Marvelling at the majestic underwater realm beneath the waves of Argyll & the isles. One of the most empowering benefits of developing efficient open water front crawl technique is being able to do just this, effortlessly. It puts us on equal terms with the wild and connects us to who we are.
By mastering the practice of aquatic breathing combined with the other building blocks for the most efficient swimming stroke, we can enjoy “blue space” in its purest sense. Getting comfortable with spending more time looking down can transform us into Selkies, half-human half-seal so we can live out the enchanting Gaelic lore and legend of these west coast waters off the wild coast of Argyll.
Immersive blue time while gliding on the surface has a profound psychologically restorative effect. A stillness amidst the total, yet low impact, movement swimming front crawl provides.
This skill is an unparalleled vehicle to connecting with the natural world and anyone can learn it with high quality and safe professional open water swim coaching. Front crawl is also the most efficient and fastest swimming stroke which exercises muscles across the body, ensuring a healthy balance of movement (neck/back pain from head up breast stroke anyone?) and enabling the swimmer to experience the wonders of wild blue space more completely.
Connecting with aquatic environments, especially the sea, has consistently been shown to lead to significantly higher benefits, in stimulating positive mood and reducing negative mood and stress, than even green space does.
The sheltered sea lochs and bays in and around the corrugated coasts of Knapdale in the heart of Argyll offer an ideal natural learning environment to developing skills whilst exploring these unique bio-diverse and enchanting waters. While the technique may look similar, there are some distinct differences between front crawl technique in the pool compared to open water - specific skills like "sighting" and thinking more about the aqua dynamics of movement for a start.
If you’d like to learn or relearn efficient front crawl technique in open water with confidence, why not join me in the pristine waters of the Argyll Hope Spot - a unique marine protected scenic area and first of its kind in the U.K. These waters are special and this means its important that that we enjoy and reap the benefits of this sublime "blue space" with a sustainable and harmonious approach. You can book a bespoke 1:1 session or bespoke small group session for 2-5 people here.
I also offer sessions and experiences in the azure waters off the isle of Gigha and east across Loch Fyne on Cowal. Furthermore, if you're feeling more adventurous I'm working with the fantastic Fyne Sea Tours to offer guided wild swimming tours in hard to reach sheltered bays - putting the wild in wild swimming.
Blue space can be enjoyed and the benefits reaped in a variety of ways. But to truly connect with the stunning blue space of Argyll and the isles, its important to empower ourselves with the skills necessary to do this safely. Looking ahead to spring, summer and beyond I'm looking forward to empowering visitors to achieve their potential as open water swimmers and explore the wild water of Argyll & the Isles!
Argyll. Into the wild. Into the water.
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