A solid warm down after a workout or race is essential to continuing success in the swim. This will keep your energy up for your next workout, reduce the lactic acid in your bloodstream, and help to keep you injury-free. Typically, 200 yards or so will be enough, but the key here is listening to your body!

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Since swimming is so technique-focused, the fastest way to getting faster in the water is to play a game called “Free Golf”.
If you haven’t learned it yet, here are the basics:

Do a set of 50′s, around 6 is good.
Count your strokes on each 50 and get your time.
Add these two numbers together to get your “score”.
Lower your score each round by decreasing your stroke count, decreasing your time, or a combination of both.
Keep going until you can’t go any lower.
Hint: Make sure you are not just kicking harder to get your stroke count down. Focus on hip rotation, hand extension, and glide (distance per stroke.

There are several variations of this depending on what level swimmer you are. For many of my beginner and intermediate-level swimmers, I may have them do a set with Zoomers fins on, and a set with hands in fists, followed by a straight swimming set.

How low can you go?

For more tips and workouts on training for a triathlon swim, and for 4 free triathlon swimming workouts, sign up for the newsletter at www.triswimcoach.com/newsletters.php

Most pools in the U.S. are unfortunately 25 yards in length. Some are 50 meters (which is the real Olympic-size), but even most of those are set up with lanes across the width of the pool (which in most cases is 25 yards).

If you have access to a 50 meter pool, this will be your best bet for swim training. It does take some getting used to but it is worth the extra effort. The reasons why a 50 meter pool is better than a 25 yard or meter pool for swim training are:

1. Much more continuous swimming. Half as many walls to turn at, simulating open water swimming better than a shorter pool.
2. More time to focus on your technique while you swim without interruptions.
3. Training is slightly more challenging, resulting in better preparation for an open water race (or any swim race).

I used to hate long course (50m) training. But, over the years I’ve found that it just takes a few days to get used to, and once I’m used to it, I don’t want to go back to short pools!

However, the amount of calories burned in swimming will depend on your stroke technique, and of course the type of workout you are doing. Keep in mind, efficiency is what matters, and training in the aerobic zone, or keeping your heart rate low, is going to allow you to burn more fat than doing a sprint workout (or a swim workout with poor efficiency, wasting energy).

To get an idea of how many calories you are burning in a given workout, check out this chart:

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

For the Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming and the bonus book Burn More Fat, see www.triswimcoach.com/complete_guide.php

Swimming and Golf: How are they similar and what can triathletes learn from this?
Question of the week: How to avoid sinking hips

References:

Fins, snorkel, and Freestyler paddles can be found at www.finisinc.com for 20% off using discount code ‘aggies20′.

The Triathlon Summit, free interview with Kevin Koskella Triathlon Summit Interview with Tri Swim Coach

The Tri Swim Coach Newsletter Signup: www.triswimcoach.com/newsletters.php

Music:

No Doubt- “In My Head”

Transcript: http://triswimcoachonline.com/tri/transcripts-tsc04-freestyle-swimming-and-golf/

1. Jump in the empty lane if there is one. It’s annoying to others if you jump in the lane they are swimming in when there is an open lane available.

2. If you are joining a lane with other swimmers, observe their speed and get in the one that is closest to your own. No need to get out the stop watch, but you can avoid a lot of frustration if you scan the field of swimmers first.

3. Ask to share a lane. If you want to jump in a lane with someone else, just wait for them to stop on a wall and ask them if you can share the lane. 99.9% of the time they will be polite about it and let you in! Once you get in, make sure you are circle swimming in a clockwise rotation (counter-clockwise if you’re in Australia!), and leave at least 5-10 meters between yourself and the other swimmer(s).

4. If you are circle swimming with others, pay attention to where you push off the wall on your turn. Just make sure to avoid collisions, especially if you are doing flip turns!

5. Always yield to the faster swimmer. Let them pass you and stop on the wall to allow them to go ahead if possible.

6. If it’s a crowded lane, don’t be tempted to do a long kicking set where people have to continually pass you up. (especially don’t use a board!).

7. Avoid touching the feet of slower swimmers in front of you. Unless they are refusing to let you pass, make an attempt to go around them and they will usually stop to let you go (hopefully they have read these tips!).