General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How often do you practice sighting? Rss Feed  
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2013-02-17 8:49 PM

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Subject: How often do you practice sighting?
So, how often?  Sighting seems to be a huge challenge for me when it comes to OWS.  I didn't realize how poor I was until my OWS times continued to worsen as my pool times (REALLY) improved.  Just wondering what you more experienced triathletes do.


2013-02-17 9:06 PM
in reply to: #4626156

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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
When I am in the pool and doing a time.trial swim, I try to sight at.least 1 time per length.
2013-02-17 9:12 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?

FELTGood - 2013-02-18 2:06 PM When I am in the pool and doing a time.trial swim, I try to sight at.least 1 time per length.

We occasionally do sighting drills in the pool every ten strokes look over your stroke kind of deal.  OWS during Dec- March (australia!) it's all sighting, we swim to buoys etc so you have to sight. 

I always do every 10 strokes, keeps me focussed.  I've discovered I swim really straight....also nice to draft off someone with a sense of direction.

Did an OWS race Saturday tried to draft off one girl, we would have done an extra 1km if I'd stuck with her!

2013-02-17 10:06 PM
in reply to: #4626156

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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I never practice sighting in the pool. I also don't practice OWS either. I have never had a problem sighting during an open water swim tri. I just pop my head up to make sure I am going in the right direction.
2013-02-17 10:14 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?

iruptacopula - 2013-02-17 10:06 PM I never practice sighting in the pool. I also don't practice OWS either. I have never had a problem sighting during an open water swim tri. I just pop my head up to make sure I am going in the right direction.

 

wouldn't that be sighting???

2013-02-17 10:18 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
Yes but not practicing it I'm in the same boat. Never practiced but never had a problem with it. Partially due to playing water polo so..


2013-02-17 10:21 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
jford2309 - 2013-02-17 10:14 PM

iruptacopula - 2013-02-17 10:06 PM I never practice sighting in the pool. I also don't practice OWS either. I have never had a problem sighting during an open water swim tri. I just pop my head up to make sure I am going in the right direction.

 

wouldn't that be sighting???

I meant in OWS Triathlons I just pop my head up. I don't do it in training.
2013-02-17 10:38 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?

I think a lot of us do most of our swimming in a pool, then do a couple of OWS before race season starts and that's it.  In a race you have a bunch of bodies around you and some orange/yellow or other color bouys to follow.  So my sighting practice comes via the first race of each season.  Then maybe the second race, then O.K. the third race......By the time I think I've got it right, tri season's over :P

2013-02-17 10:41 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I don't practice it much, mainly because it isn't a difficult skill to learn but I do have to constantly remind myself to sight regularly in open water to make sure I do it enough. If not I tend to get in a groove and assume I'm swimming straight when I'm really not.

Edited by JZig 2013-02-17 10:42 PM
2013-02-17 10:43 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I don't do any forward sighting in races unless I start wondering if a buoy is approaching. I site off swimmers to my left and right. I make sure the distance stays somewhat constant between them....I let them do the sighting.
2013-02-17 10:51 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?

every time I swim...I swim a buoy chain, so I have to sight to see where I'm at.



2013-02-17 11:38 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
In the lake/ocean, constantly. In the pool, every 50 and try to see what the life guard's hair color is, what time it is, how many chairs are on the pool deck, etc. Practice makes better, never perfect....
2013-02-17 11:43 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
metafizx - 2013-02-18 3:51 PM

every time I swim...I swim a buoy chain, so I have to sight to see where I'm at.

Same on our OWS squad we swim a buoy chain of 5 buoys...then another 600m to some rocks.  Great when it's calm but when it's choppy it is really hard to see the yellow buoys.  IM buoys are even more tricky being white!  They just blend into the surf.

2013-02-18 12:08 AM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I've able to get an open water swim in at least once a week in the last month or so, and I've been practicing then. I have figured out how to do it so it doesn't take a whole lot of effort, and kind of keep a mental eye on a target while I'm focused on the swimming. A friend showed me how to use landmarks for those swims where the buoys are too far to see from one to the other.

Edited by Blanda 2013-02-18 12:10 AM
2013-02-18 6:56 AM
in reply to: #4626156

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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I do a lot because I OWS a lot. When I was just training in the pool, the week before a race I'd practice a couple times by closing my eyes under water and only opening them when I would sight.
2013-02-18 7:26 AM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
Not as often as I should!


2013-02-18 7:26 AM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
Not as often as I should!
2013-02-18 7:30 AM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
when i race.... but then again i end up doing 1.5 x the distance
2013-02-18 7:59 AM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I do a lap with sighting twice per workout. For me, it's about working in my sighting with my swim stroke. I always pull my head up and sight after breathing on the right side. I want the routine to not be shocking and weird.
2013-02-18 12:23 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
I practice in the race . Really beyond that when I get into doing OWS when the water is warm enough I have to sight then. I don't tend to have a huge problem with it either and don't feel that I slow down beyond my slow swim speed as it is.
2013-02-18 1:37 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?

If you are lucky enough to have a clock at the end of your lane I like to see how fast my 50s are durring longer sets. 

It isn't always proper forward sighting, Sometimes it is looking back over my shoulder.  But it gets me use to raising my head up every lap or so and not just to pretend.  It is functional for the workout so I'm more likely to do it than forget about it.

Plus, I find that even when I'm sighting in the race looking to the sides as I breathe and behind me is often just as good as forward.



2013-02-18 1:42 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
Only when doing an OWS to see where the heck I am headed.
2013-02-18 2:28 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
50yds sighting every couple strokes and 50yds opposite side breathing every swim.  Just enough to keep it in the repertoire.
2013-02-18 2:36 PM
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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?

My first season I practiced sighting in the pool, then I got to my first open water swim and realized how pointless that practice was.  Sighting while in a pool, with lines next to and below you  and a target no more than 20 yards away, didn't serve me much purpose.  It wasn't as if you struggled to find your target in a pool. About all it did was got me accustomed to swimming with my head up.  

Sighting in a choppy lake, with 50-100 people around you, not sure if you're even looking in the right direction, with sun glare, and a small buoy possibly 200 yards away is a whole different story.  It's really something you just get better at with time and experience.  Practicing in actual open water would be much more beneficial, but in a pool, doesn't seem worth it to me.  

2013-02-18 2:37 PM
in reply to: #4627164

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Subject: RE: How often do you practice sighting?
If you are doing it as part of your stroke, in a pool you would at least get accustomed to the movement and how it changes your rhythm while swimming.
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