Five tips for staying safe while swimming in open water
With the Rottnest Channel Swim fast approaching, we’ve prepared five tips to help make any open water swim safe and enjoyable, no matter the distance or your experience!
1. Drink H20 before you go
Proper preparation is key, and for open water swimming this is as simple as keeping your fluids up two days out from the race. Don’t go overboard though, bloating yourself is a sure-fire way to have you floating (not swimming!) to the finish line.
2. Mix it up
Pool practice has its benefits, but nothing beats getting out and practicing in open water. Top tip: mix up your training with pool and open water sessions, see what you find more difficult in open water and hone that down in the pool!
3. Get good goggles
This is the easiest of them all, get yourself a pair of well fitting, comfortable goggles and you’ll save yourself having to stop mid-way through the race to re-adjust!
4. Breathe both ways
When open water swimming, you’ll often find yourself amidst a pack of other eager swimmers. The easiest way to look after yourself in this situation is by breathing away from any swimmer next to you. Gain confidence breathing on either side, something that’s great to practice in the pool.
5. Lift and look
In the pool there’s the black line but in the open ocean there’s a whole lot of blackness beneath you. To avoid swimming off track, occasionally lift your head forward when you breathe. This will save you a lot of time and energy by ensuring you correct yourself early on, and don’t stray off on your own!
Open water swimming is a great way to keep fit, have fun and meet new people, so follow our tips and get out there. Choose a distance and race that suits you and make sure you’ve got family and friends on the beach cheering you on!