There may not be the bond of a small team where all the swimmers know each other, their siblings and parents. When parents are researching teams for their kids, there are many factors to consider. One is location, the coaches, if the team’s goals and objectives match their swimmer’s — and also the size of […]

Our bodies are designed to move in all different directions, yet over time we start to sit more and move less. As swimmers look ahead to the new year of training and racing, they look for ways to take those experiences to the next level. The obvious place to start, and most commonly seen around […]

Close races, comebacks, back and forth relays. These types of things make the race itself compelling. Uncertainty about the outcome throughout makes a race exciting. Last Friday, SwimSwam published our Swammy Awards Top 10 Swims of the Year. The number one race was the men’s medley relay at the Asian Games. In a year when so […]

“To inspire swimmers and test limits successfully, you have to create a group culture looking for certain goals.” Inspiration and motivation to complete a task in swimming, indeed life, can come from many different sources. It can come from within, a family member, coach, teammates or some other external source. Once swimmers are inspired to […]

This sequence can be done before practice to increase range of motion. It can also be used after a practice to stretch out the shoulders allowing for more effective recovery. The development of shoulder mobility is an important element of a swimming-specific yoga practice. Many swimmers have extremely tight shoulders, which limits their range of […]

We know how to elicit high achievements, whether it is through a compliment, a cheer or a pat on the back, from both ourselves and our teammates. At the end of the road, most swimmers aren’t going to be able to make money by competing professionally. After college, we have to shift gears from the […]

Any sudden, rigorous movements could lead to injuries. Dynamic swimming warmup exercises prepare you for the activity and lowers your risk of injuries. Some swimmers underestimate the importance of warming up before swimming. It’s not surprising as it’s usually tempting to just jump right in. However, there are many reasons taking time to warm up […]

It is baffling how we can go from feeling six feet deep in the dumps to swimming at supersonic speed in a matter of days. Although we spend most of our waking time either in the pool, going to or from the pool, or thinking about the pool, we also interact frequently with people who […]

For all you college swimmers out there, give yourself a pat on the back for sticking with it. It truly is an admirable accomplishment. To the conflicted college swimmer, You are not alone. The reality is that nothing can prepare you for college swimming. Club and high school practices may come close in terms of […]

Look around your team. Do you enjoy the people on your team? Are they people you respect? Can you learn from them? My kids stuck with one team throughout their age group years from kindergarten through high school graduation. The pool was close to our home and we’ve had excellent coaches throughout the years. We […]