Two a Day Swim Training?

If you are slow I would say definately get a coach if it is no improving.  I would also say to ditch the breaststroke to simply get the miles in.  Remember Quality over quantity.  If you are trying to get 1000m in for a 500m race just try getting 500 freestyle.  If you can do the breastroke no problem concentrate on Free.

With your sprint only 16 days away, doubling your swim time, especially if your form in less than perfect, will probably not do much, if anything, to help.

BUT, a couple quick tips from a coach may.

In the long run, getting a coach would still be your best bet. Swimming is VERY technique dependent - if you can refine your form, you will get better MUCH faster than by just increasing your time in the pool. Especially if most of your time is breast stroke. Also, swimming tons of yards with poor technique can be very hard on your shoulders and could result in injury.

If coaching is not available, you can find lots of techinque drills on BT or other sources - you could practice those in your pool sessions.

Also, similar advice as kproudfoot, try to get as much free style in as you can. When I started to get back into swimming, I would swim about 100yds free, then 100 breast, 100 free, 100 breast, etc. The next week, tried to get in 150 to 200 free with 100 breast. Week after, 300 free with 100 breast. And so on...

Before you know it, you will be swimming a mile to 2000 yards, all freestyle!

Good luck on the sprint and hang in there on the swim!

Thank you for the tips and advice. I'm waiting to hear back from the coach on the times next week when we can do some training and evaluation. I'm not expecting miracles in two weeks just some basic things I can improve on and eliminate things I shouldn't be doing.

I would NOT start doing more swim sessions at this point. You are to close to your race. In swimming mechanics has a lot to do with speed and endurance. Getting a good coach that can work with you on body position, stroke, breathing etc. is the best bet. Being a former competitive swimmer I can assure you that tri's are not won on the swim.. I wish they where.

Lastely going into the race you dont want to think about anything new, just repeat what you have done in training.

I’m happy to report a positive difference after day one with the swim coach. He had me working on the basics and it really felt different/better and mentally my confidence soared which is a good thing. The one thing I was concerned with (my breathing) seemed to naturally take care of itself as my stroke improved. I only wish I had sought the help sooner.

Glad to hear you're having good luck with a coach.  I know it definitely helped me after just one short lesson! (Which I did a week before my first race and I'm soooo glad I did.  Even though w/all the adrenaline and anxiety I forgot most of what he taught me in exchange for just getting through it, but that's another story). 

Also, I second what others have said about it being too close to your race to worry about doubling up on swim workouts now.  Maybe for after your race you can, but with some patience the results you're looking for will come.  I struggle a lot with swim form still, so I trade off on workouts.  Some workouts I do super slow with lots of rest and focus on form, b/c my form always tends to go to when I'm tired.  Then on other days I'll focus more on distance and speed.  For those days I've been using workouts out of a book I got.  (Workouts in a Binder: Swim Workouts for Triathletes).  I would highly recommend getting a book or looking up some workouts online.  There's a lot more you can do in a pool than just covering the distance.  I've been really surprised at how much repeated short sets (100yds or so) w/a short rests in between has really helped my overall ability to swim longer distances in races.  Just keep it varied and you will start seeing results....trust me.  I spent months trying to get anything under 2:00/100yd and wasn't getting even close and then suddenly one day I started doing 1:50/100.  Now I can usually stay under 2:00/100 even for longer sets.  I'm still slow, but not quite as slow!   I can definitely relate to the frustrations of swimming!

Edited by lil_turtle 2007-09-18 3:59 PM

Rule of thumb: never sacrifice technique for speed or distance.

This applies to all three events and to loads of other sports. So many of us want to go faster, except we are our own worst enemy, flailing inefficiently, then beating ourselves up for performing below our expectations.
You were right to take a swim lesson. Take more after your race. Focus on swimming efficiently with the least amount of drag- practice slowly until you are bored to tears with it, get experienced people to critique you, make modifications until you have your swim technique so imprinted it is as natural as breathing.
Learn to bike efficiently also- toe clips or clipless pedals are essential for this as you can learn to pedal in circles at higher rpms rather than just push harder on the pedals. Find a bike club or an experienced runner to help you with this.
Learn to run using your core muscles, not just pulling yourself forward with your feet. Again, find a running club or buy or subscribe to running specific publications. Make progress in slow steady increments.

It will take time to bank all of these skills, 6 mo to a year perhaps, depending on your current level of experience and fitness. Every tri you enter you can learn something from. Even the vetrans come away with things they would do diferently. Don't shy away from racing until you reach some arbitrarily defined fitness point. Remember it's the journey not the destination that is important.

Pick one thing to focus on in each leg of the event, including each transition, rather than an overall goal of let's say, not finishing last, or coming in under a certain time. That way you can reasonably achieve your goals, and you'll have a good idea of what to work on for your next race!

Best of Luck and post again to let us know how you did!

training 30 mins for 4 days does not equal training 2 hours for 1 day. you can not cram for a race.

I would agree you should work the freestyle and add in breast stroke when needed and not the other way around.

When it doubt you know you can do the breast stroke so do the free style the best you can and breast when neeeded. after the race work on freestyle.

Master swim is a great way to get better at swimming and it will not break the bank.