Efficient and Effective: The Role of Technique in Open Water Swimming

Open water swimming is an essential part of triathlon, but it’s often the most challenging and anxiety-inducing for many athletes. In addition to navigating open water currents and dealing with changing conditions, swimming in a triathlon requires a unique set of skills and techniques that differ from pool swimming. Fortunately, with proper training and technique work, you can improve your open water swimming and lessen swim fatigue for your bike and run legs.

One of the key differences between pool and open water swimming is the need to sight frequently. In a pool, you have the luxury of a straight black line at the bottom of the lane to guide you, but in open water, you need to sight regularly to stay on course. This means you must learn to swim straight without looking down, which requires practice and technique work.

Another important technique in open water swimming is drafting. Drafting behind another swimmer can save energy and improve your swim time. This technique involves swimming directly behind or by the hips of another swimmer, which make you ride their wave and allows you to swim faster with less effort. However, it’s important to practice drafting in open water as it can be challenging and requires close proximity to other swimmers.

Proper body positioning is also crucial for efficient open water swimming. Unlike in a pool, where you can use the wall to push off and regain your momentum, in open water you need to maintain a steady pace and rhythm throughout the swim. Swimming on surface is key. This means you need to work on your body positioning to reduce drag and increase efficiency.

Working on your open water swimming technique can also help reduce swim fatigue for the bike leg of the race. By improving your technique, you’ll swim faster and use less energy, allowing you to conserve your energy.

Just like having a proper bike fit and working on your running mechanics can make a huge difference in your triathlon performance, having a coach on deck to guide you in your swimming technique can be incredibly beneficial. A coach can help you identify areas that need improvement, provide feedback on your technique, and offer valuable tips and drills to help you improve.

In summary, open water swimming is a critical component of triathlon, and improving your technique can make a huge difference in your performance. Sighting, drafting, body positioning, and working with a coach are just a few of the ways you can improve your open water swimming skills and reduce swim fatigue for the bike and run legs of the race.

So, if you want to crush your next triathlon, start working on your open water swim with BLSS’ Powerswim program today. Or you can join our next open water swim session on April 2, Sunday, in Subic! You can message our Bert Lozada Swim School Instagram and Facebook page for more information.

 

Kevin Eijansantos

Powerswim Program Director | Philippine Triathlon Team Coaching Staff Juniors and U23 | Certified Level 1 Coach, World Triathlon, Lausanne Switzerland.

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