Open Water T1 Exit Practice: Swim-to-Run Transition Drill Session

Session Overview

Your T1 exit — the transition from swimming to cycling — is one of the highest-leverage skills in triathlon, and one of the least-practised. This open water session drills the specific movements of exiting the water, removing your wetsuit and moving efficiently through transition. Repeated practice removes hesitation and turns a chaotic scramble into a smooth, automatic sequence.

What You’ll Need

• Open water venue with a clear entry/exit point (lake, reservoir, or calm beach)
• Wetsuit (full or sleeveless)
• Swim cap and goggles
• A towel and running shoes at the water’s edge to simulate T1 (optional but realistic)
• A training partner to time your T1 segments if possible

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Swim 400m easy freestyle with bilateral breathing. Use the first 200m to acclimatise to the water temperature and get comfortable in your wetsuit. Sight every 8–10 strokes to start building awareness of your exit point.

Main Set

5–6 repetitions of the T1 exit sequence. Each repetition: swim 200m at moderate effort toward the exit, then execute the full T1 sequence as fast as possible, then re-enter the water and repeat.

• Step 1 — Final approach: Begin standing up in chest-depth water and run/dolphin-dive toward the exit. Don’t stop swimming until you can touch the bottom and run forward efficiently.
• Step 2 — Exit the water: Run clear of the water, maintaining forward momentum. Avoid the hesitation step at the water’s edge.
• Step 3 — Unzip the wetsuit: Pull the neck cord as you run. Peel arms free while still moving — don’t stop.
• Step 4 — Remove the wetsuit: Push it down to your hips as you jog, step out with the first foot, then kick it clear with the second. Repeat 5–6 times, timing your total T1 sequence from water exit to wetsuit off.

Cool-Down (5 minutes)

Swim 200m easy backstroke. Use the time to reflect on what felt smooth and what still needs practice. Note your fastest T1 sequence time to track progress across sessions.

Coaching Notes

• The transition from horizontal swimming to upright running causes a brief dizziness — this is normal and reduces with practice. Don’t stop; keep moving forward.
• Common mistake: pulling the wetsuit arms fully off before exiting the water. Get clear of the water first, then remove.
• Apply Body Glide or Vaseline to wrists and ankles before the session — this significantly speeds up wetsuit removal.
• Scaling: if you’re a beginner, simply repeat the exit run and wetsuit removal without the swim reps to build the movement pattern first.
• Safety: always use an open water swim safety buoy and never swim alone in open water.