For some budding triathletes it's more sink than swim in the first leg of competition. Swimming requires more than the great cardiovascular fitness and strength that powers you through the biking and running segments, and bad swimming technique slows you down and tires you out. Consistent training makes good stroke mechanics intrinsic to your swimming, allowing you to rely on it even when you get swept up in the chaos of competition.
Stroke Basics
Most athletes choose the front crawl, or freestyle, for triathlon competition because it is the fastest stroke. Keep your head and body aligned during your stroke, positioning your head so that the water hits at your forehead's midpoint. When you keep your head low and still, you have an easier time keeping your hips high, which in turn minimizes drag in the water. Keep your elbows high both on your recovery arm and during the active stroke to make your stroke more efficient, "catch" as much water as possible with your forearm and push past it.
Open Water Tips
Open water presents challenges that pool swimmers rarely face, including changeable weather, bad visibility, cold water and wavy conditions. You might even get disoriented or lost in the water. Sighting is the practice of keeping oriented during your swim. Practice sighting techniques by popping your forehead and eyes above the water without interrupting your stroke. Time your sighting just as you are about to start your next stroke and start bringing forward your recovery arm. Learning breathing on both sides helps when you want to avoid waves or when you want to keep an eye on the shoreline.
Race Day
Familiarize yourself with open-water and crowded race conditions before you enter a triathlon. Depending on the location and type of race you enter, you might wear a wetsuit, but check with local race officials for rules regarding the type and thickness of suits allowed. Neoprene caps keep your head warmer in cold water and latex or Lycra caps keep you cooler. Wear tight-fitting goggles and tuck the straps under your cap to avoid getting them ripped off during the opening fray. Steer clear of the roiling waters at the start of the swim or expect elbows flying and kicking near your head. Keeping your strokes short and elbows high helps avoid collisions and wasted energy.
Workout Options
Unless you have access to open water and live in a warm climate, you might do most of your aquatic training in a pool. Flip-turns or open turns work out your legs but do not approximate the continuous swimming you do in open water. When you reach the end of the pool, do a flip-turn a few yards in front of the wall and resume swimming without pushing off. Kicking with or without a kickboard builds up your endurance and your ankle and hip flexibility. Alternately, swimming and kicking against a strong current in the ocean provides a good strength workout.
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