wild swimming workouts

Dipping into open water workouts is like unlocking a secret weapon for your fitness. Regardless if you’re gliding through a lake, battling ocean waves, or slicing down a river, a swimming workout in nature’s pools beats the gym any day. Wild swimming isn’t just about splashing around in rivers, it’s a full-body challenge that builds strength, stamina, and spirit. Curious how wild swimming workouts can level up your swim, strength your body and mind? Let’s dive into the perks, prep tips, and six killer sessions to get your heart rate pumping and calories burned.

Why Open Water Workouts Rock

Open water’s a game-changer for swim training. Its buoyancy lifts your body, cutting joint stress while letting you push harder than on land with different intensities. The resistance? It’s everywhere, every stroke fights the current, sculpting muscles without weights. Open water workouts crank this up a notch, trading pool predictability for nature’s wild card, waves, wind, and chill. You’ll boost heart health, flexibility, and grit, all while soaking in the outdoors. Perfect for triathletes, beginners and advanced swimmers, or just anyone craving a great workout.

The Power of Water

Buoyancy is your buddy, supporting up to 90% of your bodyweight in chest-deep water. That means less strain on knees or hips, ideal if you’re recovering from a tweak or want low intensity moves for major muscle groups. Resistance hits from all angles, so every flutter kick and pull tones your legs and upper body. Cold water even sparks your metabolism, burning more calories for weight loss. Water workouts tap this natural gym, making every swim a total fitness win.

Essential Gear and Preparation Tips for Open Water Workouts

Before diving into open water workouts, it’s crucial to prepare effectively. Here’s a clear guide to the gear you need and some preparation tips:

• Footwear: Invest in water shoes to ensure a firm grip on slippery rocks or muddy shores, protecting your feet from sharp objects.
• Water Depth: Aim for waist-to-chest deep water as your starting point for most open water drills. If uncertain, consult a professional for guidance.
• Water Temperature: Cooler water temperatures (15-20°C) help combat fatigue, while warmer water (25°C+) can ease joint stiffness.
• Floatation Aids: Use a pull buoy or noodle to maintain stability in deeper areas, allowing you to concentrate on your swimming technique.
• Resistance Equipment: Incorporate swim paddles or a kickboard to increase resistance and work various muscle groups more intensely.
• Hydration: Even while swimming, your body loses fluids. Ensure you hydrate well before and after your workout to maintain energy levels.
• Post-Swim Comfort: After your swim, stay warm and dry quickly with Wild Robes’ changing robes.

Always prioritise safety by swimming with a buddy or near lifeguards. Know your limits and avoid pushing through pain, whether you’re an experienced swimmer or a beginner.

Six Open Water Workouts to Crush It

Ready to swim stronger? These open water workouts mix fun, fitness, and skill, tailored for wild swimmers. No pool walls, just you and the elements.

Workout 1: Shore Sprints

• Warm Up: 5-10 min easy swim, mimic your race-day start with freestyle.
• Main Set: 8x (30 sec sprint to shore, exit, jog back, 1 min rest). Start ankle-deep, dive in at knee depth, sprint 20 strokes out, turn, sprint back, run out. Alternate directions.
• Cool Down: 5 min easy swim, focus on smooth strokes and swimming style.
  Builds race-ready entries and exits, plus cardio kick for your body.

Workout 2: Pace Builder

• Warm Up: 5 min easy swim, steady breathing with freestyle stroke.
• Prep: 4x (20 strokes hard, 20 easy).
• Main Set: 3x (6 min at 80% effort, 1 min easy, 1 min rest). Push steady, think race pace for distance.
• Cool Down: 5-10 min gentle swim, relax into it with a strong core.
  Hones endurance for longer swims, keeps you consistent.

Workout 3: Wave Fartlek

• Warm Up: 5-10 min easy swim, feel the water’s flow with different strokes.
• Prep: 5x (25 strokes fast, 25 easy).
• Main Set: 2x (10 min fartlek, 1 min rest). Alternate 1 min hard (85% effort), 1 min easy, ride the waves’ rhythm with maximum effort bursts.
• Cool Down: 5 min slow swim, smooth out your stroke.
  Sharpens speed shifts, mimics open water chaos for advanced swimmers.

Workout 4: Distance Dash

• Warm Up: 5-10 min easy swim, find your groove with freestyle.
• Prep: 4x (30 strokes hard, 30 easy).
• Main Set: 3x (800m at 80-85% effort, 1 min rest). Hold race pace, lungs burning by the end for using up more calories.
• Cool Down: 5-10 min easy swim, focus on form and swimming style.
  Preps you for race distance, builds mental toughness.

Workout 5: Endurance Haul

• Warm Up: 5-10 min easy swim, steady and loose with a pull buoy if you like.
• Main Set: 1x 40 min swim, max distance. Aim for an even pace or finish faster, empty the tank in the last 5 min with all out efforts.
• Cool Down: 5-10 min gentle swim, wind down smooth for muscle groups.
  Tests stamina, perfect for long-haul swimmers chasing fitness.

Workout 6: Sprint Surge

1. Warm Up: 5-10 min easy swim, wake up your arms with freestyle stroke.
2. Prep: 5x (20 strokes hard, 20 easy).
3. Main Set: 6x (400m, 30 sec rest). First at 90% effort (race start vibe), next four at 85%, last at 95% with big kicks for legs.

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Cool Down: 5-10 min easy swim, refine your stroke with palms facing down.
Boosts raw speed, nails that finishing kick for a great workout.

Mastering Swimming Technique for Better Workouts

Nailing your swimming style is the secret sauce to killer open swimming workouts. It’s not just about splashing through the freestyle stroke, it’s refining how you move to hit bigger muscle groups like your upper body, back and legs. A solid core keeps you steady against waves, while a crisp flutter kick powers you forward. Intermediate and advanced swimmers can lean on tools like paddles or a water buoy to tweak their stroke, focusing on form over flailing. A swim coach or personal trainer might tell you to keep palms facing down for max pull, boosting distance and calories burned. Practice in small chunks, say 20 strokes at a time, and you’ll turn every swim into a nice workout that hones skill and strength.

Resistance Training Meets High Intensity in the Wild

​Open water swimming workouts double as resistance training, no gym membership required! Water’s pushback hits your muscles harder than air, making every stroke a mini battle. Crank up the heat with high intensity interval training, think short bursts of maximum effort followed by a few seconds rest. Try 30 seconds of all-out efforts with a freestyle sprint, then 30 seconds low intensity to catch your breath. This fires up your heart rate, burns more calories, and builds a solid base for weight loss or race pace goals. Experienced swimmers can add paddles for extra drag if they want to take it up a notch, targeting upper body and muscle groups like lats and shoulders. It’s a natural, high-knees-level challenge that leaves you buzzing.

Tailoring Workouts for Advanced Swimmers

For advanced swimmers, open water workouts are a playground to push limits. You’re past the basics, so it’s time to mix different strokes, like backstroke or breaststroke, into your swim training. Aim for steady  progress by splitting sessions into different intensities, maybe 10 minutes at race pace, then 5 minutes easy to reset. Rest periods matter, keep them tight (30-60 seconds) to mimic race-day grit. We suggest stacking these with a warm up and cool down to protect your body and boost fitness. The payoff? You’ll burn calories, sculpt a lean frame, and own the water like never before, all while loving the wild swim vibe.

​Conclusion

Open water workouts turn wild swimming into a powerhouse routine. From shore sprints to endurance hauls, these swimming workouts build strength, speed, and style, all fuelled by nature’s playground. Prep right, swim smart with swim paddles to build a super a strong core, and watch your fitness soar. Wild Robes has your back with wild swimming changing robes to warm up post-plunge, so you’re ready for the next dip. Want more? Peek at our blog to find out what you should eat after swimming or drop a comment on how these workouts hit for you!