I’ve done a search but was really hoping for more. I was just hoping to see some points as to how successful open water swimmers modify their stroke in choppy seas , swells , as compared to the dead calm of the pool.
I have been stubbornly , yet successfully ,attending some swimming classes since May. My swim coach and club ,although renowned in teaching stroke mechanics , don’t have a whole helluva lot of advice ,regarding open water swimming .
I should add ,that I am not " new" per se, to it as I have 20odd OD’s , 3 HIM’s and 2 IM’s to my credit.
I don’t know that I modify my stroke that much, but I draft, watch someone go by you, jump on their feet and follow the bubbles. Still site to make sure they aren’t goiing the wrong way, but if I’m following someone who seems to be going the right way, I don’t stress so much about siting.
No change in stroke unless my hand drags in water, then I would make the recovery closer to my body.
Sighting: After reviewing the course before the race, I pick the prominent points to sight on, assuming the buoys can’t be easily located. I usually try to sight every sixth stroke…pick the head up, take a mental picture, get the head back down to continue swimming, and then figure out what I saw and make any necessary adjustments. Keeping the head up for more than a second serves to let the hips and feet sink, thus producing drag, thus slowing one down.
Minimize the kick for long swims. The kick can use a lot of energy but for only little return. Save that energy for your arms. Only in the last few minutes of the swim should you start a minimal kick to ensure that there is blood going to the legs since they are soon going to be asked to support your body’s weight.
Before the race starts, learn what the current is doing so that you can use it to your advantage. One way to learn is to swim out a few hundred yards, stop and see where the beach is going. If it is moving, you have a current.
Do warm-up for a 10-15-minute time period, just as you would for a workout. If you neglect to warm-up, you may find yourself hyperventilating a few seconds after the race starts and will likely not recover until the swim is finished.
I don’t know that I modify my stroke that much, but I draft, watch someone go by you, jump on their feet and follow the bubbles. Still site to make sure they aren’t goiing the wrong way, but if I’m following someone who seems to be going the right way, I don’t stress so much about siting.
Pretty much me to a point at the moment… but thanks for your reply nonetheless.
No change in stroke unless my hand drags in water, then I would make the recovery closer to my body.
Sighting: After reviewing the course before the race, I pick the prominent points to sight on, assuming the buoys can’t be easily located. I usually try to sight every sixth stroke…pick the head up, take a mental picture, get the head back down to continue swimming, and then figure out what I saw and make any necessary adjustments. Keeping the head up for more than a second serves to let the hips and feet sink, thus producing drag, thus slowing one down.
Minimize the kick for long swims. The kick can use a lot of energy but for only little return. Save that energy for your arms. Only in the last few minutes of the swim should you start a minimal kick to ensure that there is blood going to the legs since they are soon going to be asked to support your body’s weight.
Before the race starts, learn what the current is doing so that you can use it to your advantage. One way to learn is to swim out a few hundred yards, stop and see where the beach is going. If it is moving, you have a current.
Do warm-up for a 10-15-minute time period, just as you would for a workout. If you neglect to warm-up, you may find yourself hyperventilating a few seconds after the race starts and will likely not recover until the swim is finished.
Sea2river…some great points thank you very much.
I think regular open water swims, at least once a week and even twice a week if you can, are probably most important. For people that don’t have access to open water on a regular basis, I think it’s great to make some specific trips to an ocean or a lake to practice open water.
Goggles as well are especially important for open water. Goggles are basically incidental in the pool, but in open water, they are critical.
Plus I’ll echo my sentiment about making sure you are happy in your wetsuit.
My best open water tip is a pool tip. If your goal race is a wetsuit race but you have limited access to open water, swim at least one time a week with your wetsuit in the pool. You will feel really fast and it will make a difference on race day.
Bilateral breathing… I am improving there but not totally comfortable yet , but have lazily swam one sided for 6 years now. In my drills I am practicing this a lot.
I think regular open water swims, at least once a week and even twice a week if you can, are probably most important. For people that don’t have access to open water on a regular basis, I think it’s great to make some specific trips to an ocean or a lake to practice open water.
Goggles as well are especially important for open water. Goggles are basically incidental in the pool, but in open water, they are critical.
Plus I’ll echo my sentiment about making sure you are happy in your wetsuit.
I think that makes up for the temporary tangent…
Living in Singapore I am always in close proximity to the ocean , although rarely find myself with a training partner to swim in the ocean with me.
I regularly use my goggles and am happy with them and their clarity .
I have a great wetsuit ( Orca Predator ) raced in it once ( IMWA 2004 ) in rough seas. It fits apparently perfectly ( bought new ) but I admit I lack practice in it. At 30-34C average daily temperature and water about 22c+ I usually am perspiring by the time I put it on. I have decided in future trips to cooler countries , to bring it along and practice in it.
Presently , I am totally comfortable swimming without a wetsuit , but then again all of my other races have taken place regionally , or Hawaii last year.
My best open water tip is a pool tip. If your goal race is a wetsuit race but you have limited access to open water, swim at least one time a week with your wetsuit in the pool. You will feel really fast and it will make a difference on race day.
Paulo , as I responded to Rappstar I have a westsuit but find it SO hot to use in this climate , that 10-15 mins. at a time is all I can handle.
My goal race is in the Gulf, but I live far from salt water. I discovered at Gulf Coast this year that I get motion sick in waves/swells. Add the salt water, and the tummy is none too happy. Suggestions?
A few years ago I went to an open water swim clinic given by some pro. She talked about some technique to round buoys. I used it in the race the next day, and it worked great, but now I have no clue what it was. The point of whatever she did was to make a sharper turn. I think it involved dropping the buoy-side arm, but I forget now. Anyone have any ideas?
I agree with de-tri-mental on the bi-lateral breathing. If you always breathe right (for example) and the waves are coming from that direction you’re going to swallow a lot of water. I also find that switching breathing sides “resets” my stroke so I don’t get sloppy.
