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Most triathletes don't like the swim.  With many it borders on fear - "just let me get through that leg, and everything will be alright".  It doesn't have to be that way.  There are four keys:

   1.  Proper pull technique

   2.  Good body position

   3.  Lean upper body strength

   4.  Maintaining  "swim shape"

Of the four, proper pull technique is the most important to triathlon success.  Still, I see advice focused on building swim endurance without the building the proper technique that leads to efficiency and comfort.  Lap after lap (2500 - 3500 yard workouts, even for the sprint or Olympic distance).  It's like reinforcing an incorrect golf swing.  

I haven't worked out longer than 1500 yards since I began doing triathlons.  Most of my workouts are less.  How do I finish my triathlon swim leg in the top 1-5% of my age group, usually winning?   Its simple.  Better, efficient technique.  It starts with the pull. 

Most tips describe elbow position, entry point, etc.  These are important.  But, more important than anything is to understand the pull is about grabbing and moving through the water using every inch of your arm from the shoulder to the finger tips.  Water pressure should feel nearly uniform across the entire arm.

Even water pressure, and full grab, is the visual to focus on.  Every inch of your arm needs to be in position to move a maximum amount of water.  If it isn't, you're losing your opportunity for speed, and efficiency.  Arm, elbow, forearm, hand, and finger positions all flow from this principle. 

Let's break it down into three components, and follow a few key positions through the stroke:

1.  Hands and fingers -  Key visuals

First, your fingers should be relaxed, slightly curved, and  about 1/8th" to 1/4" apart.  Most swimmers get this wrong.  They clench them together, or spread them.  Neither is optimum.  Think of the hand as your paddle.  You want to maximize its surface to the water.  When the         fingers are slightly apart - almost no water can get through the gap because of "turbulance" created by the water pressure at the gaps, but the overall size of your paddle is increased.  This gives you maximum water grab per stroke - the key to efficient speed.

Second - start fast with a little downward wrist flex just after entry.  You don't need much - just a little downward action.  This gets the hands in position quickly, and tends to cock the elbow up immediately.  Notice this position in the upper late at the photo at left, and it is critical for the forearm position noted in number 2 below.

2.  Forearms -  Key visual

The forearm (from wrist to your elbow) offers more surface area to move water than your hands.  It needs to be perpendicular to your direction of travel as much as possible through the stroke.  This means getting it into perpendicular position early (particularly note the elbow position in the bottom lane below), and keeping it it there till it passes your waist.  You then finish with a "push" that keeps the forearm in a good position and drives the recovery.

3.  Elbows - Key Visual

Elbows play a critical role early in the stroke.  To be effective, your elbow must stay "high", so that your hand and forearm can get perpendicular as quickly as possible.  Most non-competitive swimmers let their elbows "drop" similar to the dog paddle we all learned when we first learned to swim as kids.  The elbow then leads the hands through the stroke.  This is terrible.  It completely takes your forearms out of a perpendicular position to your direction.  You lose more than 50% of your power and start your triathlon weak and inefficient.

Conversely, when you keep your elbow high at the beginning of your stroke - you get your forearm perpendicular fast.  It grabs water instantly.  Your stroke is smooth, and your triathlon off to an effortless start.

Summary thoughts

You can't emphasize enough the importance of even water pressure along your entire arm.  This is the measurement of your pull technique.   It's how you measure if you're grabbing water effectively and pulling your body forward with maximum efficiency.  If you're not feeling even pressure along your fingers, palm, forearm, elbow - all the way to the shoulder - you're not as efficient as you can be.  You're wasting energy, and valuable triathlon heartbeats.

Focus on the three visuals above - slightly spread fingers, perpendicular forearm, and hight elbows.  They're the first key to propelling the swim leg, and moving beyond fear to a springboard leg of your next triathlon race.   

Next - we'll look at aerobic upper body weightlifting - the secret training technique that drives speed in only 10 minutes a day.