Embarking on your first triathlon swim is an exciting challenge that requires preparation and knowledge. With the right triathlon swimming tips, you can confidently reach your endurance race goals.

Don’t worry, we’ve stood on the beach at a triathlon and felt that pang of anxiety many times. That’s why we’re so passionate about helping age-group  athletes just like you navigate their triathlon journey.

In this guide you’ll find some of our favorite swimming tips, plus the essential advice you need to succeed in the swim and beyond.

What You’ll Learn in This Article:

• Key preparation steps for your triathlon swim
• Understanding the main swimming strokes used in triathlon
• Techniques to master freestyle swimming and improve efficiency
• Tips for perfecting body position in open water swims
• Swim training drills to build endurance for long-distance swims
• Strategies to overcome common open water challenges

At MOTTIV, we know that swimming can feel like the most intimidating part of a triathlon of any distance, but with the right training, trust us, it becomes just another part of the race. Our app includes free, personalized training plans written by coaches who know exactly what it takes for amateur triathletes to reach their endurance race goals.

Beginner’s Guide to Triathlon Swimming

Before you start swimming, it’s essential to understand the gear you need for your triathlon swim leg. Here are the must-haves:

• Wetsuit: Helps with buoyancy and keeps you warm in open water.
• Goggles: Choose goggles that fit well and provide clear vision.
• Swim cap: A brightly colored cap increases visibility for safety.

Understanding Triathlon Swim Strokes

While freestyle is the dominant swimming stroke, it’s useful to know some alternatives in case the need arises. Here's a brief explanation of the various strokes in swimming:

• Freestyle (Front Crawl): The fastest and most efficient stroke.
• Breaststroke: Helps when you need to take a break and sight (sighting is where you pick a spot on shore to focus on, to keep yourself swimming straight).
• Backstroke: Rarely used, but good for emergencies if you need to reset.

Our tips? Stick to freestyle for most of the swim leg and switch to breaststroke when having trouble navigating buoys, recovering from fatigue, or managing anxiety.

Mastering Freestyle Technique

Freestyle is fast, and allows you to sight and navigate better than all other strokes. When swimming the front crawl, keep these guidelines in mind at all times:

• Keep your head position neutral: Looking too far up or down disrupts your body position.
• Exhale underwater: Holding your breath increases fatigue; exhale smoothly when your face is in the water.
• Propel efficiently: Your legs should kick lightly to conserve energy.
• Turn your head to take a breath: Avoid lifting your head too high.

Perfecting Your Hand Entry in Freestyle

This key element of the freestyle stroke can be tough to master. Practice it with these tips:

• Enter the water smoothly: Your hand entry should be just in front of your chin.
• Avoid overreaching: Entering too far causes unnecessary drag.
• Keep your arms relaxed: Avoid stiff arm movements that waste energy.

Improving Body Position and Efficiency

Body position is especially important in the open water, when efficiency, or not wasting energy, matters even more:

• Maintain a streamlined position: Your body should be flat, with your legs high in the water.
• Adjust for conditions: In choppy water, maintain a higher stroke rate to stay steady.
• Look down, not forward: Keep your gaze toward the bottom of the pool in training to get used to a proper head position.

Effective Freestyle Drills for Beginners

Before hitting the open water, sharpen your skills with these pool-based drills and technique sessions:

• Closed-Eye Swimming: Helps build comfort and balance.
• Catch-Up Drill: Improves stroke timing.
• Bilateral Breathing Drill: Trains you to breathe every three strokes.
• Kickboard Drill: Builds leg endurance.

Open Water Swimming Strategies

Triathlon swimming comes with its own set of challenges. The lakes, rivers, and oceans we swim in for our races are not as predictable (or as warm!) as our local pool.

When dealing with waves and currents, if you learn to sight properly and maintain momentum through the water, you’ll stand a good chance of logging a great triathlon time.

If navigating through crowded race starts worries you, try to stay calm, expect contact, and avoid excessive kicking. To do this, avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe every stroke cycle to stay relaxed.

Once you’ve achieved your race goal, it might be time to aim for a faster time or a longer race. If you’re looking to set big personal goals, check out our app with unlimited options for triathlon training of all distances and levels, and plans personalized just for you.

Tips for IRONMAN Triathletes

A full distance triathlon is a physically and mentally challenging feat. Here are some of our favorite tips for the swim portion of a full-distance triathlon:

• Mental strategies: Visualize a strong swim start and finish.
• Practice maintaining a smooth stroke: Even when fatigued, focus on efficient technique.
• Race day preparation: Know the course and plan your breathing while swimming for different conditions.

Gear Primer: Choosing the Right Wetsuit for Open Water Swimming

A wetsuit isn’t just about warmth—it enhances buoyancy, flexibility, and hydrodynamics. Here’s how to pick the best one:‍

1. Fit: Snug enough that water doesn’t come pouring in, but not so restrictive that you can’t lift your arms.
2. Thickness: Since most people only own one wetsuit, pick yours based on where you’ll likely do most of your races.  Thicker suit (4-5mm) for colder races, thinner suit (2-3mm) for warmer races.
3. Flexibility: Ensure unrestricted shoulder movement for an efficient swim stroke.
4. Seams & Zippers: Look for minimal seams and a quality zipper to prevent chafing.

When to Use a Swimskin

If you want a faster swim at a non-wetsuit-legal race (such as those held in warmer water venues), a swim skin is key. Consider using one at the following events or any event where you think you'd feel more comfortable in one!

• Non-wetsuit swim conditions in races like the IRONMAN World Championship
• Warm water triathlons where a wetsuit is not allowed
• Sprint and Olympic triathlons with non-wetsuit swim designations
• ÖTILLÖ swimrun races and other multisport events where freedom of movement is key

Sighting Techniques for Open-Water Swimmers

Unlike in pool swimming, where there’s a line to follow, open-water swimmers must rely on sighting to stay on course. Read on for our favorite tips at mastering this tricky element of triathlon swimming:

• Lift your head slightly: Only peek just above the surface to maintain a straight line.
• Use landmarks: Instead of focusing only on buoys, pick visible trees, buildings, or mountains for better navigation.
• Sight every 6-10 strokes: This helps maintain efficiency without over-rotating your head.
• Avoid water polo swimming: Lifting your head too often makes your legs sink.
• Follow your own line: Many athletes swim off-course, so don’t blindly follow a pack.

How to Tread Water Effectively

Being able to tread water comfortably is crucial for open-water events and exiting the water safely. Master this with:

• Use a scissor kick & arm sculling: Keep movements relaxed and controlled.
• Stay calm: Conserve energy by maintaining slow, rhythmic breathing.
• Engage your core: Helps keep a steady, vertical balance while floating.

Why You Should Learn to Bilateral Breathe

Unlike pool swimmers who may favor one side, bilateral breathing, or breathing on both sides, makes you more adaptable in open water swim settings. Learn to do it, and it will help with the following:

• Reduces neck strain: Alternating sides prevents muscle fatigue.
• Improves stroke balance: Keeps you streamlined and symmetrical.
• Adapts to changing conditions: Bilateral breathing helps when facing choppy waters or bright sun.

Tips for Increasing Endurance

As you increase from shorter distance triathlons to long-course races, consider these tips:

• Gradually increase swim distances: Progressively extend your longest long swim.
• Use interval training: Mix race pace efforts with recovery sets.
• Cross-train: Cycling and running complement your swim training and boost stamina.

Training for Triathlon Swimming

Swim frequency, or how often you swim is a key factor in gaining confidence in the water and building the fitness you need to achieve your goals. Here are some guidelines:

• 2x per week: Enough for beginners to see moderate improvement.
• 3x per week: Ideal balance for most triathletes.
• 4x per week: Best for maximizing performance without diminishing returns.

"How long do I need to swim for each race distance" is a question we get asked often here at MOTTIV. Here are some rough guidelines for the different triathlon formats:

• Sprint: 20-35 min endurance swims, other sessions 15-25 min.
• Olympic: 40-50 min endurance swims, other sessions 25-40 min.
• Half-distance: 60-75 min endurance swims, other sessions 40-50 min.
• Full-distance: 60-90 min endurance swims, other sessions 40-50 min.

Pre-Race Preparation & Warm-Up

Race day is here! Let's walk through the race itself with some more in-depth tips, taken from our book, Triathlon Swimming Foundations. (This is a great place to start if you want proven instructions on how to become more comfortable in the water. We’ve helped thousands of adults learn to swim!)

• Get in the water early: If possible, do a short swim before the race to reduce heart rate spikes and panic at the start.
• Stay warm: Pour warm water down your wetsuit before the race (a tip from IRONMAN champion Patrick Lange).
• Keep moving: Stay active before the start—bounce, shake out limbs, and keep your heart rate slightly elevated.
• Use swimming earplugs & double up your cap: This helps retain body heat in cold water.

Swim Start Strategies

Your race could feature a mass start (though becoming rarer these days), an age-group wave start, or a self-seeded rolling start. Make sure you know what kind of start your race will feature.

• If you’re not comfortable, or a beginner:
  • Start on the far side of the pack to avoid chaos.
  • Delay your start by 5 seconds to let the group go ahead.
• If you’re confident and experienced:
  • Position yourself at the front to catch a draft.
  • Draft off a swimmer by positioning your hand behind their hip, rather than directly behind them.

Swimming Technique and Positioning

Keep these of our favorite sayings in mind for a more efficient, safer, and enjoyable triathlon swim:

• Breathe Like a Dolphin: Quick, subtle, and efficient breathing.
• Float Like a Log: Keep your body firm and straight on the water’s surface.
• Race Like an Arrow: Swim in a straight line with good sighting to avoid extra distance.

Understanding and Using Buoys During Your Open Water Swim

Buoys are essential for staying on course. Here’s how to use them effectively:

• Positioning matters: Swim slightly to the side to avoid congestion in races.
• Learn the color codes: Different buoys indicate start, turns, and exits.
• Plan for when you get to each buoy: Decide in advance whether to adjust your stroke or pace.

Drafting: Is it For You?

You might hear athletes talk about drafting, which is following in the wake of another swimmer to reduce fatigue. Keep these points in mind if you want to try drafting:

• Drafting is not always beneficial: Unless you’re an advanced swimmer (35 min for a half-distance race or 1:10 for a full), drafting might not be worth it. Remember, like everything in triathlon racing, it takes practice in training first.
• Smart drafting: If drafting, follow someone who swims straight and position yourself slightly behind and to the side.

Transitions and Exiting the Water

Your swim is almost done and you can see dry land. Your bike is waiting for you in T1. Make the transition smoother by:

• Not kicking too hard at the end of your swim: Kicking hard in the last 100 meters can spike your heart rate, making your transition harder.
• Practice deck-ups: Train for smoother swim-to-bike transitions by quickly climbing out of the water and running briefly. Repeat multiple times during your swim sessions.

How to Handle Common Open Water Swim Fears

If you’re nervous about your first open-water swim, you’re not alone. Combat anxiety with these steps:

• Acclimate gradually: Spend time wading, floating, and doing short swims before tackling longer open water sessions.
• Visualize success: Imagine yourself gliding smoothly and exiting the water confidently.
• Swim with buddies: Having training buddies offers security and motivation.

Conclusion

Mastering triathlon swimming takes patience, practice, and the right mindset. By selecting the proper gear, refining your swim technique, and building endurance, you’ll gain confidence and efficiency in your next race. Implement these strategies, and your next open-water race will feel smoother than ever.

Open water swimming offers unique challenges, but with smart swim training, you’ll feel confident and prepared every time you hit the water. For a free training program tailored to your skill level and goals, download the MOTTIV app and get training today. Happy swimming!