Four misconceptions people have about swimming
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For many triathletes, swimming is their weakest link. Unfortunately, some triathletes also have a ton of misconceptions about swimming that hinders them from performing well.
You just need to swim continuously
Some people think that to get better in swimming, you just have to keep doing as many laps as you can. Going at the same pace for your entire workout isn’t going to help you improve. Structure your training with short interval-based sets with rest and recovery in between. With this, you can build endurance and challenge yourself with each set.
Using equipment is the only way to improve
While using fins and paddles is a great way to boost your workout, make sure you aren’t relying on them too much. If not utilized correctly, you can fall into bad habits and bad techniques, especially if you’re not an experienced swimmer. These equipment have added surface area that gives you the feel of being faster so once it’s off on race day, you might feel slower than usual.
Don’t bother with kicking
If you think about it, this makes little sense considering the kick is half the stroke. Some triathletes are conservative about kicking and think that it doesn’t have much effect to move them forward. Kicking helps you balance and position yourself in the water, so don’t try to be too restrictive about your beat.
Freestyle is the only stroke you need
The default stroke for triathlon is freestyle, but knowing other strokes can be just as beneficial. Different strokes have different kinds of movements and highlights different muscles. For example, butterfly can give you a strong upper body, and breaststroke can be a good alternative when you’re tired.