Master the open water: how to enter the water safely and 6 more must-know tips

The unfamiliar environment can feel a bit daunting at first but with the right preparation, it quickly becomes one of the most rewarding ways to swim.

These seven tips will help you stay safe, build confidence, and truly enjoy the freedom of open water.

If you’re getting into cold water, the shock of the temperature can raise your heart rate and potentially cause you to gasp and breathe quickly. “To combat this, get in slowly, allowing your body to become acclimatised,” says Michelle Weltman, chair of the London Disability Swim Club and former Paralympic swim coach. “Take big, deep breaths and use your breathing to regulate yourself in the water. When you feel comfortable, go in a little bit deeper.”

In an ideal world, you want to give your body three months to get used to swimming in cold water, says Michelle. So, if you’re entering Swim Serpentine, which is in September, you want to be swimming in open water from June onwards rather than just training in an indoor pool.

“But if you can’t do that, taking regular cold showers will help you acclimatise and get used to the shock of cold water,” says Michelle. “Start by trying to stay under the coldest setting for 30 seconds, then build up to a minute or two.”

“When training in open water, swimmers should choose a water sports lake or open water set-up where swimming is allowed, to ensure there is safety cover, and avoid taking unnecessary risks,” says Marianne Clark, an open water swim and triathlon coach at Ocean Set in Brighton. “Or if you’re swimming in the sea, opt for a life-guarded beach.” She also advises novice open water swimmers to attend an open water induction to get used to swimming outdoors.

Always scope out the place you’re swimming before you get in, says Michelle. Check the route you plan to swim and be aware of the entry and exit points, and any potential hazards in the water. “Swimmers with disabilities should check what facilities are available – some swimmers may need ramp access or support getting in and out of the water – and call ahead if necessary so everything can run smoothly for your swim,” she says.

“Unlike in a pool, there are no lane lines in open water swimming events. Instead, swimmers navigate by sighting, that is looking up every few strokes to check they’re not veering off course,” says Marianne.

It’s a good idea to practise sighting before your event to minimise the effort it takes for you to get a good field of vision and reliably see where you’re going, Marianne adds.

Being visible to lifeguards and other water users is always sensible when swimming in open water, says Marianne. She suggests wearing a neon or brightly coloured swim hat or using a tow-float, noting that even strong swimmers can get cramp or have an off day and require help.

Swimming in open water can feel harder than swimming in a pool at first, as you won’t have walls to push off from and there is likely to be more movement in the water, says Marianne. “It might be windy, you’ll get water in your face, and you won’t be able to see much below you – it’s a completely different experience to pool swimming,” she says.  

So, when training for an open water event, Marianne advises swimmers to swim further than the distance they’ll have to complete on Event Day. “I encourage swimmers to have done their event distance at least twice in advance of their swim and ideally to have swum beyond the distance by a few hundred metres too,” she says.

Written by Sam Haddad. Sam is a freelance journalist based in Brighton, she's been writing about sport and the outdoors for over 20 years.