Open water skill focus: Sighting

• Posted onjofrancis
• in Swimming, Website Articles
• onApril 25, 2017
• No Comments.

Sighting is the term used to describe the lifting of the eyes out of the water so that you look forward above the water and navigate a course.

A swimmer could:

1. lift the head so that the eyes are out of the water on the stroke before a breath and then roll the head to breathe. Then return the head and eyes back into the water.
2. roll the head to breathe, then on the next stroke lift the head so that the eyes are out of the water (some pressure can be placed on the extended arm to assist this). Then return the head and eyes back into the water.
3. if the water is flat enough, a swimmer could just lift the eyes are out of the water on any non-breathing stroke.

You will find the way that works best for you but you need to ensure that:

1. no matter how you are sighting only your eyes need to be out of the water – you generally do not have to lift your whole head
2. your stroke should not become shortened as you sight and the effectiveness of your stroke should not change
3. you don’t just go through the process because you have been told to. Decide exactly what you are looking for and if you do not see what you want to see then look again at the next stroke!