Top Tips

Pick up knowledge to improve your outdoor swimming. Learn how to plan routes, train with others, complete events, and overcome obstacles like nerves or fitness level. Get guidance on skills like bodysurfing, underwater swimming, and adapting your stroke for rivers and seas. Experts and seasoned swimmers share their top tips so you can swim safer, stronger, and with more joy.

Boost your strength and mobility for better movement

Make 2026 the year you move better – understanding the link between strength and mobility, says personal trainer Liz Lowe
Sustainable fitness for 2026

When fitness becomes part of your life rather than something extra you have to “fit in,” you are far more…
Use the pool to transform your technique

Swim coach Nicola Butler explains how using pool features, from the lane ropes to pool markings, can improve your swim…
Build your resilience over winter

In her first coaching feature for Outdoor Swimmer, Olympian Alice Dearing explains how resilience in winter is worth it when…
Introducing our new expert contributor Alice Dearing

We’re delighted to welcome Alice Dearing, British marathon swimmer and Olympian, as our new challenge and endurance swim guide
Ice swimming with Stephen Gould: expert guidance, inspiration and practical tips

Watch our webinar with ice swimming expert Stephen Gould – we cover preparation and safety, training and what to expect…
Shouldering on… continuing our two-part dive into shoulder mobility

Personal trainer Liz Lowes shares the second part of her shoulder rehabilitation guide
Your guide to festive fitness

Christmas can be a tricky time for anyone who likes to train regularly. Fitness coach Vivienne Rickman shares her advice…
Top tips for festive dips

Christmas morning dips, New Year's Day swims and loony dooks: are you joining a madcap dash into the sea this…
Where does swimming fit in your life?

Simon Griffiths shares some thoughts on swimming, training and life
Healing shoulders in the water

Swimming coach Nicola Butler offers her guide to pool-based rehabilitation for your shoulders
Shoulders fit for swimming

Efficient swimmers need strong, mobile shoulders, says personal instructor Liz Lowe
Build your aerobic fitness over winter

Cardio training in winter could see you return to open water stronger, more efficient and better conditioned for swimming, says…
Ankle mobility for swimmers

Building ankle strength and flexibility can literally propel your swimming technique, supporting a more effective kick, says personal trainer Liz…
Building skills for long-distance swimming

Simon Griffiths suggests skills to master at each stage of your swimming journey
Using the pool to develop swimming in autumn

As the mornings get cooler and darker, the pool suddenly becomes more appealing this time of year… so how do…
A year-round approach to training for long swims

Simon Griffiths looks at a year-round approach to preparing for major endurance challenges
Train to go the distance…in the pool!

It’s important to know what your body needs so you can complete long-distance sessions safely and effectively, says swim coach…
It’s all in the hips

How working on hip mobility can improve your swimming, by personal trainer Liz Lowe
How to keep that swim fit feeling!

After a swim event, it’s easy for training to slide. Engaging in active recovery, working on technique and trying something…
The lowdown on stretching

Stretching can be confusing – how much, how long, what type? Here’s a quick breakdown from personal trainer Liz Lowe,…
Training for speed and shorter distances

How can we train effectively and what can we do to improve our speed without compromising our technique and overall…
Don’t panic about panic

How to stay calm during an open water event
Swim coach Paul Eaglestone’s winning formula

Coach Paul Eaglestone has put his winning formula into print. His new book Free Speed is out now – we…
“How do I fit swim training around my busy work schedule?”

Swim coach Cassie Patten has great advice for a busy paramedic who has signed up for a 15km swim