Speedo Aquabeat

AquaBeat is a waterproof audio player. You can store songs, audio books, podcasts and other audio files for listening on the go and in/under/near the water. Buy it at: http://www.speedoaquabeat.com/. 

Check out it's features: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-9CIYfEZtc

Swimming Turns.

The starts and the turn techniques employed in a swim race are the subject of intense practice by all competitive swimmers. Starts and turns are movements that are distinct from both the strokes used by a swimmer and from one another.

The start has three components, each of which can be broken down for discrete analysis—the starting block, the dive, and the pullout (breakout). All swim events, except the backstroke, begin on the elevated starting block situated at the edge of the pool. The backstroke commences with all swimmers in the water, facing the edge of the pool, grasping handles that permit a push off into the lane. To achieve maximum speed from the start block, the swimmers seek to keep their center of gravity as close to the edge of the block as possible. At the sound of the start, the swimmers employ a combination of explosive leg drive and a push with the toes from the surface of the block.

The dive is intended to be one that creates as little water resistance on entry as possible. The swimmer, depending upon the stroke to be employed during the race, will endeavor to take an angle of entry that balances speed through the water and an ability to seamlessly begin the stroke cadence. The transition between the dive and the stroke itself is the pullout, where the swimmer moves dynamically to the racing position in the water.

There are two general classifications of turns: the open turn and the flip turn, or tumble turn. The use of a particular type of turn, and the accompanying period of time in which the swimmer may remain underwater (in a desirable hydrodynamic position) after the completion of the turn, are specified in the rules of the sport as determined by FINA.

The flip turn is an important component of freestyle swimming. The turn is intended to permit a coordinated change of direction that allows the swimmers to maintain both their speed and the cadence of their stroke. A flip turn begins with a somersault, with the swimmers bringing their arms forward to create a long, slender upper body profile. As the upper body is being extended, the swimmers use the wall of the pool to push as powerfully as possible. In this position, the swimmers will often remain under the surface, propelling themselves with an efficient dolphin kick (legs together, moving in the manner of a dolphin). The distance in which the swimmers are permitted to remain underwater after a flip turn is also regulated in each swimming discipline.

The open turn is also used to preserve speed and form. In an open turn, the swimmers seek to coordinate their approach to the wall and the stroke rhythm; the swimmers use one hand to effect a push off from the wall, while bringing their feet and legs into a tuck position. The swimmers push off from the wall, with the entire body under the surface, extending from the tuck into a streamlined body position, from which they resume their stroke.

Swimming Starts

First we will concentrate on starting block technique. The person who reacts fastest and gets their body moving toward the water wins the start. Whether using the grab or the track start, always have your head down and your hips as high and as close to the edge of the blocks as possible. This positions your center of gravity closer to the edge of the block. For those who use the track staff, never rock back and then forward. It costs you a second before you finally start going toward the water. Try starting with your eyes closed! The start light isn't for you, it's for the timers! You can't see it anyway so why not close your eyes and react faster to the sound of the starting beeper! Armin Harry won the Olympic 100 meter dash and Steve Lundquist won the 100 meter Breast using this technique.
When the beeper goes off, quickly push (don't grab) on the starting block with your hands. This gets the body moving towards the water quickest and positions the body for best use of the leg thrust. With the legs, try to explode; then concentrate on using the toes (which were curled over the front of the block) for additional push. Once the start begins and you are hurtling through space, the dive begins. You can gain .1 to .3 seconds on the start, but you can gain or lose .5 to 1.0 seconds on the dive.Therefore the dive is mush more important than the actual start technique.
During the match races with Mark Spitz and Mat Biondi, Spitz actually won the start. Unfortunately Spitz did a flat dive, while Biondi did a perfect single hole entry dive. After the first stroke Biondi was over 1/2 body length ahead and the race was already won. Steve Lundquist in the '84 Olympics came up 1/2 to 1 body length ahead of the field. Whether you are going for an Olympic gold medal or a blue ribbon at a masters meet, it is always better to start the race out front.
To learn the single hole entry dive, always start water. Follow this sequence:

1) Head down, chin on chest, rear as high as possible.

2)React to start beep or pistol.

3)Head up, push with feet and toes upward and outward.

4)Head down and arms down, while following the whole body through water where the head and arms went.

5)Correct your depth under water, depending on the stroke.

6)Blast to the surface, all strokes this should be the strongest most powerful stroke in the race.
Tip, stick near the starter for a few races, learn the cadence and sound of the starter beep. Being familiar with the sound before hand will improve your start reaction time.

<- What Not to do

Swimming Canada

    Check out this great swimming Canada website.I have the pleasure of known two swimmers on two Canada who i've gotten with swim with. I wish them luck with the up coming London Olympic trials. If your looking for clubs to join in Canada this is the site that will help you the best. It has great news of swimmers representing Canada in different competitions in different parts of the world, at all different levels.


https://www.swimming.ca/Default.aspx

Choosing the right suit.

Choosing the right swim suit can be a tough decision. For the majority of my life I have swam with Speedo bathing suits up until this season when I made the switch to Nike. The one bathing suit I do not recommend is TYR bathing suits, my staff bathing is made by that company. It's extremely uncomfortable and wears out before the swimming season is out. Bathing suits can be expensive so it's essential that you find one that fits you just right, I prefer a size smaller for races, the same size for practicing. The best practice bathing suits are the Speedo Endurance series, they are made thicker than a racing bathing suit, therefore making more of a resistance in the water. This place is where I buy the majority of my suits. If you are apart of a club you can obtain a 10% discount. Sports experts have a wide selection of bathing suits but they tend to over price there older bathing suits.


http://www.shopaquasport.com/index.aspx?lang=en

ALPS Montreal.

Alps is just one of the many organizaionts ive been lucky enough to be with since a far back as I can remember. ALPS is an association of 22 outdoor community pools located primarily in the West Island of Montreal. Celebrating its 53rd year in 2010, this organization coordinates communication and friendly competition among the member clubs in the disciplines of competitive swimming, water-polo, synchronized swimming and diving.
Check out the website for a list of pools closets to you.
http://www.jumptoalps.com/maps.htm

GO MWAC! Pools 2010:

BDAC Baie d'Urfe Aquatic Club BEAU Club de Natation Beaurepaire Swim Club BHILL Beacon Hill Swim Club BHTS Beaconsfield Heights CAVIP Club Aquatique Ville Ile Perrot CEDAR Cedar Park Pool DIXIE Association Piscine Dixie Pool Inc. HCOM Hudson Community Pool HYC Hudson Yacht Club LACH Arrondissement de Lachine, piscine parc Lasalle MWAC Montreal West Aquatic Club PIN Club Aquatique de Pincourt Aquatic Club PVPC Piscine Village Pointe-Claire RPRA Riverside Park Recreation Association SENVL Senneville SHORE Lakeshore SIDE Lakeside Swimming Club/Club de Natation Lakeside VAL Valois Citizens' Association VIK Viking- Lakeside Heights Recreation Association WAC Windermere Aquatic Club WLRC Western Lachine Recreation Centre WSTMT Westmount Municipal Pool

My second family

As cheesy as it sounds it's the truth. At the age of I knew I wanted to become a lifeguard at the pool I loved so much.  It began with getting my bronze medallion, bronze cross, and then standard first aid, A.E.D, and lastly nationals. It was my first year as a guard at the pool, it's definitely something I will never forget. I saw each and everyone of them everyday for the entire summer, including my own brother. My future intentions with lifeguarding in the to eventually make it up an assistant manager, or manager position. The job itself is time consuming and tiring but in the end it's rewarding to see the improvement of the swimmers you taught. I've learnt a lot about myself at that pool. I plan to use what i've learned at the pool and apply to my own life.

Ian Thorpe: Freestyle Breathing

The video below focuses on the breathing technique of Ian Thorpe in relation to freestyle. It's recommend to breath every three strokes. It's done as a way of breathing on both sides. The key tip for freestyle breathing is not to breath right after the turn, if that is done it breaks up the flow of the turn and the swimmers momentum. It's essential that a swimmer works on his/her lung capacity, the better breathing technique they have the less likely they will become tired. A great way to better lung capacity is to what is called tiger sprints. I usually implement them into my everyday workout. Try to go as far as you possible can in a 25 meter or 50 meter pool under water without breathing. See if you can beat your record every week.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcCP_SLvNgw&feature=related

Swimmer Profile: Ian Thorpe

IAN THORPE: 
Birthdate: October 13,1982.
Birth place: Sydney, Australia. 
Nick Names: Thorpedo. 
Height: 6'5
Weight: 229 lbs. 
Foot size: size 17. 
Club: SLC Aquadot. 




Achievements: 

• World Championships, Perth (1998), won 400m freestyle 
• Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur 1998: 4 Gold medals (200m free, 400m free, 2x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m freestyle relay
• Pacific Championships 1999: New world record, 400m freestyle, broke world record for the 200m freestyle twice in consecutive days
• Australian Olympic Swim Trials 2000: bettered own 400m freestyle mark, lowered the 200m freestyle world record twice again
• Sydney Olympic Results, 2000
  • 200 meter freestyle (1 min 45.83 secs), 2nd
  • 400 meter freestyle (3 mins 40.59 secs), 1st
  • 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay (3 mins 13.67 secs), 1st
  • 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay (7 mins 7.05 secs), 1st 
  • 4 x 100 meter medley relay (3 mins 35.27 secs), 2nd
• Athens Olympics Results, 2004:
• 400m freestyle, 1st, 3:43.10
• 4 x 100m freestyle relay, 6th, 48.14 (3:15.77)
• 200m freestyle, 1st, 1:44.71 (Olympic record)
• 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 2nd, 1:44.18 (7:07.46)
• 100m freestyle, 3rd, 48.56

- On November 21 2006 he announced his retirement from swimming after 10 years on the Australian team, citing that he has lost the desire, and "there are things in my life that are more important to me and I have to pursue them now".

- At the age of 14, he became the youngest male ever to represent Australia, and his victory in the 400 metre freestyle at the 1998 Perth World Championships made him the youngest ever individual male World Champion.

Ryan Lochte; Backstroke technique.

Check out the video below depicting the backstroke technique of Ryan Lochte. Sadly, this stroke is one of my weaker points, but it's still enjoyable to swim it on the occasion. Remember when doing backstroke it's essential to keep close your arms close to your ear, and to pull with strength underneath the body. Before a race, if there is a warm up take the time to count the amount of strokes taken before the wall in order to know what spot is good enough to execute a tumble turn at. If it isn't done properly in a race your time will not only be slower but it also could cost you the race depending on how bad the turn ends up. Focus on keeping your head straight up. If you follow these key tips you should be on your way to shaving off time on your backstroke. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CmM_Z3Zt5U

Swimmer Profile: Ryan Lochte.

RYAN LOCHTE: 
Birthdate: August 3, 1984.
Birth place: Canandaigua, New York.
Club: Daytona Beach Swimming. 
Strokes: Breatroke, freestyle, Medley.
Height: 6'2
Weight: 190 lb.
- Up and coming swimmer, the next Phelps of swimming. 


Achievements: 

• 2003: Pan American Games, 4x200 m freestyle relay gold medal²
• 2004: Summer Olympics, 4x200 m freestyle relay gold medal, 200 m individual medley silver medal²
• 2004: Short Course Swimming World Championships, 4x200 m freestyle relay gold medal²
• 2005: Swimming World Championships, 4x200 m freestyle relay gold medal²
• 2006: Pan Pacific Championships, 4x200 m freestyle relay gold medal²
• 2006: Short Course Swimming World Championships, 400 m medley, 200 m backstroke and 200 m medley gold medals²
• 2007: Swimming World Championships, 200 m backstroke and 4x200 m freestyle relay gold medals²
• 2008: Short Course Swimming World Championships, 100 m medley, 200 m medley, 400 m medley and 4x100 m freestyle relay gold medals²
• 2008: Summer Olympics, 200 m backstroke and 4 x 200 m freestyle relay gold medals; 200 m and 400 m individual medley bronze medals²

Collegiate Career: At the 2006 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia, Lochte won individual titles in all three of his individual events, setting U.S. Open and American records in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard backstroke. He broke Tom Dolan's nearly decade-old NCAA record in the 400-yard individual medley. He set another U.S. Open and American record in the 100-yard backstroke leading off the 4×100-yard medley relay for the Florida Gators. This time was faster than the record in the 100-yard butterfly at the time.^[3] The record in the 100-yard butterfly has since been lowered under Lochte's backstroke record. Lochte was the NCAA swimmer of the meet for his senior year.Other accomplishments in 2006 include breaking the 11-year-old Southeastern Conference (SEC) record in the 100-yard butterfly previously held by John Hargis. After finishing his fourth year of collegiate eligibility with the Gators, he was sponsored by Speedo, thus turning professional.

Multi Angle Michael Phelps freestyle.

Catch the video below to experience the in pool activity of Michael Phelps. Keep an eye on the way he begins his dive with a tight streamline of butterfly kick leading into the stroke itself. The key is to have a strong dive into streamline, as well as a tumble turn on the other wall. Those to points in the race are what can make a swimmer win or loose.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax77_hHq9Dc

Swimmer Profile: Michael Phelps.

MICHAEL PHELPS:
Birthdate: June 30, 1985. 
Birth place: Baltimore, Maryland. 
Club: North Baltimore Aquatic Club. 
Height: 6'3
Weight: 201 lbs. 




 Achievement:-3 gold medals at the 2002 Pan Pacific Championships. 
- 4 gold medals at the 2003 World Championships
- 5 golds, 1 silver medals at the 2005 World Championships
-5 gold, 1 silver medals at the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships
- 7 gold medals at the 2007 World Championships
 - 8 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing games. 
- 5 gold medals at the 2008 world championships. 
- 5 gold medals at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships.


Records: 400 meter individual medley - 4:03.84⁵

• 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay - 3:08.24⁶
• 200 meter freestyle - 1:42.96⁷
• 200 meter butterfly - 1:52.03⁸
• 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay - 6:58.56⁹
• 200 meter individual medley - 1:54.23¹⁰
• 4 x 100 medley relay - 3:29.34¹¹

Physique: A few physical attributes particularly suit Phelps to swimming: his long, thin torso offers low drag; his arms span 6 feet 7 inches (201 cm)—disproportionate to his height of 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm)—and act as long, propulsive "paddles"; his relatively short legs lower drag, and perhaps add the speed enhancement of a hydrofoil; his size 14 feet provide the effect of flippers; and hishypermobile ankles he can extend beyond the pointe of a ballet dancer, enabling him to whip his feet as if they were fins for maximum thrust through the water.

Where it all began

"You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get" Michael Phelps 

 My first distinct memories come directly from the pool. Only a few days after I was born I was brought straight over to the pool for the viewing of the lifeguards. Was it destiny that I ended up in the pool? That's a possibility. My aunts and uncles from both sides of my family not only swam competitively but they also continued with a lifeguard profession.It all began when I was probably the most dreaded child at that pool. The child that always cries and yells when it's time for lessons. The child who most likely will never continue the sport upon finishing the levels required. Crazy enough, I defied those odds and began swimming with the Alps Organization . Fast forward to the year 2010 and I'm swimming twice a day once at 8:00, and again at 5:00. It can be a little much sometimes but it's something I don't take advantage of, especially with the lack of free pool time. My most proud moments would probably have to be when I broke to breastroke records for 25 meters ,ranking in a 25.00 seconds when I was eight, a few months later I placed 3rd overall the Alps clubs. My two most dominant strokes are most definably breastrock and freestyle. When my time bettered the decision to came to begin swimming with a winter club. I did so beginning in grade 4, up until grade 9. The decision to decide to quit was not exactly easy but I knew if I wanted have a social life and still be able to commit to other sports i'd have to do it. I  had the option to continue with it and go to the national level just like my aunt had but I knew I loved swimming for reaction and not for a career. Today, I swimming 5 times a week only once a day in between guard duties. The true enjoyment is being able to pay back to the swimming community by coaching children ranging from 5 up until 16 years of age. If ever looking for a sport that it not only a thrill but a great workout swimming is the place to be. I plan to continue doing as many laps as possible until the day I die.