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When you stand by the water thinking about triathlon or open-water swimming, do you get a lot of mixed feelings – excitement, nervousness, and worry that something might go wrong? If just thinking about swimming makes you a bit anxious, you are not alone. Many beginner swimmers (and veterans, for that matter) feel this way. The best way to gain confidence as a swimmer is to learn to swim for triathlon the right way. As I explained in an earlier article, brand-new triathletes are learning to swim the wrong way.
This article explains how taking a couple of steps backward and learning the basic skills and fundamental building blocks of swimming can help you become a more confident and successful swimmer. Here, you won’t see anything about hand or elbow position, notes on hand entry or exit, or how many kicks per stroke you should take—instead, we’re going to look at the foundational skills you’d build the rest of your technique off of.
Imagine these foundational skills as your superhero toolkit to keep you safe in the water. This article is not just for beginners…it’s for anyone who wants to feel more confident, less anxious, and have fun in any aquatic situation. By mastering the basics, you’re turning nervousness into knowledge, and soon you’ll be getting into the water with a smile on your face—even when surrounded by hundreds of other triathletes in deep, murky water.
The 5 essential skills for beginner triathlon swimmers
You are your first safety line. You are the only one that gets to make the decision to get in the water now or wait until you are fully prepared before putting yourself into potentially uncomfortable situations. And before you make that decision, you need to realistically self evaluate: Can you perform these five basic water safety skills outlined by the Red Cross, below? If not, the chaos of a triathlon with an open-water swim could be a dangerous affair.
1. Jump into deep water and return to the surface
Why it matters: Some triathlons begin with a small jump into the water. Or you might be pushed underwater by a wave or another athlete—if this hasn’t happened to you yet, it’s a very very common occurrence. What happens if your feet don’t touch the bottom like they would in a pool? What happens if they do touch and the bottom isn’t that safe and familiar-feeling pool tile? No matter what happens after you jump in, try to stand up, or are dunked, you must be able to calmly react and return to the surface to start swimming.
Do it: If the water is very deep (over eight feet), spread out your arms and legs as you jump into the water to create a larger surface area and more splash. This will stop you from dropping low in the water and make it easier to swim back to the surface. When you want to swim up, push water down with your hands and arms (like pushing water backwards to go forwards when swimming) and kick your legs.
When you jump into water that is slightly over your head, it’s easiest to allow your body to sink down until your feet touch the bottom and then push off to return quickly to the surface. To get to the bottom quickly, maintain a pencil-like body position when you jump in the water (legs together and straight, arms squeezed to your sides) so you easily slide through the water. After your feet touch the bottom, continue to drop deeper until your knees are bent into a jumping position and then push off like you’re scoring the buzzer-winning jump-shot.
Next level: Bonus points if you can jump in without holding your nose with your fingers. Close your mouth and gently blow air out your nose as your face enters the water. The force of air coming out your nose will prevent the force of water that wants to go up your nose.
2. Float or tread water for one minute
Why it matters: This is the most important skill for a triathlete to not just learn, but to master, and have confidence doing it in any water conditions. This is how you save your own life when something goes wrong and there’s no one to help you!
Do it: Floating is easy once you realize that you’re not going to float like a leaf (on top of the water). It can be disappointing to discover that you float more like an iceberg…only 5-10% of your body will be above the water, but that’s enough to survive. Tilt your chin up so that your heavy head (the human head weighs approximately 11 pounds) is resting back in the water and elevate your mouth and nose away from the water. Breathe quickly in through your mouth and slowly out through your nose (just like regular swimming) and keep your arms and legs under the surface to propel, maneuver, and maintain your balance in the water.
The basics of treading water include spreading out your hands and arms, sculling away, then toward your body while you kick similar to pedaling a bike. Both floating and treading water require some level of practice to instinctively do when you’re in a bad situation (think: inhaling water, getting kicked in the face, the shock of cold water, etc.). So take some time to actually try them out.
Next level: I’ve got some more bonus points ready if you can adjust or drain your goggles without hanging onto something or standing on the bottom. You can only use your legs to hold your head above water because your hands are out of the water fixing your goggles. This is an invaluable skill in situations when you need to clearly see where you are going after getting bumped in the face by a wave or another athlete. And yes, it happens all the time.
3. Turn around and find an exit
Why it matters: In a triathlon swim you might need to find a buoy, the edge of the water, the exit arch, a lifeguard, or your swimming partners. What happens if you are swimming in the wrong direction and can’t see anything in front of you?
Do it: Breaststroke, or “froggy” stroke, is a common safety stroke for these situations. It’s a low-effort stroke, an easy way to hold your head up and out of the water, and you can catch your breath if things start getting uncomfortable. You can turn your head from side to side to get a better view of your surroundings and you can paddle or kick in a circle to adjust the direction you are heading.
4. Swim to the exit
Why it matters: This is the step that we all spend most of our time practicing! Just don’t forget about steps one, two, and three (and all the additional challenges below) so that you are ready for the obstacles between the entry and the exit.
Do it: Swimming from the swim start to the swim exit is literally the point of an open-water triathlon swim, so you should be training for this already, but yes, it is a special skill, and one you should be proud of working on every time you get into the water to train!
5. Exit from the water without a ladder
Why it matters: This isn’t necessarily a challenge for events with shallow water exits, but the feeling of going from horizontal to vertical is one that takes some getting used to. There are also sometimes swims that require pulling yourself up a steep incline or bank.
Do it: Most triathletes who have been working tirelessly on number four above, should be ok with this skill, but the more you practice, the better you’ll feel when coming out of the water and into T1. Don’t skip your gym sessions so that you are strong enough to climb out of any aquatic situation.
Coach Sara’s 4 additional challenges for beginner triathlon swimmers
1. Touch the bottom of the pool and retrieve an item
Why it matters: I worked with a client who was adamant that when they stopped moving in the water they would wind up at the bottom of the pool within seconds. So, I got in the water next to them and told them to show me. Not only did they easily float at the surface, but when I proceeded to ask them to go touch the bottom of the pool, they were unable to get more than a foot under the surface.
Swimming to the bottom is a skill, not just something that happens automatically when you stop. Understanding this, experiencing it, and putting the fear aside is necessary to be able to slow down and relax. This helps you increase your endurance and cover longer distances without stopping. And it can also be a handy skill if you drop your goggles or a piece of equipment in the pool!
Do it: To touch the bottom of the pool, start by holding onto the wall like you are going to push off and start swimming (balls of both feet balanced on the wall, not on the bottom). Take a good breath and push off the wall…but instead of pushing across to the other side, angle your head and arms towards the bottom of the pool and push off with your legs. If the push doesn’t get you to the bottom, continue swimming deeper by using your arms (breaststroke arms work well) and kick hard. Release a little bit of your breath to allow your body to sink easier and faster. Once you touch the bottom, tuck your knees to your chest, bring your head above your body, put your feet on the bottom, and push/jump back to the surface.
2. Smoothly switch from swimming face-down to swimming face-up (and vice versa)
Why it matters: USA Triathlon rules allow you to use all styles of stroke to complete the swim leg and you can switch back and forth between different styles during the swim. Just like you can take walk breaks during the run, and coast during the bike, get comfortable rolling onto your back to take a break from swimming. The difference between this skill and walking or coasting is that it’s not something you might usually do, so it’ll take some practice if you’re going to safely employ it in a difficult situation in a triathlon swim.
Do it: Swim to the middle of the pool, roll onto your back, execute a float or easy backstroke, let your heart rate slow down, and then return to a face-down swimming position. Instead of resting on the wall after swimming one or two laps like you probably usually do, prepare to swim long distances in open water (without a wall, ever) by taking your breaks in the middle of the pool.
If you are getting water in your mouth or nose when rolling over, focus on the timing of your breaths. Start with a big inhale before you roll onto your back and then keep your mouth closed. Gently and continuously push air out of your nose as you are settling into a float. Wait a moment to take your next inhale until after your body is completely balanced at the surface and after any waves wash over your face. To roll back into the water, take a big inhale, close your mouth, gently exhale out your nose as you roll your face down. Continue the exhale for 1-2 strokes and then resume a normal breathing pattern.
3. Swim more than 12.5 yards (half the pool) underwater
Why it matters: This challenge requires a combination of breath control and body awareness. You can find yourself under the water after being pushed by another swimmer, tangled in a buoy rope, or tossed around in a breaking wave. Staying calm and choosing the best course of action in a stressful situation like these can change the outcome of your entire day.
Do it: First, see how long you can hold your breath. If you can’t get past 30 seconds, try very slowly exhaling after holding your breath for as long as you can. Slowly releasing the air can trick your brain into not needing another breath for a bit longer. You might be able to comfortably hold your breath for 30-90 seconds on dry land, but your brain will go into panic mode when you try this underwater. Conquer the subconscious panic by practicing in a safe environment: Use a shallow pool, hold onto the wall, have a lifeguard present and aware, and hold for no more than 30-45 seconds.
In the dangerous situations mentioned earlier, you must be able to overcome the automatic urge from your brain to take a breath while your face is still under the water. This can lead to aspiration (inhaling fluid into the airways) which leads to lots of coughing as your lungs try to rid themselves of the water. Train yourself to wait until you have safely surfaced to refill your lungs with air.
Next, use your improved breath control skills to swim under the water for a short distance and then back up to the surface. Feel the sensation of the water pressure against your body, lungs, and ears as you swim deeper in the water. If you go deep enough (over 6 feet), your eardrums might need to pop to equalize the pressure. The pressure will always decrease as you swim towards the surface, allowing you to sense which way up is even if your goggles have been knocked off and you can’t see under the water.
4. Bilateral breathing
Why it matters: We all know the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” When it comes to breathing for swimming, you might be just satisfied that you can breathe…even if it’s only to one side. Who really wants to go through the struggle of mastering the other side when you already have a perfectly good side?
And then, on race day, the winds are blowing in from the right side, and the lake is a choppy mess. Every time you turn to the right side you are met with a wall of water instead of air to breathe. After the third or fourth mouthful of water you will think back to all your hours of training in the pool and wish, just wish, that you had spent the extra time learning and practicing breathing to the left side as well.
Do it: Learning to breathe on both sides, in the most basic sense, is just a matter of mixing in your “off” side during your existing swim training. To truly master it, you might need to work off-side breathing drills into the technique portion of your workout. When perfected, bilateral breathing results in a straighter stroke which prevents you from constantly going off course. It also creates a more even and balanced stroke technique which reduces the likelihood of a swimming overuse-injury.
Learning how to triathlon swim in a pack
Almost no triathlons involve the athlete swimming by themselves, and while you may swim alone at moments during races, you’re more likely going to find yourself surrounded by other swimmers—this is a fact of “triathlon life.” It makes sense, then, that we should train this specific skill and sensation so that when it does happen, we feel as comfortable as possible. Use the below drills to help:
1. Have a teammate touch and push your feet down with every stroke
Why it matters: Pool swimming is so uniform and organized. Everyone has a lane, we are separated from others by ropes, and they even put a line on the bottom to follow to the other side. Unfortunately, none of those things exist in open water and it ends up being more like Friday afternoon rush hour traffic with blindfolded drivers.
There is no secret starting position that will allow you to swim the course without making physical contact with another swimmer. You can start in the front, in the back, on the left or on the right…but eventually everyone will converge on the same course buoys, and you will feel like you’re swimming in a washing machine of other people’s arms and legs. The most common contact in this situation is someone’s arms landing on top of your feet or legs and pushing them down as they take their strokes.
Do it: The best way to prepare for these situations is by practicing it in a controlled environment and learning how to stay calm and regain your body position. Ask a training partner to join you in the shallow end of the pool and alternate swimming in front (while your partner pushes your legs down), and behind (while you push your partner’s legs). Start with some light taps to the feet to get comfortable with the sensation and move on to a more aggressive push down and consecutive pushes. Practice using your legs to kick back up to the surface and return to a horizontal position.
2. Swim side-by-side with other swimmers in the same lane
Why it matters: Swimming next to another athlete is also very common…because everyone thinks they are taking the straightest line, and no one wants to give an inch. You might swing into someone else’s arms out of the water during the recovery phase of your stroke, and you can also bump arms under the water. You have a couple options in this situation…keep swimming and hope that person moves away from you, adjust your course to give space, or deal with it and just keep swimming.
Do it: Share a lane with a teammate in the pool to get comfortable swimming side-by-side with someone else. You’ll feel the wake of the other athlete, which can cause a splash into your normal breathing air. This is another opportunity to take advantage of being able to bilateral breathe. Once you are comfortable with one teammate swimming on either side of you, bring in a third teammate and try swimming a couple laps in the middle. It’ll feel incredibly uncomfortable at first, but better it happens for a short time in the pool than out-of-the-blue in the open water during your race!
Even if you take a step backwards and learn basic water safety skills, you are actually taking a giant step forward towards improving your own aquatic abilities. Whether embarking on a triathlon journey or just looking to enjoy the water, these are the skills that will prepare you to navigate unforeseen challenges. Coach Sara’s additional challenges will continue to enhance your proficiency and resilience by forcing you outside of your comfort zone in a safe environment. The multi-swimmer skills emphasize the need for a race-specific training approach, ensuring you are equipped to handle diverse conditions and scenarios. Get creative and reenact uncomfortable situations from race-day so that you can prepare to remain calm the next time it happens. By embracing all these skills, you can transform anxiety into confidence, creating a foundation for a safer and more enjoyable swimming—and triathlon—experience.