Open water swimming is an exhilarating and enjoyable experience. Being in the water, especially colder water has great linkages to boosting mood and encouraging management of anxiety through controlled stress exposure. Each year thousands of people safely experience open water swimming, either as a total newbie or returning swimmer. However, open water offers different challenges to being in the pool- largely linked to deep, cold water and limited visibility. In winter and spring these challenges are exacerbated by the colder temperatures which put more stress on your body than swimming at other times in the year. Whilst numerically speaking the water temperatures that persist annually across the UK mean we still feel the chill even in summer- in winter the temperatures both in and out of the water are much colder. Whether you’re a seasoned open water swimming (OWS), a novice or a complete newcomer here are some of my top tips to make your open water spring swim experience run smoothly. … More Top tips for Cold Water Swimming