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How to swim better in open water, and this week's podcast

Podcast Episode 380​
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A slightly different format for this weekend's email. I'd love to hear your feedback. Podcast details are further but if you want to get listening immediately click the button below.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to watch the swim portion of the Long Course Weekend Yorkshire. The event took place in Grimwith Reservoir upon the Moors, above Pateley Bridge . . and yes it did live up to its name (grim!). Actually, it was a really nice day but there was a strong wind blowing from right to left along the reservoir. Due to the high winds, the organisers altered the course.

As you can see from the diagram the course was an anti clockwise triangle of 950m. Distance was either 2 laps - 1950m (Half) or 4 laps 3800m (the full ended up being shortened to 3 laps). A lot of swimmers struggled with the conditions and many had to be rescued shortly after the start. Others chose to swim just 1 lap, exhausted by the conditions. Whilst observing and with my coaches hat on, I made a mental note of some key elements when preparing for open water swims.

• Lake, river or sea, the conditions are different to a pool, so prepare accordingly
• The swim location is subject to local conditions - wind, tide, current, and can change even during the swim
• There are no lane lines to follow
• Many folks took the decision not to even start. While confidence in open water is important, sad occurrences at triathlons in the last couple of years have shown that it is also important to know when it’s better not to start. Even if the organisers have provided adequate safety coverage, you must be able to rise above your ego!
• In this swim the strong wind and subsequent waves meant that being comfortable breathing to both sides was important
• The wind was slightly from the side which meant keeping a straight line was difficult. Sighting frequently and making micro-adjustments was necessary to avoid being blown too far off course.
• The chop affected those with a low hand recovery, and the current slowed those with a slow cadence

If you do triathlons regularly you will already know that open water swimming is completely different to pool swimming, which means that you need to practice your skills in the pool and then transfer them to the lake, river, and sea. Once you start your winter training, some of the skills you can practice in the pool are:

1. Breathe to your non-dominant side - The conditions meant swimmers needed to change breathing pattern and breathe to just one side - on the first leg it required R side breathing and on the second leg, L side breathing. Everyone has a preferred side for good conditions, but in training force yourself to get comfortable with your less favourite side.
2. Practicing a faster arm cadence - As I indicated above, those with a slow cadence made little progress against the current. Using a pull buoy and wearing a band around your ankles is a great drill. You can also try towing a small sponge on a short line.
3. Swimming with a windmill style recovery - In choppy conditions a traditional pool stroke (high elbow, low hands) is not effective. This is a great drill and also helps with rotation. The momentum of the straight arms also lifts the legs higher.
4. Develop a 2-beat kick - A good kick won’t provide that much propulsion, but it WILL keep your legs higher in the water and provide rhythm to your stroke. I recommend including it in every session if you can. A good benchmark is at least 10% of your total session distance. So for a 2000m workout you’ll need at least 200m of kicking.
5. Get comfortable being uncomfortable - And once you are able to, get into open water next summer as often as possible and, when safe, swim in rough conditions.

“If you want to run or swim faster, move better.” That’s the advice from top triathlon coaches I’ve spoken with. It’s crucial, especially for us older athletes, as lack of mobility becomes a real challenge with age. 🧓
This past week on the podcast, I chatted with Tim Anderson from @original_strength. He explains that we are naturally designed to be strong and healthy throughout our lives. 🧠💪 By simply revisiting the 5 basic movements we all learned as babies, we can reconnect our nervous system and boost our strength, no matter our age.
Pressing ‘Reset’ can help you rediscover your original strength in under 10 minutes or seamlessly integrate it into your daily routine.

You can find this episode on all of the major podcasts hosts, including Apple iTunes and Spotify.

P.S. Loving these emails and podcasts? Feel free to buy me a coffee.

I really appreciate you being a part of my tribe. Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your weekend! Simon Ward Health, Wellness & Performance Coach

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