Safety for Pool and Open Water Training

By Coach Eric Neilsen

With warmer weather approaching people start to think about swimming again.  I thought it might be helpful to review a few pool and open-water basics.  First reminder, if swimming outdoors, put on sunscreen so you can better enjoy that first dip in the water.  A wetsuit is a good idea, too unless you have real thick skin.

Ok, pool first:

• Before entering the pool, check to see if anyone else is in the lane.  If so, make sure you communicate with your lane mate on if you will split the lane (swim side by side) or circle swim (counter clockwise).  If more than 2 people, you must circle swim.
• Enter feet first in a cautious manner.  Make sure no lane mate is in harm’s way as you enter the water.
• Now if this is a masters swim practice, chances are you will be grouped with people of similar speed, so you just need to figure out your swimming order.
• If you swim with people you do not know, use your warm up laps to help determine your lane mate’s speed.
• In either situation, avoid swimming right on someone’s feet as this can be unsafe when dealing with the turn and helps minimize potential collisions coming off the wall.
• If you notice that your lane mates are catching up to you rather quickly, you can do two things. 1. As you approach the wall,  just pull to the right corner of the lane and let them pass. Think: slow traffic keep to the right. 2. Switch to a lane with swimmers more inline to your speed.
• If you choose to wear fins, paddles or both don’t run over your lane mates (aka crawl up their butt) or change the lane dynamics due to your increased speed.  Good rule of thumb when wearing gear, you must accommodate their speed, not them trying to keep up with you.

The open water:

• Know the conditions and “when in doubt, don’t go out”. 
• Wind, water temp and visibility can change quickly, so pay attention.
• Swim with a buddy or group of buddies.  If you do choose to swim alone, let someone know that you are doing so.
• Wear a swim cap (bright colors are better for visibility) and can help you stay a bit warmer, too.
• Like the pool, enter feet first to play it safe.  Submerged objects in the water can be dangerous.
• If wearing a wetsuit, don’t forget some Bodyglide or Vaseline to minimize chaffing and to make it easier to get the wetsuit off after the swim.
• If you’re doing a group workout to get ready for an open water swim or triathlon, this is a great time to practice swimming on people’s feet to practice drafting.  Courtesy tip* Do your best not to smack the crap out of the person’s feet you are following.
• If in the ocean, practice some in’s and out’s so you can get more familiar with the waves and how to safely navigate them when you start and finish your swim.
• From a navigational stand point, try to pick a non-moving land object (group of trees, big rock, house, etc. vs an object floating in the water (buoy or floating boat) as those have a tendency to shift with wind/current.

There are plenty of things to add to both lists, but these suggestions can help you have a better swimming experience.  Have fun in whatever you get yourself into!