Pool Open Water (“POW“) is open water swimming in a pool. POW combines the joys, challenges and excitement of traditional open water swimming in oceans, lakes and bays with the convenience of a swimming pool.

POW can be thought of like short-track open water swimming in a 25-yard or 50-meter pool.


POW is extremely helpful for triathletes, multi-sport athletes or swimmers who wish to perform well or improve in open water swimming, especially if they do not have access to an open body of water or the weather or water conditions are not conducive to open water training.

It is also great introduction to young athletes to the joys, excitement and challenges of open water swimming.

During a POW workout, some or all of the lane lines are removed and either 2 or 4 turn buoys are set near the corners or ends of the pool. If only 2-3 lanes are available, then 2 turn buoys can be set.

In POW workouts, athletes learn and practice drafting, positioning and buoy turns that are critical open water swimming skills.

Swimmers do paceline sets where they alternate drafting behind others and sprinting in the lead position, practice left-shoulder turns and right-shoulder turns and get accustomed to the brunt physicality of competitive open water swims or the triathlon swim legs – in the pool.

An outstanding video of what POW workouts and races look like can be seen here on Aqualoja, one of the leading proponents of POW in Europe.

Creative, aerobically-challenging, contact-oriented POW workouts are an essential part of any experienced open water coach’s regimen – and an exciting and challenging training methodology for seriously minded open water athletes.

For more information on POW workouts, visit here.




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