We’re lucky enough to be blessed with some incredible open water swimming opportunities here in the UK and it’s fast becoming one of the more popular sports out there. 

Now that it’s summer and the weather’s hotting up, what better time than the present to see what swimming spots you have on your doorstep (or further afield) so you can put your breaststroke and front crawl skills to the test in the wild!

You’ll likely find that there are open swimming clubs somewhere in your local community, with over 150 clubs that train and compete in England alone… and this is a really great way to get started, helping you to build your confidence quickly and start reaping the benefits of wild swimming more immediately.

Interestingly, there are all sorts of health benefits associated with open swimming, ranging from better sleep and increased happiness to boosting your immune system and helping to manage long-term health conditions by making your body work more efficiently.

So, with all this in mind, if you’d like to start your open swimming career this year, here are three top tips from the team at SwimPath to help you do just that. If you need any further support or advice, give us a call today!

#1 Practise treading water

When you’re splashing about in the pool, practise treading water in the deep end so that you can be assured of your skills when out in the wild, where you’ll have no wall to grab hold of or to kick off from.

#2 Breathe on alternative sides

Bilateral breathing is very important for open water swimmers, so a key skill for you to practise. You need to be able to breathe on both sides so you can take in more air but also so you can see what’s happening on all sides.

#3 Focus on a fixed point

It’s relatively common for beginners to feel a little overwhelmed and potentially disoriented when in the water. Find a fixed point to focus on as you swim so you can keep your bearings.

Looking for a women’s open water wetsuit? See what we have in stock today.