Nine swimming resolutions for 2013

Clichéd though it is, we couldn’t resist the temptation to offer our New Year swimming resolution tips for 2013. Pick one or two and tell us how you get on.
1. Commit to trying something different in open water swimming in 2013. If you always swim in a wetsuit, try swimming without. If you never swim in neoprene, enter a race where they make wetsuits compulsory and see how you get on. If you always swim freestyle, try breaststroke (see our article on this coming up in the Feb/Mar issue of the magazine). If you always swim in a lake, try the sea, or vice versa.
2. Commit to regular and consistent training. Whatever your level, consistency in training is a big contributor to improving, whether you’re a once-a-week or a ten-times-a-week swimmer. Find a routine that works and stick to it as best you can.
3. Each month, find a new aspect of your technique to work on, make sure you incorporate some drills for it every session and keep focused on it throughout. For example, you could work on bi-lateral or weak side breathing, streamlining, head position, high elbows, catch, leg kick, body position and body roll.
4. Improve at a stroke other than front crawl.
5. Inspire a friend or work colleague to give open water swimming a go (and recommend they sign up for H2Open Magazine).
6. Find a swimming challenge that will take you out of your comfort zone either in terms of distance, water temperature or level of competition.
7. Go to training sessions 15 minutes early to allow yourself time to loosen off and do some injury prevention exercises (see Swim Plus in our current issue for some advice on this).
8. Join a swimming club.
9. Create a local open water swimming group (if you decide to take up this one let us know and we’ll put you in contact with someone who’s done it before and can offer advice).
Otherwise, just continue to enjoy swimming. If you see us at an event in 2013, come over and say hello and, finally, if you think there is anything you think we should improve in the magazine in 2013, please let us know.
Happy New Year
The H2Open Team