you are in the pool you are not a triathlete. You are a swimmer.
Saltamanikas Nikolas
TEFAA graduate swimming specialty
Class A coach
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