October 2025 ‘Swimming Development’
Outdoor Swimmer Extra: Get the best of Outdoor Swimmer magazine online.
Welcome to the 100th issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine. If you are a print subscriber, you may have found a golden ticket in your issue – have a good flick through to see if it is you! It is such an honour and a joy to edit this magazine each month, to meet readers and swimmers across the globe and to be part of the swimming community. The team behind Outdoor Swimmer are truly swimmers creating for swimmers. The magazine, once known as H2Open, was born from a love of the water in 2011 and I have been lucky enough to be involved since 2017. Simon Griffiths, our Founder and Publisher, saw a gap in the market and chose to be the person to fill it.
Since the first issue, both the content of the magazine and swimming in general has evolved and developed. And this month’s issue is all about the progress and changes, celebrating swimmers always.
When I tell people what I do for work they often scoff and laugh, commenting on how niche the magazine is and wondering how we have enough content to fill it. But the truth is, I always have too much. Swimming, the water, the swimmers and the ripples that are created as a result is what makes this job so fulfilling. I never take it for granted and I am so grateful I get to be such a big part of it.
As Simon recently put it: in a world that seems to be so divisive, being part of a global community like this is special. Knowing that you can go anywhere in the world, find water, find a swimming group, approach another swimmer or seek out a pool and know you will find a friend is pretty powerful. Yes, it is just swimming, but swimmers demonstrate the best of humanity. They cross oceans raising awareness of issues, and raising funds for charities. They challenge themselves; they support others; they squeal, play and compete. Swimmers make cakes, gather with hot drinks and battle the elements. They protest, champion and fight for what is right for both people and nature. Swimmers create, design and make things that improve swimming or celebrate it.
Thank you, swimmers. Thank you for being part of our Outdoor Swimmer community and thank you for subscribing to our 100th issue.
Ella Foote, Editor
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- Pizza, pasta and plunges
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Lake Orta is the new Lake Como for those who want a taste of the Italian Lakes without the crowds. For swimmers, it offers the perfect basin for watery adventures. Ella Foote joins SwimQuest for a long weekend of pizza, pasta and plunges. - Lake Windermere complete!
Mental Health Swims Community Engagement Manager Sarah Groves has conquered the length of Lake Windermere. She shares her final report. - Want a healthy brain? Develop your swim skills!
Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi reveals how developing new skills in swimming does wonders for your mental health, memory and your brain’s ‘neuroplasticity’ - Outdoor swimming kit we love this autumn
A swimsuit made with recycled coffee grounds, a Yulex vest for a touch of core warmth and a marbled power bank made with non-recyclable plastic waste and powered by repurposed e-bike batteries: read on for our round up of the best pieces of outdoor swimming kit we’ve tried, tested and loved this autumn - Ankle mobility for swimmers
Building ankle strength and flexibility can literally propel your swimming technique, supporting a more effective kick, says personal trainer Liz Lowe - No comparisons
While Jharna Kumawat’s love of cold water swimming grew organically, her swim development only really began after her Channel relay swim - A deep dive into menopause
Did you know October is Menopause Awareness Month? Wondering why we need such an event? Swimmer and holistic practitioner Louise Pitman tells us why this isn’t just a topic for women and how swimming can help. - Kit to help you swim faster
Can you buy swimming speed? Simon Griffiths explores which clothing and accessories can make a difference to your race times - Manacled men
A recent record event builds on the lengthy history of swimming while handcuffed. - Urban crawl: going the distance at Dock2Dock
Rowan Clarke and Ella Foote took to London’s historic docks for an epic swim - Gym swim training: a beginner’s guide
When starting out, the goal is less about heavy lifting or complicated exercises and more about building a solid base of strength and stability that will improve your swimming, says personal trainer Vivienne Rickman - October in the open water community
Mental Health Swims announces new Swim Together partnerships and NOWCA reveals how anyone can start their open water journey at any time of life - Building skills for long-distance swimming
Simon Griffiths suggests skills to master at each stage of your swimming journey - Using the pool to develop swimming in autumn
As the mornings get cooler and darker, the pool suddenly becomes more appealing this time of year… so how do we make the most of these sessions to develop our swimming over the autumnal months? - Winter swimming preparation
“You only need one wild swim a week to acclimatise to the dropping temperatures,” says editor Ella Foote - Best dry bags for wild swimmers
Keep your wet kit separate from your cosy layers with our pick of the best dry bags for wild swimmers - Fin-tastic mermaid in the making
Developments in swimming has also enabled creativity and fun to thrive. Ella Foote pulls on a mermaid tail and monofin to discover more - The real cost of swimming
As the popularity of outdoor swimming increases, so does the number of places where you have to pay to swim. In this rapidly-evolving landscape, how can outdoor swimming be affordable or accessible, when it’s now such big business? - Go Overboard: a swim for Ionian conservation
Digital editor Abi Whyte – with her mum for company – headed to ‘the Emerald Isle’ of Greece for a swim event raising funds for environment conservation and commemorating those who fled a Communist dictatorship across the Straits of Corfu - Deep water
Siana Bangura tells Rowan Clarke how she uses water to reflect the complexities of being human - Advocating for change
It doesn’t take much to accommodate those with disabilities at events, says adaptive swimmer Sophie Etheridge - Breaking new waters
From first dip to swimming dreams, how do we develop as swimmers? Rowan Clarke finds out. - Where are you on your outdoor swimming mastery journey?
Wherever you are on your open water journey, celebrate your progress, says Simon Griffiths - Best changing robes 2025: tried and tested by outdoor swimming experts
With autumn water temperatures approaching, now is a good time to invest in or update your changing robe. Our outdoor swimming experts have tested the best changing robes for 2024 – so whether you’re after winter warmth and waterproofing, lightweight and packable or innovative design there is a robe for you
