Swimming 101 for the Beginner Triathlete
by Genny Mulderig Allard:
Swimming can be the most intimidating part of a triathlon for many racers. Most people do not have a competitive swim background when they decide to train for and enter their first race. I believe with stroke drills, the help of a coach, strong determination and time in the water, any beginner can become a strong swimmer.
Swimming is like golf. In golf, swinging at the ball as hard as you can does not make it go further. You must have the proper technique and skills to drive the ball down the fairway. Likewise, in swimming you cannot thrash about and move your arms and legs as fast as they go to be a fast swimmer. You need to work on technique and proper body position to be quick in the water.
This past fall I had the opportunity to work with two women at the local YMCA in Wyckoff, NJ. Dawn was athletic. She was on the tennis team in college. Linda was a dancer and aerobic instructor. Both women approached me asking for a little one-on-one time in the water so they could compete in a triathlon in June of 2000. Every Thursday for about 8 weeks we met for an hour in the pool. The entire focus of our meetings was to build certain swimming skills in a step by step process. What follows is a list of these skills for you. I would suggest that if you follow them you will see improvement. I know that Dawn and Linda both had great success with this process. Just one caveat....you have to be willing to put the time in the water to see the benefits. One swim a week is not going to do it. You must commit to at least three one hour swims weekly to really see improvement.
Ok here are the drills:
Step One: Make your body as long as you possibly can from the tips of your fingers to the tips of your toes. Really stretch your body every time you push off the wall to begin another lap. Hold this position about five to ten inches under the surface of the water. We coaches call this "streamlining." I tell my swimmers to push off each wall and streamline for the count of ten before they start taking a stroke. Getting into the streamline position is the first step to proper swimming technique.
Step Two: I reccomend two or three basic stroke drills for my swimmers to practice over and over again. I tell them to focus on these drills and not to fall into the trap of putting in garbage yardage. Its better to do 1000 yards of good stroke drills than 2000 yards of thrashing about swimming. I will describe three basic stroke drills for you to incorporate into your swims.
Kick Drill-
To start this drill, kick 25 yards on your right side (no kickboard) with your left arm extended in front of you and your right arm at your side. Do the next 25 yards on your leftside with your right arm extended in front of you and your left arm at your side.
Next, do 50 yards of 16 beat kick on your rightside, then take a freestyle stroke and roll to your left side for 16 beats repeating this until you finish 50 yards.
Follow that with 50 yards 8 beat kick on your right side, then take a freestyle stroke and roll to your left side and kick for 8 beats and repeat this drill until you finish the 50 yards.
Finish this kick set with 50 yards 4 beat kick on your right then left and end by swimming 50 yards freestyle.
Right Arm Only/Left Arm Only-
Swim Freestyle for 500 yards breaking it up as follows: 50 yards right arm only with your left arm at your side breathing every stroke to the left. Really roll your shoulders and hips during this drill. Then do 50 yards left arm only with your right arm at your side breathing every stroke to the right (again roll the shoulders and hips). This drill emphasizes the skill needed to roll your shoulders and hips. It cannot be exaggerated enough. Rolling your shoulders and hips will make for a strong efficient freestyle stroke.
Catch-Up Stroke-
The way to do this drill is to push off the wall in our streamline position with both hands stretched out as far as humanly possible. Take a freestyle stroke with your right arm and place it back at the top touching your left hand. Then, take a stroke with your left hand returning it to the top touching your right hand. Repeat this sequence. Again, to make this drill really work you need to roll your shoulders and hips and you must stay streamlined for the entire 500 yards.
If you incorporate these drills into your swims and swim three times a week, I can practically ensure you will see an improvement in your swimming. I would recommend, however, that if there is a masters swim program in your area you should join. Some triathletes are hesitant to join a swim team because they feel they are not good enough but that isn't true. All the teams I have seen have varying levels of abilities and if you have a coach and a good group of people to swim with the time goes by fast. Before you know it you're a swimmer!!!
Good luck to each of you and if you have any questions feel free to email me.
Genny Mulderig Allard: High School All American; Five Time Division II All American 1982; Co-Captain Villanova University Swim Team 1984, 1985; Coach of the Ridgewood YMCA Masters Swim Team 1990-1999; Triathlete. Attorney & Mother of two children. |
