In a competitive open water race or triathlons with a mass start, sometimes athletes get totally boxed in swimming within a large pack, around a turn buoy or even along a straightaway.

Veteran open water swimmer Eney Jones observes what the best tend to do, “Poise is power.”

That is, she recommends that swimmers and triathletes stay cool, calm and collected. “They must understand the situation and endeavor to resolve it,” she says.

When describing what to do when one gets boxed in, Jones recommends, “Sometimes no matter what preparation you have done, you can get boxed in rounding a buoy in a race. It is your reaction that counts, not the situation.”

“Your training should include working “power catches” with a halo machine or head-up water polo drills or 0-60 acceleration drills. You can also work on mermaid turns where you flip at the flags, or in open water, do an actual flip turn and work on acceleration at the beginning of the stroke to initiate forward propulsion. Power towers or baskets also help increase strength. Sometimes, proper placement entering the turn will not result in what you intend because you have no control of the others rounding the buoys. Just deal with your placement, but resolve it with the correct mental control, power and finesse.”

Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association