What Starts as Swimming Recreation Can Become so Much More

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

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Triathlon Training 101

biketrainingAre you planning on training for your first triathlon? This is not an easy task for anyone to master if they do not know the ropes. There are three completely unique disciplines that are involved, and you are also going to need to be lifting weights and training in other ways. How are you going to find the time that you need in order to achieve this goal? This particular answer is actually a great deal easier than you think, if you have prepared yourself by choosing the right first triathlon.

In other words, let us start by selecting the right first triathlon. There are four different triathlon distances that you can choose from. The shortest distance types of triathlons are known as sprints. Because they are so short, they really are more like a sprint in nature, and therefore are typically regarded as the hardest ones to master. The second type of distance for a triathlon is twice what the sprint typically is, known as the international distance or Olympic distance triathlon. Where the sprint would end with a 5K run, the Olympic distance triathlon is going to end with 10K run. The Olympic distance type of triathlon is generally the most common one that you will find.

Once you have mastered what the sprint as well as the Olympic triathlon lengths have to offer, the third type of triathlon is the half ironman triathlon. This is a race that concludes through a 13.1 mile run. The final type of distance is the ironman distance, which ends with a 26.2 mile run. If you are doing your first ever triathlon, then you should be avoiding these two types of triathlon for fairly obvious reasons. Even if you do believe that you have the stamina as well as the endurance necessary for such a length, triathlons are about more than simply physical fitness. You need to work all of the kinks out with one of the smaller triathlon events in order to prepare yourself mentally as well as physically for the longer triathlon events.

The sprint distance is typically 400 yards worth of swimming, 5 miles worth of biking and then 5K worth of running. You can spend time practicing for all of these triathlon events together, but if you do not learn how to transition from one to the next, and the second to the third, then you really are not as prepared as you think you are. Your goal for your very first triathlon training event should be to combine your running days and your biking days. Each and every single time that you get off your bike, you should begin running, even if you are only running for a few hundred yards. There is a serious muscle transition that needs to occur from pushing on your bike pedals to running. This particular muscle transition needed to excel in triathlon competitions is difficult to achieve unless you have spent time practicing, so do so!

Photo Credits: Ben Lawson

Originally posted 2009-06-26 16:22:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Your Triathlon Training Schedule

bikingtriathlonThe most important part of your triathlon training schedule will happen in the planning phase. It is important that your plan is well thought out and the time table is well defined for your training schedule to work well.

Those who are training for a triathlon must begin their training schedule for a year or so in advance of the race. It is always better to get started on the training a little early than too late. People who are training for triathlon events must become accustomed to the training schedules years in advance and be prepared to live according to the difficult lifestyle.

A triathlon is a test of your endurance for the most part and that is the reason that the training schedule must start years before the actual race. There are three events in a triathlon that will each test your endurance and that means that you have three times as much training to accomplish as a competitor in any other type of event.

Your training will have to include the physical exercise as well as mental skills to get through a triathlon. The positive attitude that you use during a triathlon will help you a great deal. When you are nearing the end of a triathlon, your muscles will be beginning to give out and you will need a positive attitude to help you complete the race. The triathlon training schedule should spend some time on the positive attitude that you will need to get through the race.

In the final days of your triathlon training schedule, you will be focused on preparing for the race in a more intense way. As the days tick by and the race gets even closer, resting your muscles and preparing for the day becomes more and more important. The final day before the race should include some rest that will prepare you for the test of endurance the next day. Not enough emphasis is placed on sleep and rest before this type of race.

Working with a professional trainer will help you to make sure that your triathlon training schedule is kept on track for the days before the big event. A professional understands the kind of work that you will need to do to prepare for this endurance test. You should make sure that you do your own research and reading about triathlon training so that you are fully prepared for the kind of work that must be accomplished.

Set down the timetable carefully in the beginning stages of your triathlon training schedule. These events are difficult and you will need a rigid training schedule to prepare you for the race. There is no other greater test of endurance than a triathlon which means that your training schedule is more important than ever. Work with your trainer to develop the triathlon training schedule that will get you in the best possible shape, prepare you mentally for the race and help you rise to the top of the pack on race day.

Photo Credits: Mariano Kamp

Originally posted 2009-06-04 05:06:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Triathlon Terms part 2

Here is a brief glossary of terms used in triathlon training and triathlon racing.

Bonk – This describes a situation where you suddenly begin to lose energy and a level of fatigue sets in. This is typically caused by depleted glycogen stores within the liver and the muscles, and it commonly results in a major drop in performance. Another term used to describe this situation is “hitting the wall”.

BOP – This is an acronym used to refer to Back of the Pack.

BPM - This is an acronym used to refer to Beats Per Minute.

Brick – This is a combination type of workout including a bike and a run that are back to back. This can also describe any combination of triathlon events where there is less than a total of ten minutes between each of the sports.

Cadence - This is another word used to refer to RPM.

CD – This is an acronym used to refer to Cool Down.

Century – This is a term that is used to refer to a bike ride for a total of 100 miles.

Chain Suck – This is a term that describes a situation where the chain does not disengage from the front chain ring’s bottom teeth. The teeth snag on the chain, carrying it up and around the ring so that it winds back on itself, jamming in the process.

Chamois Butter – This is a clean lubricant that is used with cycling shorts to make bike riding more comfortable while reducing the chance of getting saddle sores.

Crit – This is another word that is used to refer to Criterium.

Criterium – This is a kind of bike race held on a course of less than 3 miles that is often run on city center streets that have been closed off. The length for the race is either determined by a total time or a number of laps.

Deca – This describes a 10x Ironman distance, which is a 24 mile swim, a 1120 mile bike and a 262 mile run. There have also been 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 15x and 20x distances which have been raced in the past.

DFL - This is another word used to refer to Dead (Expletive) Last

DNF – This is another word used to refer to “Did Not Finish”.

DNR - This is another word used to refer to “Did Not Race”

DNS - This is another word used to refer to “Did Not Start”

Dolphin Dive - This is a technique that is used for getting through shallow water when it is more efficient than attempting to wade. It involves doing shallow, short drives, then standing up, and continuing this process until you reach water that is deep enough to swim in.

Dolphin Kick - This involves beating the legs together in unison while swimming with the face down, and it is used primarily with the butterfly.

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