Coaching Tip:  Open Water Swimming With Crocodile Eyes

Sighting in an open water environment is almost an art form. It doesn’t come naturally (I don’t think) and requires practice. When I first started in triathlon, I counted strokes until I would sight again. It seemed to throw off my body alignment. Those days are happily over, and now sighting is fluidly incorporated into my swim.

We have a tendency to raise our entire head out of the water and strain our neck in search of that elusive buoy that somehow appears so tiny. Even the yellow, orange, and red bold colors seem to blend into the blue lake or ocean water.

When sighting the buoy or another landmark, such as a building or large tree on shore, lift only your eyes out of the water. This will help keep your body level and in balance. When you pick up your entire head out of the water, your feet automatically start to sink. This causes you to kick more, and your body is thrown out of alignment and wastes energy.

Think “crocodile eyes” and lift just the top of your head out of the water to just below your goggles. This will allow you to see what you need to in order to swim on course and will maintain your proper body alignment.