Triathlon - Swimming STRAIGHT

I have been training in the pool for a while now. It's easy to swim there but as soon as I get open water and I can't see then it's a problem. I just can't swim straight in open water to save my life. What I have tried to do is swim with my eyes closed in the pool trying to get used to it. I have been doing the last 3-4swims at 2k meters a piece but I still haven't really grasped it yet.

Is there some trick or secret to this crap?

practice in open water and pop your head up and sight every so often.

If you are really that crooked, try breathing on alternate sides.

Yeh, I have heard that if you breathe only on one side then you could have problems. I breathe only on one side, but don't seem to have too big of a problem going straight. Just try to site more often and work on your form when you breathe so you don't curve away from the direction that you are breathing. Keep you hands/arms from crossing your body when you catch/pull. Good luck.

Shoot, swim one or two breaststrokes every 10 pulls!

Choose a target. If you swim in a lake, this is very easy since the objects don't tend to move too much. Ocean swimming is much harder due to the swells and such. So let's say it's a buoy or even a spot on the shore or horizon. Swim several strokes (say about 12, if you're doing bilateral breathing) and on the next breath, pick your head up a bit and sight your target. Make corrections as necessary. But beware of coming up out of the water - last week I saw a guy swimming in in the lake and he would literally pop his torso up out of the water to sight. That is a big fat waste of energy and totally unnecessary. It's really just a glance...

Thats what I have been working on is glancing every 6th or so stroke so I know if I am going straight. It's going ok so far we shall see on the Half Iron in Sept...

Just remember that you may in fact be swimming straight in relation to your body angle, but in an open water swim, the currents could push you to an angle. I know I had trouble in one sprint triathlong with currents as it was early summer and the swim was near the mouth of a river after heavy rain the previous two days. The current form the river was great pushing from behind on the way out, but after making a 90 degree turn, it continued to push me out as I tried to swim perpendicular to the current's flow. Everyone else is right in that you should pick your head up every so often to re-orient yourself in line with the next buoy. Good luck in the HI, and hopefully you can get your swim leg down pat.

Choose a target. If you swim in a lake, this is very easy since the objects don't tend to move too much. Ocean swimming is much harder due to the swells and such. So let's say it's a buoy or even a spot on the shore or horizon. Swim several strokes (say about 12, if you're doing bilateral breathing) and on the next breath, pick your head up a bit and sight your target. Make corrections as necessary. But beware of coming up out of the water - last week I saw a guy swimming in in the lake and he would literally pop his torso up out of the water to sight. That is a big fat waste of energy and totally unnecessary. It's really just a glance...

I agree. I sight on a buoy, tree, houseboat, etc. and I look up every 10-12 strokes. I also just slightly lift my head and only my eyes come out of the water. When I get near turn buoys, I sight every 4 strokes. I found actually counting in my head reminds me to sight and it helps me not think of Jaws underneath getting ready to eat me. :eek: Yeah, I know...there aren't any sharks in Nebraska.

I've been doing a lot of open water swimming recently, which obviously helps with practicing sighting.

I agree. I sight on a buoy, tree, houseboat, etc. and I look up every 10-12 strokes. I also just slightly lift my head and only my eyes come out of the water. When I get near turn buoys, I sight every 4 strokes. I found actually counting in my head reminds me to sight and it helps me not think of Jaws underneath getting ready to eat me. :eek: Yeah, I know...there aren't any sharks in Nebraska.


If I were you I'd worry about those de-evolved land sharks that have gone back into the water. They haven't had much to do since their last gig on Saturday Night Live...

SCARY!!! Swimming at a lake makes me more worried about running into a brown trout...like the one Bill Murray drained the pool for in Caddyshack!

Yep the best way to stay straight is to pick a stationary object before the start and once in the water rotate your head out of the water every 10-20 strokes do this in the middle of a stroke and you won't even break your rythem. Also in a mass swim you can just use other swimmers to keep you on course but make sure you don't follow a group of course, most of the pack will keep you on track.

Good Luck!!!