I’d like to think that I’ve done that with many or the people I’ve swum with over the years. You might be able to find a local open water coach, which I would always recommend, though you should be clear that it’s stroke development and water confidence you’re looking for. Then you get punched twice and pushed under. Getting out immediately means I can train my body to a faster recovery (which it has). The most common colour in the sea. Then someone grabs your shoulder. Inconsistent swim training has a cascading effect on your physical, technical, psychological and emotional readiness to race. I’d like to overcome irrational fear and retain my survival mode while open water swimming! Also … For this reason, we call the frontal cortex, your “Professor Brain.”, For each of the Chimp rants, start to dissect each statement with two weapons: One, what is the actual likelihood of this happening? Sight Often. Mental toughness is built by enduring in the face of failure, it doesn’t come from an easy swim during taper week. Swim Ergs have the added advantage of providing data on your stroke (e.g., power, cadence, stroke length) and enable you to do very specific upper body resistance work to reduce deficits in your wet swimming. Towards the end of a longer swim, your ability to resist fear is lessened as you become tired. But how have I gone from barely being able to get into a lake to being able to swim for 11 hours in the Atlantic? Picture yourself as an outsider, as though you’re watching someone else look nervously at the water. Took a wee solo swim out from Wardie Bay beach thi, A gorgeous swim out to the white buoy this morning, A very happy new year to you all from me and my wi, For my 500th Instagram post I figured I should do, Taken the other day while swimming with my better, If you slip on the ice on your way to a swim, does, A very warm thank you to all you bold swimmers who, Was a bit of a wild one this morning! Go on I dare you, make a quick decision about something scary in the future,  whether it’s entering a certain race known for big surf or signing up for master’s swim. Overcome your swimming fear in these places: Kenneth Rippetoe, a swim coach at One With the Water, says he takes things slowly when people are learning to swim … A very short open water swim, close to the shore or lake edge for your first attempt will provide some comfort. Neuroscience holds the clues to why open water swimming scares many of us. After all, everyone likes feeling listened to. Each of these is worth a post in itself, but I’ve boiled it down to answer this question with a few of my own personal thoughts and experiences, specifically fear of swimming in open water. Edinburgh Leisure, for example, runs skills and drills sessions, as well as masters. Swimming with another person is a massive support, too, though I appreciate this might be difficult right now. A bit … Move about, get your face in and head under, turn around so your back and shoulders get cold, too. I’m sure most open water swimmers, if not all, have had to dig deep mentally to keep going at some point. As with many open water fears, the key is in starting on a small scale and building things up slowly. The gun goes off and you sprint into the water. Crazy huh? Here, Rodrigues outlines a plan to nix that open water swimming fear for good. I’m amazed at the number of triathletes for whom the swim is their weakest discipline, or who are terrified of ocean starts, but never actually practice or simulate race conditions. Bathophobia is a fear of depths or deep things, (for swimmers who dislike swimming over deep water). Diet aside (and there will be professional dieticians out there who I’m sure could advise), increased exposure to cold will improve your tolerance, endurance, and recovery. I hated swimming over it. Weeks went by swimming four times a week in open water, twice a week in a group and twice a week with my teacher and I was really seeing an improvement in my technique. Brain #1 is irrational, paranoid, very emotional, and thinks catastrophically. After your normal wash (perhaps with temperature slightly lower than usual), turn your shower thermostat to cold and enjoy! Ease your way into stressful situations by simulating the problem first. Sea-swimmers all know the creeping dread that something awful – from sharks to evil seals to water … Acknowledge your fears.. Having a bit of fear about the open water can be your greatest strength. Evolution has given it incredible powers, like the ability to receive and process information much quicker than the rest of your brain, and the ability to throw a chemical brick at your rational brain to stop it taking ‘over thinking’ when your life really is in danger. The other reason for the fear of open water swimming is the crowds. This will really help if you’ve sensitive feet! If you are in a place that has clear, ocean water, looking at the sea life can be an amazing experience. I do some open water swimming in a lake in my area in the summer months. It’s a cliché, but the magic really does happen out of your comfort zone. It presents with the same symptoms of general anxiety, and can be extremely dangerous to experience while swimming because panic can be crippling. There are ways to overcome these fears and feel more empowered and confident in open water. For example, “I’m going to come out of the water last” would be dissected as: “I’m probably going to be at the back of my wave but the faster swimmers in the wave behind will catch us anyway up so no one really knows who’s in what place. Recognize that feeling overwhelmed by fear and anxiety about the swim … Fatigue makes the fear worse, hence my earlier tips about improving your resistance. With the cold water right now, I tend to commit to a certain amount of time rather than distance, with a degree of margin on either side. It is a common emotion experienced by many swimmers - particularly in the ever-changing environment of open water. 3rd May 2017. Categories. It is especially common for athletes competing in open water races. Go to a local river or lake that is not deep so you can feel the ground. In fact, I’d say unless you grew up swimming regularly in lakes or the ocean, the idea of getting into a body of water that other things- aka fish and other sea creatures- live in doesn’t sound like a lot of fun. When the goal is under your control, you always get to define success and failure. Be cognizant that there are dangers out there. Plans fail. If you have any issues with not seeing the bottom of the water you are swimming in, or retaining feeling in your extremities, this may not be for you. In addition, get a group of tri club members to meet you at a local OWS location and practice race-simulation entries and exits – complete with body contact, drafting, and mishaps. You have six brains in a fight. Different parts of your brain start fighting for control. The bonus here is that open water swimming is an excellent full body workout that will help you boost your Stop avoiding things that scare you and instead confront them head on. There are a lot of ways to alleviate these fears. What advice would you give them? Dr. Steve Peters, the British sports psychiatrist, calls this region your “Chimp brain” because it’s prone to tantrums and acts like an immature primate. And once this Covid crisis is over, hope to again! So, even though the triathlon and open-water swimming season will not be starting for some time yet, we would like to give you a few good tips about how to prepare for your first races. How to overcome fear of open water swimming. An actual event combined with intense emotional experience gets quickly embedded into your nervous system making any thoughts of swimming an anxious moment. It’s common to have a fear of open water swimming as a newbie (or even experienced) triathlete. By letting it say all the things that it hopes will persuade you to pack your bags and go home, it will start to calm down. Everyone is looking at my fat legs.” And on it goes. Fear. 1. There is no doubt that the open water swim of a triathlon is what many triathletes find the most intimidating portion of the race. But this anxiety dissolves after a few minutes of swimming. Sometimes the socially acceptable but devious brain (#2) takes charge by saying “Three strong kicks to the mouth should do it!” Sometimes the rational frontal cortex brain (#4) takes control and says “I’ll just swim 2 feet over to the left and all will be fine.” Depending on your personality, the brain left holding the reins is likely to vary. For some, the ‘pool drain’ phobia extends to the swimming pool lights and filters too. People are not failures. Fear and confidence while open water swimming … This is a big subject! It means making a risk assessment before you get in, and making dynamic risk assessments throughout. Don’t interrupt your chimp. All the main characters are there: the show-offs, the bullies, the shy kids, the nerds, and a bunch of other kids just trying to make it through another day. While you’re not going to be dragged under by a water kelpie or tangled up in demonic seaweed, factors such as cold water, inclement weather, poor visibility, other water users, etc, all bring their own hazards. A shark is going to eat me. Recent research in neuroscience has told us a lot about why some people become extremely nervous and worried before the swim. And of course, the more you do it and the more you push your mental boundaries, the stronger you become. Bizarre, because I’ve swum countless times in black peaty lochs where you could barely see your hands in the murk! From my observation, unless you want to race out the first 300m at full speed to find your space (that's just terrible advice), the initial theory is to relax and start when you are comfortable. For example, swim trainers and ergometers are incredibly useful tools to work on technique and race simulation sans the anxiety and/or boredom. Open water swimming can be daunting, but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll have a skill you can take to any body of water — and the knowledge that a few choppy waves can’t stop you! Overcome your fear of open-water swimming! “Fear” — even the word makes some people twitchy. Why not invest in a swim ergometer and bang out intervals in your garage? One of them has got to get control. For many new triathletes one of the most scary things is the swim. (While a good coach will make all the difference, not all open water swim coaches are swim teachers so may not have the experience in breaking down and analysing your stroke.) Eosophobia is fear of dawn or daylight. You’re left with too few experiences to draw on in which things went ok (you lived) or even felt great. Once pools reopen, see if your local pool runs sessions on stroke development. The slowest athletes get the biggest cheer!”. Causes. I don’t think fear when you’re swimming in a lake, loch, sea or river is irrational at all! Regardless of the outcome, you can see how very complicated this all is. As a triathlete brain-trainer, I’m just trying to help you cope with staying calm and efficient during an open water swim start, and this involves making all six brains work together. Aquaphobia is considered a Specific Phobia of natural environment type in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Can you help? But to address my seaweed fear, I’ve since spent a lot of time sea swimming at low tide through seaweed or even diving down and among it in depths of a couple of metres. Meantime, I like the approach offered by Effortless Swimming and Carl 360, though there are others of course. Having the confidence, bravery and commitment to be able to get into the cold water when the climate is at its most miserable is a brilliant thing to be able to do. I’m enjoying using an app called Down Dog that lets you work on specific areas, such as flexibility, core strength or shoulders, while there are many YouTube videos on Yoga for Swimming. But, again, knowing this helps to disarm the anxiety. All of your technique and breathing rhythm goes out of the window because it feels like you’ve been dropped into a warzone. “I’m going to come out of the water last. By that I mean, your ability to get into the cold water, the time you can keep swimming in the cold water, and the time it takes to get your body back to normal once you’re out of the water. Below is a query I received recently that covers a few subjects, specifically cold water resistance and confidence, but also touches upon diet, fear, fatigue and risk. While the idea of swimming in the ocean can be intimidating and sometimes, borderline impossible for some swimmers, this specific fear of water can be overcome. The critical point is what we do with our failed actions and plans (or the thought of failure). Open water swimming has a lot of perks. People will, literally, swim around it or change lanes to avoid it. Hello, I’d like to increase my confidence and water skills. It’s called thalassophobia, which is a fear of open water. For more information on open water swimming, check out the U.S. Masters Open Water Swimming 101. As for your ability and water skills. Although it’s the shortest part of a triathlon, the swim often causes the most stress and anxiety. Open Water Swimming: Top Tips from Olympian Keri-Anne Payne. Focus on the good things. Rather than telling your Chimp Brain to shut up (it won’t work, it’s much stronger than you), try doing the exact opposite. The best goal is based on the effort you plan to give, not the time it takes you, where you finish, or how others see you. It’s hectic. Without access to pools or coaches, there are plenty of online resources. Whether you’re hitting your local lake or trying the open waters on vacation, learn more about the body of water by talking with locals or using apps to track conditions in the area before heading out. Another thing I would recommend is agreeing with yourself how long/far you are going to do BEFORE you get in. This could be a very small amount of water, like what’s found in the bathroom sink, or … To regain composure and enjoy yourself, you need to take back control. We take a look at some of the most common inconveniences and issues that swimmers face when in open water and give advice on how best to tackle them so that you can enjoy and thrive when swimming in open water. Fear. (using only facts), and second, so damn what? Open water swim anxiety is characterized as the fear of swimming in lakes, oceans, and other open bodies of water. It also tells us how to do something about it. I had a fear of seaweed (and still do to an extent). It takes constant work and endless patience. When I started to do triathlon, one of the biggest obstacles I need to conquer is to swim in the open water. And to swim the Channel, you have to train in open water, preferably the sea, a LOT. I would always urge every open water swimmer to have a good awareness of the weather forecast, water conditions and their own ability before getting in to the water. Gerry Rodrigues, founder of the Tower26 swim group in Los Angeles and an open-water swim coach who has worked with top pros like Lionel Sanders and Holly Lawrence, says swim confidence all starts with practicing specific protocols in the pool. Treat open-water swimming like a technical sport where mistakes could have very real consequences, says Hamel. Sea-swimmers all know the creeping dread that something awful – from sharks to evil seals to water … Open Water swimming is a common fear, even among some of the toughest triathlon athletes. The bike stationary trainer and treadmill remain fundamental training aids for the bike and run, yet so few triathletes see out complementary training aids for the swim. Even now, I still sometimes get the heebie-jeebies when swimming over beautiful white sand and a sudden black patch of seaweed emerges below me. And of course, with pools closed, practise is also a no. Short, high intensity power intervals help prepare you for swim starts, and longer sets with video feedback from a camera phone help identify when your technique starts to break down. Fear of open water swimming is common in both newbies and season veterans. Seriously, are we ever as free as when we are open water swimming. If you don’t live near an open water location or your schedule prevents you from getting to the pool enough, get creative. Eleutherophobia is a fear of freedom. Conquering your fear of the open water swim Tips to become more confident so you will not only survive but have a great open water swim. Chlorophobia: Fear of the colour green. Now keep going!”. Notice how the wind, current and bottom surface affect how you’re swimming. Specifically, I’m talking about open water swimming. Of course irrational fear shouldn’t be confused with rational fear and real danger. Most open water swimmers experience fear at some point, but when the water is cold, fatigue can creep in making your swim even more of a mental challenge. Be prepared and find a way. The best way to overcome your fear of … In a comfort zone-busting new experience, force your goal to be something you are always in control of. and love the feeling it gives me, but it also scares me! Not being able to see the bottom in the sea, lake or river can throw even the most experienced swimmer. It is especially common for athletes competing in open water races. Most open water swimmers experience fear at some point, but when the water is cold, fatigue can creep in making your swim even more of a mental challenge. We’re hoping the one who wants to punch the offending swimmer doesn’t get control. Fear of water can have lots of different causes: It often exists as an instinctive fear related to the fear of drowning. With the water starting to warm up (almost double figures! Fear of Open Water Ocean Swimming By Carol Scheible June 16, 2005 General. Most people don’t/can’t/won’t, so please do hold on to that. ), I’ll be trying to push the distance a wee bit, though staying within comfort zones. Like many swim coaches, I’m often asked questions that aren’t always related to swimming technique or stroke development. Or go to the beach and swim in the sea. This is a big subject! But if you only do it … … Meanwhile, Yoga will help with flexibility, strength and balance. Record bilateral watts and add a mirror beneath you to get precise and immediate feedback about subtle changes to your stroke. I drove my daughters to the beach for a … Open-water swimming is not always easy for those used to swimming with their eyes fixed on the blue line along the bottom of the pool. In fact, I’d say it was normal. Here’s the running dialogue between your six brains: Here’s a cheat sheet about how to take back control of your own brain: You see the problem? Affecting people in different ways, the causes are unknown. If we let our fears and concerns linger long enough, we can become paralyzed by them, unable to make a decision. (One of the aspects of open water swimming I most love is being alone, away from people and even from land). Triathlon Magazine April 16, 2016 — By Jessica Adam. Could it be down to childhood experiences – memories of old films such as Piranha, Jaws and Open Water? Overcome your swimming fear in these places: Kenneth Rippetoe, a swim coach at One With the Water, says he takes things slowly when people are learning to swim … So now you understand, I have to keep swimming, there’s no other option. Sometimes, it’s good to be impulsive. Fears of swimming, especially in open water, aren’t rare. Not swimming in open water, not practicing swim entries and exits with others, not entering a race because the surf is usually big, not moving up a lane at masters when you should all make paranoid Brain #1 even stronger (in science speak, synaptic strengthening occurs). You can train your brain to swim fearless. I don’t think fear when you’re swimming in a lake, loch, sea or river is irrational at all! And I think the realisation of that helps disarm its potency; it loses some of its sway over you. Great fun in, Yesterday it was a post-sunset winter solstice swi, Another night swim! Unlike your Chimp Brain, your frontal cortex deals only in facts and logic. A specific phobia is an intense fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. Sighting is key for keeping on course and staving off disorientation. It is a common emotion experienced by many swimmers - particularly in the ever-changing environment of open water. The shivering means your core is getting cold so don’t overdo it! Sadly, I can’t help with anyone’s bioprene shortage, though I would happily share some of mine were that possible! Open water swim anxiety is characterized as the fear of swimming in lakes, oceans, and other open bodies of water. Basically, heed the weather, your surroundings and your body. The swimming blog Swimming Open-water swimming: how do you handle the Fear? It presents with the same symptoms of general anxiety, and can be extremely dangerous to experience while swimming because panic can be crippling.