Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??

Forum guidelines BT super discount
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie?? Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2014-06-27 10:07 AM


4

Subject: Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??
My first tri is in Sept, only 400m swim. I am a breast stroker and grew up swimming in open water, so I have no fear of open water swimming. I don't want to be that person who breast strokes the swim and run a possibility to kick someone, so I just started last week to practice my free style swimming, which pretty much didnt exist. I read, watched youtube video etc, and I went from grasping for air over 25y to now I can swim 400m without dying. Not fast though.
Even though I will try not to swim breast stroke during the race, but knowing that it's my life savings stroke, and worse case I can do that or tread water till I get organized again is helpful.

My question is- should I devote some time to do drills (super difficult for me, which means I have bad technique). My kick sucks, so if I use kick board, it won't go nowhere. When I do a drill where I'm swimming with one leg stacked on top of the other heads down, and when I have to turn over for air, I can't keep the streamline position at all.

Should I do more drills or concentrate on endurance and build up to 800m or 1k non stop?


2014-06-27 10:31 AM
in reply to: 0

Regular
272
1001002525
Apple Valley, Minnesota
Subject: RE: Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??
get a lesson, have someone critique your stroke. Your pull is the most important part, well after position. Drills are great to change or refine little things, but not very good to "learn", high elbow drills wont do much good if your hips are down. Learn the basics and swim, swim, swim. I am currently doing some stroke development with my 5 year old, it starts with position then you work from there. I would find the "flaws" and go from there. I would say position, then pull then kick then breathing.

Edited by GotBackup 2014-06-27 10:34 AM
2014-06-27 10:47 AM
in reply to: fayewolf

User image

New user
273
1001002525
Manassas, Virginia
Subject: RE: Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??
Focus on drills. If you form bad habits now they will be much harder to break later on.
2014-06-30 12:15 PM
in reply to: fayewolf

User image

Coach
9167
5000200020001002525
Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??
Originally posted by fayewolf

My first tri is in Sept, only 400m swim. I am a breast stroker and grew up swimming in open water, so I have no fear of open water swimming. I don't want to be that person who breast strokes the swim and run a possibility to kick someone, so I just started last week to practice my free style swimming, which pretty much didnt exist. I read, watched youtube video etc, and I went from grasping for air over 25y to now I can swim 400m without dying. Not fast though.
Even though I will try not to swim breast stroke during the race, but knowing that it's my life savings stroke, and worse case I can do that or tread water till I get organized again is helpful.

My question is- should I devote some time to do drills (super difficult for me, which means I have bad technique). My kick sucks, so if I use kick board, it won't go nowhere. When I do a drill where I'm swimming with one leg stacked on top of the other heads down, and when I have to turn over for air, I can't keep the streamline position at all.

Should I do more drills or concentrate on endurance and build up to 800m or 1k non stop?


Agree with others that you should do stroke technique improvement work which needs to be specific for you. The ankles crossed drill is probabaly not going to help you right now, there are most likely other issues. Everyone is different though. Swimming is technique dominant and if you are swimming slowly, you'll be able ot swim much FURTHER with less energy by focusing on skills. Gotta pick the right skills though. Find a coach or submit a video here or whatever.
2014-06-30 12:27 PM
in reply to: fayewolf

User image


8763
5000200010005001001002525
Boulder, Colorado
Subject: RE: Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??

Form before fitness. That's the only way to do it. You don't want to get good fitness doing bad form. They you'd only have to undo everything you learned and start over with fitness anyway.

2014-06-30 7:14 PM
in reply to: fayewolf

User image

Extreme Veteran
1190
1000100252525
Silicon Valley
Subject: RE: Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie??
As a fishie let me reiterate what others are saying above. Form first. I have said way too many times on this forum; the only thing you get by muscling through a swim...is tired.

Take some lessons, get someone qualified to critique your stroke. You will make much bigger gains improving your technique than bad form in the greatest of shape.

One idea on improving your kick. Many people here will disagree with this btw so try it and see if it works for you. Dump the kickboard. Do you kick drills on your back with your arms stretched out over your head with your thumbs locked. By kicking on your back you will find the kick is more compact. Dropping your legs in this position will feel completely unnatural. Keeping your hands/arms above your head will keep the head back and will prevent you from lifting the head. You will also find that you will not be breaking the water with your feet. If your kick is that bad now you don't really have anything to lose to try it.

Good luck.

New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Swimming- concentrate on drills to become more efficient or work in endurance for newbie?? Rss Feed