Triathlon Tips
The sport of triathlon simply keeps growing, with more and more triathletes keen to start either their first sprint distance race, or progress to the Olympic distance course
THE SWIM
For complete beginners there are sprint distances races which are held in swimming pools with the swim normally being 400 metres, this would be a good start, especially if you have a poor swimming background.
If your swimming is your weakest discipline, then the more time you can spend in the pool, then the greater your confidence will become in achieving your goal. Swimming requires little equipment, a swimsuit, goggles, swim cap and a pool. The swimming pool is the most important item, as it is here that you can study how others swim and hopefully ask for advice from either coaches or strong swimmers after they have finished their workouts.
To improve your strength for the swim, use the weight training program for swimmers once per week, combined with the following sessions ideally twice per week.
| WARM UP 150 M | EASY SWIM TO GET USE TO THE WATER |
| LEG KICK 4 X 25 M | USE A FLOAT IN FRONT FRONT CRAWL LEG KICK |
| DISTANCE 2 X 200 | AIM TO WORK ON YOUR BREATHING @ STEADY PACE |
| DRILLS 6 X 25 | CONCENTRATE ON HAND ENTRY AND LEG KICK |
| SPRINT 4 X 25 | WORK TO INCREASE YOUR SPEED FRONT CRAWL ONLY |
| COOL DOWN 100 M | EASY SWIM FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING |
This session is a total of 1,000 metres. As you become fitter and more comfortable aim to reduce your rest period between swims, and increase swimming speed.
| WARM UP 300M | 50 M CRAWL 50 M LEG KICK REPEAT 3 TIMES |
| BREATHING 4 X 100 | BREATH EVERY 5 STROKE THEN 4 / 3 / 2 FOR EACH 100 |
| DISTANCE 2 X 300 | MAINTAIN PACE THROUGHOUT 80% EFFORT |
| SPRINTS 4 X 50 | 90% EFFORT 15 SECONDS REST BETWEEN SPRINTS |
| LEG KICK 4 X 50 | USE A FLOAT IN FRONT FRONT CRAWL LEG KICK |
| DRILLS 6 X 50 | WORK ON ARM TECHNIQUE AND TUMBLE TURNS |
| COOL DOWN 200M | EASY SWIM PRACTICE BI-LATERAL BREATHING |
This session is 2,200 metres, take adequate rest between each part of the workout, concentrating throughout on good technique. If you race in a pool spending time on tumble turns will be beneficial.
| WARM UP 400M | 100 WITH PADDLES 100 POOL BUOY REPEAT TWICE |
| 4 X 200 M FAST | USE PADDLES + BUOY IF YOU HAVE THEM |
| 8 X 50 M | SWIM WITH ONLY 1 ARM ( CHANGE ARM ON RETURN) |
| 2 X 400 M | 1500 M RACE PACE 30 SECONDS REST BETWEEN |
| 8 X 50 M | BREATH 8 / 6 / 4 / 2 REPEAT TWICE 15 SEC REST PER 50 |
| LEG KICK 6 X 50 | USE A FLOAT IN FRONT FRONT CRAWL LEG KICK |
| 6 X 100 SPRINTS | 20 SECS REST BETWEEN SPRINTS 80 % EFFORT |
| COOL DOWN 400M | PRACTICE BREATHING AND BUTTERFLY KICK OFF WALL |
This session is 4,100 metres a hard session for either good swimmers or Olympic distance triathletes, aim to perform this session fresh, not after a run or bike workout.
The next page deals with the longest part of the triathalon - the bike
