Becoming a successful open-water swimmer

As a coach I do my best to figure out the best means of training for each individual athlete. The basic training principles don't change much, but how a coach implements an athlete's day-to-day routine and training plan is always unique to that individual athlete. When it comes to open-water swimming, many athletes will find that they have mental as well as physical challenges to overcome. As a coach, my job is to take each athlete through the process of overcoming these challenges and getting more comfortable in an open-water setting.

First of all, let me state the obvious: the ocean is not like the pool. However, countless athletes will treat the ocean like the pool, and most of the time the outcome is not a good one. Pool swimmers normally spend little to no time preparing for open-water swimming; I rarely see swimmers working on sighting drills in the pool, and everyone knows there is no line on the bottom of the ocean to follow.

Are you able to change your swim stroke if the swells require you to do so? Can you take in breaths on both sides? There is a lot to think about when you are in the open-water, so how can you swim straight out there?

The number one aspect in becoming a better open-water swimmer is experience. I was fortunate enough to be an ocean lifeguard for over a decade. The amount of experience and knowledge I gained from working the beach allowed me to race beyond my potential in the open-water. Let's go over what I take into consideration every time I swim in the ocean.

• Direction of the tides and strength of the tides
• Angle of the swells, glare of the sun
• Temperature of the water. Don't forget body glide
• Wetsuit or no wetsuit; if I wear a wetsuit, is it full suit or sleeveless?
• Slope of the beach entering the water: Are the waves rolling in or is it a shore break?
• Direction and strength of the wind, and which side do I need to breathe on to sight the shore?

All of that information is taken into account when I swim in the open-water so I can swim as straight and as efficiently as possible. It is almost like a complicated math equation – if any one of those factors changes, you will have to adjust to the change to maintain your efficacy.
Here are some physical drills and ideas you can work on to improve your open-water swimming.

Practice: If you don't have an opportunity to get in the open-water, you can still practice what is required out there. If you can do an open-water workout, do it! You don't race in a pool.

Sighting: Work on popping your head up and sighting on things on the pool deck during intervals. Work on bilateral breathing.

Balance: Being able to swim straight with your natural stroke is important in the open-water. Balance and body position drills can help with maintaining an even stroke.

Visual: You can try swimming for a few seconds with your eyes closed in the pool. Do you run into the lane line? Most swimmers will, but if you work on these drills, you will improve.

These are just a few things that can help to prepare a pool swimmer for open-water swimming. However, nothing beats experience, so getting out in the open-water as much as possible is the best thing to do.

In my next article I will discuss the mental side of open-water swimming and some different ways that swimmers train to improve their open-water skills.

Kevin started Tricoach in 2007 after racing professionally for eight years. He’s an endurance coach and personal trainer with a master's degree in exercise science and coaching, and he works with athletes of all ability levels, novice to professional. Contact Kevin at Tricoach.us.