Category: Competitive Swimming
-
How chloramines affected my lungs as a swimmer
November is COPD Awareness Month and Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a great opportunity to learn more about chloramines and the effects on your lungs. Briefly, chloramines are disinfection byproducts that form when organic material (sweat, oils, hair, urine, lotion, sunscreen) reacts with chlorine. Chloramines build up in the pool and then off-gas…
-
Rio Paralympics: Let the games begin
You may think the Rio Olympic Games are over, but the Paralympics Games have just begun! What are the Paralympics? The first Paralympics was held during the 1960 Summer Games in Italy. Since then, the Paralympics have been held just weeks after the Olympics in the same venue and city. To participate in…
-
Recapping Rio: Team USA swimming cleans up
The Olympic Games in Rio are as exciting as ever, and the U.S. men’s and women’s swimming teams are as dominant as ever! The U.S. team is one of the most successful teams in the modern swimming era. They won 33 medals (16 gold, eight silver, nine bronze), matching the number of medals they won…
-
Countdown to Rio: A recap of the Olympic trials
This past week in Omaha, Nebraska, USA Swimming held the 2016 Olympic Trials. Over 200,000 spectators came to watch the eight days of competition and enjoyed some amazing swimmers complete with light shows, fireworks and even a Cirque du Soleil performance on the final night. The official roster has 45 swimmers, including 30 first-time Olympians,…
-
The benefits of swim camps & how to find a good one
Summer is the season to send your kids to camp! Many universities host swim camps on their campuses while the bulk of the student population is away for the summer. I have coached at a number of camps around the country and around Europe. Camps are a great way for your child to learn about…
-
National Nutrition Month: The swimmer diet
March is National Nutrition Month! As a dietitian and a swim coach, I strive to bring awareness to all swimmers about the importance of a healthy diet. Swimming can burn between 400-700 calories/hour depending on the swimmer’s body weight. Many competitive swimmers think since they burn so many calories while swimming that they can eat…
-
Comparing Pool Etiquette: The U.S. vs Europe
Before moving to Switzerland, I swam competitively in the United States for 16 years and then coached for six years. This took me to pools in 25 of the 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Thailand. Now that I am living in Europe and coaching a club swim team, I have swum in…
-
A tribute to African American swimmers in honor of Black History Month
Since 1926, February celebrates and honors how African Americans have contributed to American society, culture and tradition. During Black History Month or National African American Appreciation Month, we recognize those who have helped unify and strengthen our country, and this includes phenomenal African American swimmers. In 2002, Maritza Correia (now Maritza McClendon), a former teammate…
-
15 New Year’s Resolutions for Swimmers
Here is a list of new year’s resolutions for anyone who swims. As a sports dietitian and a swimming coach, I can not stress enough the importance of each and every one of these resolutions. If you can do each of these things daily, you will be a faster swimmer and a happier person!