Swimming Guides - OpenWaterHQ

Get Inspired: Olympic Swimmers Who Started Late

You may think that all Olympic swimmers start their journey to success at a young age, but that's not always ...

Should You Wet Your Goggles Before Swimming

Why Do Swimmers Spit in Their Goggles?

You've probably noticed that some swimmers have an unusual habit of spitting in their goggles before diving into the pool ...

Does Swimming Tone Arms? Get Rid of Flabby Arms

Most swimmers have fantastically lean, muscled, “toned” physiques, and therefore it is natural to assume that was the result of ...

What Age Do Swimmers Peak?

Many athletes in sports like basketball and tennis can continue competing at the highest levels into their thirties, some even ...

Why Do Swimmers Retire Young?

When you think of a traditional retiree, you might picture someone in their sixties or seventies. For retired athletes, that ...

What is the Best Age to Start Competitive Swimming?

Did you know that swimmers tend to retire in their late twenties? Knowing how early swimmers peak and then retire ...

Why Do Swimmers Splash Themselves Before a Race?

You might have noticed that swimmers have some peculiar pre-race rituals, such as splashing themselves before a race, and have ...

Why Do Female Swimmers Have No Breasts?

Excelling at swimming requires intensive training, dedication, and determination. The physical demands of swimming can result in a unique physique, ...

Why Do Swimmers Wear Headphones Before a Race?

Swimmers have a lot of interesting pre-race rituals that you might have noticed; from slapping themselves, splashing water on themselves, ...

Is Open Water Swimming Harder Than in a Pool?

Many people wonder how swimming indoors compares to the outdoors, specifically in the open water such as the ocean, sea, ...

Open water swimming is pretty self-explanatory; it is simply swimming in any outdoor bodies of water including the open ocean, lakes, and even rivers. You can do it casually or competitively, such as in triathlons.

At the highest level, you can compete in prestigious competitions such as the FINA World Aquatics Championships, the FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup, and even at the Olympic Games. It is a discipline acknowledged across the world, as there are official events worldwide.

Wearing a wetsuit is highly recommended due to the risks involved with open water swimming. In competition, wetsuits are either permitted or restricted based on the distance of the swim and the water temperature.

In this section, we have compiled a list of all our guides related to open water swimming.