5 Freestyle Swim Tips For Open Water | Adapt Your Swimming Stroke

Clearly, open water swimming has different challenges to the pool, & many of you will naturally make these changes and adapt to the conditions, but it's no so easy for others. We’ve got 5 top tips to help you get faster, more confident and excel in the open water!

With the closure of swimming pools around the world, thousands of triathletes have been taking to the open water to get their swim training in. Clearly open water swimming has different challenges to pool swimming, and many of you will naturally make these changes and adapt to the conditions, but it’s worth thinking about if you are doing these and where you can improve.

Well we’ve got 5 top tips to help you get faster, more confident and excel in the open water

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[gtn]

Have you had the chance to go for a swim yet? 🏊‍♂️

[frankeeeej]

As a pool swimmer (50/100m), I noticed that on longer distances i would subconsciously try to hold on to the same distance per stroke as a sprint. However, due to the speed being much lower, my stroke rate would absolutely plummet leading to massively overgliding.
Working on a shorter snappier stroke with no glide has made a huuuge difference :)

Basically, I try and swim like Gregorio Paltrinieri now (albeit a bit slower, haha)
I would highly recommend studying his stroke to triathletes ✌️

[gtoms]

Really liked this video - some great tips on practical open water swimming!

[ronglass]

Really helpful vid. I've started swimming again in a bay here downunder (no pool), in all sorts of conditions. Working hard on consistent technique but some great practical tips here which I'll use. Thanks! (btw, I do obey rule #1, swim with a group).

[bombsqaud]

Thanks lad! I swam 6.6 km straight and it was 2 hrs and 29 seconds he told me o have a long way to go! I'm invested on really trying better in open water which was my first open water swim in west australia some full on shark swimming . Never seen one but the Rotto Channel swim is on my list and I WILL DO IT!!

[Mo-xxgg]

Just watched another video, and ot suggested that the stroke rate isn't increased, but rather a kick on the same side as the pull and more rotation. This was from an open water expert "actually swimmimg" in the open water.

[jacksammut]

Hello, great video! I am watching this video because I have a 5km Open Water Race in January. I have one question. How often do I lift my head out of the water? I usually do it about every 10 strokes but I’m not sure. Thanks!

[vahehatch]

I was looking for some tips allowing long but safe swim in the sea. fresh water has it's own challenges, but we've got no lakes around.

[ChrClausen]

Draft of someone, an they will catch all the jellyfish ;-)

[slide]

What I've noticed in my swimming is that kicking basically slows me down, acts as drag. When I wear small fins on my feet, and don't use them, their flotation effect really helps me glide through the water. Is my kick just too weak? Do I need to think about technique on the upper half of my body?

[TamaEnergy]

If im tryijg to increase stroke rate i cant do my noemal breath every 2 strokes! As itsbtoo fast

[donbridgewater]

Okay, where did Frazer go again, did I miss something?