Articles and Videos
What Swimmers Need to Know About Jellyfish
I’ve had the unfortunate experience of tangling with many a jellyfish over the nearly three decades I’ve been swimming longer distances in open water, and it always sucks.
Open Water Swimming for Life
In 2004 at 70 years of age, George Brunstad, then a member of New England Masters, became the oldest person to successfully swim solo across the English Channel. In 2010, Brunstad told me about his extensive training for the event, which resulted in ...
How Sleep Can Impact Your Swimming Performance
For many Masters swimmers, routine is everything. You go to your workout 3, 4, 5, or more days a week or more like clockwork. You work hard during your training sessions, whether they’re in the pool or open water, and you rinse and repeat.
How to Train for a Long Open Water Race
If you think a long open water race is something you’d like to try, here are a few things to keep in mind to help you finish with a big smile on your face.
Should I Get Mirrored or Polarized Goggles for Open Water Swimming?
For open water swimming goggles, the choice between a mirrored or polarized lens to enhance visibility depends on weather conditions.
What to do in an Open Water Swimming Emergency
When you swim in a pool, there are a variety of things that make it inherently safer than swimming in the open water. Some of these include shallower water, the ease of locating a side or safe exit point, safety personnel, and readily available rescu...
The 80/20 Mind-Body Split in Open Water Swimming
From the mid-1990s until her record for the most English Channel crossings was broken in 2021 (by Australian Chloë McCardle), Alison Streeter, MBE, was hailed as the Queen of the English Channel. Over the course of her illustrious career from th...
Drills to Improve Your Open Water Swimming
Summer is coming. No, really. It is. It might not feel like it now, but it’s just up around the bend, and with it comes open water swimming season. With that knowledge in hand, it’s time to turn Aesop’s fable of the “Ant and t...
How Do My Lap Times Convert to Open Water Times?
If you’re signed up for an open water event this summer, you’re probably wondering how all the pool training you did over the winter will translate to open water. And, in particular, whether you can estimate your anticipated finish time b...
How Open Water Swimmers Can Improve Their Sighting
Sighting is a critical skill all open water swimmers need to learn. In open water, well beyond the reach of lane lines, black lines, and walls, sighting—raising your head to see where you are—helps you swim efficiently and stay safe.