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Because triathletes have different backgrounds, we recommend you start with a Swim Assessment, a one-on-one 75 minute session at the Blue Dolphins Swim Studio where you and a member of the coaching staff will assess your current technique, speed and training. The session includes under and above water video taping, race and training analysis and goal setting. The Swim Assessment will help you break down your individual issues and create a plan to correct them (which may include private lessons, group training, etc) in time for your A-races. Along with your plan you’ll leave with a DVD: We trim your video clips and add annotations to help you remember what to work on when you leave the Swim Studio (for a sample Swim Assessment, click here). In addition to tweaking your stroke we recommend you train with our Masters Team. We hold 12 practices a week—each with a different theme (stroke technique, aerobic development, IM workout)—to train well rounded and complete swimmers. Many of our triathletes and marathoners have continued swimming even when focused on marathon training because swimming helps them with their running breathing and helps take pressure off their backs, hips and knees. Most triathletes come to us to improve their Freestyle to go faster or to go longer; the Freestyle 1 clinic is our mainline clinic and the recommended starting point for 90% of our triathletes. Learning the other strokes can make you more versatile at race time (e.g., using breaststroke to sight over choppy waves) and can make your training more interesting and reduce the chance of overuse injury. If we’ve made our case, you can also take our Swim Mechanics 101 and Swim Mechanics 102 classes where you will learn the same content as in the Freestyle 1 class and you’ll pick up the basics of Backstroke and Breaststroke. No one will disqualify you in a triathlon or think less of you if you mix other strokes in. In fact, the other strokes might just save your race. The goal of this sequence is first to get you moving through the water with less resistance and effort and then move through the water with more speed and propulsive force. Your track is (click on any class for a more detailed description and registration):
To a T, we’ve found that triathletes who make their swim faster and more efficient also improve their over all race times: if you leave the water less exhausted and stressed you’ll have more energy to bike harder and run faster. We’ve taught hundreds of triathletes using this method, including Hans, a triathlete. Hans joined CBD struggling to complete longer distances and fighting through the water with his legs dropped at a 40-degree angle. Hans took our Freestyle 1 clinic, diligently practiced his stroke drills, and swam with our Masters Team 3 days a week. He was able to complete his swim at Ironman Louisville in 1:22 – without a wetsuit. Since then he has focused on Sprints, Olympics, and Half-Ironman races including the Rockman Sprint, Accenture Olympic, and the Wildflower Half-Ironman. His racing goals for 2009 are continued speed improvements in his swims and overall times in Sprint and Olympic distances. We’ve also taught him the other strokes, and he plans to swim the butterfly and individual medley events at the 2009 Illinois Masters State Meet with the big dogs.
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“I want to improve my swimming for triathlons.”