Let’s look at some potential weaknesses of people used to swimming in a pool and try to offer some tips for tackling open-water swimming as best possible.
Adapting to new circumstances takes time, as well as a very subjective kind of predisposition. I mention adaptation and subjectivity, because the transition from a pool to open waters can be tricky, particularly for those so used to following the blue line along the bottom of the pool.
In this article we will look at some potential weaknesses of people used to swimming in a pool and try to offer some tips for tackling open-water swimming as best possible.
SCENARIO 1: excellent performance in the pool but terrible in open waters.
You probably have two problems: not used to the sighting issues associated with open-water swimming and a fear of what might be beneath you in the water. In the first instance, you are likely to swim further than necessary and, consequently, take longer to get from A to B; in the second case, fear might impact negatively on your swim stroke and slow you down in races.
- TIP: the best way to overcome your fears if they are really affecting your performance is to face up to them or, if you cannot do that on your own, find a Mental Coach to help you out. Otherwise you can try…
