Open-Water Skills for Pool Swimmers

Being a good pool swimmer is a great start, but open water asks more of you: cold, waves, currents, no wall to grab and water you can't see through. Before you swim far from shore, make sure you can do the five water competency skills in natural water, swim with a buddy, and build distance slowly inside a designated swimming area.

This guide is for confident pool swimmers, teens and adults, who want to swim in lakes and the ocean. It isn't a training plan for races. It's about the skills and judgment that keep you safe.

56%

Why pool skill doesn't transfer automatically

In a pool, the water is warm, clear and still, the wall is never far, and the floor is always there. Natural water takes those away one by one.

• The National Weather Service (NWS) says swimming in a pool is NOT the same as swimming at a surf beach with crashing waves, winds and dangerous currents (opens in a new tab).
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says swimming in natural water is different from swimming in a pool, and your swimming ability decreases with age (opens in a new tab).
• The American Red Cross says: be sure you are water competent for natural environments before swimming. This is not your home pool! (opens in a new tab)

Confidence can run ahead of skill. In the 2020 Red Cross survey above, 85% of Americans said they could swim, but only 56% of those self-described swimmers could do all five basic skills (opens in a new tab).

Water competency in natural water

The Red Cross defines water competency as water smarts, swimming skills and helping others (opens in a new tab). Its five core skills are:

1. Enter water that's over your head, then return to the surface. (opens in a new tab)
2. Float or tread water for at least 1 minute. (opens in a new tab)
3. Turn over and turn around in the water. (opens in a new tab)
4. Swim at least 25 yards. (opens in a new tab)
5. Exit the water. (opens in a new tab)

Test yourself in natural water, close to shore and with a lifeguard on duty. Getting out is the one people skip: climbing out onto a muddy bank, a slippery dock or a boat can be much harder than using pool steps. Water Safety USA also notes that finishing beginner lessons doesn't always mean a person is water competent (opens in a new tab).

Check yourself with the tool below, and learn more in water competency: the 5 skills.

Cold, waves and fatigue

Cold. Pools for Olympic competition are kept at 77-82°F (opens in a new tab). The National Center for Cold Water Safety says below 77°F, breathing is adversely affected (opens in a new tab), and that controlling your breathing becomes progressively more difficult as water temperature falls from 70°F to 60°F (opens in a new tab). NWS says cold shock can trigger gasping and rapid breathing in water as warm as 77°F (opens in a new tab). NWS also notes that warm air temperatures may not mean warm water (opens in a new tab), so lakes and the ocean can be much colder than a heated pool, especially early in the season. Learn the basics in cold water shock.

Waves and wind. NWS warns that at a surf beach, crashing waves, winds and dangerous currents (opens in a new tab) make swimming very different from a pool, and changing conditions can quickly use up your energy.

Currents. In the ocean, rip currents can pull even strong swimmers away from shore. NWS advice: relax and float first. If you can, swim out of the current along the shoreline or toward breaking waves, then angle back to the beach (opens in a new tab). Learn more in rip currents.

Fatigue. There's no wall to rest on. Plan distances you can easily swim back, and turn around early.

Swim with a buddy and a plan

U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), the national adult swimming organization, is blunt: never swim alone (opens in a new tab). It adds that a lifeguard cannot be considered a buddy, because their primary duty is to protect all patrons, not just you (opens in a new tab).

Before each swim, USMS suggests you:

• Check water conditions before entering (opens in a new tab), including boat traffic, water quality and missing warning signs.
• Have a plan for emergencies (opens in a new tab): does someone else know where you're going, and will someone watch from shore?
• Watch the weather. If you hear thunder, get to shore immediately (opens in a new tab).

Swim sober. The Red Cross advises: swim sober (opens in a new tab).

Staying oriented and staying calm

Sighting. With no black line on the bottom, you have to look up to steer. USMS advises you to know the buoys or the next point you're aiming for, and sight more often in chop or current (opens in a new tab).

If you panic or tire. It happens to experienced swimmers, too. USMS advice: take slow, deep breaths. If you're in the water when panic strikes, roll over and float on your back until you feel ready (opens in a new tab). Practice floating in calm, shallow water so it feels natural when you need it.

Life jackets aren't only for beginners. CDC says weaker swimmers of all ages can use life jackets in and around natural water (opens in a new tab). If you're still building skills, wearing one while you swim near shore is a smart choice.

Where to practice safely

• A lifeguarded beach or lake, inside the designated swimming area and during lifeguard hours. See choosing a safe place to swim.
• An organized open-water clinic or group swim, where safety boats or kayaks are on the water. USMS notes that at events, safety kayakers or support crew can give you a place to hang on (opens in a new tab).
• Short loops, close to shore, where you can stand up or reach the beach quickly.

If you want to improve your strokes or build confidence first, adult lessons help at any level. See learning to swim as an adult.

What you can do today

• Take the water competency check above, and be honest about the "exit the water" skill.
• Find a lifeguarded beach or lake near you and check its season and hours.
• Ask a friend to be your open-water buddy, and agree on a plan before your first swim.
• Practice floating on your back for a full minute in calm water.
• Look up the water temperature before you go, and start with short swims.

For lake days with family, see lake swimming safety.