Building Swimming Endurance - Triathlon Week

abbie237 · 08-31-2004, 03:42 PM

undefinedundefinedundefined

I am looking for any sort of advice on building swimming endurance. It seems I can go about 25 yrds and then I feel like I just sprinted across the pool and I have to catch my breath. I am somewhat new to swimming, so I'm not sure if it's technique or if I'm just that bad. I have read [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and have implemented alot of the advice from that book, (which has helped tremendously I would like to add!) but I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I run about 25-30 miles a week and swim 3-4 days a week (800 to 1000 yds), but I am a bit frustrated. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

wannatri · 09-10-2004, 05:47 PM

Hi Abby,

Sounds like you are plenty fit enough. Swimming is mostly about the technique. As you know from Total Immersion, the techniques are very "touchy, feely" and small things make a big difference. I would recommend seeking out a Total Immersion coach, or having a coach from your local masters swimming program help you with your stroke. I've been swimming for over 30 years. I am still refining and improving my stroke.

Good Luck!

Rowdy1 · 09-13-2004, 11:56 AM

I agree with getting a coach to examine your technique. You may be killing yourself just to get a length in because there is a flaw in your technique. I to have been swimming approximately 30 yrs. and hired my first coach this year to look at my technique. I had one flaw in it that was costing me big time speed and after the adjustment I am doing great.

Mike

plannerman2001 · 08-18-2005, 07:53 PM

I had the same problem up to two weeks ago. My first tri is just two weeks away and I thought I would be forfeiting my fee. I can't say this will work for you, but I too bought the TI book and the TI video, but still was unable to get more than 25 meters in without feeling winded. I knew that I was more fit than that and was so very frustrated. A friend of mine told me to go to the shallow end of the pool, you know, the lane that they use for teaching the 6 years olds how to lap swim. (I was so embarrassed!!!) Anyway, he told me go to the shallow end and go until I was about to suck water because I was so winded. Anyway, I did it and was real surprised that on my first try I made it down and back. The next day, I got 75 meters in before stopping, the 350 meters, rested 2 minutes and got another 350 meters in. I was so excited. The next day I got 700 meters in without stopping. It was all my breathing tech. and I couldn't fix it because I wasn't going long enough. The shallow end gives you confidence to continue because all you have to do if you do suck water is stand up and your safe. I can now, just two weeks later, get in 1000 meters without stopping. (I'm dang slow, though). But it makes swimming so much more enjoyable. I now find myself focusing more on stroke timing and body roll tech. since I don't stress the breathing so much.

Hope that helps.

sfricks · 08-20-2005, 12:43 PM

Endurance in the water is a multi-function issue. Arm strength and endurance is important but winded at 25m tells me bad technique. I'm not suggesting that I am an expert or that I can write enough here to cover as much as you would get from TI. I have tought newbie Triathletes how to survive by suggesting these few techinques:

RELAX! You're not going to drown! Now that you know that, everything else gets easier. If you start to fall apart in the water, slow down and roll over if you have too. Confidence is critial. You're heart rate will go through the ceiling if you're scared or stressed. High heart rate leads to a need for more oxygen which as you know can be difficult to get in the water. Spend some time in water over your head. Float on your back. Breath and relax.

SLOW DOWN! Most beginers lack confidence and want to swim their way back to shore or pool deck in a BIG hurry. Question, if you embarque on a 13.1 mile run, are you going to set a tempo pace or sprint in the first 400m? Probably not, and especially if you're not warmed up. Yet this is exactly what many begining swimmers want to do. Take a slow, steady approach and get the blood moving before you try to set that Olympic record for the 100m free. Remember "Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast".

TAKE A BREATH! Question, have you ever tried to swim 25m on one breath? Go ahead give it a try. That's probably what you've been doing. Poor breathing technique won't slow you down, it'll stop you dead! Things to consider: Are you rotating your hips enough to allow sufficient time to take a FULL breath? Are you exhaling enough while your face is in the water so that you're able to renew most of the air in your lungs? Remember, shallow breathing means that your body will have to metabolize what little oxygen is left in that un-exhaled air. This leads to the swimmer wanting to "fight" their way to the surface to get air, which leads to panic, which leads to high heart rate, which leads to less oxygen making it to your muscles. Refer to suggestion #1.

While there are techniques that lend themselves to better breathing, better hip rotation, etc., it's critical that you're comfortable in that aquatic environment. This is ALL a state of mind. Again, you're not likely to sink no matter how hard you try. So relax, have fun and swim away!

Hope this helps!

Bucky · 08-22-2005, 08:47 PM

Hi,

I'm probably not adding much here, but, adding to Scott's point of slowing down, I found this really helped when I first got back into swimming. I'd read/heard somewhere that one drill was to try and swim as slow as you can, just fast enough to keep from sinking. I think this was supposed to be a recovery technique, and it was before I'd discovered TI techniques, but it allowed me to just relax and feel comfortable in the water. Once I started learning TI drills, I would sometimes use the ultra-slow swimming to really focus on what I was doing.

Good-luck with everything!

Bucky

blueraider_mike · 12-10-2005, 03:32 PM

Abbie,

Swimming is more like golf than the running and biking you might do. Especially, if you are an adult trying to truly learn to swim for the first time. TI is a great way to learn. Its all about being in a balanced position in the water. Once you have balance and a little confidence you will find you can swim for ever.

I was in the same boat 2 years ago. Now I still don't swim fast (1:20 for an IM), I have learned its the easiest part of the race. Stick with the drills. Don't use all the gadgets out there, such as pull-boeys and kick boards, you can't use that stuff out in the water during a race. Master the drills, get balanced. I still do all of them. And probably drill more than I swim. I think this could be a breakout year in the swimming department. STICK with it, get the pool a lot. You don't have to be in for more than 30-40 minutes at a time, but the number of times a week needs to be at least 3X, more if you can swing it. The winter is the best time to learn. You can do it.

CarolRawinia · 03-01-2006, 06:52 PM

I learn't to swim six months ago and I can now swim 2.5km's (I don't know what that is in miles) and I found that the drills helped an enormous amount particularly those that focused on my body roll and my position in the water. Having said this I have very strong shoulders and a competent kick, and inspite of the work done by the arms the kick has to be strong hence I do use a kick board, fins/flippers, pullboy and paddles because they allow me to focus on one aspect of my stroke or kick. In addition I have been trained in the various strokes because they help to ensure that the frame and core are strong and flexible. The trick to learning to swim in my opinion is to do a little frequently and to work at building up the distance. Since being coached I have watched lots of other swimmers and note that even though a large number can move relatively quickly in the pool they have poor technique and would not manage in open water. My advice get a good coach and practice or technique