Treading Water: The First Skill We Teach

Want to attempt your first triathlon? The swim is the element that unsettles most people — because it is held in open water, not in the safety of a pool.

In a pool you always know the wall is a stroke away and the floor is under your feet. Open water takes both of those away. The single skill that replaces them is the ability to stop, stay calm and keep yourself afloat. That is why treading water and the doggy paddle are the very first things we teach at a Trinity camp — before speed, before technique, before anything else. Safety is always the priority.

Why it matters

Panic is the real danger in open water, not the distance. The moment an athlete knows they can hold their position and breathe without touching the bottom, the fear loses its grip. From there, everything else — sighting, stroke, pacing — becomes teachable.

How to practise it safely

• Try it first in a shallow pool where you can stand up at any moment.
• Only progress to a deep pool when a coach or lifeguard is present with you.
• Never swim alone in open water — not once, not ever.
• Even in filming this skill, Nisha was accompanied by Ankush in a kayak.

Doggy paddle is the first thing we teach at our Tri camps, since safety is always a priority for us.

Adapted from our Instagram — watch Nisha demonstrate the skill.