and wasted no time in asking him exactly how each and every one of us can make big improvements in the pool or open water. Now a Speedo coach, Furniss has coached elite swimmers at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth level. We asked him to identify

and Bullock warns that the high-turnover style of swimming seen in some elite triathletes may not suit people new to swimming. His approach would be to start at slower speeds to ensure you have correct stroke mechanics before increasing stroke rate.Triathlon

upper-body strength and power. Elite training tips Again, start by introducing short sessions into your training regime and gradually increase.Other swimming aids to consider when training for a triathlon are pull buoys, kick boards and fins, which all

Jumping in the Thames or heading for the beach aren’t always possible when you’re training for a triathlon but there are some open-water swimming skills you can practise in the pool. By spending a few minutes every week honing your ability, you

oversees the Parachute Regiment selection process. He has sub-1:00 Ironman swims to his name and regularly competes in triathlons and challenge events.

Q. I’m a strong swimmer but I struggle with sea events. Any ideas why?A. Alongside my academic work, I’ve been a beach lifeguard since the mid-90s and one major change I’ve seen is an increasing number of triathletes moving their regular swim

this before. I'm two months along the path of trying to turn myself into a decent swimmer - or at least one good enough to stay with the pack in the swim leg of a triathlon - and everyone who's had a look at my front crawl so far has reached the same

by piranhas. Or if you see yourself as a seasoned veteran, they'll show you how it is possible to shave off the seconds without having to shave your legs.If you're training for your first triathlon, it's fine to opt for any stroke in the swim but the focus

other words, pit stops for your arms) occupy about a quarter of the time and distance. In open water, a mile will take at least 10 per cent more time to swim (because push-offs boost your speed) and there are no pit stops.Meeting these challenges demands

another is completely lost on me. As for the training, all I know is that prodigious amounts of it are standard fare, whatever the specialised distance. What the elite actually do in the pool other than swim up and down hundreds of times a day I have