3 Tips for Successful Triathlon Swim Training

The swimming portion of a triathlon can be the most challenging for many triathletes. Reasons can vary: from difficulties adjusting to open water to athletes dialing up swim training plans two weeks before the big event, hoping to improve their endurance or stroke techniques.

Effective swim training is a process – one in which anyone can learn to improve their swimming and, in turn, improve their overall triathlon times. While stroke technique is important, instinctive understanding of the water and using healthy, effective patterns of movement are actually more important, as one of my clients discovered as we worked together over the years.

Several years ago, I received a call from Barb Lindquist, USA Triathlon’s Director of Collegiate Recruitment Program.  A colleague of mine had referred Barb to me as a swimming coach that could help Jeff, one of her promising professional triathletes. 

Jeff was a former NCAA Division 1 cross country and track star. I was impressed with his credentials, confidence, humility and his desire to succeed.  He was very candid in stating that he had taught himself how to swim by watching YouTube videos, through reading books and publications, along with receiving several anecdotal “tips” from the lap swimmers at the local Y. 

He provided me with detailed information concerning his training zones, threshold paces, time trials and race results. Though he was working hard, he was experiencing minimal improvement. After evaluating his raw data, it was time to evaluate his swimming. 

As we were walking onto the pool deck, he said, “Coach, I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to see what I’m doing wrong with my stroke right away.”  This moment gave me an opportunity to assert one of my coaching/teaching philosophies. I told him that when it comes to swimming, there really is no right versus wrong, but rather “effective” versus “less effective.”  He smiled and responded, “I’m sure you’ll be able to see what I’m doing ineffectively.”  We had a good laugh!

When you have coached high level competitive swimmers for as long as I have, you become accustomed to observing a global quality in the athletes of what some would call a “natural feel for the water” or “talent.”  These qualities seem to separate the average swimmer from the good, and the good from the great. In Jeff’s case, he was a great land athlete and an average swimmer. Most triathletes I’ve worked with, who come into the sport from a background of biking or running, generally display a “robotic” or “plastic” movement quality in contrast to a preferable “fluid” or “elastic” quality in their swimming.  And it’s no surprise, given the enormous amount of information that is available to the driven, self-coached triathlete.  The cerebral cortex becomes so cluttered with information, that swim training becomes paralysis by analysis.

As Jeff and I worked together, he gradually began to integrate with the aquatic environment, allowing him to access his natural athleticism to work with the water rather than against it.  More importantly, he was getting faster with less output of physical energy. 

While Jeff went on to become an Olympic Triathlon Team contender, any triathlete – from novice to experienced – can improve their swimming by following a few simple tips.

1.      Begin the training process at least 16 weeks before your first race. There really isn’t a lot that can be done a few weeks before the big event, as it takes time to develop that natural feel for the water to be an effective swimmer.

2.      Next time you go to the pool, refrain from swimming laps. Instead, experiment with various forms of floating (both horizontally and vertically). Observe what happens without imposing your perception of what should happen.  You will discover how to use your internal balance system and posture for efficiency. Use your imagination!

3.      Be open to different methods of swim training. I use a guided approach that utilizes the athlete’s sensory system as a teaching tool, creating exploratory situations to have experiences.  I encourage the athletes to describe the experiences, and use their feedback to help them with conclusions on improving their effectiveness.  This approach allows the athlete to respond to the water rather than directing strokes that inhibit natural and healthy movement qualities. When this connection and feel for the water has been established, you’ll find that you will no longer need to manufacture speed forcefully in attempting to move the water. Once we have developed a base of high quality movement patterns, we gradually begin to extend the duration of the quality without letting distortions occur. 

Swimming talent is teachable. It’s not a gift given to a select few but is there for every athlete. Using the imagination and sensory system as teaching tools, combined with an optimal physical training plan, you can take ownership of your swimming skills - acquisition to ultimately accelerate your training process and enthusiasm.