Questions/help for new swimmer

hng0603

I recently started "training" for a sprint triathlon and cannot get the hang of the swimming. First it was breathing(still a work in progress) but my quads BURN like crazy.... I'm not sure if Im tightening them up too much trying to keep my legs straight, but I cant get the feel for kicking with my hips instead of flailing around

Any tips or resources appreciated!

Hermit4Hire

I race sprints all summer. I NEVER kick on the swim leg, since you expends about 40% of your energy kicking and only gain about 15% in speed, and the swim is only 10-15 minutes, it's just not worth losing all that energy in the water (since you still have bike and run up next).

Having said that, kicking keeps your legs straight, so if you are not using a wetsuit (which creates buoyancy), you probably will have to kick a little. You can work on kicking technique by using a floatation board (small styrofoam board you hold with your hands in the pool and you only use your legs). This will get you used to moderate kick stroke using your "whole leg" rather than "squeezing" your quads.

Good luck.

questionablemethods

What has helped for me is to think about it as if I am rotating on an axis through the water. My legs don't have to do a lot of the work, but most of the power is coming from driving my hips up and down as I rotate.

awesome_orchid

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I took a college level swim class last Summer. We did use the little boards to navigate around the pool and that helps your legs. Some days we would also use flippers and that would help get you across the pool faster! Flippers give you a huge confidence boost! My trouble is that the osteo arthritis that I suffer from is very limiting (climbing out), but the class was helpful even though I never lost one bit of weight. Golds Gym water aerobics didnt affect my weight either and I did that 1 or 2 times weekly for several months!

neglet

I love swimming, and since I'm asthmatic, it's a great exercise for me. Here are my best tips:

1) the key to breathing is keeping it regular, and the key to keeping it regular is the exhale. Whenever I have my face in the water, I actually blow air out through my mouth slowly, like I'm playing long tones on an instrument. So, for example, I breathe in every fourth arm stroke, and blow out for the other three. This keeps my air intake consistent and prevents hyperventilating.

2) at least for freestyle/front crawl, arm stroke actually gets me further than my kick. You don't need to splash or move your legs a lot when kicking. I don't actually use my quads that much; I keep my legs loose and kick mostly from the knees, only a few inches up and down. (The hip motion as I stroke arms from side to side also helps, as Kaitlyn suggested.) Instead I focus on reaching with my arms and pulling as full a stroke as possible. I always noticed I would pass the splashers who think swimming is all in the legs.

A few years back I signed up for a 2000-lap challenge (2000 laps in 4 months), and sprained my knee and ankle about 120 laps before the end. I ended up finished the challenge by using one of those little floats you can hold between your knees, and swimming the distance on arm power only, so I know you don't have to exhaust your legs to swim effectively!

Good luck on your triathlon training!

hng0603

Thank you all. I have my swim workout tomorrow morning and I will keep this all in mind. I too am also asthmatic, and thats another thing I am trying to work on(endurance) and keeping myself calm when my breathing feels sporatic...

Thanks again! any tips,education, and suggestions are always appreciated!