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Triathlon swim coach Gerry Rodrigues of Tower 26 joins us from his home in Los Angeles, California to talk about swimming through the pandemic, answer your questions, and give away a few copies of his new book Triathlon Swimming. Watch the complete Triathlete Live above and check out our full series here.
4:01 “For those who don’t have access to the pool, what’s an out-of-pool regime you would recommend?”
8:13 “If you have access to open-water swimming, what’s the best thing to do?”
10:40 “What percentage of your overall training schedule should be devoted to swimming?”
13:56 “Is it possible to become a competitive age-group triathlon swimmer if you’re learning how to swim as an adult?”
15:16 Gerry talks about the progress of professional triathlete Cam Wurf.
16:12 “How often should I take breaths? Every third is fine for me, but every other keeps me fresher.”
18:18 “When you’re holding for a lingering breath, what’s happening with the rest of your body?”
20:34 “Should age-group athletes learn how to bilateral breathe? Do you have any tips for those who find it difficult to breathe on the weaker side?”
25:55 “If my technique is solid, how do I improve on my speed?”
26:40 “What is one of your go-to sessions for a speed workout?”
29:13 “Who is your favorite athlete you’ve ever trained?”
31:06 We announce the book giveaways!
33:10 “I have the endurance, but sometimes my arms say ‘not today.’ How do I deal with that?”
35:39 Gerry talks about coming back after so much time away from the pool with the COVID-19 pandemic.
36:55 “Why do some swimming pools feel slower than others?”
37:30 Gerry talks about how to approach swimming in a season without races.
43:28 “Is it better to have a higher cadence or a lower cadence?”
44:28 Gerry talks about strokes per minute (SPM).
46:44 “How do you determine when to swim over or under a wave in an ocean open-water swim?”
50:08 Gerry talks about the skill required to exit the water with big waves.
51:48 “Any advice for breathing through choppy water in the ocean?”
52:10 “How does the average person get the stroke mechanics down to do it correctly?”
53:18 “How much do you recommend kicking?”
54:40 “What would you recommend for a swimmer who has sinking legs?”