Millions of swimmers around the world have been out of the water for months due to COVID-19 restrictions, and the MySwimPro team is no exception. After more than 12 weeks out of the pool, MySwimPro’s co-founders Fares Ksebati, Michael Allon and Adam Oxner met up at Lake St. Clair in Michigan for their first open water swim since quarantine began. To say they’re excited is an understatement!
Follow along as they ease back into their swimming routine!
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Taking it Easy
Since they haven’t swam in a while, Mike, Adam and Fares wanted to focus on technique during this workout, specifically:
- High elbow catch
- Fingertips-first hand entry
- Early vertical forearm with a strong pull
They were also mindful about doing too much too quickly. It can be exciting to finally get back in the water, but doing a tough workout right away can cause injuries.
Related: How I Got Back Into Swimming Shape After Lockdown
Staying Warm & Safe
The water in Lake St. Clair is about 62º Fahrenheit, or 16º Celsius, so they suited up in full-body wetsuits to stay warm.
They also wore bright colored swim caps and used floatation buoys to increase visibility to other swimmers and boats — and to carry snacks!
Related: How to Safely Swim in Cold Open Water
The Workout
After putting on their wetsuits, they ran through some dynamic warm up stretches, including arm circles and arm swings, to prime their bodies for the chilly water.
The guys took it easy for this first swim, and decided to go about 2,000 meters, using their Apple Watches to track distance, heart rate and average pace. They didn’t push themselves too hard and took breaks as needed. It’s important to listen to your body during your first few workouts after lockdown!
Related: The Best Way to Track Open Water Swims with the Apple Watch
This workout left Mike, Adam and Fares feeling tired, but happy to be back in the water! An easy swim is the first step to getting their feel for the water back, which could take up to a month.
Have you been able to get back in the water yet? Share in the comments! If you’re ready to start structured swim training, download the MySwimPro app! Get a free 30-day trial of ELITE COACH to unlock all of our swimming and dryland training resources and plans.
4 Comments
You are in Lake St. Clair?! I open water swim in Anchor Bay. I live in New Baltimore, Michigan. 😊 Where exactly were you guys swimming?
Laura Banks
Awesome! This was filmed at Grosse Pointe Farms Pier Park.
Mahalo
Very much for the tips. Good
Point on going to hard first time back in. Feels
Amazing to be back in the water. Would like a safety buoy so will search that out. Great to watch. Aloha. Laura Lee
Blears
Check out the MySwimPro Amazon store for some open water buoy options! https://www.amazon.com/shop/myswimpro