What is the most efficient way to swim between two buoys? A zig-zag? Or a straight line? A figure-eight? Well, we have all seen the occasional stray swimmer who takes a whole pack of swimmers off course with them. Or other times, you’ll see the same swimmer who crosses your path on an angle three or four times per 100 meters, as they zig-zag their way through the buoys. Today, we will discuss sighting and why technique is key in races.
Sighting to triathletes is known as finding your line, or simply, looking up to see where the next buoy is. Few swimmers are capable of swimming in a straight line without looking for a target. Imagine swimming in a 50 meter pool with your eyes closed. How many times would you run into the lane markers? Blame it on muscle imbalance or pull technique. Incidentally, there are ways to counter this! The best advice to avoid swimming off course is to look up every now and then. To dive a little deeper into this topic, there are two main things to consider when sighting: body form and breathing technique.
A little known fact to beginner triathletes is the importance of keeping your body form consistent while swimming. For the most efficient form, imagine that your body is like a board skimming across the top of the water. Streamlined, long, and relaxed. This helps reduce the amount of drag on your body, and also gives you an image of where your arms, torso, and legs should be in your swim stroke. When you combine good body form with the proper sighting technique, you can really start feeling the flow of your stroke.
One technique to use to keep that rhythm of your stroke and sight at the same time is known as the “rolling look”. Its not easy to point out, because its so fast, and looks similar to a normal stroke. Try it for yourself: while swimming laps in a pool (for simplicity reasons), breathe like you normally do in freestyle swimming, but instead of rolling your head back into the water after you breathe, rotate it forward so you can see ahead with your eyes just above the waterline, then back down into the water. This way you will retain your form, keep your groove, and conserve energy.
There are two other commonly used sighting techniques. One is the “lifeguard swim” where you bring your head totally out of water and alter your stroke to keep it out for a few breaths. This allows you to breathe and sight at the same time. This method can slow you down because when you raise your head out of the water, your feet typically sink. However, in wavy conditions the lifeguard method is good in spotting where the waves are, as well as where the next buoy is.
The last method is more of a “look up.” This is where you continue your stroke as usual, but lift your head straight up, looking forward, until your eyes clear the surface of the water. This method can also keep you in your groove with just a quick peak forward (not bringing your mouth out of the water or breathing).
Practice makes perfect. Try it often and mix it in with your swim drills in the pool, or in the open water. You will find which methods work best for you and which technique works best for which open water conditions (always swim with a buddy when going open water).
Best of luck in your training and your next race. Feel free to ask questions or offer feedback and tips in the comment section below.
Keep improving your technique and time and be on the look-out for great deals on triathlon gear at Kona Square!
Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | List Your Gear at KonaSquare.com