Olympic Swimmers Need Equipment?

Every sport has a unique technology to produce world class athletes. When it comes to swimming, most people envision laps in the pool, but now days swimming has gone high tech. Olympic swimmers use various types of equipment  to win the gold.

Dry Land Swimming Machines

Dry land swim machines promise to teach proper technique and give a workout no matter where you are. These machines are great for Olympic swimmers who need some practice time away from the pool.

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Swim Suits

One of the most useful pieces of equipment is worn right on the athlete. These swim suits are infused with technology that increases buoyancy, helps the swimmer swim faster and corrects posture. Many Olympians have broken records using this swim wear though it has not been without controversy.

Camera Buggy Systems

The “replay” feature in many sports allow athletes to review their performance and learn first hand what they need to improve. With this in mind 3 cameras record front,side and rear views of the swimmer allowing him or her to correct form as they swim. This technology is perfect for swim training and immediate analysis.

Stretch Cord and Tether Belt

The stretch cord is valuable for training strength and velocity which are important components of competitive swimming and swimmers towed with the tether belt become more at home in the water. These two simple pieces of equipment could help any swimmer improve technique. Competitive swimming is not just about the pool anymore. Athletes still spend most of their time in the water but they have also adopted other tools to aid them in their quest for Olympic greatness.

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How to Teach Kids to Swim

Kids are very enthusiastic and fast learners and they possess an infinite curiosity. Therefore teaching them how to swim at an early age is a great thing since they have the potential to learn how to breathe, how to stay afloat, how to manage the speed and rhythm and the right strokes.

Parents should make sure that they are watching the kids at all times and at no point should kids be left alone or out of sight in the pool. This is true regardless of how shallow or small the pool may be. Parents should also try to take their kids to pools which are not overcrowded and have good standards in terms of sanitation, rules and regulations on showers and cleanliness, and at least one life guard on duty.

Parents should make sure that kids are exposed to expert training right from the beginning and not rely on incompetent or overconfident trainers who can expose them to wrong breathing and swimming techniques. This is crucial because unlearning bad techniques may prove to be harder than learning afresh.

Kids should be taught how to properly breathe while partially submerged in the pool so that they can retain as much energy as possible for the longest period of time. Care should be taken to emphasize that they do not ingest any water while breathing and do not inhale it during the time their heads are fully or partially submerged in water.

Kids should also be taught to keep their hands, palm of the hands, trunk and legs as straight as possible to make sure the body moves as hydro-dynamically as possible. The kids should be first taught the freestyle technique and later they can be taught breast stroke, back stroke and finally butterfly. There is no perfect age to learn swimming but kids as young as two years old can be introduced to the joys of swimming.

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When is Not a Good Time to Swim?

Swimming is great for overall health and fitness but there are times when it is better not to swim and put yourself or other swimmers at risk.

Swimmers should not swim if they have either an open wound which has not healed, an infection which has not yet been taken care of, an airborne disease which can very easily be passed to other swimmers, or conditions like diarrhea and vomiting which can soil the pool water and make it dangerous for other swimmers.

Swimmers should make sure that they use laundered swimwear before going into the pool and that they have showered thoroughly with warm water and soap before immersing themselves into the pool water.

People with open wounds can easily transfer blood borne pathogens into the water and other swimmers in proximity can easily either ingest or expose their skins to such pathogens resulting in potentially harmful consequences. Similarly, people who are suffering from seasonal flu or common cold should stay at home and avoid going to the pool since they have the potential to spread the flu in a public place like a swimming pool faster than any other venue.

Those swimmers who are suffering from diarrhea should avoid going to pool since fecal matter is one of worst offenders in transmitting pathogens to other humans and can result in many more victims including women, children and elderly.

People who are prone to vomiting either due to some sickness or bad food should watch out for such tendencies and should take adequate precautions such as observing their own condition before entering the pool and taking appropriate medication to prevent it from happening while in the middle of swimming.

Swimmers should be also very courteous not to sneeze with an open mouth or spit indiscriminately in the pool water as this is liable to pollute the pool water and create harmful and unsavory environment for other swimmers. If an urge to spit or sneeze arises, swimmers should leave the pool immediately and use a wash basin or shower facility to take care of such situations before reentering the pool.

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Is there any way to treat allergies manifesting from swimming pool water?

Some swimmers are not very tolerant of the chemicals in the pool water and they suffer from frequent allergies and rashes on their body. This adverse effect forces them to stop swimming for a while until they repeat these attempts to acclimatize to pool water again and again.

Allergies or rashes can lead to loss of interest in swimming and people might try running or perform other aerobic exercises to maintain their health and fitness levels.

However, there might be an easy solution to these problems if swimming is absolutely essential for aerobic exercise, since many patients suffering from arthritis, spinal injuries, knee and ankle injuries cannot run or walk without pain and need swimming as a low impact exercise to remain fit and healthy.

The first thing to do is to visit the family doctor and ask them for advise. They might be able to prescribe certain anti-allergy medications or anti-histamines for itching and rashes. Those swimmers who have not found any solutions through their primary care doctors can visit a dermatologist or immunologist to seek additional solutions or advise on the future course of action.

Apart from these steps, allergy or rash prone swimmers can try different swimming pools to see if they can tolerate chemical cocktails in some pools better than the others.  In addition, swimmers can also wear full body swim suits and put on goggles, ear plugs and train themselves not to ingest even the least bit of water. This can be done by proper training in breathing techniques which ensure no pool water will be ingested while swimming.

Swimmers can also ask their doctors if there are any food supplements they can consume or avoid certain kinds of foods or drinks which might help boost their immune system against such adverse reaction to pool water.

Filed Under: Pools, Swimming Tagged With: , ,

What is the best time to swim- morning, noon or night?

One only has to go to the nearest community pool to realize that swimmers do not have any collective preferences on what time of the day they would like to swim.

There are several factors involved in making these decisions. The restrictions imposed by the daily schedule, ability to get up early in the morning and feel motivated enough to jump in the water which can be cold at times, and other factors such as traffic, early morning workplace commitments like meetings etc.  It is also possible that some people prefer to jump in the pool after a long day’s work to get refreshed and rejuvenated.

Ideally the best time to get a good workout from swimming is during the morning well before the rush hour. Due to body’s circadian rhythm and higher energy and hormone levels in the morning, an aerobic exercise such as swimming can give a tremendous boost in a synchronized manner so that the whole day goes by in an ebullient manner.

However, there is also a strong physiological case for an evening swimming routine when the mind and body are very tired and a splash in cold water is just the right medicine for tired muscles.

Ideally if one has enough time, an intense swimming regimen in the morning ranging from 60-70 minutes and a relatively casual swimming regimen in the evening for 30-40 min should be adequate for overall mind body relaxation and conditioning for peak performance with tranquil mindset.

However, a lot of students in Universities and many young and middle aged athletes swim for several hours a day from morning to noon and this regimen is great for those who want to build a professional swimming career.

Filed Under: Fitness, Swimming Tagged With: , ,

Do swimsuit models encourage healthy lifestyles?

Every season there are several sports magazine owners who publish magazines with both male and female models as well as athletes in attractive swimsuits to sell their magazines and create publicity or buzz for their advertisers.

The female models are more popular than male models in driving overall sales of these print and online magazines and several among them have become household names as world famous bikini models.

These female models have an idealized figure with long arms and legs, firm tiny waist, toned buttocks and large breasts which signifies their commitment to healthy lifestyle and athleticism.

However, the consumers of these magazines may not have the same sentiments such as health, athleticism and the motivation for self improvement at a physical level in mind when purchasing and flipping through the contents of these magazines. They might be more inclined to watch the female models for their sexual attractiveness and satisfy their instincts and imaginations.

These outcomes also depend on the background of the model. If a professional and world famous athlete such as a world champion swimmer, a long distance swimmer who has crossed the English Channel or some such difficult water body, or an Olympic level athlete decide to pose for the magazines in swimwear, then it could serve as a motivational instrument for young and old alike to swim more regularly and get in their best shapes. In this manner an atmosphere of health, fitness and commitment to body is made at the societal level as people admit the impressiveness of physiques and see the clear correlation between a swimming workout and

However, both the magazine publishers and the consumers have an implicit understanding in most cases that the swimsuit editions and swimsuit models are presented more as sexual objects and less as highly conditioned athletes built for peak endurance.

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What kind of nutrition is recommended for regular swimmers?

The type and quantity of nutrition necessary for good health and well being for swimmers depends on the duration, intensity and purpose of the swimmers.

For professional swimmers there are expert nutritionists, physiotherapists and coaches who together with the athlete determine the best diet for maximum performance. The whole process is covered in a very scientific way with empirical inputs, what works and what doesn’t for each individual athlete.

Depending upon the metabolic profile, fat profile, muscle profile and overall strength and endurance levels of each individual athlete a nutrition program can be designed which has the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals for peak performance.

For amateur swimmers who are serious about maintaining an athletic profile, a high protein, medium carbohydrate and low fat diet is ideal for maximum benefit.  A high protein diet can ensure that the muscle to weight ratio is optimum and the muscle mass is not compromised. A medium carbohydrate diet would make sure that there are enough calories and nutrients in the body for quick energy workout and endurance swimming without undergoing fatigue. Swimmers should avoid complex-sugar rich products which are difficult to metabolize in favor of simple sugars found in fruit juices and vegetables. A low fat intake would make sure that the body does not gain fat and the senses do not become dull.

A diet rich in Vitamin E and A as well as adequate Iron and Zinc is also highly advised for a healthy physical condition. Overall a normal nutritious diet on a daily basis should be more than adequate for most swimmers except professional athletes.

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Is regular fluid and electrolyte consumption required during lap swim?

Casual swimming is done by most people by the time they turn 20, and many among these take to swimming on a regular basis for their fitness needs. The people who swim regularly can train themselves by either doing a non stop lap swim for 1-2 hours or short sessions of 5-10 minutes interspersed with 1-2 minute breaks.

Depending upon the intensity and duration of swimming regimen there would be proportional amount of calorie, fluid and electrolyte loss from the body which has to be replenished in some way. The fluid and electrolyte loss is of utmost concern since the body can feel dehydrated and weak if the fluids are not consumed during the duration of swim.

For most non professional swimmers, the loss of fluids is not a great concern if the swimming regimen is not intense. Similarly, if the swimmers are swimming for less than 60 minutes there should not be a great cause for concern as far as replenishment of fluids is concerned.  However, it is advisable to take a bottle of Gatorade or even plain water to the pool if the duration of swim is likely to exceed 90 minutes and the swimmer intends to use those 90 minutes for an intense non stop lap swim work out.

Swimmers should also take into account what strokes they are going to use more frequently during swimming. Butterfly and breast stroke requires a lot more stamina and leads to faster depletion of body fluids compared to swimming freestyle, or using back stroke.

Swimmers can also visit certified physical trainers who can help access their body type, fitness level and physiological requirements so that a personal evaluation is made as to how much fluids and electrolytes individual swimmers might need according to their exercise regimen.

In most cases, swimmers who swim regularly for 60-90 minutes need no more than a plain water bottle which they can sip from during short 30 second breaks every 20-30 minutes, but for more complex swimming workouts it is advisable to take an electrolyte solution such as Gatorade and even an energy bar.

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Is regular swimming good for Health?

Swimming is one of the favorite exercises among people of every major demographic.  Whether you are young, middle aged or old, man or a woman, obese or thin, swimming is beneficial for health in every demographic category.

Swimming regularly at least three to four times a week has been proven to be excellent for heart, musculoskeletal system and provides a good work out for almost every major organ in the body.  Swimming also has advantages over other aerobic exercises such as running, walking and cycling since it does not create sudden impact on joints in the musculoskeletal system due to water’s soft resistance.

Aerobic exercises such as running, brisk walking and cycling specially on hard surfaces such as walkways made of concrete, asphalt coated roads or stationary treadmills can lead to extensive wear and tear and adverse impact on joints. Many athletes such as basketball players, soccer players and American football players face persistent problems with their knees, ankles and spinal columns which exacerbates over many years if long period of rest and recuperation is not involved. Therefore running as a form of aerobic exercise cannot be sustained for many years by professional athletes as well as general public without a long list of injuries.

On the other hand regular swimming provides the same benefits as running or cycling without damaging joints over a period of time. Regular swimming can therefore be undertaken without any side effects in the long run. Swimming is also very helpful for those who suffer from chronic heart problems, arthritis, and is proven to be helpful for accident victims with spinal injuries.  People with arthritis might find excruciatingly painful to run or even walk, but they can easily do light swimming and keep themselves healthy in the long run.

Regular swimming is perhaps one of the best sports for overall mind body well being as it provides impact free workout, is sustainable over the long term and facilitates mental focus.

Filed Under: Excercises, Swimming Tagged With: ,

The Important Strokes

When you begin to swim, you may find that you are only doing the most basic stroke that almost everybody knows- the dog paddle.  And while you can mull your way through the pool using the dog paddle (and it can even save your life), you have got to move beyond that level if you are ever going to experience any kind of success at the sport of swimming.  After all, having a skill is great, but being able to show if off to people is a whole lot better still.  There are four different types of strokes that are typically done in competitive swimming.  They are the back stroke, the breast stroke, the butterfly and freestyle.  Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, but you can get good at any of them.

The breast stroke and the butterfly involve keeping your legs moving in the same way as one another.  The back stroke and freestyle, on the other hand, are flutter kicking strokes, because your feet move in opposition to one another during them.  And this is a fairly important distinction, because you will generally find that you are better at one type of kicking than you are at the other.  While some people master all four strokes (and become individual medley stars), most people will be doing very well just to get one stroke down really well.

There are situations in which every kind of stroke is important.  For example, you are more likely to end up saving your own life in a bad situation by using freestyle swimming.  It is the fastest and the second easiest to handle.  The breast stroke, on the other hand, tends to be easier when you are out to be aware of where you are going.  There is no better looking swimming stroke than the butterfuly, for when you want to impress people with your power.  And the back stroke is just good for keeping afloat effectively.

Filed Under: Swimming Tagged With: ,
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