Welcome back to the Find your Edge podcast . I am so glad you're here . This is Coach Chris , and we are talking about one of my favorite topics today , and that is conquering open water swim anxiety . In fact , this is one of the top reasons why people don't get into triathlon is because open water can be scary . So let's start off with a little bit of self-reflection .
Speaker 0What is it about open water that
brings you anxiety ? Maybe even write them down , make yourself a list . Is it that you don't know how to swim ? Is it that you're afraid of water ? Is it that there's something potentially living in the water ? Is it that you can't see the black line on the bottom of the pool ? Or that maybe you can't touch the bottom if you needed to ? Or maybe that
it's cold ? There could be any number of reasons that potentially bring you anxiety .
Speaker 0Also , whether you're someone who has practically lived in the pool as a kid to someone who was brand new to swimming , give yourself permission to be a novice . This is just different . So , first and foremost , if you don't know how to swim , that's step one . You got to learn how to swim before you get in the open water . So practice , practice , practice . Get those skills that you need in water and bring them to the water because they're going to be really , really important . Plus learning or practicing a safety stroke like breaststroke , backstroke , side stroke or even elementary backstroke . I personally use breaststroke . It's one of my favorites
because I can look up , but for whatever reason , a lot of people just don't quite get the timing right with breaststroke and it just doesn't quite work for them . So side stroke or backstroke is a little bit better . A little side note about backstroke if that is your choice of stroke , which is totally fine , especially if you're if you're panicked , you might just need to lie on your back , maybe do a little bit of elementary backstroke . If you are going to be backstroking for an extended period of time , you are likely to go off course . It is partly the job of the swim personnel to keep you on track , but it also is your job to make sure that you are swimming in the right direction . So just a little note on that of giving yourself many opportunities , many different skill sets , in order to make sure that you can be comfortable both in the pool and in the open water .
Speaker 0Another skill that you will need to know is learning how to sight . In fact we've got a video on it I will attach to this . But it is not just about looking forward and actually seeing where you're going , but it's about being aware of all your surroundings , so noticing things that otherwise , in the pool , you wouldn't even care about right . You might need to be sighting a rock wall along one side , or on the other side you'll notice that there's a shoreline , or houses or certain types of trees . So just being aware of your surroundings is all about keeping you going in the right direction and learning how to site .
Speaker 0Another issue that I see commonly increasing people's anxiety is that they just don't warm up well on land prior or in the water prior to getting into open water , and then their heart rate spikes and then they feel like they can't breathe and then it's just kind of a disaster . And this typically happens within the first five minutes or within the first 200 yards , whether it be in a race or in any sort of practice situation . So be sure you create
yourself a little bit of a warm-up ritual moving your shoulders , moving your neck , making sure that you take a couple of deep breaths . Maybe it's doing some squats or burpees , so that you're well warmed up and your heart rate doesn't spike , leaving you gasping for air . Similarly , get the sensory experience of the water before you just jump right in . Water might taste or feel a little bit different . It might be salty , it might be , and with that salt , with that salinity , you might be a little bit more buoyant or you may not have as much buoyancy . So it is important to get in the water , splash some water on your face and just sort of experience it a little bit . If you're in a wetsuit which we'll talk more about that here in a moment I know on race day you may not always have the opportunity to get in the water , but it is at least important to try to splash a little bit of water on your face and get that sensory experience prior to starting your swim .
Speaker 0About wetsuits , so depending on where you live and whether you need one , it is important to practice with it if you are going to be racing in it and this doesn't mean , oh , I just put it on and then I took it off and then on race day I just got in the water . We hear time and time again that that is the situation and then people have anxiety once they hit the water . Try to practice in your wetsuit in the pool , if you can , especially if the manufacturer allows it . It just feels different . Your center of buoyancy is a little bit different . So getting the sense of how your body is in the pool with a wetsuit on is important to practice . Plus , when else are you wearing a giant suit of rubber that is very snug around your diaphragm
, your lungs and your neck ? Not often right . So that is different when you don't necessarily have to work to inhale , when you don't have a wetsuit or when you just have a regular swimsuit on . Now you're having to spend a little bit of effort to inhale , sort of pushing against that wetsuit feel , and then just having something around your neck . Now , that being said , your wetsuit needs to fit properly . So it is important that you measure yourself and use the manufacturer's suggestion and , if you can go , try one on .
Speaker 0So let's keep rolling on with race day , open water , swim anxiety . So if you feel those race nerves , it is important to take some deep breaths , whether you are on land prior to getting in the water or if you have to stop and hang on to a paddleboard or a kayak and just take some deep breaths . I have many a time been somebody on that paddleboard and somebody comes up to me and they are hyperventilating . So , just like you've probably seen , people breathe into a paper bag I don't have any paper bags there , but I'm at least there to talk you through . Okay , exhale , exhale , so emphasizing those longer exhalations to lower that heart rate and to stimulate that parasympathetic nervous system . Some people may experience some seasickness . So if that is the case , hopefully you'll know prior to race day . There are earplugs that can definitely help . Some ginger candies or chews are another great tip that you can try . I have had people who have also used a little bit of Tums , but again , these are things just like nothing new on race day . These are things that are good to try prior to race day .
Speaker 0Another important tip to ease your open water swim anxiety is knowing the course for race day and breaking it down into reasonable chunks , like , okay , I'm just going to focus on this , I'm getting from here to this buoy or knowing what colors you need to get to so that you can break it down into reasonable chunks . When you're standing on land looking at an open water swim course , it can feel incredibly daunting versus standing on the pool deck and you see 25 yards or you see 50 meters , you see the end , right , it's no big deal . Well , when you stand there and you see a 1.2 mile swim , it just can look a little daunting . So , just like what you might do on the run , just take it step by step , break it down into those reasonable chunks , do a little bit of strategizing to knowing your ability and being realistic and honest about your ability as a swimmer . So if you're a weaker swimmer and you just don't feel comfortable being around all of those other swimmers , don't worry about it . Let the gun go off and just kind of take up the back or go slightly to the outside .
Speaker 0Also , maybe have a conversation with your kayakers or paddleboarders beforehand and just say hey , can you keep an eye out for me ? I'm going to be looking for you too . There's no guarantee that they're going to exactly be there for you , but it at least just gives you a little bit of easing that anxiety . Of course , that is what we were talking about after all , of just knowing that people are looking out for you . Also , as it relates to that with strategy , is knowing whether you're going to be inside or outside , knowing which side you tend to breathe on . For example , my stronger side is breathing to my right , so if I can strategically put myself in a position where I can sight by looking to my right and not be as worried about breathing to the left , I'm going to try to do that . So know which side you breathe on . If you do at any point need some help again , you can flip on your back . You can use that alternate stroke and also , don't be ashamed to use a kayak or a paddleboard to just take a break . Have a conversation , breathe . Maybe you've got sort of a logistical
issue or like a gear issue . Maybe you need to adjust your goggles , or maybe the zipper on your wetsuit isn't working . They'll help you out , so don't be ashamed to use that either .
Speaker 0Lastly , have fun . Celebrate your ability to go after this thing and to really challenge yourself . It is again . The juice is totally worth the squeeze . You guys , you definitely need to try it . It is hard , it is exciting and me not coming from a background in swimming , this is probably one of my favorite things in triathlon is open water swims . They are a blast . So good luck in trying all of these different things and challenging yourself . I truly appreciate you for listening and hopefully you weren't writing too quickly , because we have all this in a little tip sheet and you can download it from our website for free . The link will be in the show notes or on our website , theenduranceedgecom under podcast , where you can download that straight from there . All right , thanks again for listening . Good luck in all of your adventures . You got this .