Triathlon involves swimming, cycling, and running at different levels. Open water swimming is done in freestyle, and training can improve speed and energy. Proper technique includes manual entry, keeping the head low, and minimizing the kick. Practice at a slower pace to perfect stroke techniques and maintain a feel for the water.
Considered among the toughest multi-sport endurance competitions, triathlon is a challenge for even the most hardcore triathlete. The event consists of swimming, cycling and running, and can be competed at three different levels: the sprint distance, with a 750-meter triathlon swim; the Olympic distance, with a 1.5 kilometer swim; or the ultra distance, with a swim of 3.8 kilometers.
Open water swimming in the triathlon is done in freestyle. Various methods of swimming training and triathlon swimming training can help you improve your triathlon swimming. This type of triathlon training will help keep you in shape for the other events and will improve your speed and energy as you compete in the sprint, Olympic, or ultra triathlon swimming legs.
When participating in a triathlon swimming event, be sure to focus on manual entry. Keeping the hand in the goggle line when taking it out of the water during the stroke will allow a swimmer to drive it into the water more quickly. Taking the arm out of the water more will force too much air time and less efficiency on the shot. Keeping the head low throughout the duration of the swim will also allow an efficient triathlon swimmer to use less energy moving the head from side to side.
With head down and hands entering the water at the goggle line, the swimmer should also pull the hands up to the hips before lifting them up. Pulling the hands as far back as possible gives maximum pull and allows more energy to go forward. The swimmer can also allow more energy by minimizing the kick as much as possible, maintaining balance, and conserving energy for the more important parts of the stroke.
When working on triathlon swimming, a swimmer should steer clear of maxing out speed and keep up with the pack until proper stroke techniques are mastered. Practicing at a slower pace will allow the swimmer to perfect each part of the stroke until they can gradually build to a faster pace. One such practice to work on is keeping the arms straight in front of the body during the stroke. Keeping your arms straight will prevent them from crossing and taking in diagonal directions.
It is also important during triathlon swim training to maintain a feel for the water. A serious swimmer should enter the water at least every other day to maintain the muscles necessary for exercise. A practice to work on during light days can be breathing exercises, taking a certain number of strokes between each breath and increasing this number as your stamina increases.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
