MASTER OPEN-WATER
In just two months, Dermott Hayes will have you swimming with confidence and speed. Turn the page to find out how…
Our exclusive eightweek outdoor-swim programme gives you the sessions, skills and drills to tame every body of water
Covid’s been a stressful time for all of us. It’s also shone a light on existing issues and, not to make light of the situation, for many that’s meant an increased focus on open-water swimming to improve a hereto limiting opening leg. You see, there’s usually only a small minority of triathletes that have experienced swimming at the highest level when younger, and so when it comes to training for a triathlon the majority need to relearn how to swim efficiently. To make things more challenging, most triathlons are in open water, not in a pool, with its confidenceinducing lane ropes, clear water and the chance to stop every 25m. In short, swimming outdoors is a very different beast.
Over the next eight weeks, this training plan will help you build confidence, work on open-water technique and get you race ready. The plan is based on training for a standard-distance triathlon with a 1.5km swim. If you want to do a sprint tri, then reduce the volume by approximately 30%; if you’re tackling a 70.3 tri then increase the volume by 30%. Of course, these 2020 race goals are dependent on the season getting the go-ahead. But that won’t mean wasted hours as it’ll invigorate your swim for 2021.
Integral to this plan is the opportunity to swim in open water on a regular basis, so do some research and find a lake, river or sea near to you. Being comfortable in open water and being able to quickly relax into your stroke will have a huge impact on the success of your swim. When you’re given the green light to swim close to others, coached group sessions will teach you skills such as how to draft off other swimmers as well as sighting effectively. You’ll also find swimmers of all abilities and experience levels.
The plan overleaf focuses on preparing for a tri with a strong bias towards swimming, to make sure you get your races off to a great start. So the plan includes up to four swims per week with a mixture of both open water and pool. It covers some of the key open-water skills, which can be replicated and practised in a pool, as well as building endurance and speed ready for racing. Also within the plan is time spent using a Pull Buoy (PB) or Paddles (PD). Both of these can help to strengthen your shoulders, which is helpful to recreate the fatigue you might encounter. Right, on with the plan…