Debbie talks with her friend Joe Umphenour about breaking your fear of open water swimming for triathlons. Joe recently retired from being a professional triathlete and living in Colorado Springs at the Olympic training center since 2001. Now Joe is a triathlon coach and getting set up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Do you fear the swim in a triathlon? Do you feel better when the water is clear and you can see the bottom? Debbie and Joe discuss the comfort levels of swimming in lakes or oceans when you can see what you are swimming in.
One of the biggest struggles for triathletes are swimming with a group of people, getting kicked and hit in the swim start.

Joe suggests swimming in a pool with a few people in one lane occasionally to prepare for the open water race situation. We are used to swimming in one lane with a black line on the bottom of the pool. Put yourself in similar conditions of race day as with 5-6 people in one lane starting to swim at once.

I find people are not used to swimming or biking in groups so we panic and get nervous. We create fear in our head before we start a race or get into the water on race day. If we could prepare ourselves by practicing the beginning of the swim and getting more experience swimming in the water. We need to be prepared for any race condition as wind, currents, cold temperatures and rain. Don't worry about everyone else but just worry about staying calm yourself and swimming with confidence. Jaws isn't out there and going to chomp off your leg!

Learn more tips from Joe especially since he has been a professional triathlete for almost 20 years!
1. Swim with other people in one lane of the pool
2. Get comfortable in the pool- by learning other strokes and treading water
3. Do longer sets in the pool to build up swimming long distance
4. Triathlon swimming is a little different than pool swimming- where we don't have smooth water and a black line to follow on the bottom of the lake or ocean. Focus on getting the arm and forearm down quickly to start stroke ...handle waves better with faster stroke rate versus long strokes. Shorter faster strokes work best for triathlons.
5. Mike Doan for Triathlon coaching...coaches Andy Potts.
6. Catch with arm and push water behind you- the quicker you will move forward.
7. The kick is to keep body position with surface of water. Do kick sets to teach you how to do quick short flutter kicks that will help you in open water. Don't kick with your knees and over kick- or else you will exhaust your legs for biking and running after the swim leg in a triathlon.
8. Swim in the open water before race day.

Contact Joe for coaching or more info on his open water swim clinics if in Florida. [email protected]
or https://www.teamsoulsports.com/

Coach Debbie Potts
www.fitnessforwardstudio.com