Last time out, if you recall, I promised some quality advice as to the “build or buy” question for your swim team’s shiny new website. Should you build it from scratch or subscribe to one of the many swim team website hosting services clamoring for your money?

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There has been a lot of confusion surrounding the process of qualifying for the US Olympic team in open water and the low numbers of participants at the National Championships. While it is extremely confusing - it is all based upon the Olympic selection process - a really long and convoluted one. The process […]

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As we learned from good old Michael Phelps, dolphin kicks win races, but I would argue that the question really is, did we learn it from Phelps or did he learn it from its history and perfect it, to take advantage of FINA’s rules governing the underwater portion of the race? Only history holds […]

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I am often asked, “how do you teach your child to swim“? Is it because I won two Olympic medals and have a daughter? Does this combination make me a perfect candidate for teaching her swimming? The truth is that if you had asked me this question months, if not, days before […]

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The following is part of a series written by Robert Strauss owner of SwimGym. Since its inception in 1984, SwimGym has evolved into a world renowned learn-to-swim institution. Strauss’ experience reflects a program with the most effective advancement and improvement for all ages, while providing the ideal environment for a successful swimming experience.
The best-kept secret […]

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Breaststroke is really one of the easiest strokes to learn. It is a matter of understanding the basics and then having practice. Everyone can do the breaststroke and is the most “seen” stroke at a pool on a summer’s day. The following how-to follows the basics. Use it as a guide […]

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The following is part of a series written by Robert Strauss owner of SwimGym. Since its inception in 1984, SwimGym has evolved into a world renowned learn-to-swim institution. Strauss’ experience reflects a program with the most effective advancement and improvement for all ages, while providing the ideal environment for a successful swimming experience.
No one cares […]

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The following is the first in a series written by Robert Strauss. Robert is owner of SwimGym - a swim school that provides all aspects of safety, fitness, and fun in aquatics through professional and educationally sound teaching practices. Since its inception in 1984, SwimGym has evolved into a world renowned learn-to-swim institution. […]

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Note: This butterfly how-to consists of three parts in order to best encapsulate the entire stroke and its parts. Part one focused on the arm stroke, part two on the kick, and part three on the official rules of the stroke and its history.
The butterfly was developed sometime in the early 1930s and was an […]

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Note: This butterfly how-to consists of three parts in order to best encapsulate the entire stroke and its parts. Part one focused on the arm stroke, part two on the kick, and part three on the official rules of the stroke and its history.
The leg movement in butterfly is similar to the leg movement in […]

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Note: This butterfly how-to will consist of three parts in order to best encapsulate the entire stroke and its parts. Part one focuses on the arm stroke, part two on the kick, and part three on the official rules of the stroke and its history.
The butterfly is frequently regarded as the most difficult of the […]

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With Memorial Day around the corner the pools and lakes will be filled with people cooling off over the weekend, and experts point to a series of recent drownings as a reminder of a basic water safety: learn to swim.
Swimming proficiency does not mean being an Olympic competitor. But for parents, it requires being strong […]

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The filp turn is not a complicated practice, but it can be difficult in execution.  Hopefully with a few “rules” and tips, I can ease the process of learning and doing.  These are meant as suggestions for someone who has never tried flip turns before, are not hard and fast rules written in stone.  If […]

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How do you breathe while you are swimming? Should you breathe on one side only or attempt to breathe on both sides. This is one of the most common questions of the swimming world. So, what is the answer? Well, to be honest, there is not a standard answer that is […]

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For those of you who are beginners to the sport of swimming, I thought that I would take a few minutes and lead you through the basic equipment needed as a novice swimmer. This list is not all-encompassing, and if you feel that there are other indispensible items, please leave them in the comments.

Swimsuit. […]

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