GEAR ALL THE BEST EQUIPMENT FOR A BETTER SWIM
THE BESTADVICE
Our experts and contributors are some of the best coaches in open water swimming. Here are four volumes of their instructional material with great reader discounts...
OPEN WATER SWIMMING Stephen Munatones Human Kinetics, 2011
Former world champion marathon swimmer (and current coach, offi cial
and observer of the open water swimming world), Steven Munatones’ new book, simply called Open Water Swimming, distills his many years of experience into a single accessible volume. Its subtitle: ‘Improved performance for swimmers and triathletes’, somewhat undersellsthe content, which covers everything from overcoming the elements to choosing the right equipment, how to swim faster, race-day tactics and marathon swims. At its highest levels, open water swimming demands a massive commitment of time, energy and fi nancial resources to succeed. Munatones
THIS ISN'T A BOOK SOLELY FOR THOSE ASPIRING TO ELITE COMPETITION
NEW!
describes the months of repeated and regular cold water immersion needed to adapt to the temperatures encountered on many swims, the hours of training and the extensive planning, preparation and equipment needed to keep a swimmer safe. The chapter on race tactics will open your eyes to the subtle and not- so-subtle ways swimmers jostle for position to take advantage of currents, waves, turns and draſt ing to gain a few valuable seconds over the competition.
That said, this isn’t a book solely for those aspiring to elite competition or extreme solo challenges. A chapter on preparing for short-distance swims describes how to build a training programme to include the key elements of aerobic fi tness, distance tolerance
CATCH MASTERCLASS DVD Swim Smooth
The way your hand enters the water at the beginning of the front-crawl stroke has a knock-on eff ect to just about every other aspect of your swimming and, ultimately, how fast you move through the
water. Coaching company Swim Smooth have devoted nearly two hours of DVD time to analysing and coaching this vital skill through high-quality video of drills and proper technique by world class swimmers. £30 from
swimsmooth.com/h2open for free shipping for H2Open readers
and speed. Munatones’ defi nition of short appears to include races of up to 10km. He suggests training for 30 percent beyond your planned race distance – so 13km for a 10km race – in order to prepare yourself in case conditions are rougher, tougher or colder than you'd expect.
The chapter on building a faster freestyle
covers the key technique elements and stroke adaptations needed to swim well in open water, from using a two-beat leg kick to conserve energy (and when to switch to a four-beat or a six-beat kick) and changes in head position to
ensure you can still breathe in choppy water. Two important factors for open water swimmers are symmetry – in order to swim straight – and the ability to hold onto good technique in testing conditions. Munatones suggests drills for each.
If you’re a casual swimmer with a vague idea about one day taking on a long-distance challenge or looking for a signifi cant performance boost, this book will provide you with a reality check. At the same time, it’s an excellent guide and resource to help plan your conquest. Read it cover to cover, or just dip in and out of the sections relevant to your own interests and aspirations.
Get 20 percent off this book with off er code R788 at
humankinetics.com/swimming
OPEN WATER SWIMMING SERIES DVD Rick Kiddle Coaching
Based on – and with footage from – one of Rick Kiddle’s popular swim-training courses, this DVD covers the basics of open water swimming, from choosing
your equipment to overcoming your fears, deep water starts, turns and draſt ing. Initially made for triathletes, it serves equally well as a great introduction for anyone new to open water swimming. Filmed at a scenic lake location, the footage will make you want to jump straight in. £19.99 from
rickkiddle.com. Use off er code RKCOWSL1H2O for reader’s discount
ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME Swim For Tri
Not all of us can join a swimming club or fi nd a local coach, but for £40
per year you can receive weekly swimming sessions and gain access to the exclusive members’ area on Swim For Tri’s website. Here you will fi nd video demonstrations of 16 diff erent and progressive swimming drills, articles writ en by Swim For Tri founder Dan Bullock, statistical tools and sample training sets. £40 per year from
swimfortri.co.uk (Sign up before 30 Sept 2011 with off er code H2OPEN for a 15 percent discount)
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