Things I'm Learning - Swimming

The weakest of the three disciplines of triathlon for me - I won't even begin to talk about stroke as I have so far to go. If you are interested in form, here is a link to a website that has the perfect swimmer.

My observations:

When sighting in open water, try to use a point above the water, with higher being better. Buoys in heavy swell or chop can be hard to see. I try to look for features on mountains, buildings, etc. that I can easily identify when possible. It doesn't require me to pick up my head as much and I can get back into proper swim body position faster. When I pass a buoy, I pick my new sighting point off the next buoy and keep going.
 

There is a buoy on the middle far right of this picture below the far right island that runs off the picture. Easier to see the island...

To practice swimming straight, use the lane markers in the pool. A drill I will use when I feel like I might not be swimming straight is to get as close to the lane marker in the pool as I can without touching it. I then swim the lane marker looking back toward the center of the lane. My breathing is to the opposite side of the lane marker (marker on my right, I breathe to the left). The goal is to swim the lane without brushing the marker. I find this gives me a greater sense of "feel" in the water. I make sure when I do this drill that I do it with the lane marker both on my right and on my left sides.

Practice breathing bi-laterally. This is huge. Being able to breathe both to the right and the left on demand gives you so much more freedom and confidence in the water. The ability to see where other swimmers are, if there is an open swimming lane you can get into during a mass swim, the ability to breathe away from the swell are all invaluable.

Practice hypoxic breathing. You must have someone with you to do these exercises, but I think it is worth the effort. In the interest of disclosure, there are several sources that disagree with this type of training. What I would say is that I make this a small part of my training in the pool, but I personally have found it to increase my confidence as well as my ability to relax when I miss a breath for whatever reason. Find a series of hypoxic breathing drills here. An additional drill that I do is to swim underwater as far a possible without coming up for air. I will usually do 2-4 efforts at the end of a session, trying to push just a little farther with each effort.

Swim with faster swimmers. See my running post. Swimming with better swimmers makes you work harder. Nobody wants to be last. Faster swimmers are also better technical swimmers. To paraphrase one of my favorite quotes: swimming fast is 90% technique, the other 10% is technique.

A mass start triathlon swim is the aquatic version of a mosh pit. If you wade into the pit, you are going to be bumped, pushed, hit, kicked and grabbed. Mentally welcome it before you ever get into the water. The difference between the mosh pit and the mass swim start is that in the mosh pit it is intentional. Swimmers just have the unfortunate desire to occupy the same space as someone else. Try and stay calm. Stress increases adrenaline and burns additional energy. Remember that, especially in longer events, the swim is there to soften you up. The real work is on the bike and run. Try to relax as much as possible and stay patient.

Foggle anti-fog wipes are the bomb. I am not endorsed by anyone, so if I endorse a product it is because I use it and find a superior benefit from it. Triathlete Shawn Wallace turned me on to these wipes and they are amazing. Totally fog free for an entire swim session. I get usually get 4-5 sessions out of one wipe by replacing it in it's original packet and then putting that in a small zip lock baggie. Buy them here.

Find a pair of goggles that are comfortable. If you find your goggles to be uncomfortable, you should take a look around. There are several major brands and a ton of styles available. I wouldn't make a recommendation that is specific because I have tried multiple styles from one brand and found that some work well while others don't. All I am saying is that a comfortable pair of goggles do exist and you do not have to suffer pain and headaches my friend.

The more desperate things become, the more you need to relax. Call this the quicksand theory: the more you struggle, the faster you eliminate your options and sink. Things are going to happen to you while you are swimming, especially in open water. Goggles kicked off, cramp, stung by a jellyfish, smashed by a wave, shapes/shadows in the water that scare the shit out of you, mouthful of water, disorientation, vomiting, etc. For me, part of the reason I train hard in the water is to give myself the confidence that I can handle it. When I am shocked or scared in the water, the first thing I do is take a mental moment to relax and access where I am at. Then I can make a better effort at working my way through problems. I think it's just a smarter way to swim.