Backstroke? Anyone do this?

I'm new to Tri's as well; I've done two sprints this year.  First one was in a pool, I did the side stroke for about 50% of the swim because I tried going to fast at the start.  I didn't see any backstroke, but there could have been people doing it.  Second was open water...I did see a couple people doing the backstroke at times.   Whatever gets you through it.

Good luck with the swimming, I'm still struggling with it but progressing.  Try staying away from the rush at the start; if you're a weak swimmer you don't want to get stuck in the middle of the pack.  You'll either get run over, or you'll completely exhaust yourself trying to keep pace. 

I'm not sure what you typically swim in, but I was using basic board shorts that came down to my knees and that you'd wear to the beach.  I switched to a short style suit (link below), not spandex or anything, the difference in drag/weight was noticeable immediately. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YT1VTQ/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

First - I'm not a great swimmer.  I can get from point A to point B, but not very fast.  So take my advice FWIW.

People will do the backstroke, but usually when they are tired and need a breather.  Very few will use it as their primary stroke.  Work on your breast and side strokes as alternate styles, but dont give up on the freestyle either.

I wouldn't go into the race thinking that you are going to 'BS' your way through the race (nice double entendre ey?)  You have six weeks to improve your swimming.   swim lots, swim more and take a lesson.  At the very least, get a DVD, a book, watch youtube and look on this site for swimming advice for newbies.  Look into 'Total Immersion'  I havent tried it but many on this site who were not strong swimmers recommend it.  If you do a forum search, you'll find a lot of threads on this.

Good luck.  Don't let the swim frustrate you.  Take some instruction and get out in the water more.


Edited by ratherbesnowboarding 2009-07-06 1:38 PM

This is my first year and I swam my first 25 yards in March.  In my first sprint I did 1/2 in a sidestroke and passed some freestylers!  I would suggest freestyle for as long as you can then swtich to sidestroke to catch your breath and then back to free.  I did a pool swim last weekend, the guy in front of me was backstroking and I nearly swam right on top of him.  The nice thing about the sidestroke is there is less of you on the surface to get hit/pushed down. 
My first was a super sprint and only 200 yards.  My second was 300 meters and I did it all freestyle.

I did a bit of backstroke in my first OWS race. I saw others doing it as well, and I've heard of people who will do the entire race backstroke. I only swam it because I was having breathing problems. Freestyle is fastest for me, followed by back and breast. As far as I know there isn't a rule that says you have to freestyle - so go for it - if it's what you are fastest and most comfortable with...

I  have been told you can do any stroke that will get you through the water as long as it is under your own power.  A month ago I was struggling to do 25 meter repeats in the pool.  I had to stop worrying about speed and start focusing on form.  My swim workout this morning was 1200m of repeats with a few 100m repeats.  Don't give up on freestyle.  I did buy and read some books about the total immersion method and they did help point out some of my major errors in from.

My first tri is the 13th of sept main goal is still not to drown.  Good luck.

My friend just told me he used backstroke on about half of his mile swim because he did not train properly for the swim.  He said he finished last but felt very relaxed at least.

Me, I am working on freestyle technique but I know that if I tire, I can do what is known as the "combat swim stroke" for a long time.  It's a stroke I learned while in the Navy. It's very efficient but obviously not as fast as the freestyle.  I plan on trying freestyle but to keep my heart rate down, I may switch off now and then to use combat stroke, or side stroke.

One thing training has taught me is that as long as I keep my heart rate down, I just don't get tired.  As soon as I push myself up into the 170+ bpm range, I wear down quickly.

I've only done single reverse sprint tri and did breastroke the entire time. It was a pool swim and since reverse the swim was last. Despite the breastroke I passed about 10 people and only got passed once. Moral of the sotry- do what works for you. Long-term freestyle has the best timing prospects but in the short term whatever gets you through and you are most comfortable with then do it.

When I need to catch my breath I line myself up with the buoy and roll onto my back.  At one point I did it for a whole stretch of the race as I was faster and it was easier but.... it's *very* easy to swim off track doing it (voice of experience) so I would recommend only doing it for short periods as an opportunity to catch your breath and make sure you sight often.

Hello

I have my first swimming lesson today at 630 pm.  So I will take  this as a starting point to improve my swimming.  I am 5 weeks out from my first event and at this point I am thinking of using a combination of free-style & backstroke.  I will be spending a lot of time in the pool over the next four weeks.

I came to triathlon from bike riding and I am more than likely in over my head but I knew that if I never signed up for a Sprint -Triathlon ( Drawing a line in the Sand) I would never dedicate myself to training for one. I am committed & motivated to finish my first  swim-bike-run.  If I do that I am a winner in my mind!

Swimming is my weakest event and that is where I will put most of time in over the month.

Kevin

The biggest problem I see with people's freestyles is that they don't reach and extend their stroke into the water.  If you shorten your stoke than you end up using alot of energy: shorter stroke=more turnover=exhaustion. 

Try a drill: using a pull buoy count your strokes for a 25yd.  In a set of 100's try to decrease your stroke count by at least 1 each 25yds.  I'm 5'2" and it takes me about 19ish strokes in this drill.

This will help you lengthen your stroke.  Longer stroke will give you more time to breathe on the swim thus eliminating the need for a rest on your back.

Backstroke just isn't an economical use of the human body in the water.

BTW I love your jersey.  Way to represent! 

Kevin, have you read the book "Total Immersion?"  It was recommended to me and I just read it.  Well, I have been working on my swimming via a tether in my pool but I was struggling with my breathing because the tether seemed to be pulling me negative in the water.  After reading Total Immersion I no longer have that problem.  The swim techniques are excellent.  I highly recommend picking up a used copy off of Amazon.com.  Many of the techniques were similar to what I learned in the Navy in reference to swimming more efficiently. 

I couldn't swim a lick when I started.  I came across the Total Immersion Swimming program, and now I can swim 3,000 meters and be fresh coming out of the water.

On my first and only tri so far, I did, freestyle, water angels(best as I can describe it) on my back and dog paddle, and I still got third in the swim for the clydes.  With a time of 15 minutes 1 second for a .5 mile swim, one thing I made sure of is that I never stopped kicking always kept moving forward.  This was an OWS and one thing that got me is that I should have got in the water and aclimated myself to it first. Also should have got my heart rate up with a short jog. I went in way to cold. It was a shock to the system for sure.

Edited by clydesdale64 2009-07-13 3:05 PM

Hello

Let me update this. I got a swim lesson last week from a college swimmer and came out of that not feeling well.  He is a great swimer but maybe not the best teacher. So I signed up for a lesson at our local recreation center. Today at 130 was my lesson. Jeff watched me go about a 1/3 of the way down the pool & stop out of breath.  He then showed me the tap breathing drill working on taking a breath everytime on my right stroke.   He talked about placment of my hands during the stroke.  I did make it the length of the pool (25 M) for the first time in my life.  Boy was I pumped up.

Tonight I went to the pool in my neighborhood and just completed  three laps freestyle (150 M) and 50 meters backstroke as a rest.   So I have 5 weeks to get the freestyle improved & then use the backstroke as a way to rest & keep moving.


I can swim!!!!

Kevin