Open water swim training

Making the most of your time, don’t swim or train blind or time is wasted

What you learn in the pool must be applied to what you do the open water. Let me repeat that, what you learn in the pool must be applied to the open water.

Why not use your training aid on the lake or the sea??? For the GoTri advanced open water training sessions we use pull buoys/paddles/swim cords/fins all to aid what we are trying to accomplish during our sessions.

Use the swim cords lake side to warm up prior to your open water swim. use them while wearing your wetsuit.

Swim cords

A lot of swimmers suffer with shoulder tightness after 300m/400m open water swimming that they don’t get during pool sessions, this comes down to extra resistance from the wetsuit and the water density sea/freshwater. Swim cords offer a great way of warming up especially if the water is a little chilly.

Paddles and fins

 Offer easy ways of working on your stroke power and body balance while swimming fast in the open water. A lot of swimmers don’t focus on the “roll” while in their wetsuits, let me repeat, what we do in the pool, we do in the open water, hips and shoulders move in unison, use your wetsuit to your advantage!! Your paddles will help you to focus and finish strokes while the fins provide easy speed

Think about a few things

Always swim in a buddy system, but not always easy finding someone of your own ability? Put fins on your buddy, practice drafting!!! How many pool swimmers never practice this basic energy saving technique??? Practice hip and feet drafting take turns

Stroke rates

In open water swimming a higher stroke is more favourable, this is due to “in fighting” within group starts or pack swimming. Practice changing your stroke rates during your open water swim practice sessions.

Example session

20 strokes fist drill fast as possible, 20 strokes normal stroke fast as possible, 20 strokes easy. Wear a watch and take a 20 sec break or swim to a point and back

Got a question email info@gotri.ie