The explosion of open water swimming has meant that a large number who might never have previously considered ‘taking the plunge’ are now actively doing so. Open water swimming can be an amazing and liberating activity that throws a whole new perspective on swimming. It is a very different experience, and with a few simple rules it can be made all the more enjoyable.
1. PREPARE FOR YOUR OPEN WATER SWIM
Think carefully about what kit you will need and what you will be doing before you head off for your swim. Standard kit would include a wetsuit, goggles, high-visibility swim hat, flip flops, towel, changing mat, and waterproof watch. Always have a plan of what you will be doing, and make sure that it is safe and within your capabilities. Getting tired, cold and cramping are not pleasant if you still have a long swim back to safety.
2. NEVER OPEN WATER SWIM ALONE
Whenever swimming in open water there are a number of elements outside your control. Even the most experienced of open water swimmers can get into trouble, and being on your own can quickly make a bad situation worse. Always try and swim with a minimum of two people, and agree beforehand how you will swim, making sure you are always aware of the other people in your group. These days there a large number of open water clubs springing up who can help new open water swimmers.
3. OPEN WATER SWIMMING IS COLD
The first thing, and often the biggest barrier to open water swimming, is the temperature. It’s colder, pure and simple. Most swimming pools have a temperature of between 27-31 degrees centigrade. The warmest water you could hope to swim in (in the UK) would be about 20 degrees, so there is a big difference. When you first experience cold water your body will have a mild shock response and you will gasp. Gradually your body will adapt and you will become more comfortable.
4. WETSUITS FOR OPEN WATER SWIMMING
Specially-designed swimming wetsuits are readily available these days, and they not only keep you warm but also afford swimmers greater buoyancy than just swimming in costumes. This buoyancy allows swimmers who struggle with their balance and kick to achieve a better position in the water, and have a faster and more comfortable swim.
5. LOCATIONS FOR OPEN WATER SWIMMING
Part of the attraction of open water (or wild swimming) is the ability to do it nearly anywhere; be it in the lake, river or the sea. All of these are very unique environments to swim in and need to be treated slightly differently. Lake-swimming wise: there are a large number of lakes throughout the UK that run managed open water swimming sessions. These are safe places to start your open water career, and learn the basic skills required, before becoming more adventurous and heading off into the rivers and sea. Once you do head off to the less-controlled areas, be sure that you fully understand any potential hazards. Kate Rew’s Wild Swim is a great book to look into the best swim spots.
6. NAVIGATION & OTHER WATER USERS
When river or sea swimming, it is important to understand the fact that you are sharing the water with other users, so ensure you familiarise yourself with the navigation rules. Joining a club or contacting the environment agency is a good place to start. For river swimmers it is not a good idea to swim on the same reach as one used by a rowing club. Rowers and swimmers do not mix well. Rowers face backwards and an experienced rower (who knows the stretch) will not check their course that frequently, and could easily go straight over the top of you. That said, with some careful positioning, as well as choosing the best time of day, most risks can be mitigated.
7. SIGHTING FOR OPEN WATER SWIMMING
One of the (if not the most) important skills in open water swimming is sighting (seeing where you are going). Forgetting to regularly check and correct your course can add considerable distance to your swim. This isn’t just a racing issue, where athletes need to swim the shortest possible distance, but also a safety issue. The skill of sighting can be practiced in the pool. Once proficient, you will be able to lift your goggles just out of the water, and then breathe to the side all in the same stroke. A good rule of thumb is to sight your course every eight strokes.
8. BILATERAL BREATHING IN OPEN WATER
Learning to breathe bilaterally (i.e. on both side) has a number of benefits, especially in open water. Firstly it balances out your stroke and makes sure you are not unbalanced to one side. Secondly, it helps with your direction; open water bilateral swimmers usually go straighter. And finally, it gives you greater visibility options, in terms of other swimmers and other water users.
9. RELAX
For the first few sessions you will probably be quite tense, as the feeling of swimming in open water is unusual. For this reason try and keep these sessions short (or even get out and get back in again, a few times). Once you are in, focus on getting a good breathing cycle going. Generally, if your breathing is working well, your body will relax and you’ll be able to think about technique and sighting.
10. AFTER YOUR OPEN WATER SWIM
After your swim the important thing is to get dry and warm as quickly as possible. A good post-swim routine is key. One pattern to follow is: 1 – wetsuit off in the water (and rinse it); 2 – flip flops on; 3 – get dry; 4 – pull on layers, with hoodie and jogging pants on top; 5 – hot drink. All fairly self-explanatory, but it’s amazing how many people get it wrong. If you have driven to your swim; get the heating on full blast on your feet (lovely!!)
