Open Water Sighting Tips?
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kylie posted 1 year ago.
I tend to separate breathing and sighting. The breathing is part of one rotation, a sighting can be part of another. I only lift eyes for sighting, and my mouth stays in the water. Being in a group at a tri helps that for me... I'm not the speediest of swimmers so have a huge crowd to follow. Sure, one person might go the wrong way, but in general the mass of craziness all moves in the right direction.
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Ironmom posted 1 year ago.
I sight about every 8 - 10 strokes, don't try to do it too frequently. Picking your head up causes your feet to sink, so ideally you try to minimize that as best you can. Make sure that neither of your hands is crossing your center line, and that will eliminate most zig-zagging in open water. I continue with my regular stroke and generally don't pick my head up too high, just enough to get a peek and then it's back in. As you practice it, you'll be able to sight faster and it will affect your stroke less.
When you can get to a lake or other open water, practice by sighting on something on the shore line, a tall tree or other landmark.
Blue Skies, -Robin-
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/
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ston_ar posted 1 year ago.
How I usually sight is by first picking my kick up the stroke before sighting to keep my legs up. Then I take a normal breath and simultaniously bring my head forward and around, tracing a half circle with my chin, and drop my head back in like i took a breath on the other side. So its kinda like taking a breath with two strokes. Just remember to keep your kick going stronger than normal to keep your body in line.
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UFTriGator posted 1 year ago.
I've been swimming for a long time, but just started doing open water stuff about a year ago and I know how frustrating it is. I think my first triathlon was more like an 1800m instead of 1500! Anyway, I've gotten better at open water swims since I started focusing on exactly where I thought the object that I'm sighting (buoy, dock, etc) before I even breathe. Instead of coming up and looking for it fresh every time, you feel that you already have an idea of where it is and there's less of chance of having to spend forever finding it again. Reminds me of The Patriot (just saw it again the other day).....aim small, miss small. Corny, but it helped me to swim in a straight line.
______________________________________________
-Matt
Not fast enough.
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Tikal Dog posted 1 year ago.
my way of navigating isn´t the best one but it worked for me last year.
I breath every 4 strokes to one side, next 4 strokes then breath left, then 4 more strokes and breath in front. This is not a good way of doing it cause you raise your head too much loosing speed, and getting tired easier. BUT it worked for me last year.
This season I will try to optimize my nav techniques.
Hyperactive Trifueler!!!! (I refuse to let the status go :p)
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gfd posted 1 year ago.
It takes me around 18-19 strokes to complete a 25m lap in the pool so I simply look up every 20th stroke. It also helped with the anxiety of being a new swimmer and being out in the open. It made it seem more familiar and gave me some idea of my progress in comparison to my pool workouts.
"If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it you have won your race." -Dave Scott
~Garen~
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Pete L. posted 1 year ago.
If I were telling your story, I'd have lied and said it takes me 12-13 strokes. But then everyone would know I was lying because they might have seen the video in the other thread.
Curses!
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LongTime posted 1 year ago.
I try to get on someone's feet and hope they know what they're doing. Also, I'll look up every dozen or so strokes and maybe even a quick breaststroke pull or two, though not often.
Also helps to sight a tree if the shore is close enough to allow it.
I'm a relatively new swimmer who has spent the better part of the last year finally getting competent in the pool. I was feeling pretty good about my progress until I tried swimming with my eyes closed last week to simulate sighting conditions in open water (I would only open my eyes above water to try to sight on something other than the pretty line at the bottom of the pool).
It turns out I suck at this. All my hard-won swimming skills disappeared when I tried to lift my head to sight. This was true whether I tried before I breathed or after. It was a little better when I just breathed to the front as I sighted (sort of a modified breast stroke for half a stroke).
Does anyone have any good tips for how to see where you are going in open water without losing your swimming form and rhythm? The only tips I've found so far just say to breathe first and then look really quick. But I think I need more details about how one accomplishes that while staying balanced and still getting enough time to get a full breath.