CAN YOU SWIM LESS, BUT STILL GET FASTER AT TRIATHLON?

Billy from TriForce answers: Can you swim less, bike and run more and still improve your triathlon times?

Simon and I have talked about this A LOT.  For us as coaches, we see it this way.

Swimming is massively a neurological sport. That’s kind of a geeky way of saying if you don’t use it, you’ll LOSE it.

That’s because swimming requires A LOT of co-ordination, or movement memory if you like.

I don’t know about you but when I spend more than three days out of the pool I feel clunky when I get back in. I KNOW I’ve lost efficiency and SPEED and it’s not down to fitness, because I’m still running and cycling.

You see, efficiency and technique is CRUCIAL to learn, cultivate and grow especially if you don’t want to burn ALL your race matches too soon.

The problem is that your neurology and efficiency can be dramatically reduced with too much time OUT of the water. You certainly won’t get many, if any breakthrough moments. You know what I mean – that one time when all that time spent working on technique comes together and it just feels incredible!

So our coached clients focus on technique and building their swim strength and power a fair bit. The clever trick is how we program it into their training weeks so that they get the best from their run and bike sessions. Because that bits important too right??

We will let you into a small secret: Sometimes our programmed swims are just 1600m long. Not much, not long, but just enough to keep that muscle memory – neurology – pathway – firing. And guess what?? Those sessions can be breakthrough sessions.

Efficiency In The Swim = Energy Saved = FASTER BIKE & RUN

Written by
Billy Harriss
Level 2 British Triathlon Coach
Head Coach
TriForce Endurance