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©2018 Open Water Chicago

Open Water ChicagoThe OWC System™ for Mastering

Outdoor Swimming

Part 1: Introduction to the OWC System


First of all – Thank You!• YOU ARE ALREADY A WINNER – you have chosen

cautious approach over avoidance!• I greatly appreciate your commitment • You will learn a lot in this program – and have a

lot of fun doing it!

My promise to you – I will do everything in my power to make you a success in the open water.


About me (Steve)• Open Water Chicago

• Founder (2008)• Meetup Organizer (year-round!)• Trainer/Coach• Red-Cross Certified Lifeguard (4 saves to date!)• Sole Content Producer

• Late Start to Open Water Swimming!• 2004 (age 36 – Chicago Triathlon)• Never had any real swimming experience before!

No matter what level you are right now, you too can learn how to master outdoor swimming!


Why the OWC System?• Triathlon Years – Frustration & Struggle

• Coaches had limited experience with OWS• Much of the “training” was profit-motivated• The instruction was often ineffective – and sometimes

even harmful! • 2008 – Present: Open Water Chicago

• Year-round swimming in Lake Michigan (no pools!)• Constant experimentation in a variety of conditions• Patterns emerged – and the OWC System was born!• My mission share this knowledge with

everyone!

I’ve “cracked the code” to successful outdoor swimming, and now I want you to benefit from this!


What You Will Learn• Foundational Lessons – 60% of this course

• Physical Patterns of Nature• Your Three Brains• The Physical Trifecta™

• Tactical Lessons – 40% of this course• Immersion shock – preparation and management• Anxiety and panic – prevention and management• Managing the Physical – putting it all together• Sighting and drafting – reality-based methods• Currents, waves, chops – overcoming these challenges• Special topics (gear, swim event prep, fitness, etc.)• Emphasis on pre-swim and in-swim tactics

Bottom line – everything you need to thrive and excel in the open water environment!


What You Will Gain• Competence

• Knowledge and proficiency of both the inner game and outer game of open water swimming

• Knowledge and proficiency of key open water skills• Ability to skillfully handle almost any outdoor

swimming situation • Confidence

• Control over your physical state in the open water• Control over your emotional state in the open water• No fear, panic, frustration, or failure!

Endgame Optimal swim results and positive outdoor swimming experiences


Disclaimers & Risk Management• I am a coach – not a medical professional

• I will discuss topics of science, physiology, etc. along with my opinions and beliefs about them

• These are my views based on my empirical experience• I do not practice medicine nor claim to do so!

• Open water swimming is an inherently risky activity• There are numerous potential dangers such as

drowning, hypothermia, and injury• It is impossible to completely eliminate all these risks

My goal is to give you the best information and tools to manage these risks – SO LET’S GET STARTED!



Outdoor Swimming

Part 2: Physical Patterns of Nature


Physical Patterns of Nature• The Power Law – Pareto distribution, 80/20

principle, Zipf’s law• Non-linear, non-uniform• Long tail, heavy tail• Clusters or concentrates at the front or back end• Rapidly accelerates or decelerates over time• Ubiquitous phenomenon in Nature

• Rayleigh distribution • Shares many characteristics with the Power Law• Primary distribution present in waves and wave loads

– both physical (water) and energy (light)

These forces are hardwired realities of Nature –present in countless external and internal systems.


Physical Patterns of Nature

The Power Law governs the accumulation, concentration, and release of physical energy.



Power Law – gravitational force measurements at increasing altitudes



Power Law – lactic acid accumulation



Power Law – oxygen uptake distribution



Power Law – heart rate and cardiovascular drift



Power Law – Ebbinghaus memory distribution



The Rayleigh distribution governs waves and wave loads – both physical (water) and energy (light).



Rayleigh distribution – wave heights (normal conditions)



Rayleigh distribution – wave heights (extreme conditions)



Rayleigh distribution – solar energy wave spectrum


Bottom line – success in outdoor swimming situations requires awareness of these patterns and an effective system to thrive in this unique setting!

ChaoticLogarithmic

DynamicUncertainty

(Outdoor Swimming)

NormalUniform

Static Certainty

(Indoor Pool)



Outdoor Swimming

Part 3: Your Three Brains


Your Three Brains

Evolution has created three “metastructures” that dominate the brain depending on the circumstance.


“Logical” Brain• Neocortex• Higher level “executive”

cognitive functions:• Logic and reasoning• Problem solving and decision

making• Planning and foresight• Introspection and creativity• Performance excellence• Traditional time

management/productivity focus

Dominates in low stress, high cognition scenarios.


“Emotional” Brain• Limbic system• Motivation, emotions, and

memory formation:• Fear, anger, and aggression

(“fight or flight” response)• Pleasure, reward, and

reinforcement• Memory and learning• Sensory perception and

filtering• Attentional processing

Dominates in medium-high stress, high emotional scenarios.


“Physical” Brain• Reptilian complex• Autonomic physical

functions:• Alertness and arousal

(circadian/ultradian rhythms)• Breathing and heart rate• Blood pressure and digestion• Body temperature and

thermoregulation• Basic survival behavior

responses

Dominates in extreme stress, emergency or survival scenarios.


The “Great Collapse”• Endurance athlete paradox – Highly motivated, peak

performance triathletes “choking” during the swim:1. Mental stress: Poor decisions Mistakes

Suboptimal results2. Emotional stress: Distractions Overwhelm

Poor concentration Frustration/Anger Anxiety Inability to “stay on game” Suboptimal results

3. Physical stress: Fatigue Exhaustion Panic Catastrophe (i.e. DNF, failure, humiliation, injury, fatality)

As the stress level increases, the evolutionarily “older” brain areas dominate – always defaulting to the Physical!


The “Great Collapse”

In the open water environment, the Logical and Emotional brains often completely shut down and allow the Physical (survival) brain to take over!

Indoor Pool• Temperature – static• Conditions – calm• Visibility – clear• Energy accumulation

and output – linear• Energy resources –

limited• Movement: Fine Motor

→ Highly Predictable

Open Water Swim • Temperature – dynamic• Conditions – dynamic• Visibility – dynamic• Energy accumulation and

output – omni-directional• Energy resources –

unlimited • Movement: Gross Motor

→ Highly Uncertain


The Physical Elements

What are these “physical elements?”

External – Nature ( Power Law, Reyleigh, Uncertainty/Entropy)

Internal – The Physical Trifecta™

The only physical elements you can effectively manage and control are the internal ones!



Outdoor Swimming

Part 4: The Physical Trifecta™


The Physical Trifecta1. Heart Rate

• Number of beats (contractions) per minute• Intensity of beats

2. Respiration Rate• Number of breaths per minute• Intensity of breaths

3. Muscle Contraction• Speed of contractions • Intensity of contractions

Key physiological levels impacted by the Physical Trifecta oxygen, carbon dioxide, glucose, lactic acid, electrolytes, water, energy/heat


The Physical Trifecta



Outdoor Swimming

Part 5: Immersion Shock


Cold Water 101

What is “cold water?”

Whatever is cold for you in that specific moment and in those specific

circumstances!

Cold tolerance is highly dynamic and is influenced by multiple internal and external factors – there is no single standard or metric for “cold”!


Human Thermoregulation• Stimulus – exposure to

cold external temperatures (air, water) stimulates skin temperature receptors which send signals to your brain

Your “core” – head, neck, and torso – has the highest concentration and sends the strongest signal to the brain.


Human Thermoregulation• Response – Your hypothalamus

(Limbic/Emotional) reacts accordingly:

• Norepinephrine release• Epinephrine release• Thyroid hormone release• Brown fat oxidation• Shivering center activation (brain

stem)

This process is the “heat switch” that gets activated.


Immersion Shock• Immediate (0-2 minutes):

1. Instantaneous gasping for air2. Sudden increase in:

• Heart rate • Respiration rate• Muscle contraction

intensity• Blood pressure

• Ongoing (2 minutes+)• Hyperventilation• Tachycardia• Hypothermia

Cold water immersion directly impacts the Physical Trifecta – both immediately and ongoing.


Immersion Shock

2005 study – swimmers who minimized the “spike” swam the same distance at the same pace using less oxygen, fuel, and overall energy.

Lead to higher baseline aerobic exertion levels

Higher initial “spikes”



Outdoor Swimming

Part 6: Anxiety and Panic


Anxiety ≠ Panic

Anxiety is an emotional response whereas panic –at its core – is a purely physical one!

Anxiety• Symptoms – worry, fear,

caution, avoidance• Onset – constant low

level with flare ups• Hard wiring – acquired

through experiences and attribution

• Triggers – situations, memories, associations, “second hand stress”

→ Emotional/Limbic

Panic• Symptoms – tachycardia,

hyperventilation, terror • Onset – sudden, intense,

paralyzing• Hard wiring – genetically

programmed and innately physiological

• Triggers – CO2 levels, sodium lactate levels, anticipatory anxiety

→ Physical/Brain Stem


Suffocation Alarm System• Evolutionary protection

mechanism• Activated by rising CO2 and

sodium acetate levels in the blood/brain

• ASCI1a gene – CO2 “sensor” in the amygdala

• Periaqueductal gray (PAG) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) involvement – serotonin systems in the brain stem

Panic can only be managed through physical means – not through emotional or logical ones!


Suffocation Alarm System

Once triggered, panic attacks continue and intensify – even if CO2 levels have normalized!



Outdoor Swimming

Part 7: Managing the Physical


Pre-Swim: 12 – 24 hours• Special emphasis on managing the following:

• Sleep – mild deprivation impacts TSH • Hydration – increase H20; decrease alcohol, caffeine• Fuel – natural state, easily digested, calorically dense• Electrolytes – sodium, potassium, calcium,

magnesium

Proactively minimize or eliminate the spike.


Pre-Swim: 1 – 2 hours• Priming (a.k.a. Progressive

Cold Shower)1. Warm up – normal to slightly hot

shower temperature, 10 minutes2. Dial temperature down –

gradual increments, 15-20 seconds each

3. Focus on head, neck, and torso –highest density of skin temperature receptors

4. Activate shiver response – you should be slightly uncomfortable when you finish

Thermoregulation is primarily a Physical Brain process that directly impacts the Physical Trifecta.

Ideal pre-immersion physical state!


Pre-Swim: 0 – 10 minutes• Mammalian Dive Reflex:

• Aquatic mammal trait• Autonomic response – Vagus

nerve activation; pure physical• Trigger mechanism – holding

breath while placing face/neck in colder water

• Results – Lowers heart rate by 10% - 30%; increases oxygen to the brain and heart

Use the Mammalian Dive Reflex to manage the Physical Trifecta both pre-swim and in-swim!


In-Swim: As Needed• Treading Water = NO!

• High energy output (legs and arms) –especially at swim start

• Impacts Physical Trifecta the wrong way!

• Modified Drownproofing• Minimal energy output• Activates the Mammalian Dive

Reflex• Manages the Physical Trifecta the right

way!

Use modified drownproofing in place of treading water to more actively manage the physical elements of the swim.



Outdoor Swimming

Part 8: Sighting and Navigation


Reality-Based Sighting• Shapes, Contrasts, and Approximations

• Blind Runner analogy• Shifting of in-swim expectations • Management of 1 to 2 second visual window

• Sight Stroke• Integration of reality-based sighting into swim stroke• Breathe – Stroke – Sight (eyes only) – Stroke (repoint)• Can breath during Sight phase – watch head position• Does not interrupt the swim rhythm!

Reality-based sighting allows a swimmer to effectively navigate in a lower energy “logical” state.



Outdoor Swimming

Part 9: Drafting other Swimmers


Drafting• Delta and Bow Wave

• Current is in the Bow Wave –not behind the swimmer!

• Ideal position is hand entering water between other swimmer’s waist and ankle

• Shift from swimmer to swimmer as needed

• Important – Always continue sighting while drafting other swimmers!

Capitalize on the energy of other swimmers to further conserve your own resources.

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