Water | Swimming Sports and Recreation

Free Style Technique

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Proper swimming technique is essential for swimmer to glide through rather than fight the water. For freestyle the arms provide most of the propulsive force. The hand should go into the water fingertips first with the palm facing down and out diagonally. The elbow should be higher than the hand, and the hand should enter the water at a spot directly in front of the shoulder.

A common mistake that novice swimmers make with attempting to swim in freestyle form is to have their arms cross at the center of their body rather than keeping it inline with their shoulder. As a swimmer’s arm hits the water it should not be fully extended until it pushes the water. The arm should accelerate as it enters the water pulling outward, down and back. At the maximum bend the arm should cross the body at the thigh and pushes back out at the hip. The pull in freestyle should resemble an inverted S pattern because the elbow should be higher than the hand.

The continuous leg action during freestyle is not a kick as much as it is a flexible movement that should be generated by the hips. The force of the leg movement does not add much to the movement of the body. Legs should be vertically separated by only about 10 to 16 inches depending of body size.

Proper breathing is more important that the force generated by the legs. Rotary breathing should be performed during every stroked cycle in line with the body roll and arm recovery. Swimmer need to breath in through their mouths as their bodies move sideways and them exhale as their mouths are about to go back underwater. When performing this stroke, swimmers should keep their bodies as streamlined and flat as possible. Their heads should stay with in the axis of their bodies, and their entire movement should be continuous and smooth.

Filed Under: Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Breaststroke, Breathing, Environment, Freestyle swimming, Shopping, Swimming, Water, Water Resources

Advances in Swimming Products

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Swimming is a staple in sports but technology is revolutionizing the hobby. You can use these items for gifts for athletes or swimming enthusiasts. There is a range of price points to choose from.

Mp3 players are a must have for most sports but haven’t really been applicable to swimming before. Look for an armband to easily secure the mp3 player while working out. Waterproof varieties make it suitable for swimming. Read the product description before you take it into the pool because it will only work up to a certain depth. Find large buttons that you can use while you swim. There are also items that will float so you can find the player easily.

Technology has made advances in goggles. Mirrored lenses give more of the look of sunglasses and you can get different colors of lenses. There are also angled lenses for training.

Look for special features in waterproof watches. You might need to change the settings while you’re underneath the water. Some versions allow you to start and stop the watch just by tapping on the glass which works well for laps. A molded polycarbonate version fits close to the body for comfort.

You can also use new materials for traditional items. Silicone nose clips are inexpensive. Rubber ear plugs provide protection from the water.

Water resistant materials help with the trend of water aerobics. This is a way to use weights without putting stress on your joints. This could be a jog belt, aqua barbells, or leg trainers. A fitness belt helps you stay vertical while working out in the water. Make sure that it has an adjustable strap for a comfortable fit.

There have been advancements in the suits for swimming as well. A reversible suit gives you two different looks for the price of one which works out well if you go to the pool or beach several times a week. For water polo look for a calenderized fabric which is difficult to keep a hold of. This is a process using heat to melt the fibers together.

Filed Under: General, Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Earplug, Swimming, Water, Water aerobics

Swimming and Weight Loss: Exercises for the Pool

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Swimming is a great way to lose weight and get fit. There is less chance of injury in the a swimming pool since movements are slower. Pool exercises are great for muscle pain and joint problems as well, while still offering a great workout. Exercising in a pool gives an all-over body workout, as it works out every muscle in the body. A few simple exercises can boost your weight loss and can leave you feeling productive.

Arm Curls

Stand with your feet a little less than shoulder-width apart. Hold a weight in each hand. Keep the elbows tucked in to the sides. Starting with the right arm, fully extended down at the side. Curl the arm up until the arm is fully curled with the weight almost touching the shoulder. Make sure that the elbow stays in and touching the side of the body through the entire movement. Breathe in as the arm is curled up and exhale as the arm is fully extended again. Switch to the left arm and repeat. Start with 5 reps for each arm. As it becomes easier, increase the number of reps.

Dolphin Kick

The dolphin kick is used for the butterfly stroke. Dolphin kicking is extremely difficult and works the entire body all at once. Use either a kick board or place the hands on the wall. Keep the knees and feet together. Using the hips and abs, kick with knees and feet together, so that the movement goes from the hips, down to the knees and then to the feet (similar as to how a dolphin moves in the water, in a wave motion). This exercise will maximize the use of the ab muscles, since they are used the entire time. Do this kick for at least a minute as hard as possible. Increase the time as the kick becomes easier.

Filed Under: General, Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Health, Muscle, Physical exercise, Shopping, Support Groups, Swimming pool, Water, Weight Loss

Top 3 Water Sports for Families

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Water sports are invigorating, but if you want family fun, make sure you bring your kids along with you. When kids get involved in water sports, not only do they become interested in a new hobby, but it will lead to them being more active. It will also give you a chance to spend more time with the ones you love. But with so many water sports out there, it’s difficult to decide which one to choose.

The most popular water sport out there today – whether it’s for families, couples, or individuals – is jet skiing. The primary reason jet skiing has become so popular is freedom. Instead of having a boat pull you, you control the speed and direction. Jet skiing is a popular family water sport because everyone can travel near one another while traveling at fast speeds and remain safe. Anyone – adults and kids alike – will find it to be an exhilarating experience.

Another popular water activity is tubing. Water skiing has led to many different types of sports on the water, and when it comes to families, tubing is by far the most popular. Tubes come in various sizes, from single tubes to large circular rafts that can fit several people. Instead of enjoying the water on your own, you can now experience the excitement of being pulled by a motor boat with others, which of course makes it more fun. Another reason tubing is so great is because everyone can talk about it after the activity is complete, which greatly improves communication between family members.

If jet skiing and tubing are a little too fast-paced for you or your kids, buy a paddle boat. Paddle boats are a good way to get exercise while communicating with others and enjoying scenery. It’s known as a relaxing water sport and is a great way to wind down after a busy day or week.

Filed Under: General, Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Family, List of water sports, Motorboat, Physical exercise, Sport, Water, Water Resources, Waterskiing

Popular Swimming Games for Adults

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Tired of lounging around sipping drinks and soaking up rays? Feel like doing something entertaining and downright hilarious? These popular swimming games for adults are sure to bring about many laughs and many amusing memories!

Aqua Ball

Enjoy the fun sport of basketball in the water! Just create two nets out of regular inflatable pool rings, and be sure to get a ball. Separate swimmers into two teams, and to keep it fun and interesting create crazy team names that will be sure to rake in the laughs! The object of the game is to see which team can score the most points, or a pre-set amount. Switch players around to create different teams and to keep the game interesting.

JUMP

The game JUMP is always a blast! Those that are not afraid to get a little crazy line up against one side of the pool. Everyone else can sit out to be judges. Someone is selected to go first. They decide on a jump such as a cart wheel into the pool, and then they must do it. Everyone else has to try and copy the jump. Those who are unable to do it receive a card from one of the judges with the letter “J” on it. The next person in line picks the next jump, and continues on until there is only one person left who has not spelled the word “JUMP” with the cards in their hands. This is your winner. This game is sure to be a hit amongst friends!

Relay Race

Partner up teams of two and then have one person from each team go on either side of the pool. Designate a judge to say go and to decide which team wins. Players must swim across the pool to their partners and tag them on the hand. This player then races back to the other side, and the team that finishes first wins. This swimming game is sure to keep the energy up and the competitiveness even higher!

Filed Under: General, Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Commonwealth Games, Shopping, Sport, Swimming (sport), Swimming and Diving, United States, Water, Water Sports

Swimming Drills for Beginners

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Okay, enough with the idea that you can just get into a pool and start swimming better. Sure, it works if you give months and countless hours to the pool gods. If you want to get better in a hurry so your training becomes more effective, then you need to be on a training plan. Now, training plans are much like the safer cigarette–they are intended to be good for you. With swimming, you definitely need a comprehensive plan to get you in the water on a regular basis.

The first thing you should do when you get into the pool is spend five minutes doing freestyle swimming. Just go back and forth as many times as you can. Keep the pace even, and just work on your breathing. This is not for technique, you’re just aiming for repetition.

After you are sufficiently warmed up, do 400 meters of the Superman drill. This is where you have one arm out in front of you and you bring the other arm up and out of the water and don’t pull the extended arm back until both hands touch each other. So at the midpoint, you should have both hands extended in the water for a second and it will make you look like Superman.

Grab a paddle board and do 400 meters without using your upper body. Your legs are so vital to your swimming stroke, and most of the time, they don’t get nearly the attention they should. Focus on your lower body and build the strength in your legs.

If you are still ready for more, then try this: Put a buoy between your legs and then swim for 400 meters without the use of your legs. These drills will have you out of breath but you’ll be a better swimmer for having gone through these exercises.

Filed Under: Sports, Swimming, Training Tagged With: Sports, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Water

Aqua Aerobics Ideal for the Obese

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With obesity levels rising all over the globe, fitness is fast becoming one of the bare necessities of life. Desk jobs, late working hours, unhealthy eating habits and an erratic lifestyle, all contribute to tremendous weight gain. To top it all, hitting the gym to work up a sweat does not sound appealing to everyone. A lot of people prefer outdoor workout, enjoying the freshness of nature. City parks are packed with joggers and runners, especially in the mornings and evenings. Fitness, however, does not come easy, especially for those who have already cross obesity levels.

Due to their excessive body weight, obese people are highly prone to muscle stress related injuries. In many cases, vigorous work outs result in spinal and back injuries as well, which can end up being a lifelong problem. Being out of shape greatly impacts a person’s self confidence. An obese person often feels embarrassed to work out with other people around, whether it is at a gym, park or the jogging track. Although they may try to follow a fitness regime at home, there are far too many distractions around and people usually end up giving up a week into a fitness regime. Aqua aerobics tackles all these problems head on and provides an ideal fitness solution for the overweight.

The advantages of swimming have been discussed at length on ghst.org, not its turn for aqua aerobics. Water based workouts like swimming, aqua aerobic, aqua exercises and aqua sports are known to have a lesser impact on muscles and joints when compared to land based work outs. The buoyancy of water acts as a shock absorber during workouts, minimizing impact on ankles and the spine and preventing injuries. Buoyancy also means that your muscles are not being used beyond their limits, helping you to work out without straining them. Being in a pool during the workout provides a certain degree of privacy so that people don’t feel awkward while working out. Finally, the water ends up making your feel fresh and revitalized instead of sweaty and hot, making aqua aerobics the ideal workout.

Filed Under: Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Body weight, Fitness, Gym, Health, Obesity, Physical exercise, Water, Water aerobics

Tips to Help You Achieve Swimming Success

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When you are beginning a swimming program as a novice swimmer you have your work cut out for you. Swimming is challenging enough, but it is harder if you are not experienced. You will need to make sure you know the tips and tricks of swimming before you commit yourself to a program. So, here are a few tactics that can help you become the expert swimmer you want to be.

Work Your Breathing

Breathing is the biggest part of swimming. If you can’t put your head underwater to swim, then you are losing out on big distances and will tire that much easier. This means learning to control your breathing underwater. Similar to online sports betting, it is easy to master the concepts but not easy to put them into practice. So, spend as much time as you need learning how to manage underwater breathing, and then learn how to combine that with the rest of your form.

Form First

It does not make sense to worry about distance until your form is correct. Your form is the only thing that is going to give you the results you want. Plus, it works all the muscles to give you a lean body. It is important to make sure that everyday when you get into the pool the first thing you do is work on your form. This means doing things such as making sure you are drawing your thumb against the side of your body as you come up for a stroke. Also, make sure your hands are closed and are slicing through the water, and that you are pulling as much water with you as possible. Once you have mastered your form, the rest is a simple matter of endurance.
Don’t gamble on your swimming success. Master the concepts and practice them until you are strong, skillful, and capable to be a champion.

Filed Under: Sports, Swimming, Swimming Pool Tagged With: Sport, Swimming (sport), Water

Hair Care and Swimming

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It has been known for ages now that water from swimming pools can lead to hair loss and discoloration. The extent of damage is often over-hyped, with people not know what exactly causes the damage or how to prevent it. Misinformation may lead to people giving up swimming, which is completely unnecessary. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun has the potential of causing skin cancer, which does not mean that we stop going out in day light, does it? Ghst.org highlights here the cause and extent of hair damage due to swimming and also gives simple precautions to take in order to prevent it.

Swimming pool water is treated with chlorine and other chemicals in order to keep it bacteria and virus free. Although most swimming facilities take care to maintain acceptable levels of chemicals used, this cannot be guaranteed at sub-standard facilities. Chlorine has oxidizing agents that can reduce your hair moisture, leading to breakage and split ends. The other form of damage due to swimming pool water is hair discoloration. This is caused by copper present in the water bonding with your hair and then reacting to high pH levels, giving a greenish tinge to your hair. Although it true that water from swimming pools or at other man made aqua sport’s pools, can cause such damage, it is important to note the amount of exposure that is needed for this to happen. Hair damage and discoloration only occurs with those who swim regularly and do not take the necessary precautions to keep their hair safe.

The basic swimming etiquette of wearing a swimming cap is usually enough to prevent hair damage as it does not let pool water wet your hair. You can wet your hair with clean water before going for a swim as this saturates your hair and reduces soaking of chlorinated water. Rinsing your hair with non-chlorinated water immediately after a swim or between long durations spent in the pool washes off chlorine and copper and does not let it cling to your hair. Follow these steps to keep hair safe and enjoy a swim!

Filed Under: Sports, Swimming Tagged With: Chlorination, Chlorine, PH, Shopping, Swimming pool, Ultraviolet, United States, Water

Why Pool Workouts Can’t Prepare You For Open Water Swims

For those who are training for their first open water swim race, the training plan seems self-explanatory; swim in a pool for as long as you can and then jump in the lake. However anyone who follows this plan is setting themselves up for massive disappointment.

The first and most obvious difference between the pool and open water is the presence of current. Whether you are swimming in an ocean or lake, the difference from the pool will be massive. Even on calm days, the presence of waves in the open water will present a resistance unlike any you could ever see in a pool. Imagine swimming laps behind a 300lb linebacker whose only job is to slam water towards your face. For those who have never swam in the open water, this is not a feeling you want to save for game day.

Another difference between the two is water temperature. The open water is going to be much, much colder than the pool, and this can present a whole slew of new challenges if you aren’t prepared for it. First and foremost, colder water will constrict your muscles, making you more likely to injure yourself. It will also constrict your lungs, which will throw off your breathing rhythm, making your endurance suffer tremendously.

Not all differences are bad, however. One benefit to open water swims is that humans are more buoyant in larger bodies of water than they are in pools, a difference which is even more noticeable in salt water. Another beneficial difference is the presence of wind and swimmers current in open water races. Swimming with the wind will give you an added push, and if you start later in the race, you’ll have your predecessors to thank for the slight current moving towards the finish line.

Though many of these differences may deter swimmers from entering the open water before absolutely necessary, the thing to remember is this: none of these challenges are insurmountable with a little practice. The more time you spend in the open water before your race, the less time you will spend in the water during it.

Filed Under: Swim, Training, Workout Tagged With: Open water swimming, Swimming and Diving, Water