I may be the world's worst swimmer... (Page 2)

There are 2 drills you can do to improve your lower body uhhh buoyancy/floatability. They are very similar in that they force you to work the same muscles.

While standing in the pool, grab the gutter of the pool with both hands. Extend your body behind you and kick. Keep your face in the water - the water line should be at/around your hairline. Kick. Keep kicking. When you need to breath, turn your face sideways and breathe, then turn your face back into the water. You should learn some control of your lower body by doing this exercise. Try doing it for 5 minutes, then another 5 minutes and so on.

Kick drills. Extend your board out in front of you so that your face is in the water and your arms are extended mostly straight out (slight bend in the elbows is ok). Kick. When you need to breathe, turn your face to the side just enough to draw in air then return your face into the water. Your body should feel like one straight plane - as if your feet were being driven by your core.

These exercises should help you get control of your body (and legs). If you are sinking, it's a good sign that you aren't driving yourself from your core.

Good luck. I know that once you 'get it', you're going to love swimming.

Funnypants.

Original hairline.

A lot of this is repetitious of previous answers but here goes:

1.  I have always been able to do flip turns like I'm part fish but I don't because I don't think they are an essential part of tri swimming training.  Forget about them.  In a year or two you can take on that challeng if you want to.

2.  Your 1000m time is not that slow.  Lots of people here are slower.  So chill.

3.  I think you are being too concerned with your "sinking".  You need to learn to glide through the water.  I don't know if you've ever been water-skiing, but if you've ever seen a water ski pushed across the surface of the water you know how it glides.  That's what you need to learn.  So get some buoys or whatever you need to float so you're not freaking out about that, and practice your stroke that way.  Then gradually remove your "help".

4.  Have someone watch to see if you have runner's kick which is not uncommon among cyclists.  Your foot might be staying in an L shaped position to your leg rather than point as it should to help your propulsion.  That would contribute to your legs sinking.  Don't over point or you'll cramp.  As a cyclist, you're all too familiar with cramps, right?

5.  Go to the pool and just mess around.  Don't go to swim a specific distance or even to do laps.  Make your goal to discover a comfortable stroke and release yourself from the pressure of a certain time or distance.

6.  Hang loose, bro.