Triathlon - Conditioning for swimming without pool access

Hi guys. I really want to become a tri-athlete and have been running and cycling for a few years now. My big hold up is the swim portion. While I think I am physically fit for it, I simply do not have consistent access and cannot afford a gym membership. Is their any strength or cardio training I can do to supplement my inability to access a pool? thanks in advance!

Strength and cardio training compliments pool training but cannot replace it, so you need to get in the water.

Check http://www.swimmersguide.com/ to see if there's a pool nearish to you that maybe you were unaware of.

Is there nowhere you can go? Open water nearby? Does a friendly neighbour have a backyard pool - you could make a ghetto swim tether and get a workout that way?



Best of luck.

If you wanna swim you gotta get in the water. :/

If you wanna swim you gotta get in the water. :/

+1, sorry no substitute for actual water time

holmes, I was in the same situation last summer and I simply did oush ups and hoped that my overall fitness was enough for a half mile swim.......I did survive but I did have a swimming back ground years prior. Good luck. you need to swin to swim well just like cycling & running they require that yiu do each , overall fitness will not do it.

+1
I finally made up my mind that i wanted to do a triathlon. I can ride 40-50 miles at the drop of a hat, run a 10k at around a 8:15 to 8:30 pace. I got into the pool a few weeks ago to start working on my swim and barely made it 50meters before having to stop. Granted, my technique is terrible (getting better with lessons), but there is no way I could have done the 400m or so in a sprint tri. You have to get in the pool.

+1
I finally made up my mind that i wanted to do a triathlon. I can ride 40-50 miles at the drop of a hat, run a 10k at around a 8:15 to 8:30 pace. I got into the pool a few weeks ago to start working on my swim and barely made it 50meters before having to stop. Granted, my technique is terrible (getting better with lessons), but there is no way I could have done the 400m or so in a sprint tri. You have to get in the pool.

Exactly the same here. I'll be doing a sprint triathlon in October (my first). Cycling, no problem. Running, likewise. I'm lucky enough to have a workplace with an attached gym with a 25 yard pool. I thought I'd put in about ten laps, and was gasping for air after 2 laps. It's going to be a long 4 months in the water

Here are some cheap alternatives to an official gym membership:
1. local pools not in gyms; high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, universities even may have open use time for the public. If you pay for a whole bunch of times at once(i.e. a 10 trip pass or 20 trip pass) they are usually cheaper than a gym.
2. local parks with swimming areas, a park pass often costs like $20-40 for a year. I actually used to swim once a week at a local park; typically just outside the boundary line to avoid the masses
3. community ed or masters swim groups; it's probably closer in cost to a gym membership, but if you are really strapped for cash they may waive the cost. The bonus is that you get coaching.
4. Do you have health insurance? Do they offer a gym membership reimbursement?