What this open water skill is
In open water there is no wall to hold. If you get tired, cold or out of breath, you need a way to rest right where you are. Rolling onto your back, face up with arms and legs spread, lets you breathe freely while you get your breath back. A tow float or a wetsuit can add support.
Once rested, you lift your head, find your landmarks and pick out the exit you chose before the swim. Then you swim back to it at an easy pace, with your buddy. It is the last of the open-water skills, and ties the others together.
Why it matters
Always a way to rest.
Knowing you can stop and float takes a lot of fear out of open water.
Calm when tired.
Resting early stops tiredness from turning into panic.
A safe way home.
Finding your planned exit avoids steep, rocky or slippery shore.
Who it is for
Teens, adults and older adults who swim in supervised open water, or are preparing to. It builds on floating on your back and on looking ahead to stay on course. Older swimmers, and anyone who tires quickly, often find it the most reassuring skill of all. For teens, it is an essential part of any open-water plan.
With a supervisor nearby
The goal
When you need a break, you roll onto your back or onto a float and rest calmly. Then you look for your landmarks and swim easily back to the exit you planned.
Why it matters
Resting where you are, then heading back calmly, turns a tiring moment into a safe one. It is the skill that holds the whole open-water plan together.
What happens in lessons
Resting on your back in the pool.
You practise rolling from swimming onto your back and resting there, with your instructor close by.
Resting early.
You practise stopping to rest as soon as breathing gets hard, not when you are exhausted.
Finding your way.
After resting, you lift your head, find a landmark and turn toward your exit.
An easy swim back.
You swim back at a gentle pace, saving the energy you just got back.
Supervised open water.
When you are ready, you practise it close to shore at a supervised venue, with a buddy.
Common questions
- What if I cannot float on my back?
- Many people find floating harder in lakes and rivers than in the sea, because fresh water holds you up less. You practise in the pool first, and a gentle kick helps. A float is always an option.
- Is a tow float a lifejacket?
- No. It helps others see you and can give brief support while you rest, but it is not a life-saving device.
- How do I find the exit after resting?
- Lift your head, look for the landmarks you picked beforehand, and turn to face the exit. If you are not sure, signal your supervisor.
- What if a current is pulling me away from the exit?
- Do not fight it. Float, stay calm and signal for help. At a beach, swimming parallel to the shore can get you out of a rip current, a strong channel of water flowing out to sea. This is why open-water swims are always supervised.
