Is it time to head back to the pool?

Love swimming? Join OSS to shake off lockdown and winter, get fit and swimming. This is a three month programme designed to get you fit for a summer of swimming. It starts on dryland on the spring equinox (March 26), moves into the water

Getting started with cold water swimming - By Annie Brooks (www.talesofanniebean.com )

If you love your pool swims and enjoy those open water swims, then this winter you might be ready to take on cold water swimming! Unlike hopping into to your local heated swimming pool to run through your drills, or dipping into that beautiful lake during the summer time, cold water swimming not only challenges physically, it tests you mentally also. Knowing you’re about to step into water that barely reaches double figures, can be a challenge, but this is exactly why it’s fantastic because that sense of achievement is like nothing else.

1. Find a open water swimming venue
There are many open water swimming venues that continue to allow swims during the chilly months. Due to the increasingly popularity of cold water swimming, more and more venues are keeping open longer. The best thing to do to find them is get searching on the internet, or better yet, Facebook. There are numerous specific open water swimming groups across the UK who regularly meet up for swims, these often host their own Facebook groups too. If you do some digging and you’ll not only find many venues, but potentially make some new swimming buddies!

2. Get the right kit

When you’re just starting out with cold water swimming the best thing to do is get the right kit to keep you warm. If female, a good swimsuit and if male, well-made swim shorts, followed by a wetsuit. Not only is a wetsuit designed for buoyancy in the water, it is also keeps you warmer than just swimming in a swimsuit. When wearing a wetsuit, unlike just a swimsuit, the wetsuit allows the water to seep in gradually. This gives your body a good amount of time to slowly acclimatise. Beyond your wetsuit, you can pick up gloves, hat and boots to keep you toasty!

3. Safety first
Always take a tow float. This isn’t specifically for cold water swimming, but if the cold water shocks you, you can be easily be spotted by other water users. Tow floats are often mandatory for open water swimming venues. Another option is to attach a whistle to your tow float to alert that you need assistance to the open water swim venue staff. It is just about being safe, seen and heard.

4. Swim with a buddy
At a dedicated open water swimming venue you don’t always need to swim with a buddy, just be a confident swimmer. Personally, I like to always swim with a buddy, for both safety and enjoyment purposes. If you decided to wild cold water swim, then having an extra person with you is really important. However, if you’re off for a cold water swim and it is your first time, there is something comforting going through the process of acclimatisation with a friend.

5. Getting in the cold water
Firstly, never jump in. You might have seen those beautiful instagram shots of outdoors grammers leaping into fresh water. Don’t. You should never jump into cold water, acclimatised or not, your body might go into shock which can be really dangerous. I prefer to ease in gradually, and the more I have acclimatised the quicker this process is, but the most important thing is to give your body time. I love to wear swim socks and gloves because these two body parts get the worst of the cold for me. I like to call them ice cream feet and hands! Getting your shoulders under is the hardest part, but in a wetsuit because it gradually seeps in, it makes this a little easier.

6. Cold water skin swims
You’ve mastered swimming in your

Check out the newest top 10 reasons to take up OPEN WATER SWIMMING - Courtesy of Adam Walker

Where to swim

There are many lakes up and down the country which have organised sessions and have suitable safety in place. I would recommend you swim in one these locations and as there will be other like-minded

Henley Swim Festival 4 x 1 mile Her Spirit adventure = 2 medals,

You can’t beat getting back into open water swimming events to give you a sense of purpose and focus again. Thanks to Zoggs, Team Her Spirit rose to the challenge and entered the 4 x 1 mile event as part of the Henley Swim Festival. I mean why not do it four times rather than just once!

Our team consisted of myself Mel Berry and my co-founder at Her Spirit, Holly Woodford and our love of adventure and getting our first 2020 medal! With so many events being cancelled due to COVID this was our first event and so didn’t take much persuading to take part over the August bank holiday. But what happened to the sunshine?

Due to the weather and water temperature being under 16 degrees…. We opted to swim in our wetsuits but tucked under them were our trusty Wonder Woman and Batman suits! and of course our Zoggs/Her Spirit swim caps under our gold event caps. Today’s goggle choice was Predator’s for Holly and Fusion Air for myself.

They say preparation is everything …. Haha I think we failed at first base on that due to COVID19 and Benjamin Franklin said “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail” but this event is not about being the fastest but more the ability to enjoy going up and down the Thames by foot and water four times.

Challenging yourself is something we both love and having never done this event or anything like this format, it was a great challenge to take on. Coupled with the fact that we needed to take everything with us, we needed to get a new tow float, that could carry our food, drink, shoes and trusty GoPro to capture the event as well as our car key! I was only slightly worried I would lose the key! I am not sure how I would explain that one to the garage!

Ready to rumble at 9am we set of for mile 1…and down the steps we went into The Thames…. Follow the yellow buoys and multi coloured tow floats till the beach they said! How hard can it be…

The Zoggs Swim Diaries series aim to celebrate those undertaking a personal challenge or complete something extraordinary. This one is no different, as Jess takes us through her story of how she undertook her first triathlon and came to love swimming. Over to Jess...

Swimming has always been a bit of a no-no for me. I’m pretty sure this is the case for a lot of women who, like me, don’t look like the women you see in swimming costume adverts. The thought of skulking out of the changing room in a skin-tight, small piece of lycra, to stand there with my wobbly bits/stretch marks in all their glory in front of all those people is somewhat daunting. I’ve endured it for the sake of my children but I am pretty sure bobbing about in the balmy, shallow depths of the ‘baby pool’ doesn’t really count as “swimming” and so it has been (rather alarmingly) around 20 years since I officially last swam.

You see, I am a runner. I run under the cloak of darkness. I am an unrecognisable blur to anyone who might know me, and that is just the way I like it.

But then one of my lovely running friends told me about this amazing opportunity through an app called ‘Her Spirit’ who were offering 30 like minded women the chance to partake in their first triathlon. So I decided I had nothing to lose and quite possibly a lot to gain.

Quite incredibly I was offered a place and to say it pushed me out of my comfort zone is somewhat of

The Original Predator Flex goggles are back in stock - exclusively available from Zoggs (and Wiggle). If you're wondering which would be best for you, check out this handy overview of the range.

Predator Flex Original (Clear)

These Original Predator Flex swimming goggles are the perfect addition to virtually any swimmer's kit bag. Whether its smashing your PBs in the indoor lanes or taking on an open water swim, the clear lenses provide exceptional clarity. The lenses offer Fogbuster™ anti-fog, UV protection and CLT™ Curved Lens Technology for 180° peripheral vision. The comfort provided by Zoggs’ unique 4 Flexpoint Technology.

Predator Flex Original (Tint)

Get fully immersed with the Original Predator Flex Tinted swimming goggles with unique 4 Flexpoint Technology™. The blue tinted lenses are an ideal addition for indoor swimming as well as offering good protection against bright outdoor light. Throw in Fogbuster™ anti-fog for exceptional clarity, UV protection and CLT™ Curved Lens Technology and you have a goggle that performs just as well as it looks.

Predator Flex Original (Mirror)

Stand out from the crowd with the Predator Flex Mirror Goggles. With the unique 4 Flexpoint™ technology for enhanced frame flexibility, they provide a contoured and comfortable fit. Silver mirrored lenses and 180 degree peripheral vision offer fantastic clarity for outdoor and open water swimming with reduced glare and reflections from the sun. The split-yoke strap reduces pressure on the face for added comfort.

Predator Flex Original (Polarized)

Make the most out of your swim with our Original Predator Flex Polarized Goggle. The unique 4 Flexpoint Technology which offers frame flexibility and maximum comfort. The smoke polarized lenses reduce glare and reflections on the water’s surface, making this an ideal goggle for bright outdoor conditions. The Original Predator Flex Polarized goggles also come with built-in Fogbuster™ anti-fog for exceptional clarity, UV protection, and CLT™ Curved Lens Technology for 180° peripheral vision.

Predator Flex Polarized Ultra

Embrace the funexpected with the Predator Flex Polarized Ultra Swimming Goggles with polarized lenses to reduce glare and cut out blue light. Ideal for high level light conditions and direct sunshine. By repelling blue light these goggles also amplify light in darker overcast conditions, therefore providing enhanced vi

You might think stocking fillers are just for children but everyone loves a surprise. Here are just a few gift ideas for the grown-up swimmers in your life whether they be lane swimmers, open water swimmers or triathletes.

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