Whether you're serious about racing your first triathlon or you just want to do some cross-training in the pool, there are two types of swimming workouts that offer the most benefits for runners. The first is swimming laps, or endurance swimming, where you
Most runners who are considering their first triathlon can cope with the cycling aspect of the event. It's the swimming that scares the life out of them. But it shouldn't, as long as they know the basics. "Gifted swimmers simply have a better
, balance, core rotation, aquatic breathing skills and core kicking. It doesn't matter where you are in your swimming career, everyone has to first master these skills.3. Since TI believes swimming is a technical rather than an endurance sport, drills always
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
way to monitor your training effort. On a scale of one to 10, a three would be a very easy session, perhaps a very easy distance swim, run or ride with concentration on technique; a seven would be a medium-intensity session; while a nine would be a
"There is nothing like pink toilet paper or a floating plaster to come at you from the deep to make you swim faster!" says Duncan Hough, vice chair of the Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club (www.bratclub.co.uk). But your first open-water swim
- and sometimes even in the pool when you're training. However, he's right: making friends with water could be the difference between loving every minute of a triathlon and metaphorically holding your breath until you exit the water.Triathletes from a non-swimming
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
and count how many kicks you usually make per two-arm cycle. "Now try swimming with a two-beat kick," says Kelly. "If you can mostly use your arms, that will help the bike and run."Join the draftMany triathlons forbid drafting on the bike (using another
will have built up your swimming fitness in the pool and you should now be working to overcome the technical and mental challenges of open-water swimming.Specialist swim skillsBill Black coached the GB men's triathlon team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000
