The difference between pool and open water swimming

Compared to the thrash and splash of muscling our way through lengths of the local swimming pool, the experience is very different, and the swim technique we employ is equally contrasting.

Whilst I’m doing my best not to turn this blog into a compare and contrast essay of my GCSE history days, it is fair to say that swimming outdoors over long distances does require a different approach to that indoors. As wild swimmers we don’t have the same security that a swimming pool provides: the reassuring wall we reach every 20, 25 or 50m that we can choose to energetically push off, or take respite with to catch our breath, the regulated temperature, which although may not be the most pleasurable for the hardened winter dippers out there, can allow us to maintain harder efforts without fear of hypothermia, and the wall where we can stash snacks and water to refuel ourselves.

All these factors mean that ultimately, we can enjoy a more energetic stroke style in the pool, a stronger leg kick and higher stroke rate. These are all elements I see regularly in my work with swimmers who are looking to make the transition to swimming outdoors. Aside from the change in environment which can be overwhelming (and should never be underestimated), generally speaking pool swimmers often find themselves struggling to manage energy levels and maintain a consistent speed when they don a tow float (safety first guys!) and dip their toes in longer distance swimming.

So if you are considering trying an event that involves a long outdoor swim, then consider the following suggestions to help improve your stroke, and ultimately, your overall experience:

Start slow, stay steady: We are all guilty of setting off too fast when we are feeling fresh. However a long swim needs to be approached like a marathon. Start at a pace that feels sustainable for a loooooong period of time, and maintain this! Then as your confidence and aerobic capacity builds, then we can start to increase pace.

Efficiency is king: My fellow leg-sinkers – lend me your ears! I know I am not alone in my own personal frustrations with dealing with the sinky-leg conundrum, but it need not be so! Aside from the obvious use of a wetsuit that can help with this, looking at our body position in the water can make a huge difference to our overall efficiency. The less drag we can create, the further we are able to propel ourselves. I realise this is perfectly applicable for the indoor swimmer, however the negative effects of increased drag dramatically compounds over a long distance open water swim, so looking into your body position is a great way to improve your efficiency for long swim.

“ONE MORE PULL!!!”: Congratulations if you got the incredibly niche reference, but I find myself thinking of rowing, and the Men’s Coxless Four in the 2000 Olympic final when I think of stroke style for outdoor swimming. Whatever the distance, we have to maintain our momentum without the convenient push off the end of a pool. and as such, making the water work for you by moving efficiently as possible is not only a great way to move further per stroke, but also helps us to conserve energy for longer stretches. Like Steve Redgrave et al., think about the one big pull of a stroke, let yourself glide through the water, and see how far you can travel without putting in any more effort!

If you are interested in learning how to swim in open water we are running an Open Water Swim Technique Weekend at The Forge from 30 May - 1st June. You can join us for the day or come and stay over at The Forge for the whole weekend. More details here.