What do you need to know to stay safe when cold-water swimming?
What happens to the body in cold water? The initial response is the cold-water shock, and that usually lasts for up to five minutes. This results from rapid cooling of the skin following immediate immersion in cold water. It’s when you take a big inhalation, a big gasp and then breathe quite quickly afterwards – […]
What does your swim cap say about you?
What is a VIP swim cap? Did you know that if you do the Dart 10k three times you get a special gold cap? Maybe not – but that swimmer dominating the fast lane does – and he or she is wearing one. A statement cap like this tells you exactly what you probably already […]
How do I avoid over-rotation while freestyle swimming?
What is the correct amount of rotation while doing the freestyle stroke? The correct amount of rotation in the freestyle stroke is 45 to 60 degrees through the shoulders and hips. Unless you’ve been focusing on developing a lot of rotation in your stroke (more on that later), it’s unlikely that you’ll be rotating much […]
What should you consider when buying a wetsuit?
What are stroke mechanics and why are they important in choosing a wetsuit? Swimming more efficiently, as well as faster, is primarily about overcoming the forces of drag created by water, which is 800 times denser than air. To do this, the swimmer must improve their technique. The basis of a faster, more efficient swim […]
How did Alan Corcoran swim the length of Ireland?
Why did Alan Corcoran decide to swim the length of Ireland? The swim was conceived as a way of paying tribute to Alan’s much-loved father, Milo, who died of cancer in 2016, and raising money for the Irish Heart Foundation and other charities who had done so much for him. In 2012, inspired by Eddie […]
How did Andy Donaldson become the first person to complete the Oceans Seven challenge in a year?
Why did Andy Donaldson walk away from competitive swimming? Andy Donaldson dreamed of swimming for his country and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow seemed the perfect opportunity to fulfil his destiny and wear the saltire. When he failed to make the team, it felt not so much a disappointment as a colossal failure. ‘I […]
How can dryland training improve your swimming technique and ability?
What inspired Dan Daly’s approach to swim coaching? It’s an approach that started when his father built a weight room in their garage when Dan was in grade eight (age 13) and trying to build muscle to play American football. It’s something that marked him apart when he became an All-American swimmer at college, then […]
What were the results of the World Aquatics Masters Championships 2023?
Open water swimming results at the World Aquatics Masters Championships 2023 1,233 determined competitors (938 men and 295 women) entered the 3 km open water at Seaside Momochi Beach Park, taking on each other, as well as the high temperatures, currents and jellyfish. A particularly fierce battle ensued for the men’s 80-84 age group, with […]
Four great ways to prevent swimmer’s shoulder
Research shows that as many as eight out of 10 swimmers suffer from some level of shoulder pain or injury during their swimming careers, and many think that living with this is ‘normal’ and just a fact of life. Fortunately, with modern understanding of biomechanics, we know that’s not the case. With a good stroke […]
Busting seven myths about periods and sports
Why we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about periods Periods in normal life are still stigmatised, so it’s no wonder that taboo exists around periods and watersports. On top of the existing archetypes, we can feel vulnerable in a costume if we’re bloated, or we might worry about leaks, or maybe just have been told […]