better swimmer: technique

better rider: technique

better runner: technique

I'm feeling rather philosophical today, so this may not be in line with what you had in mind, BUT...

I personally find it difficult to reduce a skill down to one, singular technical tip that can alone provide a great increase in one's proficiency. At the same time, I don't mean to imply then that one should be continually mindful of a myriad of tips while attempting to increase one's proficiency. The first approach seems overly simplistic, the second approach results in too much mental clutter and takes away from the element of 'being there' in the moment in the act of what you're doing.

I guess then my not-so-useful 'tip' would be 'Do, Do, Do', or 'Be, Be, Be'. Or, to make it at least marginally topical, 'Practice, practice, practice.' But that all sounds a bit too serious (or imperious) I suppose, so I guess I'd have to ammend it to be 'Practice, practice, practice--and have fun doing it!'

<The preceeding mumbo-jumbo brought to you by a swimming-as-if-through-molasses, biking-as-if-shaped-like-a-brick, running-as-if-equipped-with-lead-feet back-of-the-pack product of a liberal arts education.>

Swimming: Get a swim coach or at least have a friend videotape you



Cycling: Ride!!!!



Running: Run hills, all the time, short runs, long runs, fast runs, slow runs. (With the exception of recovery runs which should be done on the flats)

Swimming: Master's swim.

Biking: LSD in off/early season, 2+ hours. The longer the better.

Running: High cadence and Jack Daniels! Oops, that was two, but Jack believes in the first.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

--BikeSnobNYC

Swim: be like the water - fluid - when you get too rigid, you'll work harder with poorer results.

Bike: spin perfect circles at a high cadence

Run: I have absolutely no right to give out running advice, so don't take it from me.

Woody

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Mike Hollywood
http://www.bostontriathlonteam.com
http://www.michaelhollywood.com

Swimming - I have no idea. I was always a terrible swimmer. Good wet suits and great drafting somehow kept me in the game.

Cycling - Assuming good bike fit - take the time to learn a good, efficient pedaling technique.

Running - Run in the hills ALL the time.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Swim: Develop a rhythm.

Bike: Go to a LBS and get a proper bike fit.

Run: Don't over-stride.

From an ex-fish.

Swim: is all about technique. do drills every workout, have a clear purpose for each drill you do. Remember that the water doesn't get tired, you do, so don't fight it. Drills should be aimed at making as small a "hole" through the water as you can.

Bike: ride with roadies, and keep a tight line close to the rider in front (within 12 inches) This will help to force you to become smooth and efficient.

Run: i run like a swimmer. My run has improved from painfully slow to just mediocre, just by being consistent.



Plus 3 more categories.

Transitions: practice, practice, practice

Race: (no experience with anything above Olympic distance) For sprints / olympic, don't think too much, rely on instinct and feel developed through your training, and don't drop your only waterbottle after 2 miles on the bike when its 90 degrees and humid.

Overall (2 tips): Train your weakness, race your strength. Be consistent.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

1. Work on technique.
2. Work on position and fit.
3. Weight train to injury proof yourself for running.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Have fun!!!

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Saddlesore

swim - don't let your legs drag

bike - I don't know yet, still looking for a silver bullet

run - don't let your feet get in front of you. if you let your heel hit the ground in front of you, you might as well be eating donuts for breakfast everyday, because you won't get any faster.

Swimming - Ditch the crutch aka pullbuoy.

Bike - Find a club and get dropped by the roadies. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat... Eventually they won't be able to because you'll get so pissed off that you train like a madman in secret in order to hold on to them.

Run - Do every 2-5-10k that happens in your area. You'll learn a lot about running by racing.

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swim - form. if you have a bad day here or there, and your form sucks, stop the workout, and do something else. You are going to to more harm than good.

Bike - ride a lot, ride hard.

Run - change your running surfaces. Running on roads can cause injury. Do at least 1/2 of workouts, more if possible on grass. Nothing to do with performance, but it will keep you going.

[reply] Biking: LSD
Running: Jack Daniels![/reply]

I am with GT. It's LSD and Jack Daniels all the way; for all three events in fact :-)

Sorry, I have a day off and am just feeling a wee bit silly.

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TonyG

What is Enoch Root?

Swim: DONT swim in a lake by yourself if your just starting out.

Ride: Listen to what the experienced guys here have to say.

Run: TURN UP THE MUSIC. So many people don't do this. For me I find it neccessary on long runs to have some energetic music playing. I can go 7 miles without it, but for me to do Marathons, gotta have it. It gets so boring out there without it.

Practice makes Permanent....so, practice everything correctly, or you will just end up imprinting the wrong things. This is the reason I choose to ride a certain pedal system, I am forced to use my muscles in a certain manner in order to go down the road.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

When it comes to the swim and the run, I'm more qualified to listen to tips than to give them. Therefore I'll devote my allotted trio to the bike.

1) Make sure the bike fits properly

2) group ride with roadies to learn the basics.

3) realize that spending big bucks on all the latest gollygeewhiz gizmos is no substitute for improving the engine.

I swim like a runner!

Swim: join a masters club

Bike: put in lots of time in the saddle

Run: intervals, intervals and more intervals and keep them shorter than most triathletes like ... repeat 400s, 800s etc way faster than your race pace. If you are doing repeat miles you might as well do a hard tempo run at race pace.

Swim: Reach as far as you can and pull throough as far as you can.

Bike: Plenty of hills and spin

Run: The more you run the more comfortable you are while running.

Swim - get a wetsuit

Bike - Do your long rides in the hills

Run - fartleks and tempo runs over varied terrain

 
This is a easy one. Do you want to develop this as a life style? Do you want to be doing this for years? Do you want to meet people and enjoy the sport? Then the answer is Always smell the roses, Race for fun, enjoy yourself, enjoy the race , enjoy the experience! AND pay backto it!!!!!!
Just found out that my class made at the fitness center, I'll be teaching triathlon 101. It's free and open to the public. We'll start in Feb, and end with a race in April! Every race someone says " It don't get any better than this". What a great sport "life style"

Miles make champions - Arthur Lydiad.

Put in as many high quality miles as your body can tolerate without breaking down.

andrew

to reiterate some of the replies above (and what worked best for me):

1) swim: masters... hands down. they'll ingraine technique and rhythym in your stroke whether you like it or not.

2) bike: roadies... they'll push you to your limits, time and again, and you won't even know what hit you.

3) run: hills... all i can say is hills.

After a long morning in the pool doing drills and long intervals, you must do long bricks.

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Slow down or Go Around.