How much do triathlete need to learn about swimming?
Former Member
I do not mean this as a heartless criticism of triathletes. I actually enjoy the sport. But many of them start doing triathlons with almost no knowledge or experience in swimming. Here are a couple of choice comments to the thread I linked below. Thank goodness I knew how to ride a bike and run before I started doing tris - but not well. Give them credit for taking it on, but I do think they should learn to swim before entering one.
"The swim is short ( 150 yards ), and I can make it..not without stopping a couple of times at the end of the pool."
"A lot of pool sprints are so newbie friendly that they let you get through the water any way you can. I have seen people water walk the 300 meters in a pool swim in my area."
"My wife did an indoor tri a few months ago and I think 1/4 of the people walked the swim."
I recommended that the person do breaststroke.
www.beginnertriathlete.com/.../thread-view.asp
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Former Member
As background, I have been coaching swimming for triathletes for ten years now. Triathlon swim classes, well attended and people love them. I am quite proud of the fact that we have refined our technique to the point where, except for one case, we are taking brand new swimmers from the ability to swim a single 25 only, to swimming a continuous mile, in 5 weeks. We do this regularly, there has only been one exception.
So that's my background in this world, pretty extensive.
I think that the "You can do it!" can be and IS taken too far in certain situations. However, with the proper follow up "You can do it!" is almost certainly the right answer. So, if the question is from a couch potato who wants to do a triathlon in 5 weeks, let's say pool swim in this case, then the answer is almost certainly yes you can. But the follow up needs to be that you need to follow up with a training plan (many free ones out there) and get with an adult learn to swim expert. Unfortunately tyhere are not many of those around, but they exist.
On the other hand I will say something that I do like about the tri community is that most of the people are coming to it as adults and are doing it BECAUSE of the challenge. They know they won't necessarily be good at it yet aren't afraid to go out there and do it. Or to go out there and suck :-)
This is in contrast to a good chunk of swimmers on my own squad who won't go to a meet, or won't do this event or that event because they don't think they will do well at it or because it's hard. It' is a totally different mindset actually. I think the unfortunate part is that the swimmers might be missing out on some fun and rewarding experiences.
You left out that triathlons have my favorite sport to race, and when it is over I go for a nice bike ride and a little jog. Here in Oregon many times this is followed up with a couple of brews at the event. And you get to do it outside! How can you not like this sport.
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Former Member
As background, I have been coaching swimming for triathletes for ten years now. Triathlon swim classes, well attended and people love them. I am quite proud of the fact that we have refined our technique to the point where, except for one case, we are taking brand new swimmers from the ability to swim a single 25 only, to swimming a continuous mile, in 5 weeks. We do this regularly, there has only been one exception.
So that's my background in this world, pretty extensive.
I think that the "You can do it!" can be and IS taken too far in certain situations. However, with the proper follow up "You can do it!" is almost certainly the right answer. So, if the question is from a couch potato who wants to do a triathlon in 5 weeks, let's say pool swim in this case, then the answer is almost certainly yes you can. But the follow up needs to be that you need to follow up with a training plan (many free ones out there) and get with an adult learn to swim expert. Unfortunately tyhere are not many of those around, but they exist.
On the other hand I will say something that I do like about the tri community is that most of the people are coming to it as adults and are doing it BECAUSE of the challenge. They know they won't necessarily be good at it yet aren't afraid to go out there and do it. Or to go out there and suck :-)
This is in contrast to a good chunk of swimmers on my own squad who won't go to a meet, or won't do this event or that event because they don't think they will do well at it or because it's hard. It' is a totally different mindset actually. I think the unfortunate part is that the swimmers might be missing out on some fun and rewarding experiences.
You left out that triathlons have my favorite sport to race, and when it is over I go for a nice bike ride and a little jog. Here in Oregon many times this is followed up with a couple of brews at the event. And you get to do it outside! How can you not like this sport.
