Finding the right turnover is personal and based on a swimmer’s height (or wingspan), skill level, tempo (rate of turnover), and stroke length. Tempo is measured in strokes per minute or seconds per stroke. For example, 60 SPM is equivalent to one second for each arm stroke. Stroke length is the distance the body moves forward on every stroke.

More often than not, swimmers stroke at tempos that are too fast—beyond their current skill levels—and are forced to kick too much so they can remain stable. The best device to measure and find your personal turnover rate (or tempo) is use a Finis Tempo Trainer , but a stop watch will do if a tempo trainer is not available.

CLICK HERE to read more …

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I usually describe kick timing to swimmers by comparing it to the more familiar, upright, terra firma counterparts of walking, jogging, or running. When you’re walking or running, as your left leg swings forward your right arm swings forward as counterbalance. The same is true for the opposite side: when the right leg swings forward, the left arm also swings forward. We’ve acquired this instinctive diagonal timing since taking our first steps as infants.

But put a human in a horizontal position in an aquatic environment and the instinctive diagonal left-right/right-left sync is fleeting or disappears altogether. Worse, swimmers isolating their legs only by using a kickboard or arms only when using a pull-buoy further disengage the core and coordination of their arm strokes with leg kicks. Legs and arms are not mutually exclusive departments and must be trained to work together, not independently.

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We are humans after all, we breathe with the top of our head higher than our chin 99% of the time.  Put us horizontal in water and the instinct to lift the head and rotate more is how a human is driven to breathe in an aquatic environment.  The more we rotate the less stable the body is and begins to sink.  The higher the head lifts, the more the hips (and chin) sink.  That’s no secret, just physics.

Lifting head and rotating more to breathe instinctively triggers the lead arm to push down and legs to splay wide to maintain stability.  Once air is found and face is back in the water, body position resembles nothing like freestyle and looks more like the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM).  Breathing like this on two’s (every other stroke) you may as well be a Freestyle Spaghetti Monster – drag profile increases exponentially, effort and the need for a lot more air.

In order to breathe easily, head and spine must be in alignment, body needs to be level – or more precisely characterized in TI and is priority #1 – “Balance”.  It’s counterintuitive, really counter-instinctive to keep head low and rotate less to easily find air, and both are central to seamless breathing.

Timing is critical too.  If breath is late and/or long, human FSM instincts will take over.  Allow the shoulders to do the timing.   When rolling to breathe, chin should follow shoulder to air.  Empty the lungs when rolling to breathe to allow for immediate inhale when nose and mouth breach surface.  If you exhale and inhale after mouth breaches surface, the breathing cycle is too long and you will be sucking on more water than air.   Also, if breath is late or has slight hesitation on body roll (i.e, chin doesn’t follow shoulder to air), similar to the “long breath” you will only find more water than air.

Breathing in the Bow Wave:  When rolling to breathe, keeping head low and aligned with spine the water in front of your head will be higher and lower near your chin.  I refer to this as “the pocket” or “finding the pocket” near chin which allows for an easy breath.   A more scientific definition of the “bow wave”, select this link: Bow Wave Physics.

Experiment by creating a bow wave with the palm of your hand so you have a good visual.  Stand in the shallow end of pool, extend arm out, palm facing forward (thumb up) – now sweep hand forward in circular arc.  Notice the water in front of hand (palm side) is higher – and water lower at the back or knuckle side of hand.  The low water zone is the pocket next to chin that allows you to breathe easy.  No lifting of head, altering stroke, rhythm, or body position to gasp for air.  Just get your air quickly in the low pocket.  See illustration below

In the illustration, notice swimmer is: 1. Stable, rotated just enough to get air, 2. head and spine are in alignment, head is low with one goggle in and one out, 3. chin follows shoulder getting a full breath (inhale) early in low pocket as recovery arm exits water, and 4. lead arm is anchored in front holding clean edge at breath – pulling not required.  This swimmer is not altering stroke, rhythm or body position to breathe – thus maintaining balance, a low drag profile and forward momentum.

Simple steps to “Breathe Easy”:

1. Remove the breathing component and practice the timing first by lifting one goggle above the surface.  Take a few long strokes, then when ready/stable, chin follows shoulder until one goggle breaches the surface.  In TI this is called the “Whale Eye”.  Once you see air (with one goggle!), return head back to neutral position – “goggles down”. Peeking one goggle above the surface allows you to feel the head and spine in alignment, head doesn’t need to lift to to see air.  In shallow lanes,  take a few strokes peeking on two’s or every other stroke.  When you need air stop, stand up and breathe and repeat the “Whale Eye” process.

2. Once you feel confident and comfortable peeking one goggle above surface, head and spine in alignment (no lifting of head), now bring in the timing of exhale.  As chin follows shoulder to peek one goggle above the surface, exhale continuously and quickly emptying lungs.  Done correctly, you will feel the ending last burst of air on exhale clearing the way when mouth breaches surface and return head to goggles down without inhaling air.  Stop stand up get a full tank of air, repeat the goggle peek and timing of exhale.

3. Now integrate the new position head and spine alignment, timing of exhale and  try to take a breath in.  But first, start off with three to four strokes keeping head neutral (goggles/nose down), then on next stroke peek one goggle (no breathing), on the next stroke after goggle peek, exhale as chin follows shoulder to air and quickly inhale (in low pocket) when mouth breaches the surface.  However – if you find more water than air when trying to inhale, LET IT GO and try to breathe again on the next stroke.  If no success getting air on either stroke,  stop, stand up and breathe – repeat the “peek first then breathe second” process.  Your mission is to break the instinct of lifting head, rotating more to breathe and discover the low pocket where easy breathing happens.  The air is the same five inches above the surface as it is at the surface.

Breathing and Buoyancy:  One important part of breathing is the amount of air in your lungs.  A common message I hear and read frequently, especially advice given to triathletes, is to start emptying lungs of air immediately when face enters water.  Although the spirit and intentions of this advice are good, your body position can drop a couple of inches or more and never find “the pocket” due to lack of buoyancy (not enough air in the lungs).  You don’t want to hold your breath, but rather have a slow controlled exhale as face enters water – only exhale quickly and empty lungs as chin follows shoulder to air.   See this ‘breathing in freestyle’ video from Coach Mandy McDougal.  She demonstrates body position with air in the lungs and emptying lungs too early:  SwimVICE: Breathing Comfortably in Freestyle

Breathing in freestyle really is overrated.  It’s only us humans adding instinctive movements and complexity that make breathing much more difficult and overly frustrating.  Our mouths are not located on our foreheads, lifting the head will not get us more air, only lowers the chin below surface making it more difficult to breathe.  Once our human, land based instincts to breathe have been removed is when you will find that stable, easy breath in the low pressure pocket of the bow wave.  Whether swimming in calm pool or in lumpy open water conditions, the breathing position and process remains the same.  Learning to breathe easy in freestyle takes time, be patient and trust the process.  The air is free, take all you need.

Coach Stuart

www.mindbodyandswim.net
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This is a very popular topic and is almost a swimming cliche’ or mantra – you hear and read it everywhere.  Just do a Google search and you will find hundreds of articles, dozens of videos – each seem to hold the secret sauce to finding your “feel for the water”.  Whatever feeling you may have acquired training in the pool is largely masked when wearing a wetsuit racing in triathlon.

Websites and swim articles discussing “feel for the water” –  most or all refer to the feeling or finding the feeling for the water from only the pulling hand or palm moving back, little regarding the forearm, and nothing about the feeling in areas of the body that move forward.  It’s as if no other area or limb can have or should have a feel for the water even when most of the body is submerged IN the water – go figure.

There are plenty of conventional sculling drills found on the web, each emphasize the feeling of pressure on the palm, twisting the wrist hinging about the elbow.  And more often than not, the sculling drills are executed with the swimmer in a position that is nowhere near what they would experience in freestyle, or any other stroke.

There are so many areas of body to acquire a feel for the water – head, face, shoulders, top and bottom of forearm, chest, legs and feet – not just the palm.  Areas of the body that move forward and not necessarily back.   Do you feel the recovery arm slice in fingertips first, wrist then elbow; or do you feel more of a flop on the bottom of forearm when the arm lays flat and/or crosses over in front of the head?  Do you feel the water pressure on the crown of your head or on the side of your face and low ear when rolling to breathe?  Can you distinguish pressure differences on either the inside or outside of arm, as well as the palm and top of hand at the “catch” phase of your stroke? 

Regardless of the area or part of the body for the swimmer to get a feel for the water, it’s all very subtle whether it’s from different pressures around the body moving forward or the arm catching and pressing back.  Each take razor sharp focus and certainly a swimmer must have good balance and solid foundation to feel these subtle pressures.  If arms are spinning and busy legs kicking to remain stable, feel for the water and its pressure are masked by staying afloat,  surviving the set or the swim leg in a triathlon. 

On the streamline side, reducing drag profile: 

A great aid to feel the water and feel the flow is with the aid of long fins.  Long fins will increase speed and magnify pressure/drag areas — areas that may or could be reduced through correcting body position and/or stroke timing.  But most importantly you will discover these pressure zones that you might not be aware of swimming without fins.  Work on one area at a time, i.e. pressure on the crown of the head, slice in vs flopping arm, pressures on top and bottom of arm at forward extension sliding into the “catch”, pressure on shin and top of foot as you kick down, etc.  Reducing drag profile = faster swimming and decreased effort.  That’s no secret, just laws of physics.

On the catch side: 

1. Start your feel for the water by gently closing your hands (like you’re holding a butterfly), aka “the fist drill”.  This removes the pulling palm that wants to take over, and allows you to feel the water on the (palm side of) forearm.  The more vertical your forearm, the more pressure you will feel – pressure on forearm should remain constant to the belly button.  An excellent set is to do is 4×50 (closed to open hand): 1st 50 closed hand, 2nd 50 open (point) index finger, 3rd open index and pinky fingers, 4th open hand using palm but still feeling constant pressure on forearm.  Don’t let the palm take over and allow elbow to drop. 

2. Swim sets of 3 x 50’s feeling feather-light, medium, and firm pressures on forearm and palm pressing back.  Swim the 1st 50 with feather-light pressure, 2nd 50 medium pressure, and 3rd 50 firm pressure.  When you get this right SPL (strokes per length) should be slightly higher with light pressure than with firm pressure.  For example: A swimmer may swim the first 50 at 18 SPL with feather light pressure, 2nd 50 at 17 SPL with medium pressure, and the 3rd 50 at 16 SPL with firm pressure.  If you swam the same SPL with light, medium and firm pressures – then you haven’t discovered this feel for the water yet.  Keep trying, you will eventually feel how subtle the differences between light, medium and firm pressures really are.  But when you discover/feel feather-light, medium and firm pressures – you will have a whole new sensation of “feel for the water” than you ever had, or thought you had before.  Feeling consistent pressure on the arm pressing back = traction and grip, less slipping.

Wearing a wetsuit?

Unless water temps rise above 78 degrees, most or all triathletes wear wetsuits in triathlon. If you wear a wetsuit, how do you maintain your feel for the water when most of your body is wrapped in neoprene? Neoprene over the shoulders/arms and below the knees doesn’t keep you any warmer, but only restrict movement and buffer any feel for the water you may have acquired without. I opt for the sleeveless suits and cut the legs at mid calve or above. However, some wetsuit manufacturers are now making sleeveless shorty suits (cut above the knees). These are excellent, 1/3 the buoyancy of a full suit – shoulders, arms and legs are free to feel the water and move naturally allowing you to swim with the stroke you’ve honed in pool sessions, not a modified stroke adjusting to a ‘corky’ and restrictive wetsuit.  Also, no more wasting energy trying to strip off the ‘neoprene octopus’ in transition.  Refer to a previous blog –  Wetsuits: Friend or Foe?

There is so much to flow and ‘feel for the water’ that is not limited to the hand/arm moving back.  You will yield much greater results discovering the feeling of flow and feel for the water improving the 95% of your body that moves forward than you will from the 5% that presses back.  Remove neoprene where it is not needed, buffers feel and restricts movement.

Coach Stuart

www.mindbodyandswim.net

The post Feel For The Water? Discover How Subtle the ‘Feel’ Is appeared first on Total Immersion.

Although I was quite enthusiastic of this opportunity and honored to represent TI, as well as be on the same stage with Sheila Taormina and Dr G, negative thoughts of “what the hell was I thinking going up against these two giants” frequently clouded my mind.  But then reminded myself,  most of the coaches and athletes in attendance have similar triathlon experiences, and like me, came to the sport with a non competitive swimming background – and I’ve been trained by, coached by, collaborate and work with, some of the best coaches in the country and world.

The debate format was simple, after short introduction by Rob Urbach, CEO USAT, each participant would deliver a 10 min presentation followed by question and answer in discussion and debate.  Sheila T was first to present, then followed by me and Dr G in that order.   Unfortunately each presentation ran over 10 mins and before we knew it the hour was up.  But Rob held us back for another 10 mins while he asked several questions of his own.

Sheila’s rather spirited presentation opened with, “this is really more of swim relay than a swim debate”, sharing information from different perspectives.  However once making that announcement, she described “gliding la-la-la strokes” as bad and acted out long strokes exaggerating a significant pause of the recovery arm at hip – certainly not what we teach at Total Immersion, but was an indirect reference nonetheless.   I was expecting this since I know she has issue with TI’s emphasis building the foundation of balance and streamline as a priority, that’s no secret.  Sheila’s emphasis is on the pulling arm manipulated by the shoulder and high turnover, fast turnover = speed.  While this has always been conventional wisdom and a convincing argument –  this advice often comes from an elite swimmer or an elite swimmer turned swim coach, one who has grown up and adapted into the sport, already has a solid foundation of balance and core stability, and thousands of hours of swimming.  This advice may benefit an elite swimmer, but quite naive of the triathlete facing the swim leg in triathlon.

Dr. G’s presentation however, was surprisingly in line with what we prioritize at Total Immersion, emphasis on balance and core stability – head position is critical.  He also noted a swimmer *must not* use arms and higher turnover to make up for a lack of balance, but rather “fix balance first”.  Again, in line with what we teach.

Dr G developed a testing process that syncs video footage with swim speed, measuring acceleration/deceleration timed with swimmers stroke in video.  This test is called the “Swim Power Test” – very impressive with the data collected.  He had an example test and video of a “10k distance swim champ”, and the test clearly showed the deceleration on the breathing stroke.  The swimmer’s head lifted too high, rotated more to get breath – leaving even an elite distance swimmer out of balance, sinking and slowing for a brief moment – deceleration was measured.  This amount of deceleration, although small, would add up over longer distances breathing on two’s.  And with this metric gem, one could easily estimate the added time over a 10k distance.  Great stuff and sobering statistics that would certainly prioritize fixing the breathing/balance issue of any swimmer, elite or otherwise.

The intention of my presentation was three fold:  1. Connect with coaches and athletes that were present – the adult onset swimmers.  2. Articulate clearly what Total Immersion is and priorities of balance and core stability – and why.   3. Challenge the assertion Total Immersion creates slow swimmers.

Challenging the assertion TI creates slow swimmers, I countered with “The Right Turnover, not High Turnover”.  I’ve had several IM triathletes come to my Masters swims to improve their times and have got them all into the top 20% of the 2.4 mile IM times, some dropping 30 mins or more – and one most recently now swimming sub 1 hour (56:33) for the 2.4 mile swim .   This swimmer came in with a stroke rate of 70 strokes per minute at 24-26 strokes per length and a busy kick (75+ kicks per length).  Roughly a 2 minute 100 yard pace, and 1 hour 25 minutes for the 2.4 mile IM swim.  He was stroking at a rate far beyond his skill level and using a busy kick to remain stable – but (before coming to me) that’s what he had been told to do in order to go faster.  After a couple of months developing balance and core stability, learning to hold or ‘catch’ an arm full of water, he was swimming comfortably at 55 strokes per minute averaging 15 strokes per length, easy two beat kick (15 kicks per length) which put him at a 1:23 (1 minute 23 seconds) 100 yard pace, and sub 1 hour 2.4 mile Ironman swim – with far less effort.  Balance, core stability, streamline, and economy of movement, SKILL makes a faster swimmer.  High turnover with lots of kicking, more yards and harder sets, does not necessarily mean faster swimming as common wisdom and perception has lead us to believe.

My presentation slides are attached (with a bit more context for those not present at the USAT conference) along with a before and after video of a former age group competitive swimmer: The Great Swim Debate (slides and video)

Although I wish there were more time for discussion, debate, and challenging assertions – it was a great experience, one that I would embrace again given the opportunity.  I have discovered among most coaches, there is far more in common than what separates us – but too often end up in divisions that only add to confusion which create skewed perceptions.  It all comes down to what each coach believes are the right priorities for each athlete and know what makes them tick to become smarter, better and faster swimmers.

Coach Stuart

The post “The Great Swim Debate” – USAT Art and Science Symposium appeared first on Total Immersion.

If you are a triathlete swimming in open water, it’s important find out your “pace without walls”, and you can easily do this removing the turn AND the pace clock too.

There are no walls or turns in open water and is why I exclude the turn when determining open water pace in the pool. The is all based on SPL (strokes per length), SL (stroke length) and tempo (rate of turnover). The math is simple: SPL x tempo = pace (per length). Coach Mat Hudson has written several rich and informative articles/blogs on this very subject, see the following:

Metrics 102 – Tempo

Metrics 103 – Pace Construction

Metrics in Open Water: Measuring Distance

In interest of adding to and not repeating what Coach Hudson has published, and assuming you understand tempo, SPL and SL, I will illustrate how to calculate a swimmers 100y ‘pace without walls‘, as well as predicting a mile, 1.2 mile and 2.4 mile triathlon swim times. This also includes a 4 x 300 time trial test at your fastest sustainable tempo while managing SPL

Even a slow or poor turn, as long as the wall push is consistent, this is most important to determining your ‘pace without walls‘.  I have my swimmers start stroking (or “break out”) at the flags which is 5 yards in 25 yard pool, the actual stroked distance is 20 yards. This is frequently 3 beeps off the wall from the Tempo Trainer, but in some cases (with a crisp turn) it’s only two beeps.

100 yard ‘pace without walls‘ = (SPL x Tempo X 5) /60 (divide by 60 converting to minutes). Why multiply by 5? 20 yards stroked per length x 5 = 100 yards stroked.

Calculate your ‘pace without walls':

(SPL x Tempo X 5) / 60 = 100y pace
(SPL x Tempo x 88) /60 = 1 mile pace
(SPL x Tempo x 105.6) /60 = 1.2 mile pace
(SPL x Tempo x 211.2) /60 = 2.4 mile pace

Example: SPL @15, Tempo @1.1, and 20 yards stroked per length:

100y: 1.375 mins or 1:22.2
1 mile: 24.2 mins
1.2 mile: 29.04 mins
2.4 mile: 58.08 mins

What about all of the “what if’s” in open water such as current, sighting, drifting, bumping, course slightly longer or shorter, etc? Time will vary given these conditions of course, but they are relative to all competing swimmers with the exception of sighting and drift. If you sight frequently, you’re stepping on the brakes too much, if you drift you will swim longer. You should be able to swim in open water sighting forward only once in 20-30 strokes or more with little to no drift.  If you drift after a six to eight strokes that require you to ‘course correct’, don’t compensate by sighting forward more, find why you are drifting too much-too soon, and fix in your stroke and/or head position.   See this video on Open Water Sighting and Breathing – maintain forward momentum

Time Trial:

10-15 mins tune-up, your choice. Get level, stable, tempo and timing under control like you would do before a race.

4 x 300, 10 beeps RI (rest interval): Swim your fastest tempo while maintaining SPL. Count strokes on odd lengths, sight forward once on even lengths. Hold stroke count to SPL to SPL+1. PE or perceived effort should not exceed 7 on scale of 1-10; 10 being all out sprint.

If you find you’re adding 2 or more strokes per length and clock time is well outside the 10 sec range, perceived effort blowing up, especially on last 300 – then your tempo may be too fast and/or SPL may be too low (or high) to sustain for longer distances. Adjust both tempo and SPL as needed to maintain consistency across the 4 x 300’s.

Although this is 1200 yard test, excluding 5 yard wall push the actual stroked distance is 960 yards. I find the 4×300 time trial much more accurate in predicting race pace than the 1×1000 yard test that many triathlon swim plans encourage.

If you don’t have a Tempo Trainer, get one!  It’s not only a tool to aid in determining ‘pace without walls’, but even more important, aids in improving and measuring progress in your stroke, and building razor sharp focus.  Purchase a Tempo Trainer from the Total Immersion store, enter “coachstuartmcdougal” in discount code box at checkout and get yourself 10% off.

Please feel free to post any questions, experiences in the comments section below.

Coach Stuart

MindBodyAndSWIM

The post Race ‘Pace without Walls’ for Triathletes appeared first on Total Immersion.

Blaming a slower tempo  or “over gliding” as the cause of the dropping elbow and subsequent stall is misleading.  One using this diagnosis is mostly unaware of the root cause.  I’ve heard a quick remedy is just speed up turnover and the elbow magically stops dropping.  The dropping elbow may not be as noticeable at a faster turnover, faster tempo may help a little with sinking, unfortunately the problems are still there and now with greater frequency.

I believe most (but not all) coaches agree,  in order to improve, correct, and/or change your stroke – you have to swim slowly correctly.  I’m not sure when and where it became taboo to swim more slowly (and correctly), possibly just competing programs that identify something they believe is wrong in one program rather than discuss the merits of their swim program and (or) methods.  Terry describes swimming slowly best in a recent post: The Beauty of Effortless. The Skill of Slow, “… swimming more slowly isn’t the object. Rather it’s to improve at swimming with consummate ease and to explore your ability to slow particular aspects of the stroke, while maintaining overall flow and body control” .

The source of the swimmer’s dropping elbow at forward extension is primarily following:

1. Stacking shoulders on recovery  Over-rotating 90+ degrees causing imbalance, losing control, body is unstable sinks.

2. Lifting recovery elbow over the body   Contributing to #1 stacked shoulders, sinking, lifting the elbow over body causes shoulder impingement (shoulder gets stuck), forearm remains folded and/or recovery arm swings away from body

3. Recovery hand/forearm drifts to center and/or crosses in front of head   Momentum of swinging recovery arm causes hand/forearm to drift in narrow or crossover.  Hand and forearm scoops toward or lays flat on surface, elbow drops.

Swimmers that over-rotate and drop elbow at forward extension may have bit more or less of  1 – 3 above.  Other possible contributing factors such as incorrect kick timing (kicking on the wrong foot) or frantic bicycle kick will magnify the error too.

VIDEO: Select this link or image below to video demonstration of dropping elbow

 Swimmer over-rotated, unstable, sinking, elbow dropping at forward extension

THE FIX:  Although simple steps, correcting errors will take time and focus, and of course slowing stroke down to imprint corrections:

1. Flatten rotation and swing elbow wide – stabilize balance, maintain buoyancy. Don’t lift elbow over torso.

2. Land recovery arm on wide shoulder width tracks, don’t let recovery arm sweep out and drift inside of tracks or cross in front of head.

3. Enter recovery arm deep spearing to 3 o’clock target, fingertips down, recovery hand remains below elbow throughout stroke cycle.

VIDEO: Select this link or the image below to video demonstration of correct elbow position

Swimmer balanced, stable, good rotation, head-spine aligned, lead arm anchored in front, recovery hand below elbow

For those who struggle with over-rotation, sinking body, and dropping elbow at catch phase of your stroke – you have some tips to get you stable, recovery arm on wide tracks and spearing deep to 3 o’clock target.  Just work on one focus at a time and rotate through each frequently (i.e. swing elbow wide, wide tracks, spear to deep target).  Initiating the wide swinging elbow focus by shrugging shoulder toward ear will get the recovery arm moving forward and reduce tendency to lift elbow over torso. 

Please feel free to ask any questions or drop suggestions in the comments.

Happy Swimming!

Stuart McDougal

MindBodyAndSWIM

The post Dropping Elbow at Forward Extension appeared first on Total Immersion.

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The water temp that day a balmy 53 degrees.  I didn’t have a full wetsuit, but had my TYR swim skin sleeveless shorty (designed for temps above 78 degrees in triathlon).  The veteran SF Bay swimmers of the South End and Dolphin Rowing clubs who swim frequently at Aquatics Park go without wetsuits regardless if temps are below 50 or above 60 degrees.  The club swimmers generally scoff at the swimmers/triathletes with the expensive full wetsuits, but seem to tolerate them nonetheless.  Rumor has it, if you join one of these swim clubs, they accept the wetsuit swimmer for a couple of weeks, then peer pressure sets in to shed your neoprene wrap and sport only your speedo, cap(s) and goggles.

`

I’ve swam enough in the SF Bay, a cardinal rule is to keep your head warm (neoprene cap, tyr warmwear cap, etc) and wear ear plugs to keep cold water from rushing in and out of inner ear.  Also, keep core warm, drink a warm drink, and stay warm head to toes before doing a cold water swim or swimming for extended periods in colder water even at temps in the low 60’s.

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Anytime I’ve swam in temps mid 50’s or below in a full wetsuit, it always stings a bit getting in, face, hands, feet hurt – and the initial seeping of cold water into the suit is a shock until the body heats it up.  But after a few minutes, temps adjust and it feels very comfortable.  I don’t like swimming in the full since the added buoyancy throws off balance and I need to adjust my stroke to a flatter “wetsuit stroke”. But I like warm too – so I’m OK with the buoyancy adaptation.  However, after a cold water bay swim in the full wetsuit, my feet and hands would be completely numb.  If I had to run to a bike transition in triathlon, I never got much feeling in feet and hands until I was well into the ride, often slightly numb until the run leg.

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Swimming several open water races that split groups between wetsuit and non wetsuit, interestingly, only swimmers wearing full wetsuits have been pulled out of the water due to hypothermia.  Not one swimmer (in my experience) was pulled out going “skins” or no wetsuit.  What is it about the wetsuit swimmer and non wetsuit swimmer, why would the swimmer with the neoprene body wrap, their body temp drop, and the non wetsuit swimmer body temp remain at 98.7 degs? Both wetsuit and non wetsuit swimmers had similar body types, mostly lean, not much body fat to spare. One swimmer most recently at the Bridge to Bridge swim (Golden Gate to Oakland Bay bridge) wearing a high end full wetsuit became disoriented, swimming in circles, and was pulled out due to hypothermia about an hour into the swim.  All skins (non wetsuit) swimmers finished and several in 56 deg water for well over two hours.

Jumping into 53 water in my sleeveless shorty speed suit, I’ll admit I was in pain.   Face, shoulders, feet, hands all hurt – and cold water took my breath away.  I hadn’t been in water in low 50’s for over a year and that was in a full wetsuit, no cold water acclimation.  My initial thoughts were this swim wasn’t going to last very long.  But as fast as the stinging cold set in, I was suddenly comfortably warm.  No pain, warm, pleasant free swimming, no buoyancy adjust to a full wetsuit.  I thought for a minute I was nearing death, but no – just kept on swimming comfortably for over an hour in low 50’s.  Wow – this was a new experience I hadn’t expected.  Is this what the swimmers at the local SF Bay rowing/swimming clubs have been trying to tell us?

`

Running short on time, I had to get out – but sure didn’t want to.  When my feet touched down on the sand, again to my surprise, I could actually feel the sand between my toes, no numbness.  My hands, no stiffness, and fingers moved freely.  This was a first after a cold water swim.

`

Was I actually warmer swimming without a wetsuit?  Does the wetsuit possibly turn off or mask the body’s natural defense to remain warm?  I’m neither medical doctor nor physiologist, but I can’t help but be curious.  But at least with my body and body type, swimming continuously in 53 degree water triggered a response to turn on a its natural defense to stay warm –  through hands and feet too.

`

What was the common thread for those wearing full wetsuits that went hypothermic?  All of these swimmers, mostly lean men, balding, military hair cut or shaved heads wearing a thin single latex race cap, and no ear plugs.  All the ‘skins’ swimmers however, had neoprene caps, and/or two thick caps and ear plugs – no hypothermia.  But the “skins” swimmers seem to be much more aware of their bodies and spend time adapting to cold temps, where swimmers wearing wetsuits may have a false sense of security and skip important prep.

`

Most heat escapes from your head.  Regardless of what you have wrapped around your body, if your head is cold, your body will follow.  Although many will argue, the surface area of the skull is far smaller than that of the body and more heat escapes from the larger surface area.  This is true, but maybe it’s the larger surface (shoulders to toes) and stinging cold triggers the body’s response to turn on its natural thermal blanket.

`

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In short, whether you wear a wetsuit or not in cold water swims:

A. Warm core and keep body and head warm before the swim.
B. Wear a thick swim cap (or caps), neoprene or warmwear cap.
C. Ear Plugs. Keep cold water out of inner ear.
D. Acclimate, slowly increase duration of each swim.

`

With some simple preparation, regardless of colder water temps, you may discover that you shed the wetsuit altogether – and find a new sense of freedom in open water swimming and are no longer bound to a wetsuit and its added buoyancy.

Coach Stuart

www.mindbodyandswim.net

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Sounds like a book title and I think I could probably write much on the subject(s) in the future

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