I swam in a river for the first time like for endurance, I’ve been in a river before but I would not regard it as swimming. Any tips on how to become a stronger swimmer the current was against me if I did not have any lateral strength it would have useless. Tips on how to breathe better in water also been struggling with breath work. Last thing has anyone been doing any triathlons or iron man’s before by the end of the next year or two I plan to take part in one, this is with hard work.

Does anyone has any reviews about the speedo wetsuits as the thickness is not mentioned on their website , and I will be using it for water temp around 15C

It's so much slower than the counterclockwise record I'm wondering if it'd be at least a bit faster if there was no wind, tides or river flow.

Just wondering?

I started open water swimming earlier this year and have been having problems with wetsuits filling up with water after a few uses.

My first wetsuit that I bought was an O’Neils Reactor 2, ok I know it’s not really a wetsuit made for open water swimming but after about 3 uses, the arms and legs started to fill up with excessive water and then the middle started filling up too, made me feel that I was in a bag of water.

So then I decided to get a wetsuit designed for open water swimming and bought an Orca Athlex 3, went somewhere to get fitting advice before buying, it was perfect for the first couple of swims and then one day it just started filling up with water again. Ended up selling it back to the company I bought it from, bought some kick pants for the swimming pool but they filled up after 2 uses, but when I tried it on in the store they were uncomfortably tight on my thighs.

Bear in mind throughout this, I haven’t lost any weight and haven’t toned up, so I don’t really know what the issue is? Any help would be appreciated

I've just started open water swimming, and the goggles I use in the pool are great for water visibility but terrible when I try to sight what's around me outside the water. I keep having to stop and lift up my goggles to see where I'm heading! Recommendations specifically for visibility that's good both in and out of the water?

Hey guys ! What do y’all think is my best bet to swim in cold water without spending more then 120euros ? I know it sounds bad but I’m pretty broke and this winter is gonna be real cold

This year I'm a brand ambassador for Zone3 and I have a special code to share. Use code ROMAIN at checkout for 20% off your cart. Full disclaimer I earn a 10% commission, which helps me cover my race entry fees. Feel free to use it for any Zone3 items, whether now or in the future.

I have been using three gears for a long time and received sort of a mini training on several other things, so feel free to ask questions as well!

No, I am not a spam. Triathlon has become expensive and paying $150+ for a local triathlon is not cheap!

Happy training and racing everyone!

Hi, has anybody had any experiences with the Huub Lurz Open Water 1.0 wetsuit?

I have a 3 swims between 5 - 11 miles next year and I need a solid, higher end suit. This one is supposedly optimised for long distance open water swims but I can't seem to find many reviews online.

Thanks

Hey Reddit swimmers and open water enthusiasts!

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🔹 28 Total Sessions over 6 weeks (4–6 sessions per week):

• Monday: Aerobic base building

• Tuesday: Swim technique or kick/pull session

• Wednesday: Faster aerobic session

• Friday: Speed-focused sets (Fast 50’s, 100’s, or 200’s)

• Sunday: Open water swim session

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Hello fellow open water swimmers, I am swimming in the beautiful and rich in life pacific NW waters and I am looking for a good and easy to operate a go pro camera to take photos and videos of all that beauty. I would like to be able to clip it on my belt, my arm, my leg, or wear it on my head. And easy to operate as I am not tech talented. I’d appreciate your suggestions! Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming 🪼🐚🌊🦀🐳🐋🌎🐟🦑🏊🏼‍♀️🏊💙

I am trying to a non-inflatable tow float option.

I like to rely on my buoy/tow float as a floatation aid when I want to take a break.

I am looking for recommendations for a tow float that is non-inflatable/not prone to losing buoyancy.

So far, I have considered:

1. A cylindrical boat fender
2. Lifeguard rescue “can” - 27”

Context: My buoy got bit by a dog today when I was getting out of the water. This made me consider how fragile/susceptible my buoy is to failure out on the water via a puncture. I recognize that there is practically no way to have my inflatable buoy get a puncture when out on the water. However, I recognize that eliminating this possibility would be good for my peace of mind. Hoping others have considered this/have recommendations too

https://preview.redd.it/l17uq2cquk2e1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e904446f13dc28b9897a4aaa909b0da3283fb4a7

Hi guys! I have a lil problem for when I try to buy a wetsuit: because of my height I got to buy really high sizes like 3XL or 4XL but I am too skinny to fit in them properly. How should I choose? Thanks 🙏

Hey everyone!

If you’re looking to take your swimming to the next level or prepare for a triathlon swim leg, I’ve put together a 6-week swim training plan designed specifically for beginner swimmers. Whether you’re new to structured training or just want to improve your skills in the water, this plan has you covered!

What’s Included:

•	7 Session Types: Aerobic base, distance, drill/kick, freshen up, recovery, sharpen up, and speed sessions.
•	Total Volume: 17 miles covered over 10.5 hours.
•	Goals: Build endurance, improve stroke efficiency, increase speed, and boost confidence in the water.

This plan is perfect if: • You’re a beginner swimmer comfortable with basic strokes. • You want to get fitter and faster in the pool. • You’re training for your first triathlon or recreational swim race. No prior competitive experience is required—just a willingness to put in the work!

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Message me for more information

Hey guys, do you know any ows groups in Okinawa? I’m here until next Tuesday and would love to have company for a safe swimming session. At home I swim 3km every morning on the sea, but I don’t feel safe to swim by myself when I don’t know the place.

Hi All! I'm an AG triathlete sponsored by Zone3 this year. When I say "sponsored," they just lend me gear for my A-race. But I have a 20% off code that's valid site-wide, including on-sale items!

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Happy training and racing, everyone!

My wife is big into a cold water swim before heading to work. I'd like to get her a watch for Christmas that keeps track of time and the water temperature. I've been considering the OMER MISTRAL - which is designed for freedivers. Not sure how well it will work with surface swimming. Any suggestions? (Ideally not a smartwatch, as she won't appreciate work-related notifications pinging while she's in the water).

Hey! I am going to Hope Valley in the peak district soon and wanted to know if anyone knows any good open water swimming areas around there, I have done some research but the only avaliable places are at least a half an hour drive away.

Any info/help greatly appreciated!

Hi, I'm buying a wetsuit and have some left shoulder issues that worsens when adding pressure to the trapezius muscle. While researching I found that mobility is better with front zippers but while looking at open water wetsuits -a sport with a lot of shoulder movement- most of them are back zippers. Meanwhile in surf, surfers recommend front zip for arm mobility rather than back zip which I find confusing.

I have a swimmer background and whenever I used to train I would remove the shoulder strap to give some relief to the shoulder, so my intuition says that front zips will apply more pressure to shoulder area than back zips because it lays on top of both trapezius muscles. Or is it back zipped because is typically used during a triathlon for easy removal?

Has any open water swimmer tried both to know which one gives less work to the shoulder?

Hey. I have been swimming for fitness for two years. Recently decided to try open water swim because I live basically on a beach right now. I signed up for oceanman in 2 weeks, for 2km distance. Is it enough time to prepare?

Im pretty good at swimming but never done long distances. Usually I swim around 1km in pool per workout. However recently started swimming open water too. I can do 1.5km with some breaks pretty easily.

Im a bit scared because I don’t have company here yet for the event, so looking for an advice

Hi there! Long time swimmer that got hooked on open water this year. As I get into the winter months and the water gets colder, I’m on the hunt for some good shoes to warm my feet up after I get out of the ocean. I am currently using a cheap pair of slippers and some wool socks, but I can already tell the slippers are going to wear out fast. I’d love to hear from all you year-round open water swimmers what works best for you!

My main criteria is:

1. Outside must be water resistant
2. Doesn’t cling onto sand
3. Has to keep the heat in

Hello! I’m a 18 year old male looking at getting into open water swimming. As I begin this part of my swimming journey I have had a few questions.

1. How do I find workouts to do? I will be swimming on my own at my college’s rec center and I’ve gone a couple of times but I struggle to know what to do.
2. Would lifting be a good thing to add to my workouts? If so what specific exercises should i focus on?
3. How do you find races? I know there’s not going to be a lot as it’s cold, but I figured some might require early sign up. DoI just look up “Open Water Swimming in _____” or is there somewhere I can go to see more? Any info specifically about the Chicago area or Wisconsin would help as well.

I’ve been swimming for around 9 years now and swam distance in high school (4:46 500 & 16:27 1650), and after not making my college team I want to try something different. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Can it be done comfortably with a wet or dry suit? I'm considering trying it but know nothing about swimming.

I live in the upper Midwest and only 'swim' (wade) when it's +90F. I'm sensitive to cold water but love wading as long as my feet and core temp are warm.

I never see anyone swim at our beaches below 60F. Do people not do it because it's still pretty cold even in a suit? Or the equipment expenses? Or because the suit is uncomfortable?

I love walking along the water, and fishing. I just ordered hip waders to find out how it feels to step in cold water. I'm considering trying chest waders or a suit if I really enjoy it, but I don't know if this is a stupid idea.

Sorry if this is a dumb question!

When cold wind makes toweling off before dressing unfavorable, what's the easiest clothing to pull on before donning parka?