Tell us about your swimming background. I swam as a kid but nothing serious and I just loved anything to do with water sports. I started triathlon in about 2003 when I got fed up with getting slower at running and that’s when I started to do some more swimming again. As a triathlete I want to be faster! In the beginning, I was so bad at cycling and running I thought I needed all the help I could get. So that’s what initially prompted me to go for some Total Immersion swimming lessons. I made so much progress in 6 weeks just by focussing on improved movement that it sparked my passion for swimming!   Since then I’ve swum Round Jersey in a 3 person relay and completed 2 English Channel crossings with a 6 person relay team.   I’m still obsessed with triathlon   and have raced at all distances all over the world including 6 Ironmans with the most recent being Barcelona Ironman in 2019. Since the swimming pools are still closed in the post-co-vid restrictions I’m swimm...

In another in our series of open water swimming blogs, Manchester-based Total Immersion coach Sarah Hill uncovers the truth about the reported benefits of a post-swim Coke. More people have discovered the joys of open water swimming this year than ever before, partly because of the amazing sunny weather but mainly because of the fact that lockdown restrictions have meant that we haven't been able to access pools. Despite the variable water quality of our lakes and rivers, most swimmers will suffer no ill-effects but an unfortunate few will succumb to a post-swim upset stomach; a not uncommon problem for outdoor swimmers.  There are a number of strategies you can  use to reduce your chances of getting a bug: Always check as best you can for up to date water quality information - see our previous blog post for great information on how to do this Avoid getting the water in your mouth as much as possible - this sounds obvious but it's not always easy on a choppy day - rinse out y...

I've been learning swimming from Total Immersion Coach Susan Cheshire for a year and a half, had daily yoga practice for the past thirty-one years, taught and lectured yoga for fifteen years, with twelve years of tai chi practice.  For the last five years I have been developing a method to help us learn the fundamental connections which inspire and feed all movement. I could never move very well on land.   Please, indulge me and let me qualify that statement: as a child and all the way into early adulthood I had been pretty uncoordinated; catching objects, hitting balls with bats or racquets and kicking, yes especially kicking a ball was so comical that when it came to PE, when the curriculum dictated football or tennis, I would be sent on a run or to the gym.  Granted they were different times back then, but this is just an example of how, even though I truly love to be active and feel the joy of movement, I couldn't find a place to express the innate joy of being ...

As part of our series of blogs on open water, Total Immersion coach Penny Wilkin gives us the lowdown on how to stay safe as you embark on your next river swimming adventure. By Penny Wilkin and Sarah Hill Since the lockdown has been lifted I’ve made it a point to check out a wider range of open water and wild swimming spots local to me. In fact, I’m on a mission to swim in a different spot each week - which I’ve named “Wild Swim Wednesdays” Along with some friends from local swimming group Swim and Tonic, I’ve ventured to lots of new swimming spots, most of these have been river dips and, as many more people are swimming in rivers I thought it would be useful to share some of the things we do to keep ourselves safe: Get local knowledge before you swim in a new place - from local people, other swimmers, one of the wild swimming books, a Facebook group, Google and OS maps. Consult water quality resources - see our last blog W ater Quality101 for all you need.  Never swim alone and ...

Salka Hintikka is a Total Immersion Coach in Cumbria and a keen open water swimmer. Her background is in environmental engineering. When not coaching or swimming she works for the Environment Agency.   As swimming pools and many open water swimming venues are still closed, many of us keen swimmers have headed out to find new waters to swim in. This can come with a great sense of adventure and discovery, but also uncertainty about the water quality. Here’s a little “back to basics” on water quality and where to find more information in England. For similar information in Wales or Scotland, please see  Natural Resources Wales  and SEPA . Pollution There are many definitions of pollution, but let’s concentrate here on things that can make swimmers ill. Main culprits in the UK generally would be agricultural runoff and sewage. How does it get to the river? Point Source Pollution Point source pollution is from a pipe, drain or other distinct source that discharges in...

By Penny Wilkin and Sarah Hill Many of us are lucky enough to be able to swim in some beautiful open water and whilst we should of course take time to appreciate our surroundings, without a clear focus we can easily become distracted and drift away into a long slow swim that can often become ‘mindless’.  There is certainly a place for this kind of swim and it is a great place to start in the open water as it can help you get used to your wetsuit, acclimatise to a different environment and temperature as well as building endurance. However, for many swimmers, particularly those aiming for triathlon or competitive swimming of some kind you will probably start to look for a little more interest in your swim, and, whilst a long slow no-pressure swim is enjoyable it will not provide the opportunity to practice the physical and technical challenges of   faster race-pace swimming. For competitive swimmers it is crucial to step outside of this easy zone - competitive swimming can be...

By Penny Wilkin and Sarah Hill It looks as though we might be able to get back in the water in the not too distant future but don’t worry – you won’t have forgotten how to swim! If you’re an experienced swimmer, those thousands of repetitions will have forged their way into your nervous system and you may find that your stroke hasn’t deteriorated much at all whereas the less experienced may need to take some time to re-establish their confidence, good stroke habits and re-develop their feel for the water. It’s tempting to rush back in and go all out to make up for lost time once you hit the water but your aim for your first swim should be simply to enjoy yourself! Don’t even think about missed training, cancelled events or lost technique, just remember how fantastic being in the water feels and allow yourself to relax, de-stress, have fun and just swim! Once you’re swimming more regularly it’s important not to put pressure on yourself to ‘get back to where you were’ in terms of d...