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If you like the idea of splashing about in a tropical lagoon, swimming in a lake or taking on your first triathlon but have a fear of open water that stops you realising your ambitions, it’s time to take action!With a little planning and preparation, you can find the courage to overcome those fears and enjoy an open water swim. Here’s a few tips:
Everyone has their own idea of what the perfect open water swim entails. Overcoming the fear and empowering yourself to take the plunge is easier if you can find a location that inspires you to be brave or one that offers the support and facilities you need to feel safe.You can find a complete list of safe, outdoor swimming spots and information about the amenities available, online at the Outdoor Swimming Society.
Addressing your fears and phobias can often trigger overwhelming anxieties that in this case can leave you stuck on dry land. Prepare yourself mentally by doing a little research. Find out everything you can about your swim location or visit it and speak to the coaches or other swimmers there about their experiences.
It’s easier to develop the belief that you can complete an open water swim if you’re physically prepared for it.Spend time at the pool working on your strokes but also practice treading water and sighting. Lane markers and clear water make swimming in straight lines at the pool straightforward, but in open water, tides, currents and reduced visibility make it more challenging.Practice swimming to a point in the middle of the pool, treading water and swimming back.
Open water swims present unique challenges. Tides, currents, weather conditions and water temperatures all need to be considered.Thankfully, most of these challenges can be managed with the right swimwear. If you’re swimming in British waters, you will need the following essential items:
Your wetsuit should be snug and that’s why we’ve developed a range of men’s and women’s wetsuits that are tailored to different body shapes. Each one is designed to maintain warmth, improve buoyancy and support full movement with flexible panels in the underarm, chest and lower leg.Further advice on selecting the right size wetsuit for you can be found in our online Fitting Guide.
Open waters and the way your body responds to them can be, at times, unpredictable, so even if you’re heading to a safe, shallow spot, always make a safety plan.
We support every attempt to enjoy swimming in any waters - you can do this!You can find other swimming tips and advice in our Life in the Fun Lane blog, and order goggles, caps, wetsuits and much more from the Zoggs online store.