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

on the edge of the pool. Your arms should be straight and your head and upper body relaxed. Stretch out in the water. If you find it too hard to do this without putting your head in the water, that's fine, but you should learn to relax your upper body enough

, professionals included, come in all shapes and sizes. They usually lack the upper-body strength of top swimmers, have heavier legs and, often, tight ankles. They swim in packs, frequently have to look up to see where to go and, in the UK at least, wear wetsuits

Swimming is perhaps the perfect athletic complement to running because the two sports are so different. "Just about everything about swimming is exactly the opposite from running in terms of stresses on the body," says Joe Friel, a runner

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

It would never previously have occurred to me to seek out external help to improve my swimming or even to have a sense of introspection about it. But now, on the cusp of my first serious triathlon season, the obvious limitations of my swimming have become

comes from your arms."Try some basic pool exercises to strengthen your muscles, such as using a float to practise front-crawl leg-kicks. Hold the float out in front of you, keep your upper body relaxed and just use your legs to swim. It can be hard going