Open-Water Sighting Drill

The Open-Water Sighting Drill is a swimming skill drill that trains you to look forward while freestyle swimming so you can stay on course in open water. It builds strength and control in your neck, core, and shoulders while keeping your stroke rhythm intact.

Start in a pool in your normal freestyle swimming position. Begin swimming easy, relaxed freestyle with a steady stroke rate. Keep your head in a neutral position, looking straight down at the lane line or pool bottom, with your body in a long, straight line.

To sight, lift just your eyes to look forward - like a crocodile with only the top of its head above water - then take your next breath to the side. Drop your head back to neutral before your next stroke. Practice sighting every 6 to 10 strokes so it becomes part of your rhythm instead of an interruption.

Keep the lift small and quick. A tiny eye lift is enough to spot a buoy or landmark; raising your whole head slows you down and can strain your neck and lower back. To make it easier, sight less often or practice while kicking with a kickboard. To make it harder, sight more frequently or add a short burst of faster strokes right after each sight.

Fault: Lifting your whole head out of the water instead of just your eyes. Fix: Think "crocodile eyes" and raise only your eyes until you can just see forward; everything else stays underwater.

Fault: Sighting and breathing straight ahead at the same time. Fix: Sight forward first, then roll to your normal side breath; keep these two movements separate.

Fault: Raising your head so much that your hips drop and your lower back arches. Fix: Keep the lift minimal, engage your core, and return your head to neutral right after the sight.

Fault: Slowing down or pausing every time you sight. Fix: Sight every 6 to 10 strokes and make the look forward part of one stroke so your rhythm stays steady.