| Swimming as such is a great recreational and fitness sport which human beings have enjoyed from ancient times.
Swimming in a fresh-water artificial pool is a wonderful way to loosen up your body, release your stress and mental fatigue, and feel refreshed. It is also used as full-body aerobic exercise to maintain fitness and muscular strength. Breast-stroke, side-stroke, front crawl and dog paddle are some of the common styles of swimming that are popular in swimming pools.
Swimming pool water is calm, still and clear. Therefore, it provides a relatively safe and pleasurable environment for the trained swimmer for recreation and competitive purposes. Even small children can enjoy swimming in a pool under the supervision of an adult or a trainer.
But swimming in Open Waters is different altogether. Open-water swimming is much more challenging and physically strenuous exercise compared to swimming in a pool. In open water, people usually swim in large and natural bodies of water such as the sea, the river, or the lake.
In such natural conditions, the water is either dark or murky or highly salty. At the same time, the water is not calm or still, but has a strong natural current and waves due to the wind. At the same time, the coasts can be rocky or with caves, and also abound in sea life. All these factors make open water swimming a daunting task for a novice.
No particular gear or equipment is required for open water swimming, though some people prefer to wear a swim suit or a cap.
For a beginner trying Open Water swimming for the first time, some useful tips follows:
- Maintain your cool and calm your nerves at the start. Remember that cold water can make you shiver or result in heavier breathing, which can confuse you and make you completely nervous, though it is not really so. Therefore, stay calm, and allow your body to adjust to the new temperature.
- As a rule, never practice open water swimming alone while you are a learner. Even if you may be a great swimmer in the pool, but swimming in open water is a completely different experience. Therefore, accompany an experienced open water swimmer or a trainer.
- Maintain your focus on swimming, and concentrate on the accuracy of your style. At the same time, try to stay the course and do not lose sight of your companion.
- Do not start very fast, and even during the course of swim, do not kick around too hard or increase your speed. Try to conserve your stamina for a longer time, rather that getting exhausted quickly.
Swimming in pool water is all about showing off your skills, trying new things and innovative techniques of swimming, and having good fun all the time. Open water swimming on the other, though extremely thrilling and adventure-filled, must be more focused on staying on course, avoiding strong waves, conserving the stamina, and concentrating on your strokes.
Open water swimming has a lot to do with your mental strength and determination. It is all about confidence, trust and courage. A lot also depends upon your trainer or your experienced companion until you learn the skills of open water swimming. |
