Swim skills to master

not hope we find a swimmer with a running background or a runner who can swim.

As one of Canada’s most experienced development coaches, I have been coaching youth to elitelevel athletes for the past 20 years. Over the past three years, I have been developing infrastructure for Triathlon Ontario’s Provincial Development Program to support and develop our athletes, with the goal that Ontario’s athletes will consistently represent Canada on the world stage. BALANCE: BREATHING: CATCH: It’s important that you apply force early during the rotation phase of the stroke. It’s important to engage the primary muscle groups as opposed to the stabilizers.

HIGH ELBOW: Maintain a high elbow during the recovery, as your hand enters the water during the catch phase of the stroke.

PULL DOMINANCE: Pull, don’t push yourself through the water. ROTATION: Should start at the hips and your head should remain stable.

STROKE RATE: Open-water swimming lends itself to a higher stroke rate.

SIGHTING: Separate sighting and breathing while keeping your head as stable as possible.

COMPETITIONS WILL ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT SWIM ENVIRONMENTS: Freshwater with or without a wetsuit, saltwater with or without a wetsuit, etc. Each variable needs to be understood and practiced.

DEVELOP CONFIDENCE FOR SWIM STARTS: They are aggressive and contact is unavoidable.

Swimming is done through your core, so proper rotation and maintaining good balance and posture while swimming on your side is imperative.The timing of your breathing within the stroke cycle is important, and it’s important to not hold your breath.