ISSUE NO. 11 APRIL 2019
THIS MONTH IN SWIMMING YOUR BRAIN IS LISTENING! I WANT TO BE A LIFEGUARD!
OPEN TURNS THE APPROACH
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH TEACH ME HOW TO SWIM!
MISSY FRANKLIN
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST TALKS WITH US ABOUT HER CAREER AND HOW RETIREMENT IS TREATING HER
Readers, I hope you enjoy the April 2019 issue of Starting Block Magazine! All American Swim, The Lifeguard Store, and Swim Shops of the Southwest value each and every one of you as customers and as people. Our goal is to aid and inform all of our readers and help them reach their personal and professional swimming goals through relevant content. Do not hesitate to reach out with any comments, suggestions, or questions for us. You can email me directly at my email below or through any of our social media channels! Thank You and Happy Reading!
Editor.
Greg Osman Greg@TheLifeguardStore.com
THIS MONTH IN SWIMMING
CONTENTS
We take a look at historical swimming moments for April!
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YOUR BRAIN IS LISTENING!
Former NCAA All-American Aimee Schmitt reminisces on an old photo and how it motivates her future.
I WANT TO BE A LIFEGUARD! Training, certifications, and skills needed to become a lifeguard
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Olympic Gold Medalist talks with us about her career and how retirement is treating her
AllAmericanSwim.com brings you the April Product of the Month!
Starting Block Magazine is used as a marketing and advertising venture, published by The Lifeguard Store, All American Swim, and Swim Shops of the Southwest. Cover Image: Missy Franklin SPEEDO USA
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MISSY FRANKLIN
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
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OPEN TURNS - THE APPROACH Abbie Fish of Ritter Sports Performance begins her three part series on Open Turns.
TEACH ME HOW TO SWIM!
Why your child should learn how to swim and when is the proper time to start
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BIRTHDAYS April 2 • 1959: Brian Goodell, American 400m/1500m freestyle swimmer (Olympic-2 gold-1976), born in Stockton, California April 5 • 1975: Nikki Dryden, 800m swimmer (Olympic 6th 1992, 96), born in Calgary, Alberta April 6 • 1976: Simon Coombes, Australian swimmer (Olympics 1996), born in Melbourne, Victoria April 7 • 1968: Duncan Armstrong, Australian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m freestyle 1988), born in Rockhampton, Queensland April 8 • 1973: Walter Nicholas Henry Tongue, 50m/100m swimmer (Olympics 1996), born in Auckland, New Zealand April 15 • 1955: Enith Salle Brigitha, Neth, 100m/200m swimmer (Olympic bronze 1976) • 1967: Dara Torres, American Olympic swimmer (Olympic gold 1984), born in Beverly Hills, California
THIS MONTH IN SWIMMING HISTORY EVENTS
April 8 • 1983: Tracy Caulkins, 19, wins her 36th US swimming title. April 10 • 1991: Martin Zubero swims world record 200m backstroke (1:52.51) April 11 • 1924: First men’s college swimming championships begin. • 1993: Jeff Rouse swims world record 100m backstroke (51.43 sec)
April 17 • 1962: Nancy Hogshead, swimmer (Olympic gold 1984)/model (jockey), born in Iowa City, Iowa April 18 • 1970: Heike Friedrich, East Germany swimmer (world record 200m) April 19 • 1978: Whitney Metzler, 400m medley swimmer (Olympic 8th 1996) April 21 • 1971: Samantha Druce, British swimmer, youngest woman to swim English Channel • 1975: Danyon Loader, New Zealand 200m and 400m swimmer (2 Olympic gold medals 1996), born in Dunedin, New Zealand April 23 • 1969: Martin López-Zubero, Spanish backstroke swimmer (world record 200m) April 24 • 1977: Ryan Mitchell, Australian breaststroke swimmer (Olympics 1996), born in Port Augusta, Australia April 26 • 1947: Donna Elizabeth De Varona, swimmer (Olympic-2 gold-64), born in Greenwich, Connecticut April 30 • 1946: Donald Schollander, swimmer (Olympic-4 gold-64), born in Charlotte, North Carolina
DEATHS
Tracy Caulkins in 1981
April 15 • 2012: Murray Rose, Australian Olympic gold winning swimmer, dies from leukemia at 73 April 16 • 2007: Maria Lenk, Brazilian swimmer and first Brazilian woman to compete in the Olympic Games (b. 1915) April 23 • 1983: Clarence “Buster” Crabbe, American swimmer (Olympic gold 1932) and actor (Tarzan the Fearless, Flash Gordon), dies of a heart attack at 75 starting block magazine | p. 5
YOUR BRAIN IS LISTENING! How Written Images Can Be A Key to Improvement AIMEE SCHMITT THE ULTIMATE SWIM LOG AND GOAL PLANNER Have you noticed how an old photo or letter can instantly take you back to vivid memories and feelings from that time? For example, a friend sent me this photo. I am on the cover of a swim catalog—and after more than two decades, I can tell you where I was, and what was going on in my life based off the memories associated with that image. If you were to just ask me what I was doing on any given date, I would not be able to recall anything. It is the image that anchors the memories and the recall. The brain has an amazing capacity to deep-store impressions. It is quite a scientific fact. Not only does your brain do this with memory in looking back, but it can also play it forward with visualization. How does this apply to swimming faster? It does because your brain is listening to what you are saying and doing, and if the visual and physical cues are strong enough, your brain will embed the experience. Conclusion: There is power in writing things down and organizing a goal. The effort of recording and planning is something the brain listens to and uses to aid future performances. For that reason, The Ultimate Swim Log and Goal Planner has been a lifelong project of mine to help empower swimmers
take ownership of their swimming and have a tangible record of that ownership. Our world is increasingly more focused on the digital and ephemeral. Chats disappear. Data is stored away. Information is “out there” but invisible, and the connection of an experience is not as impactful to the brain as physically putting something on paper where you see it every day. Our brain wants information it can use that is a whole sensory package --an image tied to a physical response. I discovered this connection when a coach took the time to teach some elements of goal planning and goal visualization as a part of our age-group training. At his suggestion, I began to write down goals and log practices. By college I had determined to visualize a perfect 100 freestyle race every day, the whole season, before the competition. I even made a homemade paper scoreboard with the time I wanted to see on the actual scoreboard when I finished that race. I taped my artful rendition on the wall to see it every day and visualized how that race would feel each night. An amazing thing happened at my championship race—I went the exact time to the 10th of a second that I had drawn up on my own paper scoreboard. Apparently, my brain was listening
to my visualization, recognized the plan, was familiar with the desired result, and steered towards that same result in real time.
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Ways you can create brain-connected visuals to help you be a better swimmer: • Write down your practices, or best sets each day to help your brain remember that it has worked hard and doesn’t need cave to nerves. Your brain will know your body is prepared. Write down your total yardage as a visual cue to show how you spent the hours, days, and years striving to be better. Your brain knows it has done the work. Write down your best times to show a pattern of improvement which develops a confidence in the future. Your brain knows it has hit important milestones. Write down your goals to give your brain a chance to figure out how to get there. Your brain will steer towards that visual for you. Write down your strategy to set a course your mind will use and follow. Your brain has a road map that it can follow.
When you write down goals, you make the invisible visible, the intangible tangible, and your brain will process it as a reality. Think of writing things down as a scientific relationship of success between your brain and your journey. Draw out your goals…your brain is listening to all of it. Celebrate your victories small and large… your brain will love it and your future self will thank you with great memories. Aimee Schmitt is a former NCAA All-American swimmer for Stanford University, author, and avid believer in goal-setting. starting block magazine | p. 7
THE LIFEGUARD STORE STAFF WRITER
merits of the position, here are a few more reasons why lifeguarding is a great job:
Becoming a lifeguard is exciting and rewarding work. The chance to hang out at the pool, park or camp makes most days on the job feel more like fun in the sun than hard work. You can work on your tan, socialize with swimmers, get into and stay in great shape and enjoy some great people-watching.
1. Most lifeguarding jobs are seasonal. If you’re in high school or college, working in the summer season is a great way to earn some cash, have a lot of fun and still have an open schedule once school starts again.
There is also a serious side and a lot of responsibility that comes with lifeguarding. You are accountable for the safety and lives of the swimmers and pool-goers. But the authority that comes with being a lifeguard comes with a lot of self-satisfaction. You’re the law-enforcer, the rule-maker and the lifesaver. Becoming a lifeguard is no easy task. It takes a ton of work and determination. You must be a strong swimmer and able to make quick decisions on the fly under high pressure. And you must receive a few certifications that will help you in your role as a lifeguard. But the hard work will ultimately pay off! Lifeguarding is a fun and gratifying job, and the benefits will stick with you throughout your life.
2. There are lots of great work opportunities. Once you complete your training and certifications, it’s pretty easy to land a job as a lifeguard in a variety of places. Community pools and recreation centers are great places to start. Once you have a bit of experience — and some additional certifications — you can look for jobs at waterparks, camps, lakes and beaches. 3. Lifeguards get to meet new people. Working as a lifeguard is an excellent way to meet new people — your fellow lifeguards and other staff members as well as regulars to your swim area. 4. Lifeguards are great role models. Do you remember how cool you thought the pool lifeguards were when you were a kid? They commanded respect and looked cool doing it. Becoming a lifeguard means kids look up to you and parents respect you.
Reasons to Work as a Lifeguard In case you’re still not convinced of the
5. Lifeguards get regular coffee breaks. The United States Lifeguard Standards
Coalition released a report in 2011 with the purpose of creating positive standards for lifeguard training. They concluded that having regular breaks and ingesting caffeine helped improved lifeguards’ vigilance. And that’s based on science! 6. It looks awesome on a resume. That’s because you have to be CPR, first-aid and automated external defibrillator (AED) certified — meaning you’re a safety expert — and having lifeguarding on your resume shows that you can take responsibility and work well under pressure. It also proves that you can be a team player while also being in charge of others.
variety of scenarios — ranging from minor infractions to severe medical events, such as cardiac arrests or drownings — so you can learn what to do and practice your skills.
Now that we’ve convinced you that lifeguarding is a fantastic career, let’s talk about the training, certifications and skills required to become a lifeguard.
The pre-course swimming test usually requires students to:
Necessary Training for Lifeguards Before you can supervise a crowded pool full of kids and adults, you have to prove that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to react appropriately to medical emergencies. One way to learn what skills you’ll need is to complete training courses in both lifeguarding and first-aid. You can find training courses near you through national organizations, especially the American Red Cross and YMCA family centers, or by reaching out to local recreation centers, which often offer their own lifeguard training and certification courses. 1. Lifeguard Training Program Lifeguard training will equip you with all the skills you’ll need to ensure water safety and prevent injury and accidents. You’ll also learn response techniques so you’ll know exactly what to do in case of a water emergency. Throughout the training, you’ll be presented with a
To register for most lifeguard training programs, you must be at least 15 years old. You must also pass a pre-course swimming test to prove that you have the swimming skills, strength and stamina to safely complete the program.
1. Swim 300 yards without interruption while demonstrating breath control. You can use the breaststroke or front crawl, but backstroke or swimming on your side aren’t permitted. Feel free to wear goggles during your swim. 2. Tread water for two minutes using only your legs. Pro tip — place your hands under your armpits while you do this. 3. Starting in the water, swim 20 yards, surface dive 7 to 10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, surface, return to the starting point with the object while swimming on your back and grasping the object with both hands, then exit the pool without using steps or a ladder. This test must be completed within one minute, 40 seconds or less, and you cannot wear goggles. Training options vary depending on your area. Most lifeguard training programs take three to seven days — about 30 hours — to complete, and many now feature a blended online and classroom format, so you can do required readings and tests at your own pace online before starting block magazine | p. 9
you jump into the pool for the physical aspects of the course. Often, completing a lifeguard training course will encompass all the training and certifications you need to become a lifeguard, so once you go through the training and pass the course tests, you’ll be ready to start working. And if you complete the American Red Cross lifeguard course, your certification will be valid for two years and is accepted at pools nationwide. 2. First-Aid Training First-aid helps you recognize the right level of care that should be provided during times of crisis. It teaches you how to provide medical aid to someone in need until medical professionals arrive at the scene. These courses typically only take a few hours to complete. Many communities offer both in-person sessions and simulated learning courses that combine self-paced online modules with in-class lectures.
• First-aid certification • CPR certification • AED certification Let’s take a closer look at each one of these certifications and what you’ll need to complete them. 1. Lifeguard Certification As we mentioned earlier, once you complete your lifeguard training course, you’ll often receive your lifeguard certification, so you’ll be ready to dive right into your new job as a lifeguard! To pass the training and certification test, you typically must attend every live class session, participate in simulated scenarios to test your new skills and pass a written multiple-choice test with a grade of at least 80 percent. This certification is vital to landing a job as a lifeguard because it shows that you’ve completed the necessary training and demonstrates that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to handle a variety of emergency situations should one arise on the job, as they inevitably will.
Many programs offer blended training
programs, meaning you complete both the lifeguard training and first-aid training in one single course. Certifications Required for Lifeguards Once you’ve completed the training required for lifeguards, you must then pass tests to prove that you absorbed the information and receive certifications that provide further proof of your skills. The certifications required for lifeguards are: • Lifeguard certification
2. First-Aid Certification The first-aid certification is one skill that will be helpful to you both in your role as a lifeguard and in your daily life. It’s just generally good knowledge! And who knows — if you’re in the right place at the right time, you could save a life thanks to your knowledge and first-aid training. As with the lifeguard certification, you will receive this after you complete the firstaid training course and pass the required test. 3. CPR Certification To be a good lifeguard, you must also know how to properly administer CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CPR involves administering chest compressions and rescue breaths
to someone experiencing a medical emergency. After completing your CPR certification, you’ll be armed with the skills necessary to recognize and handle breathing and cardiac emergencies. Tactics are different whether you’re providing aid to adults, children or infants, so it’s important to know how to treat people at all life stages. CPR is an essential skill for lifeguards to learn because, in the case of neardrowning, administering CPR and mouthto-mouth resuscitation is the first step in reviving the victim to save their life. CPR is another valuable certification that only takes a few hours to complete. It can be taken outside of your lifeguard training but is often offered as part of a comprehensive lifeguard certification course. 4. AED Certification The final certification you’ll need to complete is in how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). An AED is a portable device used externally to deliver an electric shock to the heart of patients experiencing cardiac emergencies. The device can assess the victim’s heart rate and rhythm, determine whether defibrillation is necessary and deliver a shock if it is. The machine is typically equipped with sticky electrode pads that are attached directly to the chest of someone experiencing a cardiac episode. After you assess the person’s condition and determine that it’s necessary, you should use the AED as soon as possible. Even someone without proper training or certification could use an AED in an emergency by simply following instructions relayed by the device. Being certified to use an AED ensures that you know exactly how to assess the situation and respond appropriately.
You may also need to administer CPR after the shock is delivered, which is why it’s important to have a working knowledge of both skills. Key Skills All Lifeguards Should Possess Besides the training and certifications necessary to teach you how to react in an emergency, a good lifeguard must cultivate some additional skills to complement their safety training. • Be a strong swimmer. This one probably goes without saying, but being a good lifeguard means being as comfortable in the water as out of it. Even after you complete your training, you should continue to work on your swimming techniques and fitness. Consider joining a swim team, which will keep you in shape while introducing a competitive side to swimming and make you familiar with starting block magazine | p. 11
all the swim strokes. • Make good decisions quickly. As a lifeguard, you must be prepared to deal with any and every situation. You’ll have day after day of relaxed pool monitoring. But in the blink of an eye, the job can go from carefree to frenzied. When someone’s life is in your hands, you must be ready to make snap judgments under intense circumstances. Your ability to think on your feet could mean the difference between life or death. • Stay focused on swimmers and surroundings. Maintaining your focus is critical as a lifeguard. When things seem slow, you must never let your vigilance lapse. This means always staying attentive and alert, scanning the pool and identifying signs of trouble and potential danger. Ways to maintain your focus include getting a good night’s sleep, swapping viewing positions with your fellow lifeguards, making sure you’re properly shaded and hydrated and minimizing distractions from your cell phone and your own internal chatter. Your lifeguard training will help teach you effective scanning strategies, and your supervisors can also offer helpful advice on how to keep your focus. • Know how to use AED and hard paddles. Your AED training should equip you with all the knowledge you need to use an AED machine with sticky electrodes. In addition to this, you will also need to know how to use AED hard paddles. Though their use is becoming more obsolete with the use of self-adhesive electrodes, hard paddles require the operator to place the paddles in position and hold them in place while applying appropriate amounts of pressure while the AED machine delivers a shock or a series of shocks. Hard paddles require that gel is applied to the patient’s skin to
avoid burning, while self-adhesive electrodes have gel pre-applied. • Know how to use life rings. A life ring, also known as a lifebuoy, is a standard tool of the lifeguard trade. Your lifeguard training will include instruction on how to properly deploy and use a life ring in emergency situations. • Understand what’s in a first-aid kit and how to use its contents. Being able to apply first aid means having a good first-aid kit. You should be able to identify exactly where firstaid kits are kept, what’s in it and how to use each item. All of these skills, plus many others, will help you establish a safe and fun swimming environment. Maintaining a demeanor that commands respect and understanding that emergencies can arise at any moment will make you an effective lifeguard who both kids and adults can look up to. Get Your Lifeguard Gear From The Lifeguard Store Now that you know the skills, training and certifications required to become a lifeguard, what are you waiting for? Summer is right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to jump in the pool, swim laps to get into shape and practice your prerequisite skills. Whether you choose to do it as a seasonal summer job or look for year-round positions, working as a lifeguard is a fun and rewarding experience. Get everything you need to start a job as a lifeguard at the Lifeguard Store. Dive in and get started today!
MISSY FRANKLIN Two-Time Olympian. Six-Time Olympic Medalist. Now retired, Missy discusses her career, her love of swimming and her future plans
STARTING BLOCK MAGAZINE: How did you begin swimming? Missy Franklin: I began swimming because my mother never learned how to, and still hold a sense of fear towards water today. She did not want to pass that fear onto me and therefore got me in swim classes as early as six months old. Learning to swim is so incredibly important for safety, and I’m so proud that my mom faced her fear in order that I wouldn’t have the same one! SBM: Who inspired you the most throughout your swimming career? MF: Natalie Coughlin was my greatest swimming role model growing up. She was so versatile, such a leader on the team, and had such beautiful strokes. I had countless teammates and coaches that inspired me every single day. It is so crucial to surround yourself with people who are constantly supporting you and pushing you to be your best. SBM: What made swimming a passion of yours? MF: I’ve just always loved it. Swimming brings me so much joy, and always has. I truly felt like I was born to swim. Even on the tough days, the days when I was beyond exhausted and sore, I still found myself with a massive smile on my face in the pool. SBM: Tell me about your proudest moment as an athlete. MF: My proudest moment as an athlete was winning my first gold medal. So many young athletes dream of this their entire lives, and to accomplish my greatest goal at just 17 was something I could have never imagined. The feeling was truly indescribable. SBM: Tell me about a time when swimming challenged you and a lesson you learned from it. MF: Swimming challenged me every single day, and it is one of the aspects that I love so much about the sport. It challenged me the most when I failed to accomplish any of my goals at my second Olympics. It was the most
disappointing and heart breaking experience of my life, and I knew my challenge was to keep my positive attitude, to continue being the best teammate I could be, and to show the best sportsmanship I could, despite my own heart ache and disappointment. SBM: Do you have a word or mantra that you said to yourself when you were competing? MF: Relentless and smile :) SBM: Do you have any nutritional or fitness recommendations for other swimmers? Any favorite foods or workouts? MF: My greatest piece of fitness advice is RECOVERY. I wish I would have learned and understood the importance of recovery sooner. With how much work we put in, it is so crucial we give ourselves, physically and mentally, a break to recover and repair before we get back to another hard week of training. Nutritionally, just eat intuitively. Make sure you’re fueling before and after practice and eating foods that are going to help your body perform at it’s best. SBM: What made you ultimately decide to retire? MF: I underwent bilateral shoulder surgery in 2017, and unfortunately remained in an excruciating amount of pain. In order to continue training, I would have needed another bilateral surgery and I did not feel as though I could have the surgery and still have the successful Olympics in 2020 that I would hope for. SBM: Where do you see your future going now that the competitive side of swimming is over? MF: The possibilities are endless :) SBM: What advice do you have for someone just starting their swimming career? MF: Enjoy every moment! You will learn so much from this sport, and you won’t even realize how much until potentially years down to road. Swimming will bring you so much joy, friendship, challenge, and inspiration, and take in as much as you can. starting block magazine | p. 15
SWIMMING BRINGS ME SO MUCH JOY...
...AND ALWAYS HAS
BIOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS (COURTESY OF TEAMUSA.ORG) Name: Missy Franklin Sport: Swimming Event(s): 200m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle Height: 6-2 Weight: 170 DOB: 5/10/1995 Birthplace: Pasadena, Calif. Hometown: Centennial, Colo. High School: Regis Jesuit High School (Aurora, Colo.) ‘13 College: University of California, Berkeley Olympic Experience • Two-time Olympian (2012, 2016); Six-time Olympic medalist (5 golds, 1 bronze) • Rio 2016 Olympic Games, gold (4x200m free); 13th (200m free); 14th (200m back) • London 2012 Olympic Games, gold (100m back, 200m back, 4x200m free, 4x100m medley); bronze (4x100m free); 4th (200m free); 5th (100m free) World Championship Experience • Most recent: 2015 – gold (4x200m free, 4x100m mixed free); silver (200m back); bronze (200m free, 4x100m free); 4th (4x100m medley); 5th (100m back); 7th (100m free) • Years of participation: Long Course – 2011, 2013, 2015; Short Course – 2010 • Medals: 17 (11 golds, 3 silvers, 3 bronzes) • Gold – 2011 (200m back, 4x100m medley, 4x200m free); 2013 (100m back, 200m back, 200m free, 4x100m free, 4x200m free, 4x100m medley); 2015 (4x200m free, 4x100m mixed free) • Silver – 2010 (200m back); 2011 (4x100m free); 2015 (200m back) • Bronze – 2011 (50m back); 2015 (200m free, 4x100m free)
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
RISE BIG BLADE GOGGLE
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OPEN TURNS THE APPROACH Perfecting your open turns is a definite must for all swimmers. Whether you’re at the developmental level, an IMer, and/or performing kick sets with a board at practice—knowing how to get your body into an optimum position, after finishing with a hand touch is crucial to fast swimming. In our next series, we will be breaking down the Open Turn very similar to our Flipturn Series to help you improve your turn! Let’s Get Started!
Just like the Flipturn, the Open Turn has 3 parts: The Setup The Crunch The Push-Off All of these movements must be performed well and sequentially, or swimmers will significantly slow down. What’s the Main Difference Between Open Turn & FlipTurns? The main difference between an Open Turn and FlipTurn is that the swimmer’s speed goes to zero sooner during an Open Turn than a Flipturn. In a Flipturn, the swimmers perform a somersault, which if done correctly—they carry their (swim) speed through the flip and their speed doesn’t hit zero until their feet plant on the wall. An Open Turn is completely opposite. During an Open Turn, a swimmer’s speed will hit zero at the hand touch—which is a lot SOONER than a Flipturn. While some of the swimmer’s speed may help carry the rest of their body towards the wall (after the hand touch), they are no longer progressing forward in the pool and forward velocity has stopped. With knowing this main difference, it’s really important for swimmers to set up their Open Turns well and here’s how you do that: Know Your Stroke Count When approaching the wall for an Open Turn, swimmers should have an idea of their stroke count from the flags in. Just like a Backstroke turn, it’s important for a swimmer to feel confident they can hit
they wall with an arm’s distance away— instead of jamming, diving under, or gliding into the turn. Knowing your stroke count takes practice, and practice of all different speed levels. So when they’re in a meet environment, they know how to adjust their stroke to hit the wall perfectly—every time. Don’t Breathe on Your Last Stroke How many times have you heard your coach say this? Probably way too many— and that’s because it matters! By keeping your head down, you’re keeping your speed up as high as possible into the wall and keep your body alignment at a better angle. If you lift your head right before the wall, your hips drop down towards the bottom. This causes you to pull the legs up and forward—instead of just forward when the hands hit. The result of this causes a much higher increase in drag!
ABBIE FISH Abbie has been in the competitive swimming realm for over 20 years. From qualifying for the Olympic Trials to working at USA Swimming’s headquarters, Abbie has been on all sides of the sport. Abbie believes anyone with the heart to train can benefit from technical advice! starting block magazine | p. 21
THE LIFEGARD STORE STAFF WRITER As parents, we all want our children to succeed in every arena in life — academically, socially, emotionally and physically. That’s why we help them with their homework, encourage them to make friends and talk them through difficult emotional moments. But what can you, as an active and loving parent, do to promote your child’s physical health and development? We think one of the best ways to help them succeed physically is to encourage them to explore different physical activities that are fun while also being fantastic forms of exercise. Swimming is just one of the many activities you might encourage your child to participate in. Swimming is fun for most kids, and it’s an ability that will serve them well their whole lives. It keeps them healthy, gives them the skills they need to stay safe everywhere from the beach to the pool and also gives them a great way to have fun and develop confidence in their physical abilities. However, if the idea of your child in the water scares you, you’re not alone. Plenty of parents become nervous at the thought of their child — particularly if the child is very young — jumping into a pool. They envision all their worst fears coming true, and they may keep their child away from the pool. This decision results in a child who grows up without this crucial skill. While fearing for your child’s safety around the water is understandable, it shouldn’t stand in the way of you giving your child the gift of swimming.
Why Should Kids Learn to Swim Early? There are countless reasons why children benefit from taking swimming lessons at the young age of 4 or 5, as opposed to waiting until they’re older or never learning at all. If you aren’t convinced, here are some of our top reasons why learning to swim early is important. 1. Learn the Basics of Water Safety Out of all the cases of accidental drowning in the United States in recent years, one in five of those deaths represents children under the age of 14. For many parents, this fact may be a warning to keep their children as far away from the pool as possible. But while these parents may feel they’re protecting their children from harm, the reality is that they’re actually putting their child in greater danger. It’s inevitable that your child will find themselves around water at some point in our lives, whether that’s the pool, the ocean or even a small creek. If a child knows how to swim, they will be in no danger. Even if an accident were to occur, the child would know how to swim and rescue themselves from the water. The child who has never learned to swim, however, will be at a far greater risk of accidental drowning because they will be unable to rescue themselves. Children who attend swimming classes learn how to swim and learn the basics of water safety. They learn how to behave around the pool in a way that will keep everyone safe. They learn who to go to
if there’s an accident, and they learn what to do if they ever find themselves in a situation where they’re losing control of themselves in the water. Kids who never attend swimming lessons will learn none of these skills. Not every child who takes swimming lessons will become an Olympic champion. But even if your child never learns more than a basic doggypaddle, they’ll have learned the most vital lessons of all — the rules of water safety. 2. Experience a Boost in Confidence For better or for worse, swimming is often a highly social activity. As your child grows older, they’ll inevitably be surrounded by friends and classmates throwing pool parties. There may even be swimming lessons and tests in school. Knowing how to participate in these activities enthusiastically will do wonders for your child’s confidence and self-esteem, making them feel they’re part of the group, as opposed to being the only child present who can’t swim. Besides belonging in a group, swimming will also help your child to feel more confident and comfortable in their own body. They’ll feel surer of their physical abilities, making them more likely to try other sports in the future and more comfortable taking part in other challenging physical activities. Swimming can lead to further confidence and higher self-esteem down the road. 3. Enjoy Healthy Benefits and Promote Healthy Habits Swimming is one of the very best full-body workouts a person can do. While plenty of sports and activities exercise specific parts of the body, none engage the full body as well as swimming. It promotes overall health and wellness, helps build strong muscles and improves heart-health and respiratory function. One of the great benefits of learning to swim early is that children will get a great dose of exercise without it ever once feeling like work. Because swimming is fun, they’ll start to develop good
habits regarding exercise and physical activity, viewing these activities as enjoyable rather than something to avoid. These habit formations lead to a greater likelihood that they’ll continue to maintain an active lifestyle for years to come, even if they never continue with organized sports. 4. Increase Physical Development While learning to swim is a great idea for anyone of any age, it’s particularly beneficial for kids because of how it helps with their physical development. By learning to master the complex movements required to propel the body through the water, kids gain the tools they need to increase their hand-eye coordination, muscle development and physical dexterity. These are all skills and developments that your child would eventually gain, but participating in a form of exercise like swimming means your child has a greater chance to develop these skills sooner than a child who doesn’t exercise. 5. Learn When Learning Is Easiest It’s never too late to learn how to swim. Even if you’re well into your adulthood and haven’t the faintest idea how to swim, you could still develop the skill if you had the time, patience and dedication. It wouldn’t necessarily be easy, but you could do it. Learning to swim is a lot like learning a second language, however — it’s much easier when you’re a child. This has to do with the way the brain and body are still developing in young children as well as with the way we’ve trained ourselves to think. As an adult who has never learned to swim, you’ll have likely spent a lifetime learning to be afraid of the water. This means that to swim, you’ll need to learn the physical motions while also overcoming this lifetime of apprehension. Most kids don’t have this fear, however. They’re more than willing to starting block magazine | p. 23
jump into a pool, not yet realizing it’s something they should be afraid of. Because of this, their road to learning how to swim is much smoother. 6. Prevent a Future Fear of Water The longer your child goes without knowing how to swim, the greater the chance that this will develop into a fully-fledged fear of water. They’ll spend every pool party and every trip to the beach lingering on the sidelines, afraid to get their feet wet. And if they do happen to have a scare where they accidentally end up in the deep end, this fear will grow, and could even lead to them having a major mental block against ever learning how to swim. This fear is easily preventable by allowing your child to learn to swim early on. Once they understand how to move through water and rise to the surface, they’ll see there’s no reason to be afraid of the water. They’ll realize the only thing to be afraid of is a lack of knowledge about how to handle themselves in the water. 7. Learn a Lifelong Skill Swimming is a wonderful activity for children, but it’s also a fantastic way to get exercise and have a little fun at every age. Even much later in life, swimming continues to be a relatively safe way to get some physical activity long after other options will need to be ruled out. Because swimming takes place in water, it’s a low-impact sport with little room for injury. Where biking, running or even using an elliptical machine at the gym carry the risk of falls as a person gets older, swimming doesn’t have these risks. The enduring appeal of swimming means it’s great for kids while they’re still kids, but it’s also a great way to invest in their future. By helping them learn this critical skill at an early age, you
ensure that they’ll have the ability to exercise and stay active throughout their whole life, thus helping them to lead happier, healthier and longer lives. 8. Get a Head Start Social Skills Most kids will have their first experience in a truly structured classroom environment at age 5 when they enter kindergarten. While they may attend pre-school or other pre-school themed activities, these will likely be very loosely structured without a lot of true direction-following or expectations for the kids. Swimming is different. Most experts agree that while every child is unique, many kids will be developmentally ready to start swimming lessons at age 4, a full year before they begin kindergarten. These swimming lessons will involve listening to the instructor, following directions, behaving appropriately around other children and learning to act in an instructional setting. It’s true that your child will learn these same skills in kindergarten the following year, as well as every year for the rest of their childhood. The advantage of taking swimming lessons at this young age, however, is that they give your child a jumpstart on becoming comfortable in a structured class setting. This preparation helps set them up for success academically, socially and emotionally as they prepare to start their schooling. 9. Fuel the Brain Kids who participate in swimming from a very early age are, on average, more cognitively and physically advanced than children of the same age who haven’t begun to swim. A study completed by the Griffith Institute of Educational Research in Australia tested a large group of children from ages 3 to 5 and found that those who had begun their swimming lessons had more advanced fine motor skills and stronger hand-eye coordination. While these physical advantages might be expected due to the increased physical training from swimming, there was also evidence that
who they want to be in this world. While these things may not be concerning your 5-year-old, these are absolutely concerns that will weigh on kids as they enter their pre-teen and teenage years. By giving them the gift of swimming early on in life, you provide them with a healthy way to blow off some of these emotions and deal with their stress as it comes into their life. The physical action of swimming helps clear the head and also promotes good physical health, which in turn promotes good mental health. In this way, a little exercise such as swimming can do wonders to help manage your child’s stress levels and lead them towards a more balanced and healthy life. Purchase Swim Gear for Your Swimming Lessons It’s never too late to learn how to swim. Whether you’re 10, 20 or 50, it’s always worth putting in the time and effort to learn this lifelong skill. Swimming can provide a fantastic workout for your body, and it can also lead to a variety of improvements in your mental wellbeing and stress levels.
these children who practiced swimming had more advanced levels of oral expression. These children also had greater literacy and numerical understanding, suggesting a strong correlation between these swimming lessons and increased cognitive abilities. This seems to suggest that children who start their swimming lessons at an early age will be better equipped to begin school than those who haven’t started to swim. 10. Relieve a Little Stress Let’s face it — life is stressful. For many of us, we tend to associate stress with the pressures of adult life, such as holding down a job, caring for a family and managing money. But the truth is kids have a lot on their plates as well. The older they get, the more their school load grows. They’ll learn to deal with complicated relationships and friendships and figure out the basics of timemanagement as they attempt to juggle school, activities, friends and family, all while figuring out
Of course, learning how to swim is tricky if you don’t have the right gear for the job. From swimwear and goggles to pool floats and kickboards, there are plenty of items you’ll need to get your swimming lessons started off on the right foot. Not quite sure where to get started? Begin your swimming journey by browsing our product offerings here at The Lifeguard Store. We stock hundreds of products at some of the best prices around, and we’re committed to making sure your experience as a customer is a good one. That’s why we offer hassle-free returns and free exchange shipping, as well as free shipping on all orders over $60. So why wait? Browse our full catalog today and get ready to start your swimming lessons.
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