Three Tips To Keeping Calm In The Open Water

Open-water swim advice that Dr. Gupta shared with his CNN Fit Nation 6-Pack team—a group of six newbies training for their first triathlon.

Published July 6, 2011 05:01PM

Photo Gallery: DeuceMan Triathlon — Use these tips to keep calm all the way to T1. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Triathlete Magazine

CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is currently training with CNN Fit Nation for the Nautica New York City Triathlon. He spoke with Diana Nyad, a 61-year-old swimmer who is attempting to swim from Cuba to Florida this summer. She offered the following open-water swim advice that Dr. Gupta shared with his CNN Fit Nation 6-Pack team—a group of six newbies training for their first triathlon.

1. If you end up in a pack of swimmers and people are pushing you, just side stroke your way out of the pack.
2. Float on your back if you get tired or overwhelmed.
3. Imagine a concrete block in front of you and you are pushing it off of you. If you get used to swimming in that form, it will help to alleviate that anxiety.

CNN Fit Nation