How to swim in open water. Tips for beginners

Swimming in a pool or in a body of water is a big difference. Many people are completely unable to swim confidently in open water. We asked swimmer Alexander Bazanov from the X-waters team to give us tips on how to swim in open water. They will be useful both for those who are preparing for their first competition and for those who are just going to the sea.

Like many things in our lives, it’s all about habit. Swimming in open water is not difficult, but there are nuances. If you are prepared for them, then open water will not cause any significant problems or surprises.

Fear of water

Many beginners have irrational fears. These can range from being scared of open space, depth, the dark color of the water, or even fantastic critters that will want to eat you. There are several solutions to this problem. You can take a safety buoy, or better yet, a partner with you. That way you can overcome your fear. Or you can look fear in the eye and just “overfear”, that is, swim through and see that there is nothing to fear.

Orientation

In the pool we swim in a lane, but in open water nothing holds us back and beginners often start to swim in zig-zags. There is only one solution – find a landmark and swim to it. The landmark should be noticeable. If you need to adjust your route or you have reached a landmark, choose a new one. In order not to lose sight of the landmark, learn to separate breathing and orienteering. Do not try to see it on the inhalation, it is better to lift your head straight and correct your movement.

Waves

Waves can seriously interfere with swimming, but you can adjust to them. First of all, learn to breathe on both sides so that you can take a breath and not be afraid to gulp water because of the wave. The second important tip is to cushion your arm on the bowstring, so that when a wave hits your arm you won’t get turned around and hurt your arm.

Current

In any open body of water there is a current, even if it is the weakest. The first and foremost advice here is to accept it and not try to fight it. You will inevitably be swept away a little while you are swimming, but if you try to swim against the current, you will only waste a lot of energy. The most effective way, if you are swimming from shore to shore, is to always orient yourself perpendicular to the shore.

Water temperature

If the water is below 18 degrees, it is better to swim in a wetsuit. To pick up a wetsuit you can rent and find the right one. Do not buy a wetsuit not for swimming, it will be uncomfortable, because it is designed for other purposes. If the water is below 14 degrees, be sure to go in advance and try to adapt, wipe your face with water, so that it does not sting and not vodilov. If the suit is cold, put on a neoprene helmet, also insulate yourself with special socks and gloves. Watch how you feel, if you get hypothermic, stop and take a breath, it may be better to stop the swim if the symptoms persist.

How to recognize if you are hypothermic in the water

There are several symptoms of hypothermia in the water: feeling cold, uncontrollable swallowing of water, nausea, arrhythmia, darkened eyes, broken trajectory and slowed movements. If you feel these symptoms or see a nearby swimmer who is hypothermic, take action.