Open Water swim season is back! The lakes and outdoor venues are starting to reopen to swimmers after the COVID-19 pandemic, with social distancing guidelines in place.
Swimming outdoors is very different from the pool, so if you are new to open water you probably have several questions about how to get started. I’ve rounded up five blog posts to read before your first open water swim…
1. Find the best open water swimming venues
Finding a safe and supervised swimming facility is the first step (I wouldn’t advise jumping into the nearest body of water). I’ve listed some of my favourite venues around Essex, East London and Hertfordshire in this post.
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2. Tips for open water swimming with Adam Walker
Adam Walker was the first British person to swim the Oceans 7- the toughest 7 channel swims in the World, so he is well placed to offer advice on open water swimming.
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3. Overcome your fear of open water swimming
It’s common to have a fear of open water swimming as a newbie (or even experienced) swimmer. I’ve listed some of the most common fears and how to overcome them.
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4. Choose the right swimming goggles
Goggles are an essential piece of kit for both pool and outdoor swimming, but how do you choose the correct ones? I offer some advice on what to look for when selecting goggles.
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5. Get used to swimming without a wetsuit
Most of the time, you will be required to wear a wetsuit in open water. However, if the water temperature reaches above 22°c they will be banned (according to British Triathlon rules), so it’s worth getting used to swimming without a wetsuit.
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Let me know if you find these posts useful and if there are any other open water swim tips you would like me to cover.
Great timing for this post as I’ve just started open water swimming. I’m finding it a mental battle, but each time it gets a little easier, I’m going to enjoy reading these posts!!
Thank you, I’m glad you found it useful! Enjoy your swimming!