Crawl or Breaststroke for Open water swims?

Dory_42

I have a goal to do a big open water swim a few years from now (8kms). I train in the pool over winter and a combination of pool and sea during summer. I have no idea of distance I do in the sea, but I did 1,5km today in the pool (in 55 minutes). I mostly do breaststroke as my breathing sucks for crawl. I get some backstroke in when I swim in the pool, but can't get direction right to do it at sea (I hit the lane dividers in the pool all the time!) I also prefer how I can see where I am going etc. when doing breaststroke at sea, as enjoying being in the ocean is a huge part of the point of swimming in the sea to me.

I often see the triathletes training in the sea and they all do crawl. My first question: Is it feasible to do a long open water swim using breaststroke only? I am just aiming to do it within the time cutoff, so it is not about beating others or going fastest.

Second question: What are good exercises to increase lung capacity so I can swim crawl more? (I also want to do a research dive qualification and need to swim 25m underwater. I was able to do that years ago, but now it is just so hard!)

murdy745

During open water swims, most people do freestyle because it is more efficient. If that is what you feel most comfortable with, I would start with breast stroke and work your way up to doing freestyle the whole time. Many of these races are crowded, and doing breast stroke, in my opinion, makes it a little harder to navigate through the crowds. But if you are not doing it for the speed, it is totally feasible. One of the hugest obstacles for people is fear of the open sea and it seems like you actually enjoy it, which already puts you ahead of the game.
For training to increase breathing, I would suggest counting strokes. For example, do a 100 freestyle. 1st 25 breathe every 2 strokes, 2nd 25 every 3 strokes, 3rd every 4 strokes and then 4th 25, every 5. You can gauge your present level and what to set each 25 for. Once you are able to master that 100, controlling your breathes..do a set of 100's. For example 5X100(controlled breathing). Hope that makes sense. Happy Swimming!
Cheers,
Meredith

maggiewithfins

I would suggest getting a swimming lesson to help you learn to do freestyle. Usually people's difficulties relate to technique problems like trying to swim too fast, having a poor body position, or not getting enough body roll in the water. A good coach would help you, and you might find it really enjoyable. I breathe on every 2nd stroke but as I got more fit I breathe on the third.

If you do decide to do breaststroke for an 8km swim, start at the back as people doing breast stroke tend to get swum over by some of the more aggressive swimmers (or those who are swimming with their head well down).

Google swim smooth as they have lots of really good swimming resources.

PhatAv8r

okay, so I've only done a couple really short open water swims in my life (well there was the 1 mile Boy Scout qual in a lake in Yellowstone)....

but I digress.. the big thing for me is that I can't hardly do mor e than 25 meters breathing every 4th pull (breath, one two three four breath)... and my HR starts spiking a bit (not a good thing for me) when I try to go far like that... is it just a practiced skill? like just swimming more than 25m?

I started swimming (with any meaning) last winter this time... I'd only dabbled with swim lessons when I was young, and all the rest was just mischief except for a little lap swimming to get ready for the above mentioned open water swims (600m and 750m) as part of triathlons I did 25 years ago...

So, when I got to the pool, 25m was ONE... then I finally worked up to 50m (two lengths), and then to 100m (in a 50m pool, then 4 lenghts in a 25m)... but the point is, I had to learn it, and I'm still only up to 300m consecutively (I'm sure with no pressure I could probably just stroke it out with crawl or breaststroke for 1 mile if I needed to).

So are you saying as I asked... that the breathing part is also a LEARNED skill?

drewbird911

I'd advise you to Join a masters group it will help you coaching and stroke work.

maggiewithfins

I'd advise you to Join a masters group it will help you coaching and stroke work.

That's a great idea! I'd like to do that too but want to get a bit better first, I have a disability which means I can't push myself as hard as quickly as others, so I'm building up to it.