How to Swim Laps in the Ocean

Although swimming laps in the ocean is a great deal more strenuous that swimming laps in a calm pool, it's a great way to strengthen your stroke, stay in shape on vacation and enjoy the coastal atmosphere from within. Whether you're swimming laps in the ocean for training or simply enjoying the thrill of pulling yourself through this salty, tumultuous medium, read on to learn about how to heighten the experience.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Swim goggles
• Swim cap (optional)
• Tight bathing suit or racing suit

1. Secure your suit before plunging in the ocean. There is nothing more annoying than setting out for a long swim only to find your regular beach suit dragging or even coming off. Women may want to bring a one-piece suit along to pull over a bikini. Men may opt for trunks that are less baggy than surfing trunks.

2. Secure your goggles. Choose goggles that are less tinted than the ones you may ordinarily use in a well lit pool. A swim cap is a good idea for women with longer hair as the ocean on some days can be somewhat violent.

3. Dive in and spend a few minutes warming up with a smooth freestyle. Once your body is warmed speed up your pace and swim against the tide. Since there are no yards or lengths of the pool by which to measure your workout, count time intervals in your head. Alternate strokes every few minutes that you count.

4. Kick your workout up a notch by practicing an individual medley. Count out a minute or more of each of the four strokes: backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle. Feel how oncoming waves change the nature of the strokes. Butterfly is a particularly tiring stroke in the ocean, but an excellent way to train your body.

5. If you are feeling fatigued, but not quite ready to quit, try swimming with the tide rather than against it. You may also switch to a smooth backstroke which will allow you to breathe easier. Practice underwater breaststroke glides to enjoy the sounds of the ocean floor and eerie yet calming weight of the water.

6. Finish your workout by making your way back to shore with the motion of the waves to help you cool down. Try some easy breaststroke or freestyle, keeping each stroke long and accentuated. You may also finish by flipping over for some reverse breaststroke or just using your feet to flipper while your upper body is lifted by the ocean's natural buoyancy.

Tips & Warnings

• Dry off immediately after your workout and keep your body warm. You may feel warm because of the strenuous strokes but your body will soon cool down and may cramp up if you don't stay under a towel or the sun.
• Hydrate immediately after your workout. The laps, in addition to the saltiness of the ocean, tend to dehydrate you. Plenty of water keeps your outside as well as your inside hydrated. Avoid crackly ocean skin by drinking a few cups of water every hour or so.