OPEN-WATER masterclass (IN THE POOL!)

THE 2021 TRIATHLON RACE SEASON HAS DRAWN TO A CLOSE BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T PRACTISE SPECIFIC OPEN-WATER TECHNIQUES IN THE POOL READY FOR 2022. HERE’S HOW…

- JAMES WITTS, NICK MEYER & DAN BULLOCK

On the face of it, open-water swimming and pool swimming aren’t that different. You’ll front crawl or breaststroke from start to finish, aiming to keep your body horizontal and your stroke as efficient and fast as possible. But delve a little deeper and the differences are stark – and not just water temperature…

For starters, there’s no black line to sight and follow; instead, when swimming outdoors you’re looking down at a murky abyss. That makes sighting ever-more important. Then there’s the start itself. In the pool, you can happily stand on the bottom, psyching yourself up for the session to the follow; in open water, it’s all about staying afloat, expending as little energy as possible. Throw in open-water race scenarios, like slipstreaming and turning, and you can see that waiting to practise outdoor strategies and skills until late April/early May will leave you playing catch-up.

That’s why top coach Nick Meyer of Speedy Swimming’s here to give you off-season open-water techniques and drills that you can work on in the pool, before handing over to SwimforTri’s Dan Bullock to deliver the sessions.

They’re not time-exhaustive but will generate impressive results when you slip into neoprene come the spring (unless you’re a winter wild swimmer, or course). In fact, wetsuit swimming in a pool might be an option for an even more specific open-water pool effort. But ask your pool first and be aware that you could heat up swiftly unless it’s a slightly cooler Olympic pool. Right, time for an indoor-outdoor dip…

10 TIPS TO MASTER OPEN WATER… IN THE POOL!