Triathlon - I swim like a rock!?!

I've wanted to enter a tri for some time now, only problem is that I don't know if I'll ever be able to swim well enough. I'm not worried about my time or anything, I'm just don't want to drown. I've taken lessons and my stroke is OK(according to them), but I can't seem to get enough air. After 100m I'm spent. I know I just need to relax but doing it is the problem. Is this something I'll ever get used to and comfortable doing or should I just look into a dualathalon? I've tried breathing every stroke and every other(every third is out of the question) and regardless I'm sucking air after a few laps.
Sorry for rambling but any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks

Well I have never really struggled with breathing during swimming, but the one thing I would say that may help is just swimming more - you should be able to swim further and further eventually I'm sure. It is like that with nearly every other sport out there. You can't expect a guy who has never trained before to go out and run a marathon, or a half marathon even.

Do you go to a place that has equipment? Use a floatation device for leg kicks, basically a flat piece of foam you hold on to while you only kick your self from end of the pool to the other end. Then swim a few laps, and then pick up the foam piece. They also make a swimming snorkel for pool work, to help some people learn to breath better or more confidently. Ask them for more help.

Get lessons - private or group

Until then keep at it for a while and you can find a Sprint with swim of only 500M - 10 laps, 10-15 minutes of swimming.

Unless you grew up on a swim team, everyone struggles with swimming so do not worry about it. It is technique driven.

Learning how to breathe every 3rd stroke is what helped me break past that barrier between surviving the swim (bearly being able to eek out 200 yards with 150 of them being the breast stroke) and enjoying the swim (1k easy freestyle). :)

Here's some websites that helped me prep for the swim on my first event:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/Ron/Getting%20Started%20With%20Swimming.htm

http://www.tri-ecoach.com/art8.htm

U should #1 learn survival floating. if you can learn this, you
can stay in the water indefinitely (depending on temperature exposure)
and if you ever doubt yourself or can't finish, go into survival mode
and work your way back slowly. or just chill out in the water

once you got that nailed, then you are ready to swim for competition

Thanks alot, I'll keep at it

If you are spent after 100 yards, you need a lot more practice. Mostly on form. With good form, you will be able to essentially glide through the water, with relatively little effort. Lessons may be a good idea.

Don't lose hope. It will come to you. I have the exact same problem, and I keep hoping I'll figure it out. I'm focusing on swimming this winter... most people told me that at one moment, they just started to breathe right. I did an olympic triathlon and took me one hour for the swim... I was taking a few strokes, then a couple of breaststrokes, and so on. I wasn't even the last one, there are people swimming on their backs near the end.

Try a pull buoy between your legs (google "pull buoy;" most pools have them for swimmers to use). Basically, it keeps your legs afloat while you concentrate on your arms and breathing. I've been a competitive swimmer for 20 years (currently making the move to triathlons) and I still use a pull buoy now and then to work on my technique and breathing. Swimming uses the whole body...it is difficult to put it all together if you're new to the sport. So, isolate different parts until you get them down...and then put them together.
Someone in an above post mentioned a kick board...a great idea to work on your kick! Use a pull buoy to work on arms and breathing. And yes, lessons are great. I've taught a few triathletes to swim in my day! And don't give up...it seems hard for other people to understand, but I can probably swim for 24 hrs straight, but put me on land and I am absolutely dead after running a mile or two or biking for like 30 minutes. But, I keep plugging away and refuse to let these land sports get the better of me! PM me with any swimming questions; I'd be more than glad to help!

^^ I'm good in the water (given I'm in shape... oops!) and good on the bike, but I hate hate hate to run when I'm not on a field chasing a ball.

Thanks alot everybody. I guess I'll start back at the Y. I know it sounds pathetic but I was ready to throw in the towell. If there's hope I'll get back to it. Hell, it's not like I can do alot of riding this time of year anyway.
Thanks again.

Thanks alot everybody. I guess I'll start back at the Y. I know it sounds pathetic but I was ready to throw in the towell. If there's hope I'll get back to it. Hell, it's not like I can do alot of riding this time of year anyway.
Thanks again.

i'll help with the swim if you help with the run:p

Slow down.

Swim slower.

No, even slower than you think.

Reallll slow.

Try to go as slow as you possibly can go without sinking.

I have had quite a few friends that were great athletes, get interested in this triathlon thing, jump in the pool and race across, then race back, then spend a couple of minutes trying to get their wind back. Meanwhile, me the turtle will just keep slowly swimming past them as they hold onto the edge of the pool gasping.

You wouldn't try running your first 10k by sprinting the first hundred yards, don't do it in the pool.

Now, if you can't slowly swim across the pool without getting winded, seek help.

^^^ +1

By consciously going real slow you will learn to relax a bit more, then, and only then, you can work on more useful stuff like going faster.

Slow down.

Swim slower.

No, even slower than you think.

Reallll slow.

Try to go as slow as you possibly can go without sinking.

I have had quite a few friends that were great athletes, get interested in this triathlon thing, jump in the pool and race across, then race back, then spend a couple of minutes trying to get their wind back. Meanwhile, me the turtle will just keep slowly swimming past them as they hold onto the edge of the pool gasping.

You wouldn't try running your first 10k by sprinting the first hundred yards, don't do it in the pool.

Now, if you can't slowly swim across the pool without getting winded, seek help.


this is by far the best advice for the OP. I was and still am in the same situation where i feel like i never get enough breath to get comfortable in the water. you get that tight chest, panic feeling and you end up swimming the entire swim leg on your back (guilty!)... it all amounts to relaxing. some people naturally take to water and swimming and can't really grasp what it is like to feel this way. i plan on ramping up my tri training in the next month or so, and the key is going to be slowing down, getting comfortable, and try to enjoy the experience. use leg blocks to float your legs and just practice pulling and breathing. try alternating sides when you feel comfortable. good lucK!

The very best thing you can do to improve your breathing is to exhale through your nose between strokes. That way when you go to take a breathe, you have already exhaled and the only thing you do is inhale. Trust me, I just got back from 5 hours of practice. (4 hours in a pool, 1 hour of weights/stair.

Slow down.

Swim slower.

No, even slower than you think.

Reallll slow.

Try to go as slow as you possibly can go without sinking.

I have had quite a few friends that were great athletes, get interested in this triathlon thing, jump in the pool and race across, then race back, then spend a couple of minutes trying to get their wind back. Meanwhile, me the turtle will just keep slowly swimming past them as they hold onto the edge of the pool gasping.

You wouldn't try running your first 10k by sprinting the first hundred yards, don't do it in the pool.

Now, if you can't slowly swim across the pool without getting winded, seek help.

Sometimes I start to fast on race day and have to tell myself to slow down, as I catch my breath I can build speed and even end up faster than I started, As for now keep working it, I started just like you,kept working it and there was a magic moment when it felt like I could breath underwater (of course I cant, but my brain knew that air was on the way so no panic,even now when I go to breath and get mostly water, I stay in rythm cause by the time I spit it out it.s time to breath again).good luck.

The very best thing you can do to improve your breathing is to exhale through your nose between strokes. That way when you go to take a breathe, you have already exhaled and the only thing you do is inhale. Trust me, I just got back from 5 hours of practice. (4 hours in a pool, 1 hour of weights/stair.

Read through all the posts and this just might be it!

I'm not 100% in agreement with the go slow post, but working on your form, not your speed is a good idea. Breathing while swimming is not difficult, once you get it. But until you do it can be a real problem.

Breathing involves turning, not lifting your head and also getting it so your mouth is in a natural trough.

These days yuo might be able to benefit by having someone videotape you swimming. then compare it to what you see good swimmers doing.

Oh and to start breath every stroke. You can try both sides. Hmm thinking about it it could be that you just breathing on the side less natural for YOU it is a person by person thing.

I liked the pull-bouy idea. It also could provide the breakthrough for you. Or if your stroke is weak it could be a huge deadend. But it is sure worth a try.

I just started taking swimming lessons, because I pretty much couldn't swim, and it's interesting that I realized my form, stroke, position is much better when I try to go all-out. My coach told me to do series of 100y, relaxed, and do the last 25 at max speed. Of course I don't need to do that in the race, but she says it might help you learn the correct way of swimming.

when i started swimming (for real) i always got winded after 100 yrds too. for me the key was to start exhaling as soon as i put my head back in the water from taking a deep quick breath.. i have to make sure i exhale completely or i can't get enough "new" air and i ended up getting tired as in out of breath... now i can swim nonstop for as long as i need...

This is a great thread. I'm looking to start tri's and swimming is my main obstacle. I'm coming from a cycling background with running being somewhat secondary. Half marathons are no problem and I'm taking on my first marathon in May.

My first trip to the pool with my tri friends quickly earned me the nickname 'Flounder'. I'll put to use what has been said here and see if I can't get my nickname changed to 'Flipper' before the end of the year.

Cheers,
Andy

I can relate! I swim like a rock too. That is one reason I started to get into canoe-bike-run triathlons. Minnesota has a few: Root River Triathlon and Border-to-Border Triathlon. They're great fun and quite competitive!

Also, for swimming, has anyone tried the over-arm sidestroke? My flutter kick doing the crawl is weak, but I have a very powerful scissors kick. Also I like the overarm sidestroke because my mouth is out of the water all the time, so I can breathe more naturally. And at least one of your arms gets to do the full length of the stroke, just like in the crawl.

Well, I am very sorry that you have problems with the swim. I am also preparing for my first tri. I am a very strong swimmer, but I can barely ride a bike. So I feel your pain. My philosophy is that at least you can't fall off the water, and if worse comes to worse during the run, you walk. I am just buying the bike this week actually. I went in the store a few days ago and started hyperventilating just looking at them. The guy I was talking to must have thought I was nuts. I'm doing the event for charity through Team in Training, so it is really not about winning, but I will eventually have to get on the bike. The event is in May. Olympic length even - HA! At least you have been working on your swim. I could have chosen an event that does not have a cycling component to it, but I am determined to get over this hurdle. I know my fear is irrational, but I guess all phobias are. I plan on beating mine, I wish you luck doing the same.

If worse comes to worse, maybe a relay will be the key, lol. I'll swim and you can bike ;o).

C

Cmpeters, I have a different attitude... Not worried that much about the bike, after all it's something you do sitting down, right? People drowning on a bike? Statistically, 0. Drowning while running? Well, maybe a few drunkards who fell off some bridge. For me, if I make it out of the water alive, the race is almost done :-)

And speaking of the subject... shouldn't it be "swim like a brick"? :-) One reason a friend of mine says you shouldn't associate swim with bricks, as in "doing a swim/bike brick".

There probably could be nothing better you could do than get some swim instruction/coaching. You could hook up with an individual coach or perhaps you could find a club that swims as a group and offers coaching at the same time.

Proper technique is VERY important (if not the most important thing) in swimming. The only way you will probably be able to know what is wrong (and right) with your stroke, and what to do to make it better, is to get some feedback and ideas on what you can do to improve.

:D:D:D Take heart, you are not the only person who started with "swimming like a rock".

Good luck

Now, I have a couple of months of experience with this, so my main advice is: Get some lessons from a coach. I only took 3 lessons so far (with many swims on my own in between), and I saw a huge improvement. Before, I couldn't freestyle more than 400y continuously, now I just swam 800y. Before, 50y would take me about 1:20, now I averaged 1:05 over those 800y.
I got the lessons at The Atlantic Club, $32/lesson, I assume the prices are pretty much the same anywhere, maybe less if you're a member (I'm not a member there).