Open Water Swimming - Tips to Tame the Anxiety Monster Regardless of why you want to swim open water, having anxiety is very common. What is it about open water swimming that creates fear in an individual? There are many reasons; the deeper water poor visibility plants fish/creatures fear of sinking the unknown a wide-open expanse of water the cold… the list goes on, but you are not alone. Anxiety is perfectly normal and you can overcome it! Here are tips to consider: Take Control Mentally - Negative thoughts can take root in your mind and distort the severity of the situation. One way is to challenge your fears, ask if they’re true, and see where you can take back control. Breath, just breath - Try breathing in for 2 counts, hold your breath for 1 count and breathing out for 4 counts for 5 minutes total. By evening out your breath, you’ll slow your heart rate which should help calm you down. Transfer your confidence - If you are confident in the pool then transfer that mental strength to the open water. Yes, Open Water Swimming is different than pool swimming. Pool swimming is very controlled. Outside everything seems out of your control. This is mostly a mental battle that you can overcome with a bit of preparation Find an Open Water Swim Club or a Coach - It is never recommended you swim alone, so joining a club ensures you have others to swim with and some clubs offer one-to-one open water swim lessons. Our club does. Practice, practice, practice - get in the water as often as you can. Consider your equipment - wetsuit, goggles, swim float all make the open water experience more enjoyable. A wetsuit can keep you warm and make you more buoyant, goggles help with differing outdoor light conditions, and a swim float makes you visible to other swimmers and boats on the lake. Even the most prepared can experience panic while in the water. What can you do? Roll onto your back and float for a moment. Remember, particularly in a wetsuit, you will be buoyant Tread water – with the benefit of a flotation device, this will ease your panic and help you gradually relax. Focus on breathing, stroke technique, direction Count your strokes and maintain breathing control Focus on the now – one stroke at a time. Keeping your mouth closed, make a humming noise as you exhale in the water. The noise will create a vibration that relaxes your nervous system and ultimately distracts you from your worries. There’s a lot to take in but the more you practice the more you can control the anxiety. After all, it’s meant to be fun! Please visit our store if you are looking to purchase a wetsuit, goggles, swim float or cold water swim gear. Looking for a swim coach? We have helped many people tackle their open water swim fears. Contacct us at info@pbest.ca to arrange a swim lesson with one of our accomplished coaches. Julia Aimers is the Head Coach and Founder of Team Triumph Triathlon Club and Online Shop. She is a certified triathlon, cycling, swimming, yoga and accredited Training Peaks Coach. She is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, High-Performance Specialist and a Coach Learning Facilitator for Triathlon Canada.
A year ago I could only tread water and had not run since childhood. With the amazing Virtual Olympic course, support, guidance, and tips from of all the folks at Team Triumph I've ended the season with my first Olympic distance triathlon under my belt and am hooked! Really looking forward to the 2025 season and even to the hard work over the winter to prepare. Karen Houle
I wanted to let you know that the Perth triathlon was a great experience, I somehow placed third in my age group! What a supportive group of participants (including Team Triumph athletes), cheering bystanders and volunteers.
Thanks to your swim lessons, I learned the technical basics and gained confidence to get back in the pool after decades. And it was really special doing this with Ann Laidlaw, my bestie for many years. We did a couple of additional swims with Kevin and Team Triumph people, also a great way to continue learning and practicing good technical form.
I will continue with lane swimming and who knows, maybe there's another triathlon in my future!
I love the accountability and the structure of the Virtual 70.3 Half Ironman training program. I don't think I would have gotten this far without the program. The accountability is huge for me!
Deborah Jackman