- Often one of the biggest barriers
to getting started in triathlon is the swim.
If your swimming is your weakest discipline,
or you come from a non-swimming background,
then tackling the swim in a triathlon
can be quite daunting.
And this probably sounds pretty familiar
to a number of our viewers,
which is why I've got some help today.
I've brought in Sam Pictor.
So thanks for joining us, Sam.
- Thanks for having me, Mark.
Pleasure to be here.
- Well, Sam I think it's probably fair to say,
you probably don't mind me saying
that swimming isn't your strongest discipline.
- No, that's definitely fair to say.
I came from a non-swimming background
when I first joined university sort of seven years ago.
The idea of a swim squad swim was terrifying.
I was slowest in the lane.
Started in the slowest lane.
And to be honest, all those years ago,
I wish there were several things that I was told
when I first started out.
- So for our viewers, what did you start out,
you know like your times per 100 metres?
- So I mean, when I first started swimming,
it wasn't really about times, it was about
trying not to stop every
other length. - Surviving.
- It was surviving.
Not getting too out of breath.
But I'd say maybe two minutes for 100 metres.
- Okay, and where are you at now?
- I'm sort of now knocking on the door of 1:15, 1:20.
- So very competitive.
- Yeah, starting to get out towards the
pointy end of the swimming races,
which is getting there. - Brilliant.
Well, this is why we've got you in today
because we'd like to pick up on some of
those tips that you've learned over the years.
And help some of our viewers out there
for getting started in triathlon as non-swimmers.
(booming)
(electronic beeping)
(thumping rock music)
Okay then, Sam, what is your first tip for us today?
- So first tip, Mark, is breathing.
Now we all breathe very easily
when we're running, when we're cycling,
but swimming takes some practise.
When I first started out swimming,
I remember the coach at the university sort of said,
Sam look, when your head's underwater, breathe.
- Which sounds quite odd.
- That didn't make sense to me.
But what he meant was breathe out.
And it then clicked actually, it's just breathing out
steadily when your head's underwater.
So, a few drills you can do, just go to a quiet pool,
put your head underwater, breathe out slowly,
just get that trickle of bubbles coming out,
and if you practise that, build that into your swimming,
it won't take long until you can relax
and really start to enjoy your swimming.
- Now I do actually know from having coached a
little bit in the past from athletes
that hold their breath, actually that creates a
lot of tension in the upper body,
which then restricts your arms when you're swimming
so it is like a win-win really.
- And the funny thing is, by breathing out
you'll find that you get to the end of each length
and you don't need to stop for a rest.
(whooshing)
- [Mark] Okay, tip number two for us, Sam.
- Tip number two, Mark, relax and take your time.
Now, sometimes it's not always best
to practise these things in a busy club session
so take yourself away, maybe public swim session
or an open swim session, and just work on
your technique and your breathing,
again just head underwater, breathing out steadily.
Sometimes maybe just do one length at a time,
and just really focus on relaxing in.
- So quality rather than quantity.
- Quality rather than quantity, absolutely.
- Okay, so you haven't got a load of people
around you, chasing you on your feet,
so you can just take your time.
- [Sam] Yeah, and I think the key here is to relax.
If you take your time, you don't feel rushed
then you can really relax and then you,
like you're saying, your arms will loosen up
and you'll be able to swim a lot freer.
(whooshing)
- [Mark] Okay, Sam, tip number three for us.
- Tip number three is little and often.
Now I used to be very guilty of this,
but I used to go to the pool and do massive hero sessions.
I used to think if I go to the pool,
do a big 90-minute swim, five K,
smash it out, arms falling off,
get out and think, yep, job done, bank that.
But I've come to learn that's just
not the way to do it.
Your technique falls apart, and really it's
about frequency, not quantity.
- Yeah, so you oughta spread out
over a shorter swim, so what three 30-minute swims
rather than one 90-minute swim?
- Absolutely, you took the words
right out of my mouth.
It's just, yeah, frequency, getting
in the pool, not leaving it too long
in between every swim that you do.
- Yeah, 'cause then you're not reinforcing technique
in that time so you're then having like
four, five, six to eight between each swim.
- Absolutely, and as an adult onset swimmer,
without that years of background in swimming,
it's really about getting in often
and getting those frequent touches of the water
so that your brain just starts to really learn it.
- I like it.
Feel for the water.
(whooshing)
- Tip number four is to swim with others.
Now once you get into the pool, the best way,
and you're learning the basics of swimming,
the best way to move it along fast
is to get in with other people.
And this would also set you up
in a great way for your first triathlon.
- [Mark] So you're pushing each other along.
- Absolutely.
You're taking it in turns to lead the length.
Get yourself down to a local tri club,
or public swimming session with a few friends.
Take it in turns to lead the lane,
you'll then have to count lengths,
you'll have to think about your pacing,
all good things that will feed into your first triathlon.
- And also it's that responsibility of taking
on the pacing and what time you go off on the clock.
If you use a clock.
- Yeah, when I first started swimming I was so guilty.
I had my triathlon watch and I'd hit the wall,
press stop, beep.
And then five seconds later, beep,
and I could other swimmers looking at me,
what is he doing?
And really it's, yeah, if you're gonna swim,
try and swim like a swimmer.
And that means using that funny looking clock on the wall.
- So you really get in tune with your pacing.
But also I guess just actually jumping
in a public lane that's busy, you're in
close proximity to a lot of swimmers,
which we need for triathlon.
- Absolutely.
In a race, you're not gonna have it
all your own way.
So getting used to the chop on the water.
Other swimmers sort of in and around you.
- Yeah, it just makes you aware of what's going on
and how to follow feet and what not.
- Absolutely.
So useful.
(whooshing)
- [Mark] 'Kay, next tip, tip number five.
- Tip number five are drills.
Now I wish someone had told me about drills
when I first started swimming all those years ago.
Drills are the most effective and efficient
way of becoming a faster swimmer.
And then the easiest thing to do really.
When I first started swimming,
if I had 40 minutes I'd jump in
and I'd just swim up and down,
up and down, for 40 minutes.
If I had 20 minutes, up and down 20 minutes.
- I think per a lot of our viewers are
quite guilty of this.
- Absolutely, and I was.
But when you've got drills, it's just the best way
of just perfecting your technique,
saving energy, and when you jump in the pool
and you see that person just gliding past you
in the lane next to you effortlessly,
that's because they've been doing their drills.
- Yeah, so I guess the idea of drills is
that you're breaking your stroke down
and you're working on basically specific parts
of the stroke and really kind of reinforcing
and over-exaggerating the good technique that you need.
- That's exactly it.
Try and do them fresh, so warm up every time.
Build drills into every session you do.
Do them at the beginning and you can do them at the end.
- Okay, and I guess actually a really important thing
about the drills is understanding
why you're doing it.
- Yeah.
- And the purpose of it.
- You need to know the purpose of every drill,
why you're doing it.
And how to do it.
How to do it properly.
You don't want to be practising bad technique.
Like you said, drills are about breaking it down,
doing one thing, giving the brain one thing
to think about at a time.
(whooshing)
Now my final point today is feedback.
Now this is just the most useful tool.
If you've got the time, and the space, and friends.
- That's not me.
- Take them down (laughs) take them,
I'll come for you now.
Take them down to the pool, get them
to watch you swim and give you feedback.
And you can also give them feedback
and watch them swim.
It just helps you to like tweak things.
- [Mark] Okay, so does this include filming as well?
- Yeah, if you've got the ability to
then filming is just so useful.
I remember when I first got filmed,
I first started swimming, I started
to improve a bit and felt like I was Michael Phelps,
like flying through the water.
Saw myself on film and my legs were sinking,
my arms were flailing, and it sort of
knocked me back a bit.
But actually, it gave me the impetus I needed
and the feedback I needed to just correct those things.
- And I guess from that, it sort of relates
back to our last point on drills,
you can figure out what your weaknesses are,
what you need to work on and start picking
out those drills that are specific to that.
- Absolutely.
So for example, I realised I wasn't following
through on my stroke, so I started
to speak to my coach and work out
what drills we could do to correct that.
- Fantastic.
Well that has been really interesting,
so thanks ever so much for sharing your experience
and your tips with us, Sam.
- Thanks for having me, Mark.
And remember, it's worth noting that
this stuff doesn't happen overnight.
It takes frequency, little and often,
but just get in and keep going
and you'll get there.
- Yeah, I couldn't agree more.
Well, thanks again for that.
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on how to train for your first triathlon,
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