Open Water Skills guide part 1 - Handy print out here
Open water racing is intense especially at the start and around buoys. Expect:
- Close contact
- Sudden accelerations
- Quick decisions under pressure
But from your point of view, it should still feel controlled. If you start to feel overwhelmed, do this immediately:
- Slow 2–3%
- Exhale longer
- Return to your “anchor”: a favourite drill cue (e.g., long stroke, soft hands, bubble-bubble-breathe)
If you find yourself in the worst of the melee, back off half a body length or move slightly wide. As you approach a turn, avoid being on the inside line unless you’re confident you can hold it as inside swimmers often get squeezed, stalled, or pushed offline.
Know your race-day personality. We’re all different on race day, physically and mentally but none of us swim well when we’re overstimulated.
- If you’re confident and assertive: take a more central line and commit early.
- If you’re cautious or easily spiked: start slightly wider (especially away from the first turn), jog in, and build into your speed.
The difference is usually only a few seconds, and you’ll often regain that by swimming smoother and straighter. Remember: calm swimmers go faster because they waste less energy reacting.
Entry & Start Skills
Pre-start routine
Visualise — then visualise again. Not just the start, but the whole swim and the run into T1.
- Picture: start → first buoy → pack changes → turns → sighting → exit.
- Ask: What might go wrong? (goggles kicked, boxed in, breathing spikes, missed buoy line)
- Decide now: What will I do if it happens?
- Rehearse it calmly. The goal is to make the race feel familiar.
If it’s a beach start…
- Pick your entry line early (you can do this in warm-up).
- Check for hazards/obstructions 2m either side of the line you want to take.
- Note the first buoy direction, and a tall landmark behind it.
Warm-up (quick and effective)
An effective warm‑up goal is to raise your heart rate, mobilise joints, and activate the muscles you’ll use when you do swim.
1a) Dry land or if no opportunity to get in the water, wetsuit off or at the waist
- Short jog then 5 short sprints (10–20m). Start at sub 70% effort, build up to ~90% on last 1–2, walk back recovery
- Arm circles each way x20, Arm swings across chest x15, Shoulder rolls x10 each way, Torso twists x15
Quick “Race/Session Ready” Version (5 mins)
- 30 sec jumping jacks
- 3 x short sprints (10–15m)
- 15 arm circles each way
- 10 press-ups
- 20 sec plank
- 30 sec shadow swimming
Why: This kind of warm-up will make it much easier to get straight into swimming and reduce stiffness or injury risk.
1b) Cold-water + nerves reset
- Face immersion
- Head submersion
- Short breath holds (very brief)
Why: you’re telling your nervous system, “We’re safe. This is expected.”
2) Switch the engine on
- Do 7–8 short accelerations of 10–15 seconds, just enough to lift heart rate, then reset with three calm breaths.
- Why: it burns off nerves and makes the first minute of racing feel less like a shock.
3) Wetsuit tip
Briefly let water into your wetsuit so it seals and sits better on your body.
Starts
Beach starts
You will get bumped. That’s normal. Stay long, relaxed, and committed to your line.
- Run to thigh depth
- Shallow dive
- Transition to swimming with fast stroke pick-up
- Get horizontal quickly: purposeful, not panicked
Key cues:
- Fast + controlled + clean
- No hesitation, no flailing
- The deeper you run, the slower you are → use high knees
- Avoid dolphin diving unless you’re experienced and it truly helps you
First 3–4 minutes: assertive but sustainable pace.
Deep-water starts
Same rule: you will get bumped — stay long, relaxed, and committed to your line.
- Choose your start spot early
- Get horizontal and own your space
- Don’t be too close behind someone (it can stop you getting horizontal)
- Don’t be too close to the feet in front either (you’ll stall)
First 3–4 minutes: assertive but sustainable pace.
Swimming in the Pack (Middle Pack Reality)
Guess what… you will get bumped. Still normal.
Train it
When practicing (e.g., at Ardingly Reservoir), deliberately do:
- Close passes
- Shoulder-to-shoulder starts
- Small group drafting
Goal: stay relaxed while experiencing incidental contact.
Pack dynamics: what to do when boxed in
If you get boxed in, don’t stop and don’t spike your breathing.
Choose one option:
- Hold your line and stay smooth
- Drift back half a body length (often the easiest reset)
- Move laterally with one decisive surge (then settle immediately)
Practical note: if you have to move through, you can slide across the small of the back/hip area of a fellow swimmer— but expect the occasional kick. Keep it calm and brief.
Drafting Practice (free speed)
Practice with a buddy:
- Hip-to-hip
- Toe-to-hand distance
- Rotate positions without breaking rhythm
How to spot a bad draft
You’re drafting the wrong feet if they are:
- Zig-zagging
- Sinking
- Constantly surging and stopping
Every so often, pull slightly wide and check:
- Am I working too hard for this pace?
- Could I pass easily?
If yes, find a better draft or commit to your own line.
Contact Etiquette (myth-busting)
Quick myth-bust: no one is throwing punches.
- Most contact is accidental
- It’s predictable and manageable
- Don’t let contact trigger reactive tension
Protect your space with body position, not aggression:
- Strong line
- Calm stroke
- Slight adjustments, not big reactions
It’s acceptable that swimmers bump, most people notice and correct.
Repeat it: calm swimmers go faster because they waste less energy reacting.
Navigation & Race Craft (swim straighter, waste less)
Sighting under pressure
- Sight every 6–10 strokes (adjust for conditions)
- Don’t disrupt your stroke: quick “alligator eyes,” then back to rhythm
- Use large landmarks behind the buoy and triangulate with buoy alignment
The first buoy scenario
The start to buoy one is almost always a mad dash. Your job is to stay controlled:
- Focus on breathing during the high heart-rate spike
- Don’t fight for the tightest inside line unless you can hold it
Choosing your line: inside vs centre vs outside
- Inside: shortest, highest risk (squeezed/stalled)
- Centre: balanced
- Outside (“survival line”): slightly longer but usually smoother and faster overall for middle pack
Buoy turns
Don’t do tight turns. Take 1–2 metres wider and maintain momentum.
- “Washing machine” happens at the buoy — expect it
- Build speed out of the turn to rejoin clear water
- Visualise the turn 100m out
Exiting the Water (finish strong, transition clean)
A few hundred metres out, visualise:
- the exit line
- standing up
- running to T1
- wetsuit removal
Dizziness is normal
Standing after a long/hard swim can make you dizzy. Manage it with:
- Increase kick frequency in the final 150–200m
- Controlled breathing before standing (long exhale helps)
- Stand smoothly — don’t rush it
Exit technique
Like the start: don’t dolphin dive unless you’re skilled at it.
- Swim until you can reliably touch the bottom then stand
- High knees: deeper water = slower running
Wetsuit / gear tips
- Before standing fully, let a little water into the suit, it can peel off easier
- Leave hat + goggles on your head until you’re stable, moving and your wetsuit is off your arms.
- Practice quick wetsuit removal (it’s free time)