Making and Breaking Waves

Gulp&Go Open Water Swimming

Blog Post 10

Stephen Clendenin

04/18/11

Making and Breaking Waves

            Breaking waves is like breaking new boundaries. Each stroke you take that breaks you through a wave is like breaking through some new challenge. It’s another step closer to the end goal. You feel your body climb, and then it suddenly dips back down. It is an endless see-saw motion that most people find nauseating, and somewhat scary. You have no control over the waves. But there is something you do have control over: your body.

            When first going out into an open water race, the first and last obstacle you will encounter is the breakers. That’s the point near the shore where the waves are breaking, sending splashes and plumes of white water everywhere, all around your body, creeping into your ears, mouth, and nose. It takes timing and lots of exhaling to keep yourself from choking on water. There are plenty of ways to avoid this. Firstly, there is seeking. Seeking is when the swimmer lifts their head just enough so their eyes are out of the water, watching the approaching waves. If the wave is a good distance away, then in the same motion, the swimmer swivels their head to the side and grabs a quick breath. Seeking is done throughout the swim as a way of looking where you are as well.

            When you are heading into breakers however, the best option is to take a quick dunk under the wave, and let it break overtop of you. So instead of wasting energy and fighting through the wave, you can easily slip through. Some people prefer to power through the waves because swimming above the water takes less time than going under it. But if you are like me, and prefer to not to get water-logged, going under is an easy way to work on breath control.

            Once you get past the breakers, depending on the weather, the waves should be much calmer and easier to get through by simply seeking, and breathing when a wave is not right on top of you.

            When I swim, I don’t focus a lot on strength, powering through the water like an animal. I focus on the feel. I love the feel of the calm sloshing of the waves slipping down my arms, past my side, and back across my legs in a smooth, fluent motion. If I feel sluggish, I know that my technique is off, or I could be tired. That can easily be fixed by changing up the technique and giving the mind something fresh to think about and focus on. But the feel is so important. It has taken me years of hard work and training to get to know my body. That is sometimes the hardest part. You need to be feeling each part of your body work and move along so that everything can slip through the water with ease. Know your body.