Summer is almost here, and many swimmers are preparing for their first open water sessions. In this blog, I share practical tips for swimming safely in open water and in the pool, plus a story from a spring student who found confidence in just a few lessons.
I have been teaching beginners for more than 15 years, and even though I have guided the same courses evening after evening, the work has never lost its spark. Every group brings its own rhythm, every swimmer their own story, and that is what makes this work so meaningful to me.
I found myself in a place I never thought I’d be: preparing to dive into an ice‑cold lane as part of the Winter Swimming World Championship relay in Oulu. With my sister by my side and the night settling over Raatti, the mix of anticipation and adrenaline made the moment feel almost unreal.
Kylmään veteen astuminen on avannut minulle aivan uuden puolen uinnista. Ensimmäisistä varovaisista kastautumisista aina valmistautumiseen Oulun talviuinnin MM‑kisoihin tämä matka on muistuttanut siitä, miltä tuntuu olla taas aloittelija. Kylmä, utelias ja jokaisella hengityksellä jotain uutta oppiva.
Ensimmäinen kertani avannossa yllätti lempeydellään. En ollut koskaan ajatellut olevani talviuimari, mutta nyt huomaan olevani matkalla kohti jotain uutta, ehkä jopa kohti talviuintiviestiä.
Vesi herättää meissä jokaisessa jotakin. Jännitystä, rauhaa, yllätyksiä ja oivalluksia. Tässä kirjoituksessa kerron asiakkaan tarinan kautta, miten uimataito alkaa tunteesta, ei niinkään tekniikasta, ja miten lempeä eteneminen voi muuttaa koko kokemuksen vedestä.
When I look back, I can see how water stayed with me through every stage of life. In time, I understood it was not a coincidence. Water was the place I kept returning to, again and again, and from that grew the desire to create Vedessä, a space where others could find their own sense of safety.
Even when life pulled me far from the water, teaching kept me afloat. In this part, I share how studies, work, grief, and exhaustion shaped my path — and how adult learners helped me find my way back to myself.
Water has followed me since childhood. It is a place of safety, learning, and quiet strength. In the first part of my story, I return to where it all began and to the moments that shaped my relationship with water.
Many adults believe they can swim, but their actual swimming ability doesn’t always match their own perception. In this article, I explore what swimming ability truly means and why strengthening your skills in a safe, guided environment can make swimming lighter, easier, and more enjoyable.