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.
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How to balance your training between open water and the pool
Jason Tait says doing the right mix of pool and open water will help you race faster.
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Top tips for overseas swimming events
Simon Griffiths shares some practical tips to help you get the best from your swimming trip abroad and avoid some…
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How I train: Team Mermaids
Open water swimmers Katie Kenny and Manda Read juggle jobs, families and busy lives but still manage to fit in…
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Getting back on track with swim training
Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas has advice on getting back on track after an unplanned break from swim training.
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How being a multisport athlete can enliven your swimming
Athlete Jennifer Strong McConachie shares why being a multisport athlete has improved her strength and stamina in the water, and…
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The art and science of tapering
Swim coach Paul Newsome explains the science of tapering – and how to arrive in peak condition for your next swim challenge
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How to swim a marathon (in 12 weeks)
In the run up to this summer’s WaterAid Swim Marathon, Gear Editor Jo Tinsley took on the challenge of swimming 26 miles…
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How I train: Monika Mittaz
This summer Monika Mittaz will attempt to swim the 38km-length of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland. We spoke with Monika in…
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What are sneaker waves?
Also known as a sleeper wave, a sneaker wave is a disproportionately large coastal wave that can appear without warning.
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Tips for multi-day swimming challenges
How to get through multi-stage races, training camps or swimming holidays
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Race day tactics for open water swimming
Positioning, drafting and the final sprint: Open water coach and Founder of Swim Smooth, Paul Newsome, shares his race day…
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How to train for the swims on SwimRun
Swimming in swimruns is different. Simon Griffiths looks at how to prepare for it.
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How to navigate challenging conditions with confidence
Swimming in rough water needn’t be something to fear, says Paul Newsome.
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Six ways to get more horizontal while swimming
Improving your body position will help you swim faster for less effort
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How to fuel your long-distance swim, plus energy gels tried and tested
Swimming in open water poses unique challenges in terms of energy needs. Read our tips for staying fuelled on long-distance…
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Swim faster next year
Focus on general fitness and health for long-term improvements in your swimming
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How to fall in love with swimming
If you want to be a lifelong swimmer, it’s a big help if you love swimming. That might sound obvious,…
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What’s the motivation behind your open water swimming goal?
When you set your open water swimming goals, what really matters is your underlying reasons.
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Preparing for a swim event abroad
Entering a swim event abroad? Paul Newsome, Head Coach at Swim Smooth, tells us how to arrive on the startline…
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How can I train to swim long distance front crawl?
British freestyle swimmer and open water coach Cassie Pattern has advice for a 79-year-old swimmer training to swim the Henley…
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How I train: Peter Plavec
Peter Plavec first started swimming six years ago. Now he is an ice and marathon swimmer and social media swim…
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Take your front crawl outside
Adapt your swimming to open water: sighting and navigation. Simon Griffiths has your guide.
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How to complete the Great North Swim and Swimrun
Pick the right distance, plan your nutrition, be confident in your kit and pace yourself. Simon Griffiths shares insight from…
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How to swim a marathon (in 12 weeks): Preparation and motivation
Gear editor Jo Tinsley is taking on the WaterAid Swim Marathon – swimming 26 miles (42.2km) in 12 weeks –…
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How I train: Andy Donaldson
Andy is a Scottish-Australian marathon swimmer and a three-time world record holder with records including the fastest time to complete…