News
"I" is for Injuries When you work hard, push yourself to your limits and engage in physical activity, you are not only competing with other swimmers, you are also competing with your body. If you have ever been injured, you know how stressful and life-altering it can be. Whether it’s the disappointment of having trained so hard and no longer being able to compete or the feeling of being an outsider rather than a part of the team, there are many sources of injury stress. It is important to know...
The Road to Nationals-Leisel Jones In 2008, Rebecca Soni’s break out 200m breaststroke in Beijing set the world record and upset gold medal favorite Leisel Jones of Australia. In 2009, Soni won her fourth consecutive NCAA title in the 200yd breaststroke, set a world record in the 100m breaststroke at World Championships and won the Golden Goggle for Female Swimmer of the Year. Now training with Dave Salo and other postgraduates at Trojan Swim Club, it looks like 2010 is gearing up to be another record-setting year. Soni picked up...
Is it risky for children to swallow pool water? Your child is bound to take a few gulps of pool water at one time or another, especially when first learning to swim. A little swallowed pool water isn't cause for concern, but drinking too much pool water can make a child ill.
"H" is for Having Fun I think that having fun is, in fact, a mental skill. Most people believe having fun is as easy as getting involved in something you enjoy, which is true. However, what happens when what you enjoy also becomes a source of pressure, anxiety, fatigue and pain? Most athletes start swimming because they love being in the water and enjoy being with their friends. When they decide to turn their “hobby” into a competitive activity is when some of the “fun” can be taken away. That...
"G" is for Goal Setting Every athlete has a goal. Whether it’s to win races, achieve a personal best, or simply make it through a grueling practice, the goals we set undoubtedly exert influence on our performance. However, there’s a lot more to goal setting than just stating what it is you ultimately want to achieve. To get the motivational support and performance boost that goals can provide, athletes must set goals systematically and have various types of goals. This article will lead you through steps to setting goals so...
Coolest Thing Of The Day: Deepest Pool in the World If you're looking to find Nemo you're at the right place. In Brussels, Belgium the deepest pool in the world, Nemo 33 is open for wonderous underwater exploration. Although it may lack seaweed and sea creatures roaming it is an amazing architectural project that extends underwater into a project that provides a completely man-made diving pool. Perfect for scuba diving practices this 33 meter (105 feet) deep pool also doubles as a major tourist attraction. The expansive pool is surprisingly...
The Road to Nationals-Keri Hehn Veteran National Team member Keri Hehn is looking ahead to the upcoming Grand Prix meets as a chance to prepare for the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships this August. The former Minnesota Gopher is currently training with coach Dave Salo and other post-graduates at Trojan Swim Club in Los Angeles and looking to continue her success from the 2009 Nationals Championships where she placed second in the 200-meter breaststroke and earned a spot on the World Championship team. Hehn spoke with Swimnetwork this week about what...
The Road to Nationals-Margaret Hoelzer Two-time Olympic backstroker and current American Record holder Margaret Hoelzeralready has her sights focused on the next stops in her journey to the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships. With meets in Barcelona and Canet en Roussillon in June, and the final Grand Prix meet of the season in Los Angeles, the former Auburn Tiger is looking to improve upon her performances from last summer’s Nationals where she placed third in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes, and earn a spot on the Pan Pacific Championships team. National...
"F" is for Fear One of the worst four-letter words in an athletes’ everyday vocabulary is “fear.” It is an emotion that most athletes don’t admit to, yet when experienced, is constantly influencing their behaviors. This article will focus on rational and irrational fears, how to accept them and keep them from influencing your performance. Slaying the Big Bad Wolf I have yet to meet an athlete who isn’t afraid of something. While a fear of spiders isn’t going to keep most athletes from performing their best, a fear of...
