August 8th, 2010 — Motivation, Swim Bike Run, Swimming
Every swimmer is looking for an advantage over the rest of the pack. One source which remains untapped for many people is the swim league. They view a league as a team effort and would prefer to swim on their own. The thing to keep in mind here is unless you have the money to hire your own coach, this is the best way to get the kind of instruction which will help you improve. You will also be able be in constant competition with those you are in a league with.
Choosing a Good League
Most cities will have more than one swim league you can join. This is true no matter what age you are. Take the time to find a league which has a good reputation. This is important because the better the team is, you better instruction you will receive. You can practice all day every day, but unless you are practicing correctly you will not improve. The old adage of practice makes perfect should be changed to “perfect practice makes perfect.” What makes a good league includes those which produce good swimmers with good swim times.
Swimming is Mental
If you are worried about joining a swim league because you do not want to be held back, it is important to remember how individualized swimming is. Even when you are swimming in a relay event, you have to swim for you. You can only ever swim to the best of your ability. This means when you train with a group, you will gain the ability to swim better as an individual. While you will learn as a group, what you can only do as good as you allow yourself to. This is why in a league setting, you will still have stand out performers.
Leagues Have the Right Training Equipment
Another advantage you will have when training with a swim league is equipment. Leagues will possess the kick boards, floaters, paddle boards and flippers you can use to train with. You will not only have access to the equipment which will make you a better swimmer, you will receive the instructions on how best to use the equipment you are training with. This will make you a better overall swimmer as well as help you in training individually after you decide to train on your own.
Challenges in Training
Another advantage you get in joining a swim league is the constant challenges you get from the other members. You will swim against each other to practice what you have learned. While you should always challenge yourself, it is always fun to mark your performance against others. The better the people you train with, the more of a challenge you can create for yourself. Challenging yourself mentally and as a member of a team will allow your performance level to be the best it can possibly be. Even if you will eventually leave the league, you will learn training skills which will improve your performance for the rest of your life.
Photo Credits: kenoncjones
Originally posted 2010-04-01 03:18:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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August 7th, 2010 — Swim Bike Run, Swimming, Triathlon Tips, Triathlon Training
Make sure that you plan long ahead of time by making a list of the materials that you are going to need in order to participate in the swimming portion of your triathlon. Here is a list of basic supplies that you are going to need for your training regimen and the race itself.
- Swimsuit
- Cycling shorts or racing suit
- Goggles
- Cap
- Anti-Fog Drops
- Wetsuit (In races where it is allowed)
- Lubricant (Anti-chafing)
- Water Bottle for pre-race hydration
- Watch or heart monitor
- Plan for using all of these items
Training Tips:
Make sure that you are not overdoing your swimming workouts. For most triathlete participants, an adequate workout is between 30 minutes and 60 minutes, and you can have one workout per week that is 75 minutes to 90 minutes if you want a long and straight swim.
In order to set a goal time for your swimming, you need to determine what your threshold swimming pace is for 100 meters of swimming, then add 5 % or 10 % to accommodate navigation issues and also to compensate for a lack of walls, and then multiply that amount by the distance of the race. This time should be generally pretty accurate barring any strange occurrences such as being kicked in the stomach by a passing swimmer.
You need to learn how to swim smart, and you need to learn how to make yourself as efficiently as possible through the practice of good swimming technique. While improvement is capable of being measured by creating faster times, it is also capable of being achieved through the same amount of elapsed time by having to put less effort forth or having a lower heart rate. This will leave you with more reserves for the biking and the running legs of your triathlon competition, and it will allow you to result in a faster race time over all.
When you arrive at the site of the race, and you have finished setting yourself up for the race, you should head for the swimming part of the course and spend some time warming up. As you begin to do some swimming, you should be looking around for any navigational landmarks that are all around you. Think about where the sun is and make sure that it will not provide you with any swimming difficulties. Are your goggles, wetsuit and cap feeling okay, or do adjustments need to be made before the race is ready to begin?
Now you can line up for the start. Line up toward the front of the pack on the outside. You can drift back to your own pace more easily rather than having to work your way through a thick mass of swimmers and their splashing, after all.
Photo Credits: eric.surfdude
Originally posted 2009-08-07 05:55:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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July 23rd, 2010 — Clothes and Gear, Swim Bike Run, Swimming
The very first thing you will be wearing when you start a triathlon should help you instead of hinder you. This is why many athletes wear triathlon wetsuits regardless of what the temperature of the water is. This is because of everything the wetsuit offers. There are a few different factors to keep in mind when buying the wetsuit you will wear in competition. Not least in importance is making sure the suit you purchase will be allowed in the competition you are entering.
Following the Rules
The reason why some events are restrictive when it comes to triathlon wetsuits is because of the unfair advantage it can give some people. Not all wetsuits will do anything more than allow you to keep your skin warm and dry when you are swimming. Make sure you pay close attention to what the rules are. The last thing you want is to be disqualified in the first section of the triathlon. This is completely avoidable as long as you know what the rules are and you make sure you follow them to the letter.
Boosting Speed with a Wetsuit
One of the ways triathlon wetsuits are different from a regular wetsuit is they are designed to reduce friction. These wetsuits are designed to provide less friction than the skin on your body. This will allow all of your energy to be converted directly into forward movement. This is why many athletes will wear a full body wetsuit even while it is summer. The idea is to use every tool in your arsenal to get the best time possible.
How the Wetsuit is Different
Triathlon wetsuits differ from a normal wetsuit in many ways. Not only do they reduce friction, they also increase buoyancy for the swimmer. This will make it easier for your body to stay near the surface of the water. You will not have to struggle to lift your legs out of the water because the suit will help this to happen. The other way the suit is different is because it has more flexibility to be able to complete a powerful stroke. The points which have the most flexibility are under the armpits and in the groin. This will give you maximum athletic movement so can get the best time possible.
Choosing the Right Wetsuit
Since triathlon wetsuits should perform as well as possible, you need to make sure you are comfortable in the suit itself. This means going to a store and trying on every suit they have. Try to go through the range of motions you will use while swimming. The right wetsuit will not pinch of bunch up when you go through a swim stroke. Every motion should be fully supported without creating any drag. If the wetsuit feels too tight or too loose in any way, you should not buy it. If you have tried all the suits the store offers, try a different store until you find the right one.
Photo Credits: douglemoine
Originally posted 2010-03-23 03:10:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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July 21st, 2010 — Motivation, Swim Bike Run, Swimming
Most adults can remember the lazy days of summer spent hanging around the pool or the beach. This kind of swimming recreation is something which is often shared with your children. You encourage them to enjoy the simple act of swimming so that they can get the fitness and the recreation you enjoyed when you were a child. You have probably moved on from simple recreation or are looking for ways to move on from it. This is possible through many different avenues at your disposal.
Community Charity Meets
There are many different charitable organizations which will hold swimming events to raise money. This is a great way for those looking for something more than swimming as recreation to get involved in something which will do some good for the neighborhood as well as for their health. There are usually different events you can sign up for. Everything from a 25 yard dash to a mile swim is available for you to compete in. There are usually different heats or skill levels at which you can compete. Even if you do not do well overall, you have helped to raise money for a good cause.
Local Triathlon Events
A great way to take your swimming recreation to the next level is to challenge yourself to complete a triathlon. This is a challenging event which will give you a sense of accomplishment even if all you do is finish the event. This is because the triathlon is such a challenging event. It will take all of your strength and endurance to make it through. Training for the triathlon will take you out of the pool and put you on a bike as well as on the track. Just training for such an event is fun in and of itself.
Swimming Groups
There are many people who would like to share their love of swimming with others. This is where a swimming group comes in. Whether you are in it strictly for swimming recreation or you are a competitive swimmer, you are sure to find others with the same interests. This is a great way to find out about competitions you can get involved in as well as have someone you can talk to about your workout and what they recommend to get more out of what you do in the pool.
Doing Your Own Thing
Remember, there is no pressure to take your swimming to the next level. If you enjoy swimming recreation because it is fun for you, there is nothing wrong with that. Your motivation for doing something more challenging should be because it seems like it will be fun for you. Having fun is what it is all about. If competition does not sound like fun to you, by all means continue on. If, however competition sounds like fun to you, there are many different avenues you can explore. You can always improve your performance and the level of competition you are involved in. Just get out there and get involved.
Photo Credits: pjmorse
Originally posted 2010-03-21 10:03:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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May 27th, 2010 — Running, Swim Bike Run, Triathlon Tips
Triathletes have a bigger challenge than just the cyclist, the swimmer or the runner since they have to compete in all three sports consecutively. Very often, an athlete will excel at one or two parts of the competition but have room for improvement in the third, and this will very often keep an athlete from giving the very best competition during a triathlon. For those who feel that the running part of the triathlon is their weakest leg, here are foot care tips to help you.
Clean your feet of sand after swimming. Even if you feel behind and are struggling, take the few seconds to rinse off your feet before you take off cycling or running. You might shave off a few seconds by not worrying about it, but even the tiniest granule inside your sock can prove to be an annoying and painful distraction as you run. And in the worst case scenario it will start to bother you enough that you’ll have to stop during the race and empty your shoe and sock and wipe off your foot. You could also end up with a blister from the rubbing.
Take care of your feet away from the race, too. It’s not only important to train your feet to pound the pavement, pedal and kick, but you should pamper your feet between training sessions. Clip your toenails carefully so that they’re short but not too short. A nail clipped too short can become sore and make it more difficult for you to race. Rub moisturizing lotion into your feet. Dry skin on your feet might only seem like an annoyance when you’re barefoot, but dry skin can crack and become painful, which can keep you from doing your very best during the triathlon. You put your feet through a lot of punishment during a race, so massage your feet often and take great care of them to avoid these problems.
Keep your shoes dry. When you run or cycle, your feet probably sweat. So your socks will get damp and the insides of your shoes might get a bit moist, too. Choose running shoes designed to wick moisture and let it evaporate quickly, and socks designed to absorb moisture and keep it away from your feet. Good running shoes are key for any type of race, of course, but make sure you put the shoes where they can dry out properly between uses. You won’t only avoid odor but you’ll avoid putting damp shoes on next time you go to run.
Don’t have a pedicure right before a race. You might think a pedicure is the ultimate solution to keep your toenails groomed well and your feet soft. But professional pedicures can make one or more of your toes a little bit sore that day and for a few days, depending on how aggressive your pedicurist might be. A pedicurist might work on your cuticles, pushing them back, and making the skin around the nails a little tender. Treat yourself after the race, instead.
Photo Credits: 1
Originally posted 2009-01-08 15:02:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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