anonymous / July 1, 2014
When pool swimmers are reluctant to try open water swimming, often it’s because they feel they can’t see where they’re going. True, there’s no black line on the bottom to follow, but with a little practice you can learn to site on landmarks or course markers. The trick is to make sighting part of your breathing. Before you take a breath, lift your head slightly so that you can see in front of you. Then bring turn your head to breathe. This should be all one motion. Don’t lift your head any higher than necessary to get a look. It’s a good idea to pick out landmarks or course markers (such as those used in a race) before you begin swimming so you know what to look for once you’re in the water.
You can practice this looking procedure in the pool. I like to look once per length (25 yard pool) during my warmup when I’m concentrating on technique more than speed. You won’t want to look more often than every 8-10 strokes in open water either.