Open Water Essential Skills
Safety, Skills and Confidence Workshop for Open Water Swimming
With more than 20 years of experience in open water racing, we know that swimming in the pool is worlds apart from swimming in the ocean. A pool is a relatively safe and easy environment with lane markings and predictable weather, compared with the ocean where there are many uncertainties and constantly changing circumstances. No matter whether you are a newbie or a veteran swimmer, open water swimming requires very specific skills to ensure safety and swim your best on race day.
If you feel intimidated or stressed at the thought of open water swimming, or you find that you get tired and can’t swim your best in open water, then this is the workshop series for you. Join us to learn practical skills that will make your open water swims safer, more relaxed and more enjoyable.
If you are an open water athlete, having these skills in your toolbox will also help you stay calm and perform better on race day. We recommend you sign up for this series well before your race, to give you plenty of time to learn and practice the skills we teach you before your big event.
The series is divided into 3 levels:
Open Water Essential Skills L1
2x1hr sessions
(1 pool and 1 sea)
Open Water Essential Skills L2
2x2hr sessions
(1 pool and 1 sea)
Open Water Racing Skills L3
2x2hr sessions
(1 pool and 1 sea)
Open Water Essential Skills L1
For swimmers who want to swim in open water
*Prerequisite: able to swim 100m freestyle
1 pool session covering:
- Different types of buoys, their benefits and how to use them
- Basic survival skills
- Cramp management
- Sighting and swimming in a straight line
1 open water session to:
- Revise and apply skills learned in the pool session to an open water distance swim
2×1-hr
sessions
$80
free buoy worth $30
Open Water Essential Skills L2
For swimmers who want to swim in open water
*Prerequisite: attended Open Water Essential Skills L1
Sessions covering:
- Revising L1 skills
- Surface dives
- Underwater swim
- Treading water with different kicks, sculling
2×2-hr
sessions
$100
Open Water Racing Skills L3
For competitive open water swimmers who want to perform better during races and events
*Prerequisite: attended Open Water Essential Skills L1 and L2
Sessions covering:
- How to stay on track and swim in the direction
you want to go - Managing fatigue and stress during races
- Different starts, moving around the buoy and
dolphining in shallow water - Drafting behind other swimmers
2x2hr
sessions
$150
Location
Pool Session
Warren Golf & Country Club
Open Water Session
Tanjong Beach at Sentosa
WHY JOIN
STAYING ON TRACK
Unlike the pool, the sea has no lines or lanes to help you swim in a straight line. And not only this, but in the sea you also have to deal with waves that can be choppy or at least more turbulent than pool water. Open water swimming can feel like you are swimming blind with no way to stay on track or even know if you are going in the right direction. This workshop covers a technique that will help you swim straight towards your goal or destination. With this technique, you will never veer off-course so you won’t have to worry about having to spend extra time and effort getting back on-course because you’ve lost your way.
MANAGING FATIGUE
Swimming against currents and lifting your head to sight regularly while still completing the distance—all this multi-tasking saps your energy and can make open water swimming feel overwhelming and awkward. Keeping your energy up is especially important if you are a triathlete who still has to tackle the bike and run segments of your race. In this workshop we will share different ways to maintain your energy in open water, including sighting seamlessly as you swim, and drafting behind stronger swimmers so you get the most out of every stroke.
COPE WITH STRESS
There are many reasons why open water swimming can feel stressful, especially if it’s new to you. Stress tends to rise at the start of a race, when everyone jumps in and starts splashing furiously. You get caught up in the pack, with too much contact and chaos all around you, afraid of being left behind but unable to swim and pace yourself properly. In this workshop, we will teach you how to ‘insulate’ yourself from this kind of stress and learn how to swim in a relaxed manner with others. Ultimately, the goal we all share is to be able to enjoy the race while still achieving a respectable time. And this is absolutely possible with the right mindset and techniques in your toolbox.