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Breaststroke?
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 2005-06-10 9:48 PM |
Regular  85  Orange County, California |  Subject: Breaststroke?I'm a newbie and was wondering if people do the breaststroke during the swim portion of a triathlon. The reason why I ask is that when I swim I do just as many freestyle laps as i do breaststroke laps. I am finding that I actually swim better doing the breaststroke. |
| 2005-06-10 9:56 PM in reply to: #172844 |
COURT JESTER 12230   ROCKFORD, IL | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Haven't done it, but from reading a lot on here i understand it is legal. Someone just had a post about doing the sidestroke in a race for a quarter mile. |
| 2005-06-10 9:59 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Elite 2706 Hurst, Texas | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? In my first tri, I attempted to freestlye as much as possible out of courtesy to those behind me (breastroke has a nasty kick!) but I ended up doing lots of breaststroke after all. Will probably do the same Sunday. It is just easier for me at this point. |
| 2005-06-10 10:03 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Pro 4206 Los Angeles, CA | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? At my first tri, I used it, more than any other stroke. It's legal, but in general, you will definitely be slower than the freestylers. You will want to eventually change to freestyle. |
| 2005-06-11 12:14 AM in reply to: #172844 |
Elite 3020 Bay Area, CA | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Anything is legal in the swim as long as it is under your own power, instead of getting pulled along by a boat or something. More experienced triathletes do freestyle. Why? It's usually significantly faster than the other strokes. A lot (okay, at least some) people do breaststroke when they get started in tri. It seems less intimidating somehow. Your head is out of the water, you don't have to worry about breathing, you can see where you're going. That said, if you think you'll be breaststroking, you want to start in the back and off to the side of your wave. If you don't, you are very likely to get swam over by the faster folks. Also, it's just polite, as breaststroke kick can seriously hurt someone. As long as you get where you need to go, that is what counts. |
| 2005-06-11 6:41 AM in reply to: #172844 |
Elite 3223 Hendersonville | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? I have a friend who does breaststroke only, even in Ironmans. She is pretty fast too. There were a few people swimming breaststroke at my last tri and it was annoying having to stay so far away from them. They take up a lot more space. Jessica |
| 2005-06-11 9:46 AM in reply to: #172844 |
Champion 6931 Bellingham, Washington | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? I'll do a few breaststrokes and sidestrokes to recover and get my bearings. But working on doing freestyle the whole way.........well that's the goal. |
| 2005-06-11 1:02 PM in reply to: #172901 |
Pro 4206 Los Angeles, CA | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Wonder how long it took your friend to finish the swim in the ironman doing breaststroke? Tri Take Me Away - 2005-06-11 3:41 AM I have a friend who does breaststroke only, even in Ironmans. She is pretty fast too. There were a few people swimming breaststroke at my last tri and it was annoying having to stay so far away from them. They take up a lot more space. Jessica |
| 2005-06-11 8:27 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Expert 1238 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Yo JKat, If you do a better breaststroke than freestyle, then feel free to swim breaststroke in the races. You'll sight better and swallow less water, which might help with nausea during the rest of the race. Don't feel embarrassed about doing it. There will always be a handful of freestylers you can pass doing the breaststroke. -dave |
| 2005-06-11 10:08 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Do whatever you can that will help you get through the swim. I had a sort of panicky experience in my first Tri and ended up doing breast stroke, side stroke, back stroke and some doggy paddle...couldn't get my face in the water. Now I have taken swim lessons and just did a 1045 yd swim (.6 of a mile) in my last Tri. and did a combination of things, but my two main goals were to finish and have fun. I started in the last wave of newbies and was the last out of the water...I finished. The swim had sort of taken a bad place in my mind and I almost didn't start because of it. In my Tri. I started doing side stroke to keep calm and after a bit was able to mix in freestyle. I've been doing OWS over the last 2 weeks and feel much better and can now do mostly freestyle. Practice helps, but have a strategy that will work for you is important. Who cares what others do....we compete in Tris to challenge ourselves. |
| 2005-08-02 12:30 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Member 6 Central New York | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Well thanks JKat for posting this question. MY first tri is coming up next week, Cazenovia NY, and I was nervous about the swim. I have been working on improving on my freestyle but about a week ago I got somekind of sinus infection and now I am getting water in my nose. It has thrown my whole rythm off, and now I am struggling. Going to try a nose plug, but I was worried about being able to do breaststroke or even side stroke. Thanks for all the people that posted to share their story. It has greatly eased my worries (for the swim that is)  Will post after the race. -J |
| 2005-08-02 12:31 PM in reply to: #214027 |
Master 1889 Ann Arbor, MI | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Done it and darn proud of it too. Also the sidestroke. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Sure a goal of mine is to not need it but that may or may not happen this summer. |
| 2005-08-02 12:33 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Elite Veteran 831 Northern Va/Metro D.C. | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? As everyone else has mentioned, you can swim any particular stroke. Many interviews that I've read on professionals have mentioned that when they need to "reset" a bit during the swim, they flip over and do a few easy backstroke strokes. |
| 2005-08-02 12:42 PM in reply to: #172844 |
| Veteran 240 Denver | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Now that my swimming has gotten to an acceptable level (I can do a sprint distance), I find the breaststroke to be much more tiring. It really works your arms and legs(which you will need in the other two events) When I need a breather I find the sidestroke to be much more productive for me. The speed is slower but with my head out of water I can really catch my breath and finish the distance freestyle. my $.02 Good Luck |
| 2005-08-02 1:43 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Elite 3201 South Florida | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? I just did my first tri this weekend. I planned to try to do about 30-40% freestyle, but once I was ini the water with all tose people I was just morenervous that way. I was much more relaxed and comfortable doing breaststroke. A coach once watched me for about 5 minutes doing both strokes and said I was faster on breaststroke anyway so I went with it. I got pased by a few people but surprisingly I passed a handful as well. |
| 2005-08-02 1:53 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Buttercup 14334 | Subject: please don't Yes, breaststroke is allowed. Any type of swimming-under-your-own-power (no fins) is allowed. You would do a service to your fellow competitors to increase your freestyle conditioning and forego breaststroking, especially when there are other swimmers near you. We all expect to get swum over or felt-up during the swim but getting frog-kicked in the face should not be part of the normal hazards. There are moments during my swim when I opt to do a little breaststroke (choppy conditions, getting my bearings) and during those moments I always drop my feet so that I don't kick anyone. It takes more energy this way but I feel like a more responsible competitor knowing that I am taking care not to face-kick anyone. A breast kick is so much more powerful than the flutter kick. The breast kick is one where you can reach out and jar someone's face, as opposed to a flutter (freestyle) kick where somone would have to propel themselves into your feet to get a foot in face. Edited by Renee 2005-08-02 1:55 PM |
| 2005-08-02 3:49 PM in reply to: #172844 |
New user 117 Alberta(think texas with snow.) | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? I did good ole back stroke in my first tri(which is coming up on a year ago.. crazy to think of the improvements). My run time was faster than my swim time! Go for it what ever stroke you want, after the swims done, it just keeps getting more and more enjoyable! Edited by Mark G 2005-08-02 3:50 PM |
| 2005-08-02 4:01 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Veteran 256 Woodridge, IL (Chicago) | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? Breastroke is legal to swim in the triathlon. I would suggest swimming to the outside and start at the back as Freestyle is generally the faster stroke. As mentioned before the breastroke kick is quite painful when hit in the face and more likely to happen. Some swimmers don't take to kindly to getting kicked in the face. Good luck with your triathlon and if you do swim breastroke please start to the outside. |
| 2005-08-02 8:11 PM in reply to: #172881 |
| 41 | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? cadreamer - 2005-06-11 3:14 PM Anything is legal in the swim as long as it is under your own power, instead of getting pulled along by a boat or something. More experienced triathletes do freestyle. Why? It's usually significantly faster than the other strokes. Exactly. Freestyle is called freestyle because you can propel yourself through the water anyway you like. The way freestyle is swam as we know it is because when done properly it is the fastest way to swim. That said I know a couple of people who are extremely good breaststroke swimmers, and can swim faster breaststroke than they can freestyle - so if thats the case why not race using breaststroke? |
| 2005-08-02 10:39 PM in reply to: #172844 |
Expert 1213 Los Gatos, CA | Subject: RE: Breaststroke? My fastest long distance swim times are when I alternate breast stroke and front crawl rather than all front crawl...I also stay aerobic, and stay strong throughout...I am not proud of it, but that's the way it is for me at the moment...I do start off to the back and side of the wave so I swim without a lot of people around me....I have noticed that I am as fast breast stroking as many folks doing front crawl....per 50 yd lap, I am about 15 seconds slower breast stroke than front crawl, burt as said the combo makes me faster than all front crawl because I rest up during breast stroke.... |
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