One stroke at a time. Be SMART about it.

Open water swimming is just like any other skill – it takes practice. Elite open water swimming stars didn’t start with a 10K; they started with the first stroke.

Take the time to set some goals for your open water swimming. Set goals with the acronym SMART to guide you: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.

If this is going to be your year to do a 10K, be ‘S’pecific regarding the number of days of week you’ll be training, the distance and progression throughout your training cycle.

Next ‘M’easure your progress with a training log or calendar – you may be surprised to see how motivating this simple act can be.

You also need to be realistic in reaching your goals; goals should be something YOU can ‘A’ttain. It is not a good idea to set a goal of doing a 10K in the next couple of weeks, especially if you haven’t been training regularly.

When it comes to make a goal ‘R’elevant, you have to look inside and make sure the goal is something that is important to you – intrinsic goals will keep you going along the path of attainment.

Finally, set a realistic ‘T’ime limit for yourself. Don’t just say my goal is to swim a 10K someday. Pick the day and plan backward – what must you do the day before, the weeks before, the months before your event?

Open water swimming offers so many opportunities to challenge yourself and realize your true potential. Always swim with safety in mind – prepare yourself, know the conditions and your limits and set your goals.

Be SMART about it…and see you in the water and onshore.

Photo by Ivan Torres in Cancun, Mexico.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source