Open water swimming tips
June 18, 2009 by Andie Bernard
Filed under Inside You
Andie Bernard
You’ve been putting in your pool time, but are you ready for open water swimming?
It’s about that time of the year to transition from the pool to lake. Follow these important tips to take your pool swimming fitness to successful open water swimming this race season.
1. Keep your breathing under control.
This is especially important at the start of the race. Remember to breathe out first instead of breathing in. Because of adrenaline at the start of the race, the tendency is to inhale too much, which can cause the feeling of hyperventilation. Also, try to take slow, methodical breaths, and look up at the sky for three to four strokes to get as much air as possible.
2. Know the race course.
Make sure you view and/or swim the course the day before the race. Count the total buoys and know the number of buoys at the turn around. It’s also a good idea to notice larger objects beyond the buoys and at the end of the race to have other focal points.
3. Sighting.
It’s extremely important to keep a straight swim line. Remember, in open water there are no lane markers and you can’t see the bottom. Sight the buoys every six to eight strokes by rotating your eyes forward with your regular stroke breaths.
Tri Babes Training offers open water swim clinics and practices this season at the Boulder and Longmont Reservoirs. Visit www.tribabestraining.org for dates and times.
Bernard, of Boulder, is the director and head coach of Tri Babes Training, www.tribabestraining.org. Send your fitness questions to coachandie@gmail.com.
