Cold water tips, catch & pull focus and how to maintain swim fitness while injured
So we can now pretty much say goodbye to the main season of outdoor swimming. As water temperatures start to fall, now is the time to start planning new swims, adventures and challenges. Our new issue is out now with all the inspiration you need – subscribe now and get your first three issues for just £5. Bargain!
If you haven’t swum through the winter before, perhaps this could be your year. In our new November issue our new columnist, SwimTrek’s Simon Murie, offers practical advice on swimming skins all year round and asks whether the excitement around the mental benefits of cold water swimming will inspire a new wave of outdoor swimmers.
Sara Barnes is on a quest to join the Polar Bear Club
If you are still not convinced, check out Sara Barnes’s article on her Polar Bear challenge for some chilled inspiration. As we move into autumn and water temperatures begin to decrease, now is the perfect time to acclimatise to the cooler waters. As well as an increasing body of evidence that cold water swimming helps alleviate depression and anxiety, it is also a real thrill! I have signed up to the German Ice Swimming Open in January (mostly for the beer, to be honest) and Team Outdoor Swimmer will be competing at the UK Cold Water Swimming Championships. If you haven’t swum in a winter swimming competition before I really recommend it – they are loads of fun and very slightly nuts.
Improving front crawl technique on the Greek island of Mathraki
In the November issue we also explore slightly warmer waters – on a SwimQuest holiday to the Greek island paradise of Mathraki, where I joined a group of swimmers keen to improve their front crawl technique, and we swim through history in the sea around Sardinia.
Perfect your catch and pull with pull buoy training sets
Our training section this issue offers advice from Olympic medallist Cassie Patten on how to maintain fitness while injured, Fiona Ford focusses on catch and pull and James Ewart asks whether we should ditch the kick sets.
And of course event reviews and listings, news, gear, interviews and inspiring photography and readers’ swim stores. Subscribe now to never miss an issue – just £5 for three issues!
Three issues for £5 offer only available to UK customers. Worldwide subscriptions are also available.
This week’s photo of the week is by Siobhan Russell of Myrtleville Swimmer Audrey Burkley.
In each issue of the magazine we publish a selection of your images in our Selkie Reader Photo Contest. To be in with a chance of having your photo featured in the magazine and winning outdoor swimming kit and apparel from Selkie Swim Co enter your best pics now.
Jonathan Cowie
Jonathan is a year-round skins swimmer with a particular love of very cold water. He has competed in ice swimming competitions around the world. He is a qualified open water coach with a particular love of introducing new swimmers to the open water.
