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Open water swimming tips
Most people are apprehension about the swim and equally feel open water swimming is fairly simple.
How wrong you can be get it right and you can beat faster opposition get it wrong and weaker swimmers will already have taken their wet suit off before you stand up.
The start and where to seed yourself are your biggest challenges.
The swim should never be rough tumble and bash & kick unless of course you started with faster swimmers or went off too fast and slowed down then you deserve to be swum over, sorry I make no apologies for this.
In my last 7 Ironman races with a total number of swimmers 11,400 triathletes that’s 45,600 arms and legs I only got knocked or kicked 3 times during 16.8 miles (26.9 km).
So I think I know more than most, why because I have done all distances and understand the importance of seeding based on my current level of fitness.
First buoy
Don’t complain about the first turn buoy being only 200m from the start seed yourself and if you are not competent around the buoy expect others to catch you up. Take a wider angle if you feel nervous this allows you to keep going in water with fewer bubbles and visibility can be easier as you can look up and get a better view.
A common mistake when sighting or looking up is we slow down because our legs sink, you should try and avoid this all costs instead press down on the water and focus on lifting rather than stopping
How to draft in open water swimming
These simple tips will help you have a more enjoyable triathlon experience
There are two positions where you should draft behind another triathlete during the open water swim.
(a) Swim right behind the toes of the swimmer in front.
An experienced open water swimmer can enter their hands above the swimmers toes and pull back and save a huge amount of energy and the swimmer in front would not even know they are behind them.
Swimming feeling for their bubbles should only be done again after you have practiced it. Remember every swimmer kicks differently and their bubbles will be different. Glance up rather than look up, this allows you to maintain good body position and not lose the swimmer in front. Some swimmers are metronomes and will look up every 4-6 -8 strokes when they do they may slow down slightly, time your sighting with them to avoid bumping into them every time they slow to have a look.
(b) “Side drafting” Swim to side of the swimmer within half a meter is another great way to draft. Being in this position can sometimes also slow them down as you are in their bow wave a bit like surfing. I personally find this easier to do than swimming behind because you can see the swimmers body and keep as close as you can. Aim to put your hand into the space between their arm pit and hips. It is better to breathe to the side of the swimmer. To be most effective synchronize your stroke with them, it’s easy to do alter your stroke by shortening for one stroke. This not only avoids locking arms but more importantly you are putting your hand into the column of water they have just pushed back making it easier for you. If and when the swimmer increases the pace they can for a second pull you along with them. Avoid your hands entering where there knee is as this has the opposite effect and will push you back and or away from them
Do’s and don’t of drafting during a triathlon swim.
Don’t keep banging or hitting the swimmer in front, if you do then they are concentrating on you don’t looking where they are going or trying to lose you.
The swimmer in front has several options speed up slow down go off course so you swim by (you may follow them) then it’s a lose situation.
Don’t rely on others sight yourself
When sighting look up enough only to sight avoid lifting your head too high, its not uncommon to have your wet suit rub because you look up too high which is different form when you practice. Your arms will also ache because you are less streamlined than normal and cause extra drag.
I once heard that a triathlete felt unwell and decided not to continue so swam to the edge and at least 10 others followed!
THE START
Get ready on your marks and Go!
With computer chip timing there is really no need to have to start your stop watch on the G of the Go! If the starter gives you a 10 second warning press your watch get ready in a star fish position face towards the first buoy listen and get ready to go
By race day you would have practiced fast starts and then continued to get use to a fast start then lock into your OWN individual race pace.
Complete lots of 25m at 100% then continue for another 100m at race pace and build up to 6 of these before race day
Sighting or Navigation
It’s no good spending hours on technique being coached and never missing a session if you go wrong in the swim. Please note that if you swim 1:40 (100 seconds) for 100m that’s 1 meter a second, so for every meter you go off course to correct it can be another 2 so that could be 3 seconds lost just by going 1 meter wrong!
Good sighting is easy and avoids wasted time. Tips include using anti fog goggles that have the correct type of lens for the conditions tinted for bright sunshine and clear for overcast days
The onus is on the triathlete to know the course so don’t rely on others to go off course.
If the buoys are small or there are waves use landmarks ahead to help you. During the swim at the top of a wave or push down hard when you get a good sighting of the buoy look directly ahead for a tree island etc and use that as your guide should the buoy become invisible. Never use a boat canoe as they can soon move.
Looking back behind you may also give you an indication of how straight a line you are swimming.
For example when swimming in the Escape from Alcatraz you can use the island as a guide if the fog comes down and you can not see very far ahead
The Finish –Exit of the swim
Never stand up until your hands can touch the bottom with a straight arms for a t least 2 strokes you been on a sand bar or shallow section and by the time you stop to stand up you could now be in a deep channel and will lose all your momentum. Even weak swimmers can move faster swimming than trying to run in waist deep water. Wading thru water can be very leg sapping and cause your heart rate to sky rocket.
Ironmate tip -the taller you are the longer your arms and legs will be so don’t stand up if the person does next to you. They much taller than you or in shallower water, the bottom is often uneven and not like a swimming pool
Mistake to avoid when exiting a triathlon swim -Don’t stand up even if you can see the bottom the water always looks shallower
How to lose drafting Triathlete swimmers
You can zig zag but that can waste energy, go slightly off course then turn hoping they will
I personally prefer to slow down so they push on ahead then its your turn if this fails for 10-15 strokes once they are head to head with you draft them before surging on.
The most effective but is hard is surging until the swimmer is draft swimming past your bow wave at your hips and very soon they will be dropped because of the extra effort required just to stay with you.
Avoid making contact at all costs as this can often slow you and them down allowing others to get away or swimmers behind to catch you up. Moving sideways is often the best trick to lose someone who is drafting you.
DEEP WATER START
Float like a star fish arms and legs out create your space and as high up in the water as possible for an easier fast start, treading water uses up a lot of energy to suddenly try and get parallel.
Make sure you are not talking and listen to the starters count down.
Land to water dash start.
Arrive early or watch a wave start before you. Look for the shallowest water even if this is slightly longer to the first buoy.
If the water then shallows up plan ahead and think about standing up to sight, see who is making the most progress and consider why and allow you to take some deep breaths and check out the competition
Dolphin diving is quicker than swimming or wading thru the water but is hard on the cardio vascular system.
CHOPPY ROUGH WATER
Having trained and raced for over 25 years I have experienced many conditions so severe the triathlon swim section should have been cancelled.
You will believe you are in a washing machine and feel that your life depends on you carrying on.
Even before you start you need to consider the following.
Good positive attitude and its even more vital you know the course. Having been a fisherman in rivers and oceans I have studied current and the effect wind has on the top surface of the water.
Everyone is the same even a weaker swimmer in choppy waters we all have to think
Ironmate Tip
Learn to adjust your stroke length in time with the waves its no use trying to catch the water if your hand is sticking thru a wave it will not be able to grab hold of any water.
Agrresive but relaxed is your best attitude in choppy difficult open water swim conditions.
Lean to breathe with each wave even if it means taking half a stroke to get in time with the onslaught of waves battering you.
Now let’s look at the different types of choppy water
HEAD ON CHOPPY WATER
This is the hardest physically because it will slow you down, but the easiest type of conditions when the chop hits you head on, breathe when your head it turned at your shoulder
Make sure you are as streamlined as possible arms tight in and during the recovery.
Aim for a high elbow and hand for as long as possible in the air to avoid them being bashed by the waves and slowing you down. (I have witnessed some swimmers actually be pushed back by head wind and head on choppy conditions. You must aim for a more round like action so your arms and hands touch the wave the least during the recovery forward phase.
Biceps almost touching your ears as your hands enter the water and don’t forget to keep those legs together and if need by ankles touching
Most people never train for choppy conditions but you must change your stroke to adapt to this new environment.
It may be a completely different muscle group but you have no choice. Just like running up a regular hill but now it’s very slippery with mud you have to change your style to adapt to the unusual conditions.
CHOPPY WATER HITTING YOU FROM THE LEFT HAND SIDE
Your left arm needs to be more dominate with a powerful strong purposeful action that is ready for the wave to hit. Leaning into the wave from the left is vital to remain level with the water this will avoid swimming on your side and end up looking up in the sky.
The right arm should be relaxed to help balance you in the water. Single arm drills can help prepare you for swimming in side ways choppy water.
CHOPPY WATER HITTING YOU FROM THE RIGHT HAND SIDE
Your RIGHT arm needs to be more dominant with a powerful strong purposeful action that is ready for the wave to hit. Leaning into the wave from the right with your body is vital to remain level with the water this will avoid swimming on your side and end up looking up in the sky.
The LEFT arm should be relaxed to help balance you in the water. Single arm drills can help prepare you for swimming in side ways choppy water.
CHOPPY WATER COMING FROM ALL DIRECTIONS
A water polo style action head high to breath and most of all aim for where you are going and watch others are they making more head way than you and why.
Learn as you go find out what suits you.
CHOPPY WATER BASHING YOU FORM BEHIND (SUDDENLY)
This is the best type because it will push you forward and upwards. As soon as you feel this happening SWIM SURF by increasing the speed of your swim stroke and kicking harder until you feel the surge pass you by. This type of surge only lasts a few seconds try and determine how often they hit you and get prepared for the next one.
It’s a trade off how far you travel for the extra effort you put in but remember most of the forward push depends on how much the chop or wave pushes you. You may need to learn to recover before the next chop wave pushes you.
Like cycling down a straight hill there is a limit to how fast you can go.
You can also do the same for a wave as you come back to shore.
See you at the races!