Hey all!
New to the site and fairly new to swimming in general. I live in Florida so I've known how to swim my whole life, but I've just recently (beginning of the year) started swimming recrationally/for excersize. I'm seeking commision in the US Navy; so I'm trying to stay fit. I've been swimming freestyle now for a few months and for the last few weeks with goggles and a snorkle. Before starting freestyle, I did *** stroke (my verison) and side stroke (Navy's version).
No matter what I do I seem to swim about 2 minutes per 100m freestyle. How is that timing for this type of swimming? I even used a pull bouy and it didn't slow me down that much, albeit I was much more tired at the end of the swim. I usually swim 500 to 800 meters every few days on my lunch break. I even did 1000m last week. Felt very accomplished that day.
Also, I'm going to start training for an upcoming sprint triathlon. I have about 5 months to train and I have a plan of attack, but I'm trying to learn more about open water swimming. At what point should I attempt an OWS? What should I practice before actually attempting an OWS? The sprint tri OWS is between 400 and 500 m. Should I pratice this distance open water or more?
Thanks for listening and I hope to learn more.
Dave
Hi Dave, :welcome:!
You might want to check out the "Open Water Swimming" forums and post your questions in a thread there: Open Water Swimming - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
As for improving your freestyle 100m swim time, the best thing I can suggest is to have somebody shoot some video of you swimming, upload it to YouTube, then post the link in this thread. If you ask for your stroke to be critiqued, you will get some helpful advice, I'm sure.
Good luck!
:cheerleader:
The swimming you do is fine for a triathlete or for general fitness..
You will want to get as much open water in as you can before your race, but that's a pretty short distance for OW.
Word has it that you can never win a Tri with swimming. But you can lose.
A champ iron man might spend 1/8 of the race swimming mroe than half on a bike and 1/3 running. Speed up or slow down the swimming - even considerably - and no big deal.
You can lose a tri with swimming. 90%+ of triathlon deaths happen in swimming. That's losing big time. So don't give the swimming too short shrift.
Too many triathletes are willing to go in with way undertraining in swimming. Collapse on a bike and you might break an arm. Collapse running and you lie on the ground for a while.
Collapse swimming? You drown.
Tri-swim starts are chaotic. Start wide. Be prepared to be jostled. By big strong muscular guys that know their way around the surf and don't care about you.
I'd recommend learning *** stroke and back stroke as well as free style to vary and balance your muscle groups. Also *** is better (IMO) when the surf or the crowd gets too much.
Practice distances (maybe 2000- 3000 yards ) once a week and then 100 yards sprints once a week.
Then get back on your bike.
I'm no expert though, just my opinion.
No matter what I do I seem to swim about 2 minutes per 100m freestyle. How is that timing for this type of swimming? I even used a pull bouy and it didn't slow me down that much, albeit I was much more tired at the end of the swim. I usually swim 500 to 800 meters every few days on my lunch break. I even did 1000m last week. Felt very accomplished that day.
Also, I'm going to start training for an upcoming sprint triathlon. I have about 5 months to train and I have a plan of attack, but I'm trying to learn more about open water swimming. At what point should I attempt an OWS? What should I practice before actually attempting an OWS? The sprint tri OWS is between 400 and 500 m. Should I pratice this distance open water or more?
2:00/100 m is probably a little bit on the slower side for sprint tri's. A quick glance of a half ironman event (1.2 mi swim) near me last summer had 1,200 competitors and a 1:58/100m swimmer was in 545th place, so that's right around average.
The fact that you were around the same speed with a pull buoy is not necessarily surprising. The buoy will raise up your hips and legs. That improvement in body position can offset the loss of power from a kick.
You always want to practice longer distances than what you are actually swimming. Swim as much as you can (seriously). Even if you're doing 5,000 meters a day, you could do more, so just get in whatever you have time for.
Make sure you aren't just hopping in and doing one long swim. Do workouts that are both sprint (short distances, high rest, 100% intensity) and distance/pace oriented (longer distances, shorter rest, 80-90% intensity). I'm generalizing, but specific workouts are on the forums.
In my experience, you don't need a lot of time practicing in the Open Water environment...a pool will suffice. However, I've been swimming my entire life, so I'm pretty comfortable anywhere there is water.
Hey guys, sorry I was gone for a day.
Elaine: hi, and thanks. I cruised the OW forum. Those guys take that very seriously. Need to get a bit better before I "think" I'm ready.
Mick and Greag: Great advise from you both. I need to read up on different swims. Right now I "warm up" with about 100 yards free and some push ups, then i swim 500+ about 3 times/week.
Eel: I do need to talk with a coach, just can't afford too much.
Steve: thank you. applied for commision almost 1 year ago and they haven't selected anybody from this year.
CHEERIO!!
Hi dfickey, nice to have another noob here! I think you should first get someone to help you with your technique. There may be some low hanging fruit there; it takes a lot of time and effort to practice enough to overcome serious stroke flaws. With a smoother stroke you will be less exhausted for the biking and running.
