swimming against current

It depends, if swimming against a flat calm constant current; I’d maintain my normal stroke. If I need to swim through an adverse current to get to neutral or positive current, I’ll pick up the pace to get through it quicker. If I’m swimming into a current with chop, I’ll increase my kick and try to work my tempo with the chop and work for a more powerful stroke.

Several more things, if they apply: 1) I focus very hard on minimizing the area that I present to the opposing current to decrease resistance. Since I have a TI-type stroke this is second nature. 2) I have a significant front-quadrant (NOT catch-up, BTW) component to my stroke and a lousy kick. In order to offset any backward push as a result of those two, I shorten my stroke a bit, increase turn over a bit and catch a little quicker. 3) If swimming in a place close to shore (e.g. a river) I will try to move closer to the shore as the current tends to be less there. Not always true, but often so. 4) If you know that you are going to race first with the current (or flat water) and then later go against it, I suggest some workouts to duplicate the effort. For example: Let's say you are going to swim with the current for about 1/2 hour and then turn and swim back against it. Do some 1 hour straight swims where you pace the first 1/2 hour and then really dig the second 1/2 hour. 5) PATIENCE. It can be very frustrating to look up and see a landmark and then a minute later to see the same landmark in almost the exact same place. You just need to get into the mindset that it will take a long as it takes to get past the counter-current. -LBJ

If you are swimming directly into a current, I'd go with what Rob C says. If, however, you are dealing with a cross current or a 3/4 current, my best advice is to be acutely aware of where you are at all times. A cross current can blow you off line very quickly if you don't pay attention. Then you will be swimming for your life just to get back on a decent line. Exhausting and time consuming.

i've been told currents are accelerated in shallower water. if this is true (makes sense to me, but i'm no physics major), then if the current is favorable (pushing you), and you have a choice, stay shallow/closer to shore. if the current is adverse (you're fighting it), try to find deeper water if you can. try throwing a few balls (or rubber ducks) into a river. you should see those in the middle (deeper sections) moving faster. the deeper sections have by far my water flowing than the shallower sides. we have a two river race, 2km down one with 1km back up the other. lots of people swim closer to the middle the first 2km, but then almost everyone moves in to the side for the second leg. but if you have a hard time swimming straight, then it might be better to swim along the edge.

Does anyone have any tips for swimming against current? Do you adjust your stroke? yes I adjust my stroke. I have a non existent kick. so when I swim against the current I try to strech out my stroke, holding my body as straight and high up on the water as I can while being comfortable. I also look fwd every other right arm, because like others said, it's easy to get knocked off course.

i've been told currents are accelerated in shallower water. if this is true (makes sense to me, but i'm no physics major), then if the current is favorable (pushing you), and you have a choice, stay shallow/closer to shore. if the current is adverse (you're fighting it), try to find deeper water if you can.