trouble swimming in wetsuit
276
Member
284 days
Semper Tri posted 18 weeks ago.
A couple things I've gathered from threads similar to this..
1) In the short distance race it may not be worth wearing the wetsuit depending on water temp and distance
2) Let the wetsuit work for you, don't fight it.
3) It will take time to adjust to swimming in the wetsuit
4) Pool to lake can create a little anxiety, noticed or not, and can add to the over exertion (sp?)
5) Adjust your swimming as well as comfort level feeling "restricted" by wetsuit
6) Take all the slack out of the wetsuit, pull it waaaaayyy up into the crotch
Hopefully those help a little, they helped me a a bunch....first long ocean swim for me this upcoming weekend, woot woot!
i dont know what today will bring to me, but thats just fine.
118
Member
656 days
gshuldes posted 18 weeks ago.
What kind of wetsuit is it ... was it designed for swimming, or is it a surfing/diving type?
2210
Member
688 days
TriSooner posted 18 weeks ago.
bahm2217 wrote:
Through training, I worked myself up to swimming 1 mile twice per week with no problem (in a pool). I got my wetsuit yesterday and did an open water swim in a lake today and am panicing.
So was this your first OWS? If so, it ain't the suit. Your experience is par for the course: get accustomed to a pool - then go OWS - and all bets are off. Regardless, being gassed after 100m is a function of not having a wall every 25meters. OWS endurance takes a lot of practice/experience in OWS.
703
Member
509 days
jonovision_man posted 18 weeks ago.
+1...
My first OWS wasn't with a wetsuit and it was all kinds of trouble. The water was murky, it was like having my eyes closed. It was cold. And it was deep. None of which I had experience with, and it threw me off big-time. Oh and the waves in the face sucked, too. :)
Practice it.
jono
588
Member
428 days
jnrice posted 18 weeks ago.
TriSooner wrote:
Your experience is par for the course: get accustomed to a pool - then go OWS - and all bets are off.
I swim much faster in open water with my wet suit. IT's a comfort thing. I feel like a rat on a wheel in a pool. What I would recommend is putting your wet suit on and just go float around in the water with a friend. Don't even think about putting in a hard swim until you are comfortable in the water. Make sure the suit fits you well, and it is designed to be swam in (a tri suit, not wake board or dive suit).
2
Member
129 days
bahm2217 posted 18 weeks ago.
Thanks for everyones input. My suit is a 2XU Velocity and with the small distance I did swim, I felt faster, just have to get used to it. I know its a mental thing, just making me question myself right now. I have 2 weeks until the tri, so I will be doing a lot of water work. Thanks again.
588
Member
428 days
jnrice posted 18 weeks ago.
don't question your ability, or your training. It's a trick, it's poison. Good luck and have fun.
78
Member
509 days
fawcettenator posted 18 weeks ago.
Make sure that the arms on your suit are pulled up really well, if not your arms will end up working much harder making you more winded.
Tired is a state of mind, exhaustion is a state of body.
I am doing my first sprint tri in two weeks. I have transitioned over from cycling to multisport. Through training, I worked myself up to swimming 1 mile twice per week with no problem (in a pool). I got my wetsuit yesterday and did an open water swim in a lake today and am panicing. I did maybe 100 yards and was whooped. What happened? Is it just going to take a couple swims to get this down or should I resign myself to swimming the tri without it? HELP, I'M STRESSING OUT!