Our 2025 Summer Open Water Coaching Programme is now live.

Whether you are looking to take your first dip in open water, build your confidence, or sharpen your competitive edge, we have a variety of coaching sessions running right through to October.

Our summer coaching programme includes a range of options designed to support all abilities, from complete beginners to experienced swimmers preparing for events. Sessions are led by our friendly and qualified coaches, helping you to develop your skills in a safe and supportive environment.

Sessions available:

  • Intro To Open Water

  • 1-2-1 Coaching

  • Breaststroke to Front Crawl

  • Front Crawl Technique

  • General Open Water Coaching

  • Open Water Skills Coaching

  • Event Preparation

Explore our sessions in more detail below to find the perfect fit for your goals.
Dates are currently available for May and early June, with more to follow soon.

We are proud to be in collaboration the expert team at Swimming Matters to offer top tier and great value open water coaching tailored to swimmers of all skill levels. All coaches are Swim England/BTF Level 2 qualified in open water and triathlon coaching, equipped to support everyone from first-time open water swimmers to those preparing for major events like the Great North Swim or Ironman.

All sessions are booked online and in advance via the Book Now button 

Intro to Open Water Swimming

New to open water swimming? This friendly session with Coach Lucy is the perfect way to get started. You will learn the essentials of swimming safely and confidently in open water, including how to enter the water, acclimatise, and navigate safely.

No wetsuit? No problem! We include wetsuit hire free of charge for the intro session. Coach Lucy will help you get the right fit before starting. Wetsuits are optional.

Who Should Attend? Perfect for open water swimmers wanting to extend their season, those curious about cold water swimming, or anyone preparing for winter events. If you can swim 200m comfortably, this session is for you!

What You Will Learn

  • Cold Water Response: Understand how your body reacts to cold water and how to manage it safely
  • Safe Acclimatisation: Learn proper techniques for entering and adapting to cold water
  • Essential Safety: Key safety principles and what kit you need
  • Practical Experience: Get in the water and practice what you’ve learned
  • Aftercare: How to warm up properly and look after yourself post-swim

Session Format The 45-minute session includes wetsuit fitting, safety briefing, and guided water time. If you’re feeling good, you’re welcome to continue swimming until the session ends at 11:30.

When 

  • Every Sunday 10:45 – 11:30
  • Every Tuesday 19:15 from 14th May

Before booking, please ensure you have read/are aware of all session information and safety rules & advice:

Swim Rules & Safety Advice

Swim Coaching Information

Open Water Session and Centre Information

Bespoke 1-1 or 2-1 Open Water Coaching

Overview
Customise your training with our Bespoke 1-1 or 2-1 Open Water Coaching sessions. Each 30-minute session is crafted to address your specific open water swimming goals, whether you’re aiming to enhance your technique, build your confidence, or prepare for a competitive event. Our expert coach will provide personalised guidance to ensure that you make the most out of every swim.

  • Personalised Technique Improvement: Focus on your technique with personalized feedback aimed at enhancing your stroke efficiency and open water skills.
  • Goal-Oriented Training: Sessions are tailored to your specific objectives, whether it’s improving endurance, mastering specific skills like sighting and turning, or preparing for open water events.
  • Cold-Water Adaptation: Learn strategies to handle cold water conditions, helping you swim safely and effectively all year round.

Session Details

  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Instructor: Coach Lucy (Swimming Matters)
  • Location: Salford Watersports Centre
  • Cost: £30 per session, same price for either one or two participants.

When:

  • Every Sunday  at09:15 – 09:45  &  11:30 – 12:00
  • Tuesdays 18:00 – 18:30 from 14th May

Special Offer

  • Bring a friend for free! It’s the same price for two people, so share the experience and achieve your goals together.

Who Should Attend? These sessions are ideal for any swimmer looking to receive focused, individualised coaching in open water. Perfect for beginners seeking extra support or advanced swimmers focusing on specific goals.

Limited spaces available

Click the book now button to check availability and to book

Prepare for your next open water event with our focused 45-minute Open Water Event Prep session. Whether you’re a triathlete, a charity swim participant, or aiming to tackle your first open water race, this session is designed to boost your performance and strategy. With quality coaching tailored to event-specific skills, you’ll leave more confident and ready to take on any challenge.

What You Will Learn

  1. Event Strategies: Gain insights into effective strategies for open water racing, including pacing and positioning.
  2. Preparation Tips: Learn how to prepare for a swim event or a casual swim in open water, including nutrition and mental preparation.
  3. Swimming Techniques: Enhance your skills in key areas such as sighting, turning, and drafting, crucial for efficient swimming in open waters.
  4. Wetsuit and Skins Swimming: Receive tips on choosing the right gear for different conditions and mastering the use of wetsuits and skins for better performance.

Who Should Attend? This session is perfect for swimmers of all levels* who are targeting open water events, including triathlons and charity swims. Whether you are looking to improve your time, increase your comfort in the water, or just sharpen your race tactics, our Open Water Event Prep will provide the guidance and techniques you need.

When:

  • Tuesday 1st July 18:30 – 19:15
  • Sunday 6th June 09:45 – 10:30

Session Details

  • Duration: 45 minutes
  • Instructor: Coach Lucy (Swimming Matters)
  • Location: Salford Watersports Centre
  • Cost: £12 per session

Develop your front crawl and open water skills with our Open Water Skills Workshop. This 45-minute session is designed to refine your front crawl technique and enhance your overall open water skills. Whether you’re preparing for a race or simply aiming to improve your swimming efficiency, this workshop is tailored to help you swim smarter and faster.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Stroke Techniques: Explore the mechanics of the front crawl, focusing on aspects like arm placement, breathing, and efficient kicking.
  • Open Water Techniques: Master key open water skills including sighting, which helps you navigate and maintain a straight course; turning, to efficiently change direction around buoys; and drafting
  • Efficiency and Speed: Learn how to combine your stroke techniques with open water skills to increase your swimming efficiency and speed.

Who Should Attend? This workshop is perfect for swimmers who are familiar with open water but want to improve their front crawl and open water skills.

When:

  • Tuesday 15th July 18:30 – 19:15
  • Sunday 20th July 09:45 – 10:30

Session Details

  • Duration: 45 minutes
  • Instructor: Coach Lucy (Swimming Matters)
  • Location: Salford Watersports Centre
  • Cost: £12 per session

Transition smoothly from breaststroke to front crawl with our Breaststroke to Front Crawl Workshop. This 45-minute session is specially designed for swimmers who mainly swim breaststroke or basic front crawl and are looking to learn or improve their front crawl.

Whether you’re aiming for more speed in the water or seeking a new challenge, this workshop will provide the guidance and techniques you need to make the switch effectively.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Technique Transition: Understand the key differences between breaststroke and front crawl and how to adapt your swimming style accordingly.
  • Front Crawl Fundamentals: Learn the basics of front crawl, including proper arm strokes, leg kicks, breathing techniques, and body positioning.
  • Efficiency and Speed: Learn how to swim front crawl more efficiently to conserve energy and increase speed.
  • Personalised Feedback: Receive tailored advice and corrections to refine your technique and build confidence.

Who Should Attend? This workshop is ideal for swimmers who are comfortable with breaststroke but want to enhance their swimming repertoire with front crawl. It is perfect for those looking to improve their speed, participate in triathlons, or simply enjoy a new swimming style.

When:

  • Sunday 22nd June 09:45 – 10:30
  • Tuesday 24th June 18:30 – 19:15
  • Tuesday 22nd July 18:30 – 19:15

Session Details

  • Duration: 45 minutes
  • Instructor: Coach Lucy (Swimming Matters)
  • Location: Salford Watersports Centre
  • Cost: £12 per session

This 45 minute workshop is for swimmers who can already swim at least 200m front crawl in open water and want to improve their technique. During the sessions we will cover front crawl technique (e.g. breathing, stroke mechanics, adaptations for open water).

It might be that you’d like to increase your, efficiency, speed, enjoyment, or relaxation when you swim front crawl.

What You Will Learn

Technique – Work on aspects on your technique e.g. catch and pull through, kick, breathing, and timing of your stroke

Efficiency and Speed: Learn how to swim front crawl more efficiently to conserve energy and increase speed.

Personalised Feedback: Receive tailored advice and corrections to refine your technique.

Session Details

    • Duration: 45 minutes
    • Instructor: Certified Open water coach and L2 swimming teacher and coach
    • Location: Salford Watersports Centre
    • Cost: £12 per person

When:

  • Sunday 15th June 09:45 – 10:30
  • Tuesday 8th July 18:30 – 19:15
  • Sunday 15th June 09:45 – 10:30

Prerequisites

    • Participants should be experienced in open water swimming and comfortable swimming at least 200 meters front crawl out of their depth

Who Should Attend? This workshop is perfect for swimmers who are familiar with open water but want to develop their front crawl technique

This 45 minute workshop is for experienced open water swimmers (front crawl or breaststroke) who want to improve their open water swimming. This may include technique stroke improvements such as front crawl breathing or breaststroke legs. Or it may include developing open water skills such as sighting. Plus, there will be a chance to ask our expert coach questions.

 

What You Will Learn

This is a group coached session and your coach will tailor it to the needs of the swimmers within the session. This may include:

Technique: Fine tuning aspects of your swimming technique e.g. breathing, arms, legs – or open water skills such as sighting and turning

Efficiency and Speed: Learn how to swim more efficiently to conserve energy and increase speed.

Personalised Feedback: Receive individual advice to support you with your swimming aims

Session Details: 

  • Duration: 45 minutes
  • Instructor: Certified Open water coach and L2 swimming teacher and coach
  • Location: Salford Watersports Centre
  • Cost: £12 per person

Prerequisites

Participants should be experienced in open water swimming and comfortable swimming at least 200 metres out of their depth

When:

  • TBC

Who Should Attend? This workshop is perfect for swimmers who are familiar with open water but want to improve their open water swimming technique