River swimming for beginners: how to swim in rivers

There are a few things you need to consider before going river swimming – your swim goals, your swimming ability and experience of open-water swimming.

Ask yourself, is the choice to swim in a river based on access, preference for open water or to prepare specifically for a river swim event?

The risks of river swimming

River swimming can be idyllic, however, especially in the winter months, it presents significant risks to the inexperienced swimmer.

As an open-water swim specialist, I’d still recommend the pool as the best environment for working on specific stroke technique drills and winter conditioning.

• 15 key front crawl swim drills to improve your technique

Why lakes are safer than rivers for swimming

If you’re looking to develop open-water skills then a managed lake would be safer than rivers. However, if you’re looking for more challenging swims or to prepare for a river swim event then river swimming offers unique specificity.

Key guidelines to keep you safe when river swimming

If you are venturing into rivers to swim, then these are key guidelines to keep you safe:

1. Know the body of water. Water source, risk of pollution/contaminants, flow rates and under currents, safe entry/exits points, potential under water hazards. Local knowledge is invaluable here.
2. Dynamically risk assess the conditions, i.e. the water temp, flow and depth, air temp/wind chill, potential weather changes, potential debris or pollution in the water. Definitely avoid river swimming for 3-5days after a storm and when a river is in spate (a largely rain-fed, fast-flowing river).
3. Never swim alone in rivers, and always have shore support, they are your call for help.
4. Always swim upstream from safe entry/exit points or be very clear on where the next safe exit points are if swimming downstream.
5. Understand your tolerance of cold water, swim within your capabilities and be prepared for your post-swim recovery if swimming in the winter. If you have a long walk back after your swim be prepared for ‘after drop’ and the risk of post-swim hypothermia. Have an ICE plan.
6. If the conditions aren’t safe then you should walk away and accept that ‘today is a non-swimming’ day.

For more information on safe cold-water swimming you can find some useful videos here.

• From sea swims to rivers and lakes: Conquer any open-water challenge
• Sea swimming for beginners: how to swim in the sea
• Open water fears: overcome lake swim panic attacks
• Cold-water swimming: How to acclimatise for an extreme triathlon or late-season swimming

Richard Smith Performance coach

About

An MSc sports science and coaching post graduate, Richard has over 20 years experience of working and coaching in elite sports programmes, including 10 years heading up England Cricket's sports science and medicine programme and as a conditioning coach, sports scientist and sport and remedial massage therapist. Richard's involvement in triathlon and open-water swimming started as part of a development project over 20 years ago, as the first sighted guide to paralympic/paratriathlon athlete Tim Reddish. Since then he's raced around the world over all distances up to Ironman, and coached/tutored on numerous training camps, coaching workshops and seminars. Based in the South West region for the past 5 years, Richard has helped to establish and coach with two triathlon clubs (Trowbridge Hot Chilli Tri & Frome Tri Club) local to training lake, Vobster Quay. He's also established and event directed a series of high quality open-water swimming and triathlon events at Vobster Quay. Richard coaches across all three disciplines of triathlon (swim, bike and run), and all aspects of open-water swimming from safe introduction to the open-water swimming environment through to advanced training plans, event preparation and 'race craft/strategy'. As a sports scientist, conditioning coach and sports therapist Richard can also offer an 'holistic' package of advice, coaching and support at all levels.