I just started swimming this summer and I'm up to 2400 yards in an hour.
I'd like to do the Reston 1mile this year, then Chesapeake Bay a year or 2 later.
I stop & stand 6 times through the 2400yd.s & about 30 percent of my workout is breastroke. I know I need to phase out the stops, but what about the breastroke?
I know I shouldn't do breastroke at the beginning of an open water swim since I'd be kicking everyone, but once we spread out, is it OK? Are many others doing breastroke periodically?
Can anyone suggest a good book on open water swimming so I don't bother y'all with too many newbie questions?
Parents
Former Member
This will be only my second season in open water, so I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but last season I did a one mile ocean and two mile lake swim, both about 50% breastroke. It's much easier for me, and both times my shoulder was bothering me (don't know if it's an old injury - not swimming related - or lousy freestyle technique). I did the mile in 39:01 and the two mile in 1:16:44. That's slow, but my goal was to finish.
I'm entered in the Potomac River swim, which is 7.5 miles. Again, my goal is to finish, and I plan on varying my stroke among freestyle, ***, and back. My shoulder couldn't take 7.5 miles of straight freestyle, and there are no time limits on this swim, so hopefully this will work.
If your goal is to do a fast mile or two, I'd say try to gradually reduce the breastroke, but if you just want to finish, then whatever works. Good luck!
This will be only my second season in open water, so I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but last season I did a one mile ocean and two mile lake swim, both about 50% breastroke. It's much easier for me, and both times my shoulder was bothering me (don't know if it's an old injury - not swimming related - or lousy freestyle technique). I did the mile in 39:01 and the two mile in 1:16:44. That's slow, but my goal was to finish.
I'm entered in the Potomac River swim, which is 7.5 miles. Again, my goal is to finish, and I plan on varying my stroke among freestyle, ***, and back. My shoulder couldn't take 7.5 miles of straight freestyle, and there are no time limits on this swim, so hopefully this will work.
If your goal is to do a fast mile or two, I'd say try to gradually reduce the breastroke, but if you just want to finish, then whatever works. Good luck!
