Part of what makes ocean swimming so fun is the challenge. You not only have to be a strong swimmer but you’ve also got to use to your skills and knowledge to negotiate the surf. Here are our words of wisdom to help you get out and come in in the most effective way.
When going out the easiest option is to identify if there is a rip which you can take out and give you a boost at the start of your race. Find it tricky to identify where the rip is? We practice every Friday morning at Face The Waves. At the start of an ocean swim, don’t be scared to defy the herd of swimmers and run to where the rip is – you don’t have to enter the water at the start line! If you aren’t confident enough to locate the rip and take the easy route you may have to get out through the break.
Run through the water until the water surface is at about knee-height, once the water is at knee-height it is faster to do a high-knee run. When the water is above your knees you can start dolphin-diving. Dive just under the surface, dig your hands into the sand and move forward with each dive. This will ensure you keep moving forward and don’t get pushed back with each wave.
At the beginning of the race, you need to conserve your energy. To do this, swim at an easy-moderate pace, trying to keep your heart rate down. When faced with an oncoming wave, you need to be prepared to dive under before the wave and breaking water is upon you; the larger the wave the sooner you dive under and deeper, the smaller the wave, you can get away with diving down late and more shallow water.
The key is to dive down below the breaking wave and the turbulence of the white water (breaking waves) so far until you find calm water. Once the wave has broken and dissipates as it moves towards the shore so will the turbulence above your body. The result will often push you behind the wave and pull you up towards the surface. This is why you need to maintain a steady heart rate and remain relaxed so that you can stay under the water until the natural forces assist you up to the surface. Once you have made it past the break you can build up your pace.
Once you near the shore, make sure you are swimming towards a sandbank where waves are breaking all the way into shore. Even if you are not a confident body surfer, waves will push you in. Instead of breathing looking straight to the side, breathe almost under your armpit so you can spot any waves coming. If you manage to catch a wave, put your arms in a streamline position and bodysurf all the way in. Keep swimming as far as you can it is faster than trying to run through the water.
The more you swim in the ocean and experience different kinds of condition the more comfortable and confident you will feel come race-season. Have fun and stay safe out there! 😉
