Swim Bike Run

The most effective stroke for people in a triathlon is the overhand crawl. This is a style which is also known as freestyle. The swimming kick used for this stroke is very important to your performance. It is also the most undertrained part of most people’s stroke. It is taken for granted as something which cannot be improved. In fact, you can train your leg muscles to be stronger and more effective. You can also train your kick to be more effective by creating less drag and more push. By following some simple advice, you will turn your kick into a propeller.

Developing Strength

One of the best ways to develop strength in your swimming kick is by using a kickboard. This is little more than a piece of Styrofoam. What you do is rest your torso on the board and then kick your way from one side of the pool to the other. The board will stop you from using your arms to pull you through the water. The board will also create extra drag to make it even more difficult for you to kick your way from one side to the other. You will have to train your feet to be like flippers.

Flipper Training

While using the kickboard to develop a stronger swimming kick, you might want to also use flippers. This is because the flippers will help to show you the angle which your feet should be when you are kicking. You will be able to feel the difference when your feet are angled correctly and when they are off. By using the flippers you will also create greater strength in your legs because of the excess force you will need to push the water.

Keeping Your Legs Together

Floaters are a great way to train your legs to stay together. This is an important part of the swimming kick because if your legs are far apart, they create more drag. By clenching a floater between your thighs, you force your legs to stay together. If you allow your legs to separate, you will know it right away. This is because the floater will come loose and float away from you. The other added benefit you get from the floater is that it will create extra drag. This is important to develop better strength in your upper body as well as in your legs.

Photo Credits: hectorir

Originally posted 2010-03-19 10:53:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Competing in a triathlon is one of the most challenging experiences you can hope for. This is why so many people look for good triathlon tips. This is because while many will be happy just to finish, others would like to move up in the rankings as they compete in more competitions. There are many tips out there, but it is not always easy to find the gems of wisdom. This is because not all tips work for all people. There are tips, however which work for everyone. Following these tips will help you to perform better in your next event.

Train with Your Race Bike

You probably spent a lot of money on a good triathlon bike. This is why you do not train with it. You want for the bike to last you as long as possible. Actually, one of the best triathlon tips goes directly against this mentality. You see if you are used to one bike from your training, you will not do as well in the actual race. This is because the gears will catch in different places and the overall bike will feel differently. Training with the race bike will allow you to become intimate with the bike you will use in the race. This will help you to perform much better and prevent unnecessary problems.

Allow Your Body to Rest

Among the most ignored triathlon tips is in regards to resting your body. People will feel inclined to work out as much as possible up to the date of the race. This is a problem because you can injure yourself. Even at extreme fitness levels you can cause deep muscle tearing if you do not allow your muscles time to relax. This means taking at least one day off completely from any training. You will be stronger and have greater endurance if you do so. You will also have an easier time of avoiding injury.

Swim in the Water You Will Race

Completing swimming drills in a pool is good to build strength, but you should make every effort to train in the water you will race in. This is one of the triathlon tips which are not possible for everyone to do every day. You should do this as often as possible for the reason that you need to learn the proper cadence for your swimming. This can only be learned when you enter the body of water like you will in the race and are allowed to swim continuous.

Find a Good Pace

It is easy to spot someone who did not look into triathlon tips before the race. This is because they will attack the swimming portion with all the energy they have. This will cause many people to drop out quickly once they get on their bikes. Find a good pace in your training and stick with that when you start the race. Keep your pace throughout the race. The only time you should actually sprint is when you near the end of the race.

Photo Credits: Grayskullduggery

Originally posted 2010-03-18 10:47:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Unlike running or biking, swimming does not have nearly the high tech gadgets, but you will need some gear, possibly more than you would initially think. Your swimsuit should not be difficult, as in the end they are all basically the same. Your swimsuit needs only to cover you without impeding your smooth movement through the water. There are no fashion police, and fashion statements need not be made. You should be able to get your suit from the local sporting goods or specialty shop.

Next up for purchase is a good pair of swim goggles. Keep in mind, you will have your head face down as you swim, and turned to the side as you breathe and orient yourself in the pool. If you had no goggles, the chlorination of the pool would irritate your eyes, not to mention that our eyes do not see so well under water without aid.

You very likely will have to try on many different pairs of goggles to find a pair that fit you comfortably. Whatever you do, do not buy goggles solely on the look or size. You must try on all pairs you consider. If you can, go specifically to a swim shop to get good help with fit for your needs.

While there, see about getting yourself a swim cap. A cap is not a necessary item for training, but seeing as you will have to wear it for the triathlon, you might as well get used to wearing it now anyways.

A useful tool you should definitely consider for your training are hand paddles. These tools help you to learn proper hand entry into the water, and proper catch and pull of the water as part of your swimming stroke.

These paddles will also help you strengthen your arms and your shoulders thanks to increased water resistance. Stronger arms and shoulders pull harder and faster, meaning you move through the water faster overall. Note: if you have a shoulder or rotator cuff injury, then you should avoid using the hand paddles until those injuries clear up, otherwise they could make your injuries worse.

The next 2 items on your list should be a pair of swim fins, and a kick board. The swim fins will help you to gain leg strength and increase ankle flexibility; while the kick board will help you practice proper kick technique via kick board drills.

Lastly, you should look into a pull buoy. A pull buoy is a large hunk of foam that goes between your legs and keeps the back end of you afloat to keep you from kicking. That way you can focus specifically on the use of your arms to propel you thought the water.

If water in your ears is an issue you cannot abide, look into earplugs to keep water out. If you cannot abide earplugs, there are alcohol solutions which work well in getting the water out of your ears fairly quickly. Last of all, you will need a mesh bag to carry all of this gear in.

Photo Credits: akunamatata

Originally posted 2009-10-19 03:19:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter