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.

How to train for the swims on SwimRun

Swimming in swimruns is different. Simon Griffiths looks at how to prepare for it.
How to navigate challenging conditions with confidence

Swimming in rough water needn’t be something to fear, says Paul Newsome.
Six ways to get more horizontal while swimming

Improving your body position will help you swim faster for less effort
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…
How to invent your own swimming drills

We use swimming drills to help us focus on and improve our technique. There are lots to choose from but…
Swim faster next year

Focus on general fitness and health for long-term improvements in your swimming
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,…
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.
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…
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…
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…
Take your front crawl outside

Adapt your swimming to open water: sighting and navigation. Simon Griffiths has your guide.
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…
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 –…
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…
Going long distance

Paul Newsome, Head Coach at Swim Smooth, shares his smarter approach to training for long-distance swims.
Winter freestyle refresher, part 5: putting it all together

Reflecting on the various components covered in his front crawl refresher series – body position and balance, breathing arms and…
A mile to a marathon

Have you swum in mass participation events but feel ready to take your swimming to the next level? Coach Kate…
“How do I keep up my fitness through winter?”

Swimming coach Cassie Patten recommends a dryland programme for outdoor swimmers to maintain fitness levels through the winter months.
Freestyle Refresher, part 4: Unleashing the power of your legs

Simon Griffiths has the fourth part of our guide to reviewing and refreshing your front crawl stroke this winter –…
Easy foot stretches for swimming

Liz Lowe is your guide to stretches that can build strength and increase mobility in your feet, improve your kick…
7 benefits of working with a swim coach

Helen Webster explains how spending time with a swim coach can benefit everyone, from open-water newbies to seasoned outdoor swimmers.
Should you train in open water or a pool?

Simon Griffiths explores the pros and cons of open water and pool training.
Back to basics: how do I get my face in the water?

“I’m struggling to get my face in the water when swimming at my local lake, and I would love some…
Top tips for festive dips

Christmas morning dips, New Year's Day swims and loony dooks: a madcap dash into the sea is fast becoming a…