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WARDY WISDOM 28.2.25

Open Water Swim Drills You Can Do in the Pool

For most of us, open water swimming season is still a few weeks away—unless, of course, you’re one of the hardy few who swim year-round (if that’s you, well done, you’re more robust than me!). The timing of your first open water session depends on the weather, which can be unpredictable in early spring.

That said, there’s plenty you can do in the pool to prepare for open water swimming.

Even the most experienced swimmers can feel a bit anxious when they hit open water. One of the best ways to combat this is to familiarise yourself with the different challenges you might face on race day—like swimming at race pace, dealing with a crowded start, drafting off a faster swimmer, deep-water starts, sighting, and even breathing on your weaker side when conditions get choppy.

The good news? You don’t need to be in open water to practice these skills! Here are some ways to integrate them into your pool training.

Race-Pace Training

If you haven’t already, start incorporating race-pace efforts into at least one session per week. The intensity of these efforts will depend on your race distance, but here’s a rough guide:

• Sprint distance = CSS or VO2 max pace (3–4s/100m faster than CSS)
• Standard distance & 70.3/Half-Distance = CSS pace
• Ironman = CSS pace + 5–10s/100m
  ​(e.g., if CSS pace is 1:45/100m, aim for 1:50–1:55/100m)

While 100m intervals are are fine for Vo2 max efforts for CSS pace I recommend going longer—300m to 400m reps will help you dial in your pacing. The goal is to develop an instinct for your target pace without constantly checking your watch or the pace clock—because you won’t have that luxury in open water.

I also find that breathing patterns help regulate pace. For Ironman swims, I was able to breathe bilaterally (every three strokes), whereas in sprint or standard-distance races, I’d switch to breathing every two strokes.

Example CSS Set (Standard or 70.3 Distance)

Key Open Water Drills to Practise in the Pool

1️⃣ Sighting Drill 👀

🔹 Look forward every 3–5 strokes without disrupting your stroke.
🔹 Keep your head low to minimise drag.
🔹 Practice spotting a target (e.g., a cone or marker at the end of the lane).

2️⃣ Swimming in a Pack 👥

🔹 Swim side by side with 2–3 others in the same lane.
🔹 Get comfortable with slight contact (arms/legs brushing) to simulate race conditions.
🔹 Stay relaxed and focus on maintaining your breathing rhythm.

3️⃣ Drafting Drill 🏊‍♂️💨

🔹 Swim just behind or slightly to the side of a faster swimmer.
🔹 Feel for the reduced effort—you should notice a slight pull from their wake.
🔹 Switch positions and practice leading versus drafting.

4️⃣ No-Wall Turns 🚫🏁

🔹 Swim continuous lengths without pushing off the wall.
🔹 Tumble or stop mid-pool to mimic open-water swimming.
🔹 Helps build endurance and adaptability.

5️⃣ Breathing on Both Sides 🔄

🔹 Practise bilateral breathing (every 3, 5, or 7 strokes).
🔹 Improves balance and prepares you for unpredictable conditions like waves, wind, or sun glare.

6️⃣ Head-Up Sprint Starts 🚀

🔹 Start with head-up fast swimming for the first 10–15 metres.
🔹 Simulates race starts where you need to find clear water quickly.
🔹 Return to normal stroke while maintaining a strong pace.

If you add these drills to your regular swim sessions over the next few weeks, you’ll be well-prepared when it’s finally time to zip up that wetsuit and dive into open water!

Want some sample swim sessions? Reply to this article and I'll send them over.

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I really appreciate you being part of my tribe and I look forward to helping you achieve better health and better performance. Simon

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Please check out these podcasts and articles

PODCAST: 7 steps to swimming faster Back by popular demand! Beth returns to the podcast following the amazing feedback from her previous episode. This time, we dig deeper into the challenges she faces in the pool and explore solutions that resonate with many triathletes. In this episode we break down the 7 steps, including: Why having a swim coach is critical to your progress Make sure you practice drills that will help your specific technique issues When more than 3 drills is TOO many The surprising role daily mobility plays in improving swim performance How mastering simple, tailored drills can make a significant difference Listen now

​ ​ ​ ​ ARTICLE: You'll go faster if you relax more Here's an interesting reflection from my swim this morning. The main set was 10 x 200 starting every 3m30s. The intention for each 200m effort was to swim it as a negative split, easier on the first 100m and then a touch faster in the second 100m. The immediate thought is that it would be easier to speed up after a relatively easy 100, but in fact the opposite happened. As I tried to swim easy, my pace got better making it even harder to swim the final 100m at a faster pace. In fact, I was a couple of seconds slower despite trying harder. ​ Discover 9 more tips (3 min read)