MIKE COLLINS
MIKE COLLINS • USAT Certified Triathlon Coach • 2002 ITU Aquathlon World Champion • Triathlete Since 1984 • 9:48 Ironman in Hawaii (1981) • Raced Professionally: 1987-1991 • Swim Coach: All Levels • Ironman University Contributor • Equinox H20 Creator
What do triathletes need to know • Swim mechanics • Appropriate volume of training for desired distance • Open water skills • Differences in wetsuit swimming versus non-wetsuit swimming
Swimming in a Wetsuit • Less kicking • More buoyancy • Athletes attempt to swim the same as they would without a wetsuit. • Tendency to “over swim” while in a wetsuit • 20 seconds to a minute faster for a 400 when in a wetsuit • Key is to be more efficient and keep energy in reserve • “If the swim is any longer than a 200, you’re better off wearing a wetsuit.” • Teach a systematic approach to removing a wetsuit. • Train wetsuit removal down to 20 seconds
What does an Ironman need to know? • Swim training volume is person to person specific • Increase swimming during taper • Keeps aerobic base heading into race • You want a feel for the water before racing! • Use swimming as recovery during peak of training. • Increase swimming as bike and run decrease
High Intensity Training • “Everything we do is interval based training.” • Monday: Middle Distance • Tuesday: Stroke/IM • Wednesday: Long Distance • Thursday: Coaches Choice/Dryland • Friday: Fast • Saturday: High Volume • Sunday: Technique • Triathletes aim for Monday, Wednesday, Friday • 2500-4000 yards a practice
What does an Ironman need to know contd. • Last eight weeks of Ironman training: mix in 5000 yard practices • Be able to function in other stroke patterns (non-free) • Saves joints and musculature from overuse and underdevelopment • Critical to have backup strokes for races • Break up the monotony of training
Triathletes in Masters Practice • Must do proper push off and open turns • Proper streamline to set the tone for the lap • Mix in other strokes • Graduate to a flip turn for continued learning
Bilateral Breathing for Triathletes? • Teach bilateral breathing to all new swimmers and part of warm up • Sample Warm Up: • 25: Left arm only • 25: Right arm only • 25: Normal swim breathe left • 25: Normal swim breathe right • 50: Breathe every 3 rd stroke • Bilateral breathing can help balance out stroke. • When it is race time, breathe to dominant side.
“Smart watches make you stupid.” • Focus on skill drills versus starting your watch each 25 • Learn to feel swimming versus have a watch tell you what you did. • Have real-time updates mentally versus waiting for a watch to compute. • Aim for this higher level of training mastery without equipment.
Navigating the Internet • Triathlon swimming technique is different from traditional swimming • Most research and posts are geared towards traditional swimming • Intensity is completely different • Keep scope of article in mind • Stroke rate and kick rate vary from triathlon swimming to traditional swimming • Focus on things like distance per stroke and efficiency
Heart Rate Training • Relatively inconsistent in water • Rather focus intensity and effort to specific times versus heart rate • Know what 60% effort means for time. • Know what 60% effort means for form. • Save heart rate monitor for bike and run • Take data and aim for lower HR at that pace over time • The key is speed at low heart rate
Equipment Recommendations • Favorite: Tempo Trainer • Learn stroke rate range • Pulling Gear/Lava Pants • Simulates wetsuit swimming • Have one or two days a week without pulling gear • Be comfortable swimming without equipment. • Know what you can do with nothing
Want to reach out to Mike? • Irvine Nova Masters: www.novaquatics.com • mike@novamasters.com
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