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ok, in my opinion I would be thinking more about the reason that you can only do the distance with a pull buoy, if you are having a problem keeping your legs up it is quite clearly a balance problem. Yes a wetsuit will give you extra buoyancy due to the leg panels, but i think it is important to address the basic balance issue first.



Try to gradual phase out the use of the pool buoy by alternating length with and without it. When you have it in think about how you position feels, and try to recreate that feeling of a balanced horizontal position when you are not using the buoy. Failing that you may have to go back to the start and practice some balance drills, such as nose down torpedo or side balance torpedo.

If you keep working at this soon you will have no problem balancing without the buoy. The thing about balance is that when you have it, you feel it, therefore it should just click. The fact that you can go the distance shows you have no real issue with your arm technique/fitness. You should easily be ready for london.

Comments

  • Hi All

    I am doing my 1st Tri in London and am having a few concerns about swimming:

    I can do the distance in the pool but only with a pull buoy, how much buoyancy will a wetsuit give me?

    Which wetsuit will give me the best buoyancy?

    Any help whatsoever will be brilliant.

    Thanks in advance

    Geoff
  • Hi Geoff



    In answer to the first question, the wetsuit gives you alot of buoyancy. In fact, it is pretty much impossible to sink in one and it does an excellent job of keeping your legs and body high in the water. I don't think the actual make or model should matter that much for buoyancy - the more expensive ones tend to be more flexible/comfortable, have better grip of the water on the forearms and have a lower resistance to water (i.e. reduce your drag), rather than being more buoyant.



    That said, I think that TommiTri has hit the nail on the head - the key thing is to improve your technique so that your legs don't keep sinking. My guess would be that the cause of this is probably that you are lifting your head to breath rather than rotating your body so that your mouth naturally exits the water without the head needing to lift. When the head lifts, the legs sink and your water resistance increases massively. The other cause, or contributing factor, may be that you are pushing the water down at the beginning of your arm stroke, rather than pushing it back under the body (i.e. parallel to the bottom of the pool). Again, pushing the water down at the start of the stroke causes the front of the body to rise and the legs to sink. The solution to this bit is what they call "high elbow" i.e. bending the wrist and elbow at the start of the underwater stroke so that they are pushing the water backwards rather than down.



    You can get a lot of good tips on how best to rotate on sites such as Total Immersion, Swim for Tri and others.



    Good luck



    Michael

  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    A wetsuit should give you plenty of bouyancy( try before the race, never new thingson race day!!!).

    Although you definetely needtosort out the imbalance without a suit too.

    Greets
  • I have to agree with the balance point although swimming in a wetsuit is similar to swimming with a buoy you will go much quicker with good technique plus you'll have more left in the tank for the rest of the race.

    The point of rotating from the hips has already been made but try and get your chest lower in the water and think of your kicking, you should feel the water, kick mainly from the hips avoiding too much flex at the knee - using fins can help highlight this point

  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    As a reformed sinking legs swimmer (not faster just more horizontal), the best cues I ever had were to push your chest to the bottom of the pool/lake, as mentioned bent elbow fingers enter the water first, 7 lean on you arm pit as you reach into the stroke...& keep your head down. I still can't do side lying drills without sinking tho..
  • Dear all

    Thankyou everybody for all of your great suggestions.

    I will certainly take on board everything that has been recommended and try to put them into practice.

    Thanks

    geoff
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