Top 6 Tips For Triathlon Swimmers To Perform Better

Swimming, more than any other exercise, demands a lot of strength, endurance and effort. It is one of the most technical sports involving several technicalities and tactics. If you have already completed your swimming classes in Chandler AZ, you will know it well that the trainer’s tips and strategies work wonders in helping swimmers improve their overall efficiency. However, if you are a triathlete, preparing yourself for competitions, there is a whole new lot of swimming tactics that you need to follow. This is primarily because triathlon demands an altogether different level of fitness and endurance. Though the sports involved in a triathlon vary, you are usually required to start the race with swimming, quickly move over to cycling and end the race with running. Since swimming is the first of all the three activities, you need to make sure that you swim fast while also not burning too much of your energy to affect your performance at a later stage. Here, take some effective tips on making the most of your swimming capabilities in the triathlon.

When You are in the Water…

Enter the Pool with a Bang – As a triathlete, your energy level needs to be real high and you should try making a great entry to the pool with a perfect dive. Now, here is a small tip on how you can hold your energy. Put your hands in the water right about at your goggle line and from the very start, use your hands to swim forward. Many swimmers try getting the maximum air time and in doing so, reach the hands out before entering into the water. On the contrary, it is actually more effective a technique to go through the water with the hands while rotating from one side to the other.

Keep Your Head Down Mostly – The head position is very important in triathlon swimming. Since you will mostly be swimming freestyle, it is best if you keep your heads down in the water with only a small part of the back of the head out of the water. Also, it is advisable to not move your head with the rest of your body position. The tactics will help you preserve your energy and breathe less.

Pull More and Kick Less – While swimming, make sure pulling your hands all the way back crossing your hips. Be very careful about the last stroke just before the recovery, which should ideally be accelerating you forward rather than pulling you back. Try minimizing your kick as opposed to the notion of kicking extra hard to make up for lack of balance in the water. When you kick less, you automatically conserve both your energy as well as improve your balance.

When You are Out of the Water…

Measure Your Training Intensity – Participating in triathlons requires you to have lots of practice. While in your practice sessions, measure your training intensity by counting your heart rate for six seconds immediately after each swim. Add a zero to this count and the resulting figure will be your approximate exercise heart rate per minute.

Keep a Feel of the Water – Out of all the three sports activities which you are required to take up in a triathlon, swimming is the most demanding because it requires your entire body to work together. And in order to be able to move your hands, legs and muscles with efficiency, you have to be totally comfortable in the water. It is only practice that can help you develop a feel for the water in the most desired manner. The more you feel the water, the easier it will be for your body to maintain its kinesthetic awareness of balancing itself in the water.

Work on Your Weaknesses – To be a successful triathlete, you need to be efficient in not just swimming but all the three sports. So, work on your weak area, whether it is swimming, cycling or running. Because it is an overall good performance that will be considered at the end of the day to decide if you can be the winner.

Seek the expert guidance of your coach and trainer and set about the triathlon race in full swing. All the best!