These days swimming lessons aren’t all about armbands or diving for bricks in your PJs. As the nights draw in, we asked swimming coach Ashley Jones to help us become confident open water swimmers by next summer

This time of year I swim at my local outdoor pool first thing in the morning, when the water’s nice and steamy’ So says Ashley Jones, a fully qualified swimming teacher, open water coach and beach lifeguard. Ashley manages the Swim England and RNLI Swim Safe programme, giving free outdoor swimming and water safety sessions to children aged 7–14 across the UK. Ashley’s passionate about getting people – young and older – in the water all year round: ‘Swimming’s so good for you. For me personally, the mental benefits of swimming are key. I just switch off, putting one arm in front of the other. It gives you a full body workout, focusing on strength or endurance.’ Swimming just 30 minutes a week can also help to guard against heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Anyone can swim – with the right tuition and effort,’ enthuses Ashley. ‘You can get adult lessons at your local pool for around a fiver. And once you’ve learned to swim confidently in a pool, it can be an entirely free pastime with all the open water around us.’
FANCY GIVING OPEN WATER SWIMMING A GO?

If you want to try open water swimming, it’s wise to practise some specific skills throughout the year at your local swimming pool. You can get some tuition from someone like Ashley, or follow his top tips:

1. Can you float? It might sound simple, but most people can’t do that picture-perfect version of floating. So we’re challenging you to go and find how you float effectively. Practise floating in a swimming pool as it’s a controlled environment. Then you’ll know what to do in an emergency in the open water.

2. Tread water. There’s no wall or rail to hold or kick off from in open water, so get used to treading water in the deep end of the pool.

3. Try sighting. In the open water there are no lane lines, so practise swimming in a straight line. Lift your head to spot a landmark in the distance to keep you on track.

4. Improve your technique. Put your head in the water to improve your body position. For front crawl, remember your leg kick – floppy ankles and long leg kicks from the hip. Practise more than one stroke so you can ease off when you need to. And remember to stretch and warm up first.

5. Find a club. Before you try open water swimming, find an organised group. You’ll need to learn about all the conditions that can change – tides, rip currents, winds and more. If you’ve got a child aged 7–14 in your family, take advantage of the free Swim Safe sessions next year – so they can stay safe when swimming outdoors.

swimsafe.org.uk
Words: Bethany Hope
Photos: RNLI/Nathan Williams, Swim England