Jocelyn Petrella, professional triathleteJordan Jones, professional triathlete

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster1) Swim frequently

Try to swim at least 3 times a week

Infrequent swimming can lead to a decreased feel for the water and your technique will probably begin to deteriorate

Shorter, more frequent swimming is better than a couple of longer swim sessions per week

The more you swim, the faster you’ll get…there’s a reason I started swimming 4-6 hours a day in high school

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster2) Work on good technique and incorporate

drills into every workout

When you are getting back to swimming from a long break, just focus on technique

Trying to swim fast with poor technique is wasting energy and you are setting yourself up to race with poor technique…break those bad habits!

Improper technique can lead to injuries

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster3) Eliminate drag in the water

Balance the body so the hips and legs ride as high as the upper body

Make the body longer by stretching out your stroke (DPS drills—e.g., Swolf)

Roll onto your side with every stroke and breathe bilaterally

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster4) Swim hard some days

Once or twice a week, really push the effort

Examples 100 repeats at 500 pace 1650 time trial or a T20 or T30 400 repeats with short rest 50s hard with 5 seconds rest And my favorite set: 10x200s, 10x100s, and 10x50s

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster5) Swim easy some days

Go hard on the hard days and go easy on the easy days

Recovery swims are important so that you can go fast when it counts (either in workouts or races)

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster6) Use fins sometimes

Fins can help you achieve a better body position and then you can try to recreate that “feel” once you take the fins off

Fins can also help with ankle flexibility, thereby improving your kick

Make sure to buy the right fins

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster7) Practice in a 50 meter pool or swim in

open water

There are too many turns in a 25 yard/meter pool which equates to too much rest

Long course pool swimming is better and open water swimming is better yet

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster8) Go to a swim clinic or take some private

lessons

Even just 1 clinic or a couple of private lessons can really help

However, it’s easy to slip into bad habits so you’ll have to practice and remember what you learned

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster9) Have a friend take a video of you

swimming

What you think or feel you are doing in the water is probably not what you are actually doing

Backstroke example

Top 10 Ways to Swim Faster10) Work on core strength

Why? To prevent injuries To gain efficiency and power

Exercises: superman and sideroll (can be done with an exercise ball), plank, ball plank, leg lifts, abs, med balls, squats, lunges, etc.

Open Water

Is training in a pool fine or should I try to swim in open water?

Importance of open water swimming at least occasionally.

Focus on race day preparation!Sport is inherently unpredictable.Train for all predictable aspects of triathlon

racing.Be prepared for little things that you do on

race day but never in the course of training. From a fitness standpoint pool swimming can suffice, but race day preparation is integral.

Challenge of starting swim with possibly thousands of competitorsLeaky/foggy goggles

Sighting! Particularly when not on feetTendency to drift to one side

Fear of open waterAdjust to cold water

Learning how to swim on feetLearning how to swim on hip

Open water swim challenges

Racing – 4 common questionsHow do I avoid getting clobbered at the start

of a race?No fistfights, focus on the raceBe comfortable swimming near others,

perceived vs real threats, accept some contactLine up according to ability

Newbie on outer edgeGet out quickly, first 100y all out, first 300y

extremely hard. Train for this!

Racing – 4 common questionsHow do I gauge my effort in a race?

First 300y should feel extremely hard, don’t worry about this

Settle in after this period, focus on finding feet and getting into a rhythm

Swim should be intense, likely more uncomfortable than bike/run

Scout buoys beforehand, gauge distancesCheck watch, get used to doing this in the pool

Racing – 4 common questionsWhat are some techniques for sighting during

a race?Firstly, put BodyGlide on to stay comfortableHead down in normal position, look up before

turning to breathLearn your rhythm, one sided breathing early

then bilateral breathingStop if confused, particularly with sunLearn site points other than buoys

Racing – 4 common questionsHow important is it to draft off of others?

Very important.Physical benefits. 5 seconds per 100y. Less

sighting.Mental benefits. Maintains focus. Ok to touch feet a few times per minute.Learn how to swim on hip as well.