Six Tips for a more confident open water swim without open water.

While preparing for a race that includes open water swimming, it is highly recommended to practice in open water first. But sometimes it's not possible to swim in open water before your race. Perhaps you live in a colder climate and don't have access until Memorial Day, or it's just not practical to get to a body of open water, here are some tips that will help your open water swim while swimming in a pool.

1) Swim with your eyes closed. Every so often swim a length of your pool with your eyes closed. You'll learn which way you tend to drift, as most of us don't swim a straight line if we don't have a line to follow. Additionally, this lets you practice swimming without seeing the bottom, as is the case in most open water swims.

2) Practice sighting. Get a bright colored water bottle and place it on the deck. Practice sighting by lifting your head every few strokes when you swim towards the bottle. Focus on this just like you would the buoy on your open water swim course.

3) Know the type of start ahead of time. Is it a deep water start, dock start, beach start or a shallow water start? Most of these (all but the beach start) you should be able to simulate in a pool. Also, know where you will position yourself in your wave. If you are a stronger swimmer, chances are you will be towards the front and near the buoy line. If you are not as strong, you might position yourself further back and off to the side. Plan ahead!

4) Swim with several people in one lane. If you can, have some friends get in the same lane with you (the more the better). Have one yell go and then everyone swims to the other side of the pool. This will give you a bit of a taste of the mass start. You can also practice drafting with this drill. Get on the feet of a slightly faster swimmer and stay with them.

5) Have a swimming mantra. Mantras such as "long and strong" or "just keep swimming." Something to keep you relaxed and focused on moving forward, especially if you tend to get nervous during the swim.

6) Use visualization. Outside of the pool, visualize yourself swimming confidently, relaxed, and strong. When you are in the pool, visualize that you swimming your race course. You'll be surprised how powerful visualization can be!

If you incorporate these six tips into your swim training, you will swim more confidently in open water, even if your first open water swim of the season is on race day.

Coach Nicole is the founder and head coach for NEO Endurance Sports & Fitness, a Colorado-based endurance sport coaching company. She is a USAT Level 1 Certified Coach and also coaches triathlon for Team In Training. Please visit http://neoendurancesports.com to learn more about how Coach Nicole can help you with your open water swim skills.