Very good tips. I swim open water daily, sharing a few things I have learned on my own: 1) Breathe in the pocket - When you roll to breathe, the head and shoulder moving through the water carve a low pressure area which is a small "pocket" (bowl shape) in the water under your mouth... use the pocket, and you don't have to roll so far... definitely saves energy (in my opinion, it's consumes excess energy to roll your mouth all the way to vertical to breathe) 2) In rough water - If swell coming from the side, breathe to down-swell side... this requires learning to breathe comfortably on both sides so you can deal with swell from any direction 3) Timing and technique of exhale is as important as the inhale - Time the exhale so that you complete it underwater BEFORE your mouth rolls up to inhale... there should be a very short break between exhale and inhale (appx 1/2 second) 4) Breath technique (inhale and exhale) - Take a good yoga class, learn about the pear shape of your lungs, and why you always breathe (in and out) from the low abdomen, below the diaphragm... to many people, especially men, breathe from the chest... very inefficient in regard to volume of intake and discharge, and uses WAY too much energy. (I learned this freediving)
i rarely comment on anything, but THANK YOU! finally some good info about open water. its so annyoing that 90% of open water tips are concerning triathlons! so the tips focus on the race, the swimsuit and spotting other competitors. I couldnt care less about this and just wanted this kind of tips!, thanks again.
Although I'm a triathlete myself, amem to that! Also, triathlon videos tend to focus on the ideal open water swim conditions, while glossing over when the swim is really choppy, windy, in lakes or rivers.
I never took a swimming lesson in my life. I didn't like swimming up until I turned 30... so basically I rely on youtube videos for improving/adapting to open water swimming. I can say that I have seen many MANY swimming videos and this video is one of the best if not the best. The reason is that this video gives honest, thorough and straight to the point instructions for open water swimming... Not competitive swimming just swimming. None of the videos I've seen till now mentions panic attacks. I was getting them and I didn't know how to cope and now I know and I already feel confident :)... Also all instructions were given while in the water... wooo. Anyhow great video and thank you Leslie for sharing!!! I wish I saw this video a few years earlier. Swim safe!
This one of my few comments here but i had to thank you I felt your tips were exactly what i needed and talked about the exact problems i face in open water swimming. A very useful video unlike many waste of time vids on youtube about this subject. Thank you again
Thanks Leslie! Your film presence is wonderful...I wish I lived in SF to take lessons from you. I choked on the swim in my triathlon over the weekend and will incorporate your techniques in practice to avoid the panic/hyperventilating in next race.
despite the informal way,it seems this is one of the best video I have seen for such advice. The little tips that you give have made all the difference for me. You have answered questions that I did't know how to ask. You also have such a relaxed way of doing things. Thank you very much
thank you for this video. i experience everything that you mentioned...cold water/panic attack/short of breath in my first open water. i was terrified to do another one. i thought i was going to drown..it was tough to shake it off. this information is gold to me.. thank you! i need more videos like this
out of at least a dozen videos i have watched, no body talked about these drills and taking rests and breathers in open water like this. Super practical. Thanks a ton
Thankyou so much for putting that video together!I recently completed my first super sprint tri but freaked out during the swim .Watching your very informative and very encouraging video makes me feel that I may be able to try again now that I understand what may have happened. thankyou again arlene
Great just great counsel, it really helped me in my training for my upcoming triatholon, simple to the point, well formatted and explained, you're a natural Leslie! Wonderful!
Thank you, got my first event in 6 weeks and am struggling to transition from pool to sea....feeling motivated this morning, off I g! Thanks from Pembrokeshire Wales!
I felt better just watching your video! Thank you! I panic in the water doing freestyle (probably cause I never had instruction) - your video was so pleasant and informational and specific on how to fix anxiety. I especially thought you were genius at slowing down the breathe portion (Drill 1 and Drill 2) in beginning! Thank you so much! I am going to try this in the pool today! :)
Such a helpful video, thank you. Some of your tips will be invaluable as I continue my training for my first open water event the Dart 10K in september.
Thank you for the great video. I also like the way you can stay still on the water so comfortably for a long time. At first I thought you are in shallow water standing. Very useful video.
Hi Arele, Thanks for your comments. OW swimming gets better with time. My next video will be about panick attacks. Unfortunately they are common, esp at the start of a race. Don't give up!
Tks, so much for explaining proper breathing n panic situations. I just learned how 2 swim 1 yr ago this July. My main problem w/swimming was always w/proper breathing especially n deep water. After watching ur video I have more confidence next time I go swimming n if panic set in. Breathing properly is a phobia everyone has n the water for the first time. I never swam n the ocean but now I think I could. Tks.
thanks, my 6.5km open water is next week and its my first time and i am actually not a good swimmer, this video gives me a lot of confidence, keep making great videos like this, thanks
I love the way that you speak, It's very genuine, and it's not too professional or overly urban. I'm a pretty strong swimmer ( ability wise), but I have breathing issues while doing the front crawl, and it I get tired quickly. After about 50 meters, I am ready to tank. I need to learn how to slow things down, and not be so anxious while in the water. My goal is to run a Tri in August.I'm hoping I will be comfortable enough with my form and technique to transition from the pool to open water.
This may be almost 10 years old, but i found this one of most useful open water swim videos. I'm new to all this and have my first triathlon next month and swimming is the most daunting. Thank you for you help!
This advise took me from swimming 2k but having to stop every 100m to swimming 2k non-stop...the first time I tried it. Such a small change but massive impact. Thank you!
Thank you so much for such great tips! I really needed to hear them and watch them. some i knew already, bur needed to have them reinforced! Your are terrific! I am about to do an open water swim for the second time, after doing all the wrong things the first time!!!!! Carolann
OMG I can't believe you actually responded to me!! I can't wait for it to warm up here. It should be warm in about 4 weeks and I'm going back to swimming. It's my goal this summer to really make myself comfortable and squash those fears for GOOD!!
Thank you SO much! I'm preparing for my first Tri (Oly) in less than a week and am very weak in the OWS. I love it but am super slow. This has helped so much.
I'll be doing a 200 yard swim in open water and then 10 minutes of treading water in the Caribbean in a few months, as step 1 of a PADI scuba diving course. I haven't been swimming much for 50 years or more so your tips are very, very interesting and important to me. Thanks.
I second what Miguel says, I'm an excellent runner but I can't swim for shit, and these breathing tips are really spot on! The rolling tip was a real eye opener for me! Thanks so much coach Leslie! Going tomorrow so I'll let you know how I got on! .
I also rarely comment but want to thank you very much as this has been the most helpful video I have seen - as I’m preparing for my first ocean swim in a triathlon and having a difficult time adjusting to ocean swimming
Thanks for this! I’ve recently taken up open water swimming each morning with an experienced group of swimmers and have been struggling. Stroke technique is good but breathing is not since I’ve breathed in salt water a few times which results in nasty breathing issues (out of the water) later in the day. Shall give these drills a go! Again, thanks!
Very good tips. I swim open water daily, sharing a few things I have learned on my own:
1) Breathe in the pocket - When you roll to breathe, the head and shoulder moving through the water carve a low pressure area which is a small "pocket" (bowl shape) in the water under your mouth... use the pocket, and you don't have to roll so far... definitely saves energy (in my opinion, it's consumes excess energy to roll your mouth all the way to vertical to breathe)
2) In rough water - If swell coming from the side, breathe to down-swell side... this requires learning to breathe comfortably on both sides so you can deal with swell from any direction
3) Timing and technique of exhale is as important as the inhale - Time the exhale so that you complete it underwater BEFORE your mouth rolls up to inhale... there should be a very short break between exhale and inhale (appx 1/2 second)
4) Breath technique (inhale and exhale) - Take a good yoga class, learn about the pear shape of your lungs, and why you always breathe (in and out) from the low abdomen, below the diaphragm... to many people, especially men, breathe from the chest... very inefficient in regard to volume of intake and discharge, and uses WAY too much energy. (I learned this freediving)
i rarely comment on anything, but THANK YOU! finally some good info about open water.
its so annyoing that 90% of open water tips are concerning triathlons! so the tips focus on the race, the swimsuit and spotting other competitors. I couldnt care less about this and just wanted this kind of tips!, thanks again.
Although I'm a triathlete myself, amem to that!
Also, triathlon videos tend to focus on the ideal open water swim conditions, while glossing over when the swim is really choppy, windy, in lakes or rivers.
Rafael Mondini-Bueno open water swimming
I couldn´t said better! This is a spot on tips!
totally agree. I'm new to all this and have my first triathlon next month and find most the tri videos hopeless
Don't forget to check out "Wild Swimming" - this is more like true "Open Water" swims, no Triathlete info. :))
I never took a swimming lesson in my life. I didn't like swimming up until I turned 30... so basically I rely on youtube videos for improving/adapting to open water swimming. I can say that I have seen many MANY swimming videos and this video is one of the best if not the best. The reason is that this video gives honest, thorough and straight to the point instructions for open water swimming... Not competitive swimming just swimming. None of the videos I've seen till now mentions panic attacks. I was getting them and I didn't know how to cope and now I know and I already feel confident :)... Also all instructions were given while in the water... wooo.
Anyhow great video and thank you Leslie for sharing!!! I wish I saw this video a few years earlier. Swim safe!
This one of my few comments here but i had to thank you
I felt your tips were exactly what i needed and talked about the exact problems i face in open water swimming. A very useful video unlike many waste of time vids on youtube about this subject.
Thank you again
Coach, thank you very much. After watching this video I feel MUCHHH more confident.
Thanks Leslie! Your film presence is wonderful...I wish I lived in SF to take lessons from you. I choked on the swim in my triathlon over the weekend and will incorporate your techniques in practice to avoid the panic/hyperventilating in next race.
despite the informal way,it seems this is one of the best video I have seen for such advice. The little tips that you give have made all the difference for me. You have answered questions that I did't know how to ask. You also have such a relaxed way of doing things. Thank you very much
thank you for this video. i experience everything that you mentioned...cold water/panic attack/short of breath in my first open water. i was terrified to do another one. i thought i was going to drown..it was tough to shake it off. this information is gold to me.. thank you! i need more videos like this
Getting ready for my first triathlon, Very good video, Thanks for your tips
out of at least a dozen videos i have watched, no body talked about these drills and taking rests and breathers in open water like this. Super practical. Thanks a ton
Amazing tips for a beginner like myself. Thank you so much!
Thankyou so much for putting that video together!I recently completed my first super sprint tri but freaked out during the swim .Watching your very informative and very encouraging video makes me feel that I may be able to try again now that I understand what may have happened.
thankyou again
arlene
Thank you for this video. Getting ready for my first open water triathlon and this really helps.
Thank you for sharing your practical and detail tips!
Really good wee film. I'm heading out for my first open water meet this week and got some great novice tips. Thanks very much, top stuff.
Great just great counsel, it really helped me in my training for my upcoming triatholon, simple to the point, well formatted and explained, you're a natural Leslie! Wonderful!
Thanks Leslie, your explanations are very clear and useful.
Thank you! Super helpful for my first triathlon training. The breathing is definitely the hardest part for me.
This drills insruct me so much ! Thank you, Coach Leslie !
Thank you, got my first event in 6 weeks and am struggling to transition from pool to sea....feeling motivated this morning, off I g! Thanks from Pembrokeshire Wales!
I felt better just watching your video! Thank you! I panic in the water doing freestyle (probably cause I never had instruction) - your video was so pleasant and informational and specific on how to fix anxiety. I especially thought you were genius at slowing down the breathe portion (Drill 1 and Drill 2) in beginning! Thank you so much! I am going to try this in the pool today! :)
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!! I will follow your tips next time I train here in Malta.
One of the best videos around, thnx Leslie
love it! thanks so much! cant wait to go out there and tackle the ocean! great coaching!
Your way of teaching swimming is fantastic!
Great Video.....brilliant and very helpful advice. I just wish I watched this last week before I nearly drowned in my first open water triathlon. ;)
Great video and excellent advice! Thank you!
Thank you, Leslie, your tips are extremely helpful for me
Thanks Leslie. Refreshing to hear such a well-articulated, didactic-medthodic oriented coach.
Thank you so much for posting this video. All of your tips have made a huge impact on my swimming efficiency!
Thank you so much, Leslie! These are wonderful tips before I try swimming in the sea for the first time this year! :)
Great tips, answer some of my questions. Thanks a lot.
Extremely impressive techniques taught with a lot of grace!
The suggestions for breathing drills are really wonderful. Thank you!
This video helped me soooooooo much! I have my first open water meet this weekend and I am nervous. Thank you sooooooooooo much for this video!
Thank you so much. That is very nice feedback. Good luck with your swimming and breathing. Leslie
Thank you, straight forward and easy to follow. I will remember your advice at Royal docks tomorrow 👍🏼
I gave up on learning to swim about 30 years ago but you make it look so easy!
Amazing. Thank you.
Such a helpful video, thank you. Some of your tips will be invaluable as I continue my training for my first open water event the Dart 10K in september.
This video is very helpful! Thank you!!
Really good advice. Do a lot of open water swimming before trying a competition.
Your video is awesome. Best instruction so far.
Thank you for the great video. I also like the way you can stay still on the water so comfortably for a long time. At first I thought you are in shallow water standing. Very useful video.
this is a great video with awesome advice!
I'm trying to learn to swim properly (at 46 years old) for my first tri - this advice is brilliant. Thanks so much!
Hi Arele, Thanks for your comments. OW swimming gets better with time. My next video will be about panick attacks. Unfortunately they are common, esp at the start of a race. Don't give up!
Sooo useful and well explained! Thank you!!!
Tks, so much for explaining proper breathing n panic situations. I just learned how 2 swim 1 yr ago this July. My main problem w/swimming was always w/proper breathing especially n deep water. After watching ur video I have more confidence next time I go swimming n if panic set in. Breathing properly is a phobia everyone has n the water for the first time. I never swam n the ocean but now I think I could. Tks.
Excellent video! Exactly what I was looking for all in one video.
thank you! i am starting slowly with just lake swims for now. This helps to deal with swells from the wind! thank you!
thank you Leslie...I am training for a 7k open water race...your advices are being very helpful, i am so nervous!
;-) enjoy the water, there, Amos. It is a gift. I am envious!! Leslie
Thank you for your effort in explaining clearly while staying in the cold water
thanks, my 6.5km open water is next week and its my first time and i am actually not a good swimmer, this video gives me a lot of confidence, keep making great videos like this, thanks
WOW...Perfect what I was looking for..for my FIRST Olympic Triathlon next month..Thank You...Thank You
I love the way that you speak, It's very genuine, and it's not too professional or overly urban.
I'm a pretty strong swimmer ( ability wise), but I have breathing issues while doing the front crawl, and it I get tired quickly. After about 50 meters, I am ready to tank. I need to learn how to slow things down, and not be so anxious while in the water. My goal is to run a Tri in August.I'm hoping I will be comfortable enough with my form and technique to transition from the pool to open water.
Best video ever. So glad this exists!
Thanks a million... this has really helped me out! Awesome!
This may be almost 10 years old, but i found this one of most useful open water swim videos. I'm new to all this and have my first triathlon next month and swimming is the most daunting. Thank you for you help!
Thank you for making a video like this! I took note of your tips!
This advise took me from swimming 2k but having to stop every 100m to swimming 2k non-stop...the first time I tried it. Such a small change but massive impact. Thank you!
Excellent lesson ! Very good video, thanks !!
Thank you so much coach for these tips :)
Agree with others here, excellent video especially the drills. Simple advice really, but explained in a clear easy to understand way. Thanks!👍
wow, easily understand, really useful skill, thanks for your great video very much!
I'm preparing for my first Alcatraz Swim next month. Very Helpful!
Thank you so much for such great tips! I really needed to hear them and watch them. some i knew already, bur needed to have them reinforced! Your are terrific!
I am about to do an open water swim for the second time, after doing all the wrong things the first time!!!!!
Carolann
Happy happy happy! This is just what ik need! Thanks a lot from Greece!
marvellous video !!! Covered almost everything
Thank you so much! This video just made me feel a lot better
Excellent, informative video packed with wonderful insights! Thank you so much! Keep up the good work!
OMG I can't believe you actually responded to me!! I can't wait for it to warm up here. It should be warm in about 4 weeks and I'm going back to swimming. It's my goal this summer to really make myself comfortable and squash those fears for GOOD!!
Great video! Awesome tips. Thank you.
Thank you 🙏🏼 learned a lot 😍🙏🏼🙌🏼
Thanks, Tim. Good luck with your tri.
Thank you SO much! I'm preparing for my first Tri (Oly) in less than a week and am very weak in the OWS. I love it but am super slow. This has helped so much.
Extremely helpful thank you!
Best advice, thank you! 😊 🏊♀️
This is amazing!!! Thanks!!!
Love this videos will help me alot! Thank you! Will try it ! Im sure im good enough and will enjoy my open water swim! 🤗🙏🏼👍🏻
Will try this tomorrow :) thank you, this is very helpful.
I needed this! Thanks!
I'll be doing a 200 yard swim in open water and then 10 minutes of treading water in the Caribbean in a few months, as step 1 of a PADI scuba diving course. I haven't been swimming much for 50 years or more so your tips are very, very interesting and important to me. Thanks.
Great tutorial ! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much! You are the best!
Great advice..thanks for video.
Great explanation of breathing technique. I'm 55 years old wanting to take on swimming. Thank you so much.
I second what Miguel says, I'm an excellent runner but I can't swim for shit, and these breathing tips are really spot on! The rolling tip was a real eye opener for me! Thanks so much coach Leslie! Going tomorrow so I'll let you know how I got on! .
I also rarely comment but want to thank you very much as this has been the most helpful video I have seen - as I’m preparing for my first ocean swim in a triathlon and having a difficult time adjusting to ocean swimming
oh my gosh what a great video, awesome tips! Thanks!
Such a good simple video, thanks so much
Thanks for sharing! Really helped!
Thanks for this! I’ve recently taken up open water swimming each morning with an experienced group of swimmers and have been struggling. Stroke technique is good but breathing is not since I’ve breathed in salt water a few times which results in nasty breathing issues (out of the water) later in the day. Shall give these drills a go! Again, thanks!
Brilliant tips, thanks
Great Video me trying to breath as if i was swimming in a pool.Your a great help well done.
That was fantastic I done my first open water swim this morning and drank a lot of it gasping for air this I will practice thank you
Thanks for the tips...really works
Great, simple and objective.
wonderful loved ur instructions thank you