The World Open Water Swimming Federation (WOWSF) was founded in 2024 by Steven Munatones and Antonio Argüelles to provide a broad range of resources supporting the global growth, promotion, and recognition of all forms of open water swimming including exceptional solo and relay swims. WOWSF provides new and significantly expanded next-generation content based on his older WOWSA and 10kswim’s platforms, developed 24 years ago.

This course presents a comprehensive overview of the global community of open water swimming. The course offers lessons to learn about Olympic and professional marathon swimming, stage swimming, ice swimming, channel swimming, and the creation of your own unprecedented aquatic adventures.

This course is built upon the first-hand experiences, observations, coaching, and organizing open water events that span the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania by Steven Munatones (English + Japanese), Antonio Argüelles (Spanish + English + German), and Chris Morgan (English + French + German) from the 1980s to the present.

Take the entire course or only specific chapters that may be more appropriate to you and your goals.

We developed this program to educate and inspire people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to venture beyond the shores. We want to entertain and encourage you to share the wonderful opportunities and places to swim around the world. We cover all aspects of the sport of open water swimming — from Olympic swimming to channel crossings, from marathon swims to short cold-water swims.

A personalized training program is also included in the price. Participants, if they wish, will receive a personalized strategic plan, including months of customized training sessions and follow-up discussions, that will help you achieve your goals. Tell us about your goals and background and we will help develop a strategic plan to help you achieve your goals:

1. Age
2. Goal swim
3. Date and description of your goal / dream swim
4. Description of your pool training venue
5. Description of your open water training venue
6. Your training background and goals
7. Amount of time you are willing to train in pool, open water, and dryland over the course of each week and month
8. Description of your strengths
9. Description of your weaknesses or what you want to work on
10. Description of what you like to do in training and what you do not like to do in training

Name: Steven Munatones, 63 years

Goal: Complete an unprecedented 7-day 75.8 km stage swim around the island of Shodoshima in Japan

Difficulties: Unknown, untested course with strong tidal flows, whirlpools, strong winds, unpredictable eddies, and plenty of jellyfish and sharks of various types, and complicated dryland logistics.

Pool Training Facility: 25-yard short-course pool

Open Water Venue: Huntington Beach, California (Pacific Ocean)

Training Goals:
1. Strengthen mental fortitude,
2. Strengthen physicality to enable 3-4 hours of swimming per day in rough sea conditions,
3. Remain uninjured and healthy throughout training period,
4. Improve core strength

Training Availability: As much as necessary with a minimum of 4 hours daily.

Training Distance and Monthly Plan:

• January 2026 – Swim 10,000 – 12,000 yards Monday – Friday mornings in pool + 1-2 km ocean swimming sessions 2-3 days per week during windy afternoon rough water conditions within the surf zone + 30 minutes of dryland KAATSU training
• February 2026 – Swim 10,000 – 12,000 yards Monday – Friday mornings in pool + 1-2 km ocean swimming sessions 2-3 days per week during windy afternoon rough water conditions within the surf zone + 30 minutes of dryland KAATSU training
• March 2026 – Swim 10,000 – 12,000 yards Monday – Friday mornings in pool + 2-3 km ocean swimming sessions 2-3 days per week during windy afternoon rough water conditions within the surf zone + 30 minutes of KAATSU training
• April 2026 – Swim 10,000 – 12,000 yards Monday – Friday mornings in pool + 2-3 km ocean swimming sessions 2-3 days per week during windy afternoon rough water conditions within surf zone + 30 minutes of KAATSU training
• May 2026 – Swim 10,000 – 12,000 yards Monday – Friday mornings in pool + 3 km ocean swimming sessions 2-3 days per week during windy afternoon rough water conditions within surf zone + 30 minutes of KAATSU training
• June 2026 – Swim 8,000 – 10,000 yards Monday – Friday in pool + 3 km ocean swimming sessions 2-3 days per week during windy afternoon rough water conditions within surf zone + 30 minutes of KAATSU training

Pool workouts: 8,000 – 10,000 yards of straight swimming at low heart rate pace, breathing every 4th stroke + 1,000 yards pulling with FINIS Agility Hand Paddles and no pull buoy at faster pace + 2 rounds of 1×100@1:15 + 1×100@1:20 + 1×100@1:25 + 1×100@1:30 + 1×100, descend times by 100s.

1. Repetition of straight swimming in pool in early mornings before sunrise is important to strengthening mental fortitude.
2. Increasing the pace in the pool as fast as possible over the last 1000 yards is important to build speed necessary to fight through whirlpools and eddies around the coast during the stage swim.
3. Swimming in the ocean in windy and wavy rough water conditions during the afternoon is important to build sufficient strength to enable hours of swimming through whirlpools and eddies surrounding the island during the stage swim.
4. Decrease intensity or distance if any undue shoulder stress is felt.

Ocean Workout Strategy: Swim in-shore within the surf zone, parallel to the shoreline, during wavy rough water conditions due to afternoon winds in Huntington Beach, known as Surf City, USA.

Dryland workouts: Utilize KAATSU arm bands for 30 minutes at work or utilize KAATSU leg bands for 30 minutes of walking on sand in Huntington Beach.