OPEN WATER SWIM PROGRAM
Open Water Swim Tips Open Water Swim Locations
Open water swims are part of the New to the Sport ("NTTS") program, but are open to all members. Look for announcements on the club Facebook page, or in the Club Announcements forums and club calendar.
Requirements for participation in open-water swims:
- Must have the ability to swim continuously for 30 minutes.
- Stay in groups, and be mindful of other groups of swimmers.
- Obey signs and instructions provided by the coach or venue.
- Inform the coach of personal concerns or constraints prior to the swim session.
Members often lead informal, non-club sponsored open-water swims. Swimming opportunities also exist through other groups such as the Santa Cruz Triathlon Club, Meetups, or the Westend Wharf and Wine Swim Club. Announcements are often posted on the SVTC club Facebook page, or in the "Members Posting Workouts" forum. These swims are not sponsored by the club, and participants assume all risks. Please be safe, and refer to the requirements and swim tips above for any open water swim.
Most popular workout locations: Lake Del Valle (Livermore), Aquatic Park (San Francisco), Coyote Point (San Mateo), Redwood Shores/Gull Park (Redwood City/Foster City), Quarry Lakes (Fremont), Shadow Cliffs (Pleasanton), Capitola, and Cowell's Beach (Santa Cruz).
Water Quality in San Mateo County, including Gull Park
The website showing testing results is at: https://www.smchealth.org/beaches
The posted sites are listed, and there is also a link to an Interactive Beach Map that provides more details.
At the top of the page just below the title is a link to sign up and receive weekly results, which is nice to have.
Coach Soren Thoughts about Swimming
I find the thinking behind “Total Immersion” ground breaking, see also. It improved my own swimming tremendously.
If you are a beginner swimmer – I recommend you to find a total immersion class to start your journey into swimming.
I take great pleasure in helping you become a more efficient swimmer using less energy to finish the swim portion in the same time or a little faster as before so you have so much more energy for the bike and run portion.
We have drills and tools that can help you become a more efficient swimmer:
Drills; Fist, Zipper, Catch up, 3 second catch up, single arm swimming, sideways kicking, sideways six kick switch, tight streamline back stroke kick.
Tools; Swim snorkel, pull boy, swim paddles, fins.
Fist drill: this drill teaches you to hold the water (water feel) all the way though the stroke – if you can hold the water with your fist – you should be able to hold the water with an open hand. Also the drill teaches you the correct way to move the hand through the water during the under water part of the stroke.
Zipper drill: this drill teaches you bring your hand forward with a high elbow and therefore have a relaxed arm in the going forward motion.
Catch up & 3 sec catch up: this drill teaches you to get into the streamline position and spend more time in the 1st quadrant (Total Immersion). You should always be swimming with a close to catch up stroke.
Single arm swimming: this drill teaches you to hold the water (water feel) all the way though the stroke and gives you the opportunity to work on your weakest arm. The drill teaches you the correct way to move the hand through the water during the under water part of the stroke. Also the drill will teach you proper rotation.
Sideways kick: This drill attempt to make you comfortable on your side – the angel should be 45 degrees between your chest and the water. You have to remember that you need to consider yourself an iron pole – an iron pole does not bend – you can rotate it and the rotation starts with your hip.
Sideways six-kick switch: See above. Also it teaches you to switch between being on your left side and right side.
Tight streamline backstroke kick: This drill teaches you balance and to kick short and quick.
I know that you all are very good at googling/utubing swimming and swim strokes – I have several discussions with swimmers on the pool deck but spot that I find really good in demonstrating drills, strokes and swim programs is Global Triathlon Network – I find them on facebook – but this is their website
Swim snorkel: This tool will help you manage your rotation; as it will help you breathe without moving you head thereby teaching you to rotate without moving your head. Reminder your rotation starts in your hip – not your shoulders.
You can find snorkels here. I am using an Original Swimmers Snorkel.
Pull Buoy: Helps you stay balanced when you are swimming with your arms only. You can find a pull buoy here.
Swim Paddles: Ohhh – of course – as big a possible (here comes Tarzan) – WRONG – a TOO big paddle will get you to force your hand through the water incorrectly which might create a shoulder issue. A paddle should not be bigger than your hand and the paddle is supposed help you finesse your stroke not make you stronger. You can find paddles here
You should get either an “agility paddles floating” or “iso paddles” or “instinct paddles”; if this is your first purchase of paddles you should pick an agility paddle!
Fins: A set of fins will teach you to kick correctly (short & quick) and will help you balance during all drills. You can find fins here.
You should also be able to find any of the tools mentioned above at Sports Basement. You can wait for a race registration or a SVTC events at sports basements to get 20% off in addition to you discount as a Basementer.
Swim Program
“You don’t heap pressure on yourself, because it can make you close down and shrivel up. You fight that. You stay open. You stay calm. You trust that all the work you did. And that will make you free.” - Anthony Ervin
This is a swim program that I use for my own swimming – it can be adjusted based on where in the training cycle – I know that it looks kind of boring but you tell me that 4, 8 or 12 times 400, 800 or 1600 on the track is not boring and I have a piece of land that I want to sell you J! Depending on where in the training cycle I am, my workout consists of up to 50% drill swimming.
Warm up
200 easy swim
4 or 8 * 75 Kick Drill Swim
---- if you are an advanced swimmer you should do this in IM order.
…. Fly – kick on you back, one arm fly, fly
…. Backstroke – kick on you back J, 6-kick switch, backstroke
…. Breast – kick on your back, one arm two kicks, breaststroke
…. Free – sideways kick, 6 kick switch, freestyle
----- if you are a freestyle only swimmer you can do the following
…. Sideways kick, 6 kick switch, freestyle
…. Sideways kick, zipper, freestyle
…. Streamline kick on your back, catch up, freestyle
…. Sideways kick, six-kick switch, zipper
…. Or any other combination of kick drill swim………
Bonus
4, 6 or 8 * 100 freestyle kick on your back (fins recommended)
if you are not warmed up by know – you are running really cold
Main
5, 10 or 15 * 100 freestyle or pull (swimming with arms only using a pull buoy)
3, 5 or 10 * 200 freestyle or pull (swimming with arms only using a pull buoy)
1, 3 or 5 * 400 freestyle or pull (swimming with arms only using a pull buoy)
1, 2 or 3 * 800 freestyle or pull (swimming with arms only using a pull buoy)
1 or 2 * 1500 freestyle or pull (swimming with arms only using a pull buoy)
The distance of the race you are training for or 100, 200, 400, 800, 400, 200, 100 – last 100 should be same pace as first 100 with a pace at least at medium pace
Drills
(it would be beneficial to use a snorkel for the drills and you can put your fins on)
4 or 8 * 25 fist
4 or 8 * 25 zipper
4 or 8 * 25 catch up
4 or 8 * 25 low stroke count freestyle
Finish
200 easy mix
Total short swim: 1,600 yards
Total long swim: 6,600 yards
Swim program early in the training cycle:
200 easy swim
4 * 75 Kick drill swim
5 * 100 freestyle or pull
4 * 25 fist drill
4 * 25 zipper drill
4 * 25 catch up drill
4 * 25 low stroke count freestyle
200 easy swim out
Total: 1,600
Swim program later in the training cycle:
200 easy swim
8 * 75 Kick drill swim
6 * 100 freestyle streamline kick on back use fins
5 * 400 freestyle or pull
8 * 25 snorkel fist drill
8 * 25 snorkel zipper drill
8 * 25 snorkel catch up drill
8 * 25 snorkel low stroke count freestyle
200 easy swim put
Total: 4,400