Freestyle swimming fact check: the biggest mistakes made by triathletes

Many triathletes have the same problem: often coming from another endurance sport as a career changer, (crawl) swimming is usually the most difficult hurdle. Moving around in the water is often more of a struggle than smooth gliding - too much effort, too little propulsion. Why is that? triathlon.de head coach Stephan analyzes the causes and errors and puts his finger in the wound.

You watch a few videos on YouTube and off you go. It's easy to explain why you can't glide through the water as smoothly as Jan Frodeno:

• Movement in a "foreign, initially hostile" element (keyword breathing)
• Swimming is the technically most demanding discipline in terms of coordination (complex interaction of arm and leg movements)
• Learning to swim is motor learning and requires lots of repetitive loops and patience
• the movement patterns differ greatly from the automated processes of cycling or running (best example: leg kick)
• lack of basic physical requirements (mobility!)

Biggest mistakes you can make:

Take the fifth step before the first

Yes, an effective underwater pull gives me the necessary propulsion. BUT: most of the time it is not even possible to concentrate on the actual execution of the movement, since the complete water position is missing. Many forget the basics right from the start: position in the water, stability, body tension. Nothing works in the water without it! Then it's time for the legs!

The legs are neglected

This is exactly where the greatest need for action lies! In most athletes, the legs are very strongly fixed to the cycling or running movement, both motorically and muscularly. However, the front crawl requires a different type of movement to provide effective buoyancy, stability, and propulsion. Furthermore, the foot position plays a decisive role - more on this under the point "Movability".

Wrong movement patterns grind in

Once an inappropriate movement pattern has become established, it must first be identified. It is then difficult to "delete" the faulty sequence or to overwrite it again with the motor.

Too little time in the water

" It's enough for me if I go swimming once a week. " This is too little! When swimming, performance progresses slowly and continuously due to the increased technical demands. It's important not to get discouraged, but to keep at it, even if it's frustrating at first. It gets better! Movement sequences must be repeated, and the swimming movement must be integrated into the repertoire as a “natural movement pattern”. If you want to make progress in winter, you should get into the pool 3 times a week. Now is the time!

Too little technique/variation

" I do the exercises I'm good at. But what is important are the exercises that you are not good at. Only they will challenge you in terms of coordination and will also take you further. So get out of the comfort zone!

Lack of mobility

What everyone likes to ignore, but is so important for the implementation of an efficient swimming technique. Two areas are particularly relevant here: arms/shoulders and ankles. A limited range of motion in the arm/shoulder area leads to a lack of stretching and extensive arm movements (rotation effects, loss of position in the water). The ankle is like the “Achilles tendon” for triathletes. A lack of foot extension has an enormous effect on the buoyancy and propulsion behavior when kicking the leg! The less extension (the stiffer the ankle), the less impact you'll get from kicking -- and that's what makes kicking so tiring.

What can you do?

If you want to "discover" swimming and improve your technique, you simply have to invest a little time, training diligence and perseverance. Right now in winter is the time for it!

Why should you do this? The central point: save energy. An inefficient swimming technique is incredibly exhausting. So much energy is wasted fighting the water that would be much better invested in cycling or running. The more inefficiently you swim, the more energy you waste, the longer you are on the swim course, the more your precious energy stores are attacked. You don't have to be the first to come out of the water, but swimming shouldn't drain you, either.

my tips

• Think about the basic requirements (body tension, mobility). Swimming training also takes place outside of the water: stabilization, mobilization, stretching!
• Concentrate in the water right from the start, don't immediately fall into old patterns.
• Question your exercises. What am I trying to achieve with this? Don't do any "alibi exercises", they won't get you anywhere.
• Concentrate only on the respective core aspect of each exercise and do not immediately try to implement everything at once.
• Use tools – but with care. Swimming equipment (kick buoy, fins, etc.) are important training aids for targeted and effective swimming training.
• Get external feedback. Self-perception and external perception are often far apart.
• You don't have to do 4,000m swimming programs, the quality makes it. Swim as much or as little as you can - the main thing is to swim!

Conclusion

This should be a brief impetus for (self) reflection. Perhaps you could find yourself in some points. As a coach, my motivation is to support athletes! Swimming has the greatest development potential for many athletes, but it has an enormous positive influence on overall athletic performance in triathlon.