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.

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…
How to remove your neoprene accessories fast

Check out these tips we’ve curated from the Outdoor Swimmer team and social media to avoid getting colder than necessary…
Winter freestyle refresher: body position, action and reaction

Here we look at your body position in the water, and how your body responds to various actions.
What is the bilateral breathing ladder, and is bilateral breathing really necessary?

We share some top tips for improving your bilateral breathing – and even if you can't get it right, it's…
How do I motivate myself to train through winter?

Swimming coach Cassie Patten believes the winter months are prime time for focusing on technique and maintaining fitness levels.
How can I pace myself when swimming long distances?

Giving a talk before Swim Serpentine, swim coach Cassie Patten advised swimmers to start out steady and build into their…
How and why should I practise kicking?

I wear a wetsuit and barely kick my legs when I swim in open water but I’ve been told I…
Winter Freestyle Refresher: Breathing for front crawl

How to identify areas for improvement and work out what to do. Your winter freestyle refresher by Simon Griffiths.