View from the Water
Gain a fresh perspective as swimmers share their unique viewpoints and reflections on the world from the water's edge.
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What’s coming up in October and thoughts on gliding
The majority of long distance swimming events in the UK are now over for 2018. We’re already starting to receive…
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New issue alert, Swim Serpentine Festival and Hever Castle
Last weekend the Outdoor Swimmer team were at Swim Serpentine and Hever Castle for what are probably our last events…
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Late season European swims and November issue preview
I was lucky last weekend to be invited to take part in a test run for a new swimming event…
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Swimrun, driftwood and top five wild swimming accessories
Last weekend I was in the Lake District for the Breca Buttermere swimrun race. I was taking part in the…
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Improve your swimming with a central snorkel
The central snorkel was developed as a training tool for swimmers. The idea is that by removing the need to…
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Marathon distance swimming tips
It’s deadline week again at Outdoor Swimmer HQ as we put the finishing touches to our September issue. I’m obviously…
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Bank holiday adventures, brand new issue and the final leg of Lewis Pugh’s Long Swim
If like me you may now be suffering from post-Bank Holiday blues. After a weekend of swimming adventures the nine-to-five…
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View from the water – Swimrun tips for swimmers
Simon Griffiths shares a few swimrun tips for swimmers A few years ago, Ötillö was an obscure extreme adventure sport…
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Why swimmers are like boiled frogs
Soaking up the sun before the swim – but it wasn’t enough to keep me warm There’s a fable that…
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View from the Water – Should we go Dutch?
Last summer I took part in Pampus Rondje, a swim in Amsterdam. Talking to people there, it became apparent that…
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Remember, you can get too hot as well as too cold while swimming
I wrote last week about the dangers of being caught unawares by the cold when swimming outdoors (why swimmers are…
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How sociable is swimming?
I was recently approached by a research student to do an interview about the social impact of outdoor swimming events.…
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View from the water – Not all good things are wild and free
Simon Griffiths dissects the cost of events, and suggests an ethical way to get free entry Last year we created…
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A Thames currently fit for swimming
In the August 2018 issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine I wrote about some work we’re doing with Theo Thomas from…
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Are you a plodder or an improver?
In one of my local pools, where I’ve been swimming for around 10 years, there’s a group of swimmers who…
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Cassie Patten’s clingfilm visualisation technique
Last weekend I went along to a SwimQuest Skills session at Hampton Lido. The session was led by Cassie Patten,…
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Back to swimming foundations – and why it’s worth it for experienced swimmers
It’s very easy in swimming to accumulate distance in an effort to improve your fitness and strength without ever questioning…
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View from the water – Why you should consider joining a masters swim club
At the end of October each year, hundreds of adult swimmers gather in Sheffield for the Swim England National Masters…
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View from the Water – Terry Laughlin tribute
The death of Terry Laughlin is a sad loss to the swimming community, but his legacy will live on. By…
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Mindful swimming: six fun things to try while swimming to keep you focused on the moment
Swim down and meet the fish With swimming, it’s easy to get wrapped up in performance measures (how far did…
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View from the water – wetsuit or skins?
Wetsuit or skins? Simon Griffiths believes we should swim and let swim Earlier this year we had a vigorous exchange…
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How to fall in love with swimming
Is this what your local pool looks like in January? Seventeen days. That, apparently, is the time it takes most…
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Flying without wings
In an article for the new issue of Outdoor Swimmer (7 Tips to Banish February Blues, Feb 2018), I suggested…
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Eleven Ways to Cope with the Chlorine Box
Becoming an outdoor swimmer can completely change your view of swimming pools. What you once thought of as warm becomes…
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View from the water – Dreaming of a planet fit for swimming
We should be able to swim wherever we like without risk of illness or injury from pollution or environmental damage…