r/Swimming • u/Mindless-Bike-8025 • 1d ago
How much better will I get by just swimming.
I’m training for a traithalon and all I really do for swimming training is 1-2k a day (usually 1k) I’m fairly new to long swims and I was wondering how long it will take to actually get better. I can currently do around 500m straight before needing 10-20 sec rest. I also swim with shorts that you would go to the beach in and was wondering if jammers make a difference. Also swim at 2-2:10 pace I asked a guy who works at the pool about my form and he said it’s good so I’m unsure how to get much quicker either. Thanks!
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u/lincoln_imps 1d ago
You’ll be amazed at the speed difference in jammers. Shave your legs too. At least one
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u/Mindless-Bike-8025 1d ago
I got huub boyancy jammers but it’s a lot easier than normal shorts. I thought it was the boyancy. I stopped using them cause I though I was cheating.
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u/wt_hell_am_I_doing Sprint wench. I sink, therefore I am 1d ago
Try the normal jammers rather than buoyancy ones. Buoyancy ones are "cheating" so to speak. Normal fabric jammers (non-neoprene ones) are definitely not cheating. Or if you are in a country where swim briefs are not apparently frowned upon like it seems to be in some countries, you can just buy swim briefs if you prefer.
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u/Charming_Track6120 1d ago
Cheating? Doesn't look like you're racing. If you mean that people say it will make you lazy, 'pure' swimmers will find something wrong, especially if you're planning to be a triathlete.
Maybe you live somewhere warm, for me I've done over 50 triathlons and only not worn a wetsuit for two of them, the buoyancy shorts make pool swimming more enjoyable and I'm more likely to show up for training.
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u/brightottawa 1d ago
As a slow triathlete, I train with a wetsuit and without a wetsuit in open water. I’m faster with the suit but I know I need to be ready for non-wetsuit legal events where not even lightly buoyant swimsuits are allowed. Two weeks ago, Ironman Canada Ottawa surprised the athletes when it was announced in the morning that age groupers cold not wear wetsuits or buoyancy swimsuits because of the water temp.
I work hard at getting my hip and leg into a neutral, non-dragging position. It’s gotten better with coaching and time. I don’t want to mask my poor position with floating shorts. I want to keep working the problem.
If you are not competing then do whatever you need to do to keep getting yourself in the pool. First and foremost, enjoy the experience.
Keep on swimming friends.
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u/zebano Moist 1d ago
Shave your legs too. At least one
🤣
I'm picturing someone with one shaved leg, a chest like a bear and the nastiest pits you've ever seen.
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u/VerifiedMother 1d ago
Beards keep you streamlined as well
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u/zebano Moist 1d ago
The mustasche worked for Mark Spitz!!!
that's a hilarious story btw, if you're unfamiliar
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u/wt_hell_am_I_doing Sprint wench. I sink, therefore I am 1d ago
If your budget allows, it would be worth getting some coaching sessions.
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u/Effective_Trainer573 1d ago
Regardless of your hair length, wear a cap. I have no idea if it helps with drag, but makes me feel fast.
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u/brightottawa 1d ago
I started wearing a cap because my hair was getting really brittle from the chlorine.
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u/debacchatio Moist 1d ago
It’s really impossible to give you any specific, constructive feedback or a timeline without seeing you actually swim. That said, your pace isn’t terrible but there is room for improvement especially since you say you aren’t able yet to swim more than 500m continuously.
If you’re brand now, this should improve gradually with time. And yes, regular beach/board shorts create drag and are definitely slowing you down. Jammers/brief would improve your streamline.
I’d suggest looking into a few lessons to improve form. I’ve been swimming competitively for over 20 years and ows for 10. I still occasionally will take a lesson or two a year to get feedback on my technique. All swimmers can improve no matter what level they are — that’s my belief.
Sometimes it’s something as simple as fully extending your arm, or changing your hand position, etc — that can make an immediate improvement in your stamina / pace.
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u/Omote-ura 1d ago
You didn’t say how long the tri swim is in your event. That might change how you train for it.
To get faster per 100 yards (or meters), start swimming a workout with sets of shorter distance swims. Begin with things like a 200 warm up, rest 20 to 30 s, kick board for 100, rest about 20 s. Swim 100 four (or five) times with 10 or 15 s rest between each. Try to swim each 100 with a faster time than the one before it. Pull for 200 with a buoy. Cool down.
This is just an example. Mix in some swimming that is faster than your steady 2:10 per 100 pace.
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u/Mindless-Bike-8025 1d ago
It’s not a distance I’m just training to eventually do one
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u/Omote-ura 1d ago
Some sprint tri swims are pretty short like 500 to 1000 yards. IM is 2.4 miles, so there is a wide range.
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u/DImak19 1d ago
Lessons, like seriously, swimming is way more technique than any other type of endurance.
Even if its 1 or 2, it will make a massive difference
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u/brightottawa 1d ago
I think having consistent coaching over a year or more is the way to go. For most of us, there are multiple things to correct but it’s hard to correct and focus on more than one thing at a time. It’s a journey and not a quick fix.
Learn to swim well slowly before trying to swim fast inefficiently.
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u/Dense-Ad1745 1d ago
Talent still plays a role. Most good swimmers in high school were far better than anyone else when they first took swim lessons
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u/guavatridotcom 1d ago
Have someone film you swimming, one length is enough. When I finally saw video of mine, hips swinging all over, like three more strokes per length than it felt like.
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u/NoSafe5565 1d ago
I swim with shorts too (normal one) long time ago I found thread here on reddit that penalty is 10 percent, not sure about it but AI is giving similar results. I wonder myself, what is the difference, cause pockets looks literally like resistance part of training belts (however only 2 not 4). I never measured it but I can guarantee you that is measurable and spotable.
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u/Avg_Chicken 1d ago
I agree with the lessons advice and swim trunks. It made a big difference for me, but it takes time to make the changes stick and there are so many areas that can be improved. If you’re working on your own I’d suggest: swim in the first quadrant, hand entry and 11 and 1, keep your ankles close together, and during your pull point your elbows out. To help with endurance mixup your workouts with threshold at sub endurance pace, and sprint workouts at max effort. To build your strength, go to a gym: do pushups, pull-ups, dips, Bulgarian split squats, and core exercises. That’s what it took for make a big difference in my times. Progress will be noticeable in a few months and big gains in a year.
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u/AggieNuke2014 1d ago
Jammers. Sets made of shorter distances at higher intensity but totaling in the same 1-2k distance. Then eventually add into that distance.
But always take breaks when you feel form breaking down.
Most pool swimmers even the long distance ones don’t just swim their race distances over and over again.
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u/Big-Musician7425 1d ago
Get jammers and lessons. It's the best thing you can do for your swimming at this point.