10 Mistakes Almost All Ironman Athletes Make (and Why They're Holding You Back)

10 fejl Næsten Alle Ironman-Atleter Laver (og hvorfor de holder dig tilbage)

Most Ironman athletes accept one thing:

“I'm just not a good swimmer.”

But the truth is more frustrating than that.
Most are not bad.
They are incorrectly trained .

Time and again I see skilled, motivated athletes who spend hours in the pool – without getting faster.

Not because they lack will.
But because they lack direction.

Here are the 10 biggest mistakes.

1. You swim with your elbows low in the water

Many people think swimming is about moving your arm around.

But momentum is not created by movement.
It is created by the pressure of the water.

Typical signs:

  • Pulling with the elbow

  • The hand is under the body in one's catch

  • You forget to press back.

If you can't feel the water with every stroke, you're wasting energy.

2. You start your move too late

Many people let their arm drop too far before they start pulling.

It feels natural - but it's energy wasted.

Result:

  • Slower pace

  • More fatigue

  • No consistency in your arm movements

Efficient swimming has an early catch.

3. You are either kicking too much or out of rhythm

Both are a problem.

Too much:

  • Burns the legs off

  • Destroys cycling and running

Out of rhyme:

  • Losing balance

  • The hip comes out of position

The legs should stabilize the body – not propel it.

4. You are lying sideways in the water

If the hips sag, everything becomes heavy.

Often it is due to:

  • Weak core

  • Incorrect head position

  • Lack of rotation

5. You train tempo – before you have technique

Many people chase intervals and speed.

But if the technique is ineffective, you're just amplifying your mistakes.

You get better at swimming badly.

Technique first.
Pace afterwards.

6. You do exercises that look smart – but don’t help

The internet is full of “top 5 swim drills”.

The problem?
Many drills only provide value if they are used correctly and for the right swimmer.

Some examples:

  • Catch-up with pull from elbows → destroys rhythm

  • Shutter without understanding → random movement

  • One-arm without rotation → creates imbalance

Exercises are tools.
Not magic.

7. You copy programs from others

The friend's program.
An online program.
ChatGPT program.

The problem?

None of them know or understand

  • Your technique

  • Your story

  • Your limitations

  • Your goals

  • Training in the right zones

Swimming is too individual for standard solutions.

8. You don't know what's actually holding you back

Most people guess:

“I probably just need more fitness.”

Often the truth is:

  • Bad catch

  • Wrong timing

  • Bad line in the body

  • Pulls under the body

Small technical errors can cost 10–20 seconds per 100m.

9. You can't explain your own technique

If you can't describe:

  • How your catch works

  • When does your move start?

  • Where your power comes from

  • Where your body line is

...then you probably don't have control over it either.

Awareness creates improvement.

10. You train without feedback

There are no mirrors in the swimming pool.

Without feedback you don't know:

  • What is changing

  • What will be better

  • What gets worse

You just repeat the same pattern.

The truth

Most Ironman athletes don't need to swim anymore.

They need to swim smarter .

This is exactly where IRONSWIM comes in.

I work with:

  • Technical analysis

  • Individual swimming plans

  • Specific focus points

  • Exercises with purpose

  • Progression that can be felt

Not generic solutions.
Not random programs.

But swimming actually moves you.

If you want to get out of the “I’ll survive the swim” category
and into “I am clear, calm and efficient”…

...then it starts with technology.

And technology starts with knowledge.