Take Your Marks! Coaching Starts
Take your marks! We all can visualize hearing this familiar call-to-action as swimmers get ready to spring into the water off the blocks. What we hope to be a successful race actually begins before “Swimmers, Take Your Marks.” Starting well gives swimmers confidence and a competitive edge over the person in the lane next to […]
Is A Sea Scooter Worth Buying?
Swimming is one of the best exercises. It’s low impact and high benefit to the body. The feeling of Moving Through The Water can be described as nothing short of bliss. Though swimming (and related water activities) can be a bit tiring for some people, a Sea Scooter can make it easier to get into […]
USA Swimming’s Age Group Swimming Levels Explained
Welcome to Part 2 of our blog series dissecting the USA Swimming Competition Pyramid. In Part I of our series, we discussed the upper level of elite competition. We looked at all the USA Swimming-sanctioned meets, which are Sectionals and above. For Part II of this series today, we will look at all the meets […]
The Breakout Stroke is the Strongest Pull of Any Swimming Race!
Recently I heard well known Lakeside Swim team Head Coach, Mike DeBoor, say this to his swimmers at practice and it got me thinking… Naturally we know (and can feel), the last two thirds of a Freestyle Pull is the propulsive phase in Freestyle. We always generate propulsion to move forward when an arm is […]
Why Is Dryland Training Important for Swimmers?
Why Is Dryland Training Important for Swimmers? In today’s blog you’re going to find out! Welcome back to Part III of our WHY series! Here at SLAF, we love to ask the question WHY. Understanding your WHY and understanding WHY what you’re doing matters is the fastest shortcut in the brain to getting better. We […]
3 Steps to Fast Swim Starts NOW
The past 3 months we’ve hosted a FREE webinar with the purpose of getting your swim Starts EVEN FASTER (in 30 minutes or less)! Each month, we looked at a different part of the Start in including: The Set-Up, the Arm Throw, and the Entry. These integral components build on one another and all three […]
When to Use Swim Paddles
Welcome back! Today, I woke up feeling like I needed to put some thoughts to rest and give y’all another progression on when it’s appropriate to start using swim paddles. We wrote a blog not too long ago about pull buoys and when it was appropriate for swimmers to start using those, so let’s dissect […]
Why Do You Need a Swim Buoy for Open Water Swimming?
Not many experiences can rival open-water swimming. It’s just you and endless horizons of water and fresh air. Unless you participate in a triathlon, there will be no crowd. Therefore, it is an activity that will not only allow you to spend all the calories you consume throughout the day, but you can also have […]
Open Water Swimming Safety: What are the Essential Items?
Open water swimming is one of the most interesting disciplines when discussing water sports. As with any other discipline, it has its string of challenges. However, when you compare it to some other similar disciplines, that list is significantly longer. Athletes must endure numerous challenges, like underwater obstacles, waves, low temperatures, undertows, and drop-offs. Awareness […]
6 Tips on How to Conquer Fear of Open Water Swimming
Extreme fear of water is one of the commonest ones out there. So, people who have this sort of fear should know that they are not alone. Several studies have shown that little over 14 million people worldwide don’t feel comfortable in the water. However, staying out of the water means you will miss a […]
WHY Underwater Video Analysis Is Your Most Important Tool
Here at Swim Like A. Fish, we are FOUNDED on the importance of effective and impactful stroke analysis. We have spent years of our lives working with swimmers one-on-one to get their stroke better, and get their swimming FASTER. The reason why one-on-one stroke analysis is so great? There’s no QUICKER way to get a […]
Fastest Style of Backstroke Finish
I’ve had this blog on my mind for a while now, basically ever since the Justin Ress Backstroke Disqualification Overturn from World Championships. Justin’s finish caused a lot of buzz on the internet, because quite frankly – it went against the rules. My goal today is to help better categorize the styles of Backstroke Finishes […]