Last Updated on December 2, 2020 by admin
In this article, we’ll provide advice, drills, hacks and tips, as we look at the benefits of open water training for club swimmers.
The benefits of open water swimming training
For many club swimmers, swimming in open water can be a rare opportunity.
- However, introducing club swimmers to open water training has many benefits. These include,
Adding variety to a training programme
Competitive swimming training at times can be repetitive and gruelling for both the swimmer and the coach
- Introducing open water swimming training can add both variety and fun to a club swimming programme.
Providing a new swimming opportunity
Open water swimming training can provide some swimmers with a new swimming opportunity.
- Some swimmers who aren’t enjoying their training in the pool sometimes find open water swimming far more enjoyable.
- Some swim coaches find coaching open water an enjoyable experience and go on to take specific open water coaching qualifications.
Great for long-distance swimmers
Open water training can be especially beneficial for long-distance swimmers.
- Open water competition usually ranges in distance from 800m to 80km.
How open water swimming differs from pool swimming
Swimming in open water can differ from swimming in a pool, in many ways.
These include,
Coping with mother nature
Swimming in open water can sometimes mean having to deal with all that mother nature can bring to bear.
- This can include elements such as sun, wind and rain.
- It can also include the condition of the water, such as its clarity, temperature, currents, tides or waves.
Swimming in a wetsuit
For many swimmers who are used to swimming in a pool, the wearing of a wetsuit is one of the first things they may have to get accustomed to.
- Designed to keep out the cold, most wetsuits are tight-fitting and add buoyancy, which can change the swimmer’s body position in the water.
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Many of our swimmers use Mountain Warehouse wet suits. They find them of good quality, comfortable, warm and very reasonably priced.
MountainWarehouse Child’s full wetsuit
Mountain Warehouse Men’s full wetsuit
Mountain Warehouse Women’s full wetsuit
Sighting
In the pool, swimmers have lane ropes and lane marking tiles on the bottom of the pool to help them navigate
- However, when swimming in open water, swimmers need to be able to ensure they are swimming in the correct direction, without such navigational aids.
- Therefore, swimmers need to learn how to swim while lifting their head out of the water in order to navigate.
- This is called sighting and is a key open water swimming skill.
Close contact swimming
Open water training and competitions are usually conducted in close-packed groups of swimmers.
Drafting
Drafting is an open water swimming technique, where two or more swimmers align in a close group to reduce the overall effects of drag, usually by swimming in the lead swimmer’s slipstream.
Related article on how drafting can make you a faster swimmer
We have produced a related article on how drafting can make you a faster swimmer.
Which you can view by clicking this link: how drafting can make you a faster swimmer.
Turns
Unlike a pool flip/tumble and touch turns swimmers may be required to turn in open water around a marker buoy.
Starting and Finishing
Unlike a pool start from a starting block, most open water swims begin with either a dive from a deck or a pontoon or a running start from the shore.
How to introduce open water training sessions
Open water training should be gradually incorporated into a swimming training programme.
Taster sessions
Many clubs start their open water training programme by introducing taster sessions.
- These can be fun based sessions taking place early on in the season as a social trip, maybe to a beach.
- It may be a good idea to hold the first of the sessions when the water is (relatively) warm so that there will be no need for the swimmers to invest in a wetsuit.
- It’s always best to introduce swimmers to open water training by conducting the training so that they swim parallel to the shore, without the need for them to swim in deep water.
Open water training sessions in the pool
Regular open water training sessions in the pool are the next stage to incorporating open water training into a swimming training programme.
- Coaches can introduce open water drills like water polo freestyle and drafting. See below
Water polo freestyle drill
Introduction: This is a simple but effective drill to help swimmers develop their sighting skills.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer performs freestyle for one length of the pool, with their head fully out of the water.
- Raising their head will lower the legs in the water and shorten the swimmer’s stroke, this will ensure that when performing this progression there will be plenty of resistance to overcome.
- Ensure the swimmer keeps their head upright and as still as possible, to ensure maximum resistance is achieved. (see diagram above)
Regular/File Draughting Drill
Introduction: This is a great drill to introduce swimmers to draughting in the pool.
How to perform this drill: This drill is best performed in a group of 3 or more swimmers.
- Swimmers start this drill by swimming in a file, one swimmer behind the other.
- Down one side of the lane, with the lead swimmer, swimming at race pace.
- The remaining swimmers drafting as close to the swimmer in front without touching their feet.
- After 100m the lead swimmer will stop swimming, move to the side of the lane
- Allow all the other swimmers to pass and then re-join at the back of the file
- Allowing the new lead swimmer to pick up the pace.
- Finnish the set once every swimmer has had the chance to lead the file.
- Steadily increase the number of set repetitions.
- For example,
- Starting at 1 x 400m
- Then progress to 2 x 400m
- Then 3 x 400m and finally 1 x 1200m
- Where the swimmers take the lead 3 times without the group taking a rest.
Open water training sessions
If the introduction of open water training has been successful. The final part to incorporate it into the swimming programme is to plan for regular open water training sessions.
Further considerations
Once the programme starts to become established, there are a few considerations, that should be addressed
Training with swimmers with open water experience
Some clubs have affiliated triathlon sections.
- Pool swimmers may find it beneficial to train with them and gain from their open water experience.
Coaches should become qualified to coach open water
As the programme develops, it’s important that club coaches become qualified in coach open water swimming.
- This requirement may differ from country to country, and from region to region.
Registering as an open water club
As the programme develops it may require the registration of the club for open water training and competition
- Again, this requirement may differ from country to country, and from region to region.
Open water swimming equipment
Open water swimming can require some specialist swimming equipment these include,
Wetsuits, open water goggles and other items of protective clothing such as synthetic rubber caps/hats, socks, gloves and/or vests.
Recommended swimming equipment
We have provided a recommended swimming equipment page, containing the swimming equipment that we and our swimmers use and recommend. You can access this page by clicking on the following link: recommended swimming equipment
Safety first
Open water swimming is a great swimming experience, but as it’s exposed to the elements, the condition of both the water and the swimmer can change quickly.
- Therefore, it’s important that swimmers and coaches pre-plan their swims to make sure they can swim as safely in open water as possible.
Related article on how to swim safely in open water
We have produced a related article on how to swim safely in open water. Which you can view by clicking this link: how to swim safely in open water.
Takeaways
Introducing club swimmers to open water training has many benefits. These include,
- Adding variety to the swim programme
- Providing a new swimming opportunity
Swimming in open water gives the swimmer an opportunity to experience its different requirements. These include,
- Swimming in a wetsuit
- Sighting
- Close contact swimming
- Drafting
- Turns
- Starting and Finishing
Open water training should be gradually incorporated into a swimming programme.
- Many clubs start their open water training programme by introducing taster sessions.
- Regular open water sessions in the pool are the next stage.
- If the introduction of open water training has been successful. The final part to incorporate it into the swimming programme is to plan for regular sessions.
Swimming resource library
We have provided a swimming resource library, containing links to all of our publications and blog articles. Now with an easy to use index. To access any article simply click on the attached page link: swimming resource library
The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group
The Competitive Swimming Exchange is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.
- It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.
- In fact, it’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water.
For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange
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