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So I read an article about how lap swimming is not a good gauge for your time in the open water as you do not have the wall to push off. It apparently makes a huge difference and I can see that. Once my wetsuit gets back from repair I plan to do some open water swimming.
With all of that said do you think it would be better to do lap swimming without any push off at all? Just grab the wall turn around and then continue your stroke. Also does a flip turn make these numbers a lot worse then a non flip turn push off?
I've so many questions about swimming.
I think you're over thinking this swimming stuff way to much.
Just swim
Puttin' on the foil
Walls actually slow you down, in my opinion. I am faster in a 50m pool compared to a 25m pool. Whether you are doing flip turns or open turns, you have to stop and redirect your momentum 180 degrees. For me, the big difference is there is no line to follow when you are in open water, making sighting necessary. Also, drafting in a race is a huge factor and you can't plan for it. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not. Don't worry about it. Keep swimming in the pool and try to figure out what pace you can hold for the distance of the race you are preparing for. If you are doing an Olympic, see what pace you can hold for a 1500 m/yd. straight swim. That will give you a pretty good gauge.
Don't be obsessed with your desires Danny. The Zen philosopher Basha once wrote, 'A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.'
The answer to all of them is swim more. Doesn't matter what kind of turn you do if you swim more. ows practice is good but mainly to get you used to the conditions and proper sighting.
Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson
IronMan ;)
I've heard the argument, flip turn vs non flip turn many times and here is my $.02
1. flip turns require some effort and breath holding when done properly so they don't exactly make it any easier.
2. There is no wall during an open water tri, so either way if you do a flip or touch and go it's about the same so I usually opt for the flip turn as I feel it makes my stroke feel more smooth/consistent.
3. The touch and go still requires you to puch off the wall, it may not be as forcefull, but unless you take the time to just folat off the wall with out anypush whatsover then you are not negating the "wall effect and I've never seen anyone actually do that.
But to the original post, yes open water swimming would be better than lap swimming but most folks don't have access to open water three+ times a week so the only option for most folks is a lap pool.
You guys are starting to sound like the running group where everything is "Run more"
Yup that is true , but since form is so very important in swimming and it isn't somehting most people do very much, it is even more important to swim more quality form-intensive workouts, especially when starting out, or getting back into the pool after a layoff.
Tri-Kev Here are my favorite links: My "kick @ss" running club ;) Swim 2.4 miles. Ride 112 miles. Run 26.2 miles. Then brag for the rest of your life. -Commander John Collins, Ironman Triathlon creator
I just read an article that said a person that is training for triathlons should practice the turn in the pool without touching the wall at all to simulate an open water turn around a buoy. Thoughts?
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
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They are different kinds of turns unless you don't have lane lines in your pool. A turn around a buoy is a much larger radius turn then you can do within a lane. Also I spend maybe 30 seconds turning around buoy's in a race and 20~30 minutes swimming in straight lines. I wouldn't be to worried about practicing those turns.