Last month we shared 6 Intermediate Open Water Swimming Tips so now that you're all pros, we naturally thought you'd need some more Advanced Tips this month!
For experienced swimmers looking to elevate their performance, it’s not just about maintaining fitness but optimising technique, pacing and race strategy. Let's dive in with 10 advanced tips that will help you swim faster, become more comfortable in unpredictable waters and excel in open water events.
1. Perfect Your Sighting Technique
Sighting efficiently is crucial in open water swimming as poor sighting can lead to swimming off course, adding extra distance and time to your swim. Advanced sighting involves:
- Minimise Head Lift: Lifting your head too high can disrupt your body position and slow you down. Practice lifting your eyes just above the waterline while keeping your chin low. The goal is to sight quickly and return to a streamlined position as soon as possible.
- Breathing Integration: Combine sighting with your breathing rhythm. For instance, breathe to the side and then sneak a quick sight forward on the next stroke without disrupting your stroke rate.
- Use Landmarks: In addition to buoys, use tall and stationary landmarks like buildings or trees to maintain your direction. This can be especially useful when buoys are difficult to see due to waves or sun glare.
2. Master Drafting Tactics
Drafting behind or beside another swimmer can save significant energy, reduce drag and increase your speed. However, advanced drafting goes beyond just following the feet of the swimmer ahead:
- Optimal Positioning: The best position for drafting is directly behind the swimmer’s feet or slightly to the side of their hips. This positioning allows you to benefit from their wake without getting kicked or disrupted by their strokes.
- Know When to Break Away: While drafting can be beneficial, it’s also important to recognise when it’s time to break away and swim at your own pace. This might be during a sprint finish or when the swimmer you’re drafting off begins to slow down (having said that, open water swimmers often feel like they can go faster while in the draft, only to realise when trying to overtake how quickly they're actually already moving!)
3. Advanced Pacing Strategies
Pacing in open water isn’t as straightforward as in the pool due to variable conditions. An advanced pacing strategy involves:
- Swim in Negative Splits: Start conservatively and increase your speed in the latter half of the swim. This approach can help prevent burnout and allows you to conserve energy for a strong finish.
- Use Tempo Trainers: Devices like tempo trainers can help you maintain a consistent stroke rate, which is crucial in turbulent waters. Set your desired stroke rate and use the audible beeps to keep your pace steady.
- Tactical Acceleration: Practice bursts of speed when approaching turn buoys or when you need to overtake other swimmers. This can help you maintain position or create a gap between competitors.
4. Refine Your Breathing in Choppy Conditions
Breathing in open water, especially in rough conditions, requires adaptation:
- Bilateral Breathing: Being comfortable breathing on both sides allows you to switch sides if waves, wind or sunlight are affecting one side. This flexibility can prevent you from swallowing water and keep your breathing rhythm uninterrupted.
- Low Profile Breathing: In choppy conditions, practice a low-profile breath by keeping one eye in the water and one eye out. This reduces the chance of taking in water and maintains your streamlined position.
5. Optimise Your Wetsuit Performance
While wetsuits provide buoyancy and warmth, optimising their use can enhance your performance:
- Perfect Fit: Ensure your wetsuit fits snugly without restricting your range of motion, especially around the shoulders. Any restriction can lead to fatigue over long distances. The more experienced you are, generally speaking, the less buoyant you need the wetsuit to be - focus more on thin neoprene for maximal flexibility.
- Practice Entry and Exit: The transition times can significantly impact your overall performance in races. Practice quick removal of the wetsuit, using techniques like peeling it down to the waist as you run out of the water and using glide products to reduce friction.
- Proper Warm-Up in Wetsuit: Warm up in your wetsuit before the race to get accustomed to the feel and reduce the initial shock of cold water. This can also help you acclimate your breathing and stroke mechanics.
6. Enhance Mental Toughness and Race Day Strategies
Advanced open water swimming requires mental resilience as much as physical prowess:
- Mental Visualisation: Before the race, mentally rehearse your swim, including sighting, drafting and pacing. Visualise overcoming potential challenges like rough waters, crowded starts or navigation issues.
- Adaptation to Race Conditions: Be prepared to adapt your strategy based on race day conditions. Whether it’s choppy water, colder temperatures or unexpected currents, a flexible approach can keep you ahead of the competition.
- Fueling and Hydration: For longer swims, plan your nutrition and hydration carefully. Use the feed stations efficiently, and practice feeding techniques in training to minimize time lost during these stops.
7. Technical Skills for Turn Buoys
Navigating turn buoys efficiently can save time and help maintain your momentum:
- Approach Wide, Cut Tight: To avoid congestion and minimise collisions, approach the buoy slightly wider than others and make a tight turn. This strategy allows for a smoother transition around the buoy.
- Single Arm Pull Around Turns: Use a single-arm pull with the outside arm when making sharp turns to maintain propulsion while you turn your body around the buoy.
8. Build Strength and Endurance in Open Water Specific Conditions
Dryland training plays a vital role in improving your open water performance:
- Core and Shoulder Stability: Strong core muscles help maintain your body position in choppy waters, while shoulder stability exercises reduce fatigue and risk of injury.
- Swim in Different Conditions: Train in a variety of open water conditions including choppy, cold or murky waters despite how unappealing this is. Doing so will build adaptability and prepare you for the unexpected on race day.
- Resistance Work: Incorporate resistance band training into your training to simulate the extra effort required when swimming against currents or waves.
9. Advanced Recovery Techniques
Proper recovery can enhance performance by reducing fatigue and preventing injury:
- Active Recovery Swims: After intense open water sessions, engage in active recovery swims at a lower intensity to promote blood flow and aid in muscle recovery.
- Stretching and Mobility Work: Focus on stretching key muscle groups used in swimming, particularly the shoulders, back and hips. Incorporate mobility exercises to maintain flexibility and reduce stiffness.
- Cold Water Immersion: Utilise cold water baths post-training to reduce inflammation and speed up recovery. This can be particularly effective after races or long training sessions.
10. Monitor Performance with Technology
Utilize advanced technology to track and analyse your swimming performance:
- GPS Watches: Use GPS-enabled watches to track your swim metrics, including distance, pace and stroke rate. Reviewing this data can help you adjust your training and race strategies.
- Heart Rate Monitors: Monitoring your heart rate during training means you can control your actual intensity - how you body is actually feeling, taking stress, fatigue etc into account, much better than solely looking at speed does.
- Swim Analysis Software: Video analysis of your swim technique can identify areas for improvement in your stroke efficiency, body position and overall mechanics.
Now you're all set to perform with the best, take a look at our Open Water Swimming Events.
