December 2024 ‘Technology’
Outdoor Swimmer Extra: Get the best of Outdoor Swimmer magazine online.
Technology advances can be divisive. Those who invent, develop and embrace tech are often a step ahead of those who seem to resist it. Artificial Intelligence is a great example; it is a little unsettling, but many have found it incredibly useful as it has become more accessible. Our Founder and Publisher Simon Giffiths once experimented with ChatGPT to find out if it could put together decent training plans and it was surprisingly good.
While some may see technology in swimming as cheating, those who embrace it are discovering benefits. A swimmer once told me I shouldn’t listen to music while swimming lengths and when I questioned why, they said I should learn to endure the boredom of the pool – which is bananas. If bone-conducting headphones makes something I find challenging a little more enjoyable with music, why not use it? Isn’t life enduring enough?
In this month’s issue we embrace tech and speak to those in the industry who are developing goggles, watches, coaching equipment and audio gadgets that aids, improves and keeps us safe while swimming. We learn how blind swimmer Melanie Barrett swam the English Channel with the use of tech and in gear we explain how to get the best out of your smartwatch. As well as all the usual training advice and swim stories, we also report from the March for Clean Water and I enjoy a swim trip to Oakhill Ponds in Somerset.
This is the last issue of 2024, so I would also like to wish you all a restful and enjoyable festive period, however you mark this time in the calendar and I am looking forward to bringing you all things swimming in 2025. Thanks for your continued support of Outdoor Swimmer magazine!
Ella Foote, Editor
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- A momentous day: the March For Clean Water
Digital editor Abi Whyte joined 15,000 other blue-clad protestors for a defiant and uplifting rally in Parliament Square, London - Outdoor swimming kit we love this winter
A Yulex jacket that fits like a second skin, a performance swimsuit with exceptional support and a lightweight robe that’s ideal for travelling: read on for our round up of the best pieces of outdoor swimming kit we’ve tried, tested, and loved in the run up to winter. - Try something new in the water!
There’s joy to be found in all sorts of swimming activities: why not try something new? - Power up: how to embrace technology for your swimming
A strictly analogue swimmer, Rowan Clarke discovers technology’s place in the water. - FORM Smart Swim 2 review
FORM’s Smart Swim 2 goggles feature an augmented reality display with real-time metrics, an integrated heart rate monitor, a sleeker design than their predecessor and extended strap mounts for added stability. We put them to the test. - Goggles from the future
Rowan Clarke finds out how innovative goggles fit the face of future swimming. - Best headphones for swimmers
We put three waterproof, bone conduction headphones to the test: two fully submergible and one sweat-proof pair robust enough for rainy day runs - Weekending: Oakhill Ponds
Weekend escapes with a swimming opportunity – this month Ella Foote heads to Oakhill Ponds, Somerset, for a cool dip in an ancient pond surrounded by autumn leaves - Basic swim training: a quick guide for beginners
Pool-based training sessions can be confusing and intimidating if you’ve never swum in a club environment. Here’s a short introduction to pool training and how a session is structured. - How to manage your swim training over Christmas
As December approaches, many swimmers start wondering how to juggle Christmas indulgences with training. Swim Smooth coach Paul Newsome shares some insights. - December in the swim community
NOWCA Wild explores a magical swimming spot on the Isle of Skye, and Mental Health Swims reflects on a challenging yet rewarding 2024. - Finding joy after heartbreak
If we were guaranteed to always be successful, what would be the point in even trying, asks Elaine K Howley - Best swimming watches 2024
Track your training and recovery, with GPS for measuring open water distances and metrics to help you monitor and improve your performance: we review the best swimming watches for 2024 - How to choose a swimming watch
What features should you look out for in a swimming watch? We polled our readers about what they found most useful and what they could do without - Simple and life changing
“Without technology I wouldn’t be able to do all the things I do,” says adaptive swimmer Sophie Etheridge. - Plymouth swimmers making waves
Close encounters with seals, dolphins and the Royal Navy: Jason Mann shares the story of an adventurous band of Plymouth long-distance swimmers. - Move of the month: Kettlebell Good Morning
This kettlebell exercise primarily works the hamstrings on the back of the legs giving us improved strength and flexibility in our lower body – ideal for boosting leg kicks and rotations!
