Swimming for Triathletes

For the vast majority of triathletes, the swim leg is the source of the most anxiety and the discipline where the most time can be gained with relatively modest improvements. Unlike cycling and running, which most people have done since childhood. Swimming requires a specific set of motor skills that feel completely foreign to land-based athletes. In addition, the water is an unforgiving environment where brute strength and cardiovascular fitness count for far less than technique, body position, and efficiency.

When I first started triathlon training, I was a strong cyclist and a decent runner. But my swimming was borderline dangerous. I could barely complete 100 meters without stopping, my stroke was all arms and no rotation. In addition, and the idea of swimming in open water terrified me. It took dedicated, consistent work over several months to transform my swim from a survival exercise into an actual competitive advantage. Here’s the approach that worked for me and that I’ve seen work for countless other triathletes.

Technique Trumps Fitness in the Water

The single most important concept for triathlete swimmers to understand is that technique improvement yields dramatically more speed than fitness improvement in the water. A swimmer with perfect technique and modest fitness will consistently outpace a triathlete who’s incredibly fit but swims with poor mechanics. This is because water is roughly 800 times denser than air. In addition, meaning even small inefficiencies in body position or stroke mechanics create massive drag that no amount of fitness can overcome.

The United States Masters Swimming organization is an excellent resource for triathletes looking to improve their technique in a structured environment. Masters swim programs offer coached workouts that focus on drills, technique refinement. And progressive training — exactly what most triathletes need. In addition, the coaches can identify stroke flaws that are invisible to the swimmer and provide immediate feedback that accelerates improvement.

Body Position Is Everything

The foundation of efficient freestyle swimming is a horizontal body position with your hips and legs riding high in the water. Most beginner triathletes swim with their hips and legs dragging low. Creating enormous drag that makes every stroke feel like swimming through molasses. In addition, correcting this single issue can knock thirty seconds or more off your 100-meter time without any additional fitness.

To achieve proper body position, focus on pressing your chest slightly into the water. — think of it as swimming slightly downhill. Keep your head in a neutral position, looking straight down at the bottom of the pool rather than forward. In addition, when you lift your head to sight, your hips drop proportionally. So minimize head movement and rely on peripheral vision and brief glances during each stroke cycle. Practice the superman drill — pushing off the wall in a streamlined position with arms extended and holding that position for as long as possible — to develop the muscle memory of a flat, efficient body position.

Building an Efficient Catch and Pull

Your catch — the moment your hand enters the water and begins to grab hold of the water — determines the effectiveness of your entire pull phase. Many triathletes swing their arm over and immediately begin pulling straight back. Which wastes the initial portion of the stroke and reduces power throughout the pull. Instead, focus on entering the water with your fingers, extending your arm fully forward. Then initiating the catch by pressing your fingertips and forearm downward to engage the water before pulling back.

Think of your forearm as a paddle. — the more surface area you can present to the water, the more water you’ll move with each stroke. This early vertical forearm position is the hallmark of efficient swimmers and is the technique that separates smooth. In addition, fast swimming from the thrashing and splashing that characterizes many self-taught triathletes. Nevertheless, sculling drills, catch-up drills, and single-arm swimming are all excellent tools for developing this crucial skill.

Breathing Without Panic

Breathing is where most triathlete swimmers fall apart, especially in open water. The key to relaxed, sustainable breathing is to exhale fully while your face is in the water so that when you rotate to breathe. All you need to do is inhale. In addition, most beginners hold their breath underwater, then try to exhale and inhale in the brief moment their mouth clears the water. Nevertheless, — this creates a frantic, gasping breathing pattern that increases anxiety and disrupts stroke rhythm.

Practice bilateral breathing — breathing on both sides every three strokes — during training even if it feels awkward at first. Bilateral breathing promotes symmetrical stroke development, prevents neck and shoulder imbalances. And gives you the flexibility to breathe away from chop, sun glare, or other swimmers on race day. In addition, start with drills where you breathe every three strokes for one length. Then every two strokes for the next length, gradually building your comfort with the bilateral pattern.

Open Water Skills

Pool swimming and open water swimming are fundamentally different experiences. And you must practice both to be prepared for race day. Open water introduces variables that don’t exist in the pool — currents, waves, reduced visibility, physical contact with other swimmers. In addition, and the psychological challenge of swimming without lane lines or pool walls for rest. Nevertheless, begin practicing in open water at least six to eight weeks before your target race. Always with a buddy or in a supervised setting.

Sighting — lifting your head briefly to navigate toward a landmark or buoy — is a critical open water skill that must be practiced regularly. Incorporate sighting drills into your pool sessions by looking forward every six to eight strokes. In open water, sight off tall, visible landmarks on shore rather than low-floating buoys, and draft behind faster swimmers whenever possible to reduce your effort by up to 25 percent according to research published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.

A Sample Weekly Swim Plan

For triathletes looking to improve their swim, three pool sessions per week of 45 to 60 minutes each is the sweet spot. Session one should focus on technique with extensive drill work and moderate-effort swimming. Additionally, session two should be your interval session with structured speed work at threshold pace. In addition, two should be your interval session with structured speed work at threshold pace. Nevertheless, session three should be your endurance swim with a longer continuous effort at a comfortable, sustainable pace. This three-session structure covers all the bases — technique, speed. And endurance — while leaving enough time for your bike and run training.

Consistency is the key to swimming improvement. Missing one swim per week barely registers in your cycling or running fitness, but it significantly impacts your feel for the water. The neuromuscular patterns that create efficient swimming are highly perishable and require regular reinforcement. Commit to your three swims per week, even when the pool feels like the last place you want to be, and the improvements will come faster than you expect. Learn more about how I structure my multi-sport training on my about page.

For more resources, visit National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Dylan M. Harmon