Lifeguard Accessories Make Your Job Easier

September 10, 2012August 1, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Lifeguards have a big responsibility on their hands, keeping everyone at the pool or beach safe. Lifeguards work in a variety of areas, including outdoor public pools, indoor public pools, such as at fitness gyms, water parks and ocean or lake beaches. It takes a great deal of training and education to become a successful lifeguard. Once you are certified to be a lifeguard and you have received your lifeguard swimsuit, you will want various lifeguard accessories to make your job easier. It is common for lifeguards to have walkie talkies or another means to radio in an emergency to management, but there are also other accessories that help lifeguards stay on top of everything that is going around them.

Whistles

Whistles are an essential piece of lifeguard equipment. Pools and beaches can become noisy, making it difficult for the lifeguard to be heard over the roar of the crowd. Because the job of the lifeguards is to keep everyone safe, they require a noticeable whistle to gain attention. A large part of what lifeguards do on a daily basis is to tell patrons of the pool or beach their specific action is dangerous and not allowed. This includes running, diving in shallow water or incorrectly going down a water slide. The Fox 40 Plastic Whistle is one of the louder whistles on the market. It can be heard over just about any noise you have to overcome. It is also waterproof. This gives lifeguards one less thing to worry about as they jump in the water to rescue someone.

Fanny Pack

The Lifeguard Fanny Pack gives lifeguards a safe way to store their first aid and lifeguard equipment without worrying about it getting lost or wet. With three waterproof pockets, the items that cannot get wet can be stored inside for safe keeping. The fanny pack is the best way to keep lifeguards hands free to focus on rescuing those in need but still have the necessary components that help them in the rescue.

Diving Brick

One of the main tests potential lifeguards need to pass to become certified is the dive brick test. The 10 lb. Diving Brick is used as a test to see if you can dive down to the bottom of the water, pick the brick up and swim back using only your legs, while keeping the brick above water. You need to make it back to the wall, place the brick on the wall and then get out in a specified amount of time. Owning a diving brick as one of your lifeguard accessories gives your lifeguards a chance to keep up their skills, even after they are certified. They can also be used to train potential lifeguards to pass the test.

Swim Parkas Keep You Warmed Up

September 7, 2012July 30, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Most people don’t go swimming in conditions you would consider cold enough to need to wear a jacket. In fact, most people only think about swimming when the weather is hot or you are inside. However, when it comes to competitive swimming, it is extremely important to keep your muscles warm in between swims, even if the temperature isn’t incredibly cold. Swim parkas are a great way to keep your muscles warmed up between swims to reduce the shock on your body.

Nike Swim Parkas

Nike makes a line of adult and children’s swim parkas that are specifically designed to keep you warm while you are out on the swim deck. This parka is made from water-resistant 100 percent polyester shell with polyester filling. The hood features a drawstring so you can keep your whole body warm, including your head. This parka comes in navy blue and black with a white stripe down the sleeve.

Speedo Team Swim Parkas

If you are looking for the perfect swim parkas to coordinate your entire team, the Speedo team swim parkas are a great option for you. The water-resistant coat is lined with polar fleece to offer the optimal warmth in between your swims. You will even find a convenient goggle pocket inside so you don’t need to worry about misplacing your goggles. This parka is available in four colors: navy, sapphire, red and black.

TYR Alliance Swim Parkas

Another of your options for swimming in cooler weather is the TYR Alliance swim parka. This coat offers optimal warmth with the fleece lining, as well as resistance to the wind and moisture in the air. This makes it an ideal parka for the coolest weather in which you might swim. One of the unique features of this parka is the Raglan sleeves that provide the best fit, as well as the most freedom of movement possible in a swim parka.

The temperatures in which you may swim can fluctuate, causing you to cool down too much in between your scheduled swims. One of the best ways to ensure you stay warm is by wearing a swim parka in between your swims. These parkas are made from water-resistant material and are lined with warm fleece to help keep you warm. Coordinate your entire team with matching swim parkas or allow each swimmer to pick his or her own.

Training Beginners for Competitive Swimming

September 5, 2012September 1, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Whether you are trying to train a child or you are an adult who wants to get started in competitive swimming, the training is the same. Learning the proper swimming methods in the water, as well as practicing certain drills on dry land, will provide you with the best competitive swimming experience. Your body needs endurance and strength to succeed, which can be reached in a variety of ways.

Training Swim Gear — The proper swim gear can help swimmers build endurance and strength.

Build Endurance

While it is important to perfect the four major strokes, you will need to be able to build your endurance and strength to be competitive. Before perfecting any stroke, you should focus on endurance. Kickboards are a great way to build endurance because it allows swimmers to focus solely on their legs and not on the movement of their arms or head. Keeping their head above water, swimmers can perfect their kick, slowly increasing the number of laps they can do comfortably.

Strokes

Once the endurance is built up, swimmers can learn to perfect their strokes. The four major strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Focusing on one stroke at a time will help swimmers perfect each one before moving on to another. Once the strokes are perfected, swimmers can then learn to vary them within each swimming session; this will allow them to participate in medley races that incorporate two or more strokes in the same race.

Strength

Strength is an important component of competitive swimming. Once swimmers have mastered the endurance, you can begin adding training tools, such as pull buoys and swim paddles, to give swimmers the additional resistance required to build up their strength. A pull buoy allows swimmers to keep their legs stable, while their arms get the intense workout, pulling the body through the water. Swim paddles give swimmers extra resistance as their arms skim the water, allowing the body to build more strength. Swimmers can also practice weight training outside the water to further their strength in the water.

Training beginning swimmers to be able to participate in competitive swimming is a process that can easily be done if it is taken slowly. Children and adults can learn to swim competitively by working on improving endurance, perfecting their strokes and building up their strength. Swimming is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages; it is never too late to begin perfecting your swimming to participate in competitive races.

Finding the Best Swim Backpack

September 3, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Swim Backpacks — Swim backpacks allow swimmers to keep all their gear together.

Swimming competitively brings the need for carrying many items to help your meet be as successful as possible. In order to have everything you need with you all in one bag, it is important to find the best swim backpack that is functional, comfortable and long-lasting. Each of these swim backpacks comes in a variety of colors for the perfect match.

Speedo Backpack

The Speedo Pro Backpack offers the performance any competitive swimmer needs. The water-resistant bottom allows this backpack to protect, even near the water. One of the most important features of this Speedo swim backpack is the wet pockets that allow you to carry a wet swimsuit or towel without worrying about damaging dry items. With a large number of pockets and ergonomic shoulder straps, you can stay organized and stylish with this Speedo backpack.

Nike Swim Backpack

The Nike Team Swim Backpack offers a stiff bottom that keeps the bag upright, preventing its contents from spilling out, while also providing the water proof bottom to allow you to put the bag as close to the water as you need while competing. The mesh pocket gives you the option to store your wet items away from everything else in your backpack. With a special compartment for shoes, sunglasses, cell phones and keys, you will be able to stay organized so you can focus on your big swim meet.

Swim Stuff Swimmer’s Backpack

For the swimmer who needs a companion that allows you to put everything in its place, the Swim Stuff Swim Backpack is perfect. Whether you need a place to store your swim shampoo or goggles or a way to keep your wet and dry clothes separate, this backpack can handle it all for you.

TYR Swim Backpack

The TYR Alliance Team Backpack 2 is designed just for swimmers with its two carabiners to hang suits and mesh compartment that encourages suits to dry quickly. With two separate compartments for wet and dry clothes, everything will stay safe in this swim backpack. With a dedicated pouch for goggles, MP3 players and various other pouches, competitive swimmers will love how organized and efficient they feel at their swim meets.

Arena Team Backpack

The Arena Team Backpack is perfect for swimmers on the go. This swim backpack features a separate compartment for all your wet items, padded shoulder straps and a water-resistant bottom to best fit all your needs. The main compartment is large, allowing you to carry everything you need to the pool. Organization is also easy due to the small side pockets, perfect for storing all your small necessities.

The Best Waterproof MP3 Player

August 31, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 1 Comment

Everybody loves to listen to music at some time or another. For some, it is a distraction from things going on around them. For others, music is a relaxation technique. No matter what the reason, the use of a waterproof MP3 player while you train in the pool can be a useful asset. If you want to be able to listen to music as you train or workout, you will need to find the best waterproof MP3 player available on the market.

Speedo Aquabeat 2.0

The Speedo Aquabeat 2.0 is a great option for a waterproof MP3 player. Available in black or pink, this 4GB MP3 player provides you with room for plenty of songs so you can have easy access to all your favorite songs whenever you spend time in the pool. The LED screen provides all the song details you need. You can also use the player for FM reception. This MP3 player clips to your swim goggles, floats if you drop it and can be submerged up to 10 feet. It also features a pedometer and stop watch.

Speedo LZR Racer Aquabeat

Speedo also makes the LZR Racer Aquabeat waterproof MP3 player that holds up to 2GB of music for your listening enjoyment. This MP3 player also comes with waterproof earplugs and features an ergonomic design that makes it easy to use. You can use this MP3 player up to 10 feet down and it floats if it becomes detached. The LZR Racer Aquabeat also includes playlist editing software that makes it easy to add, delete and arrange your music.

Finis SwiMP3

The Finis SwiMP3 waterproof MP3 player is a great addition to your workouts. The MP3 player has a capacity of 2GB so you can store all your favorite music easily. The clip makes it easy to attach to your goggles so it will be out of the way while you swim. A unique feature of this MP3 player is the ability to listen to your music without the use of ear buds. The sound resonates through your cheekbones instead, providing you with clear sound while you are underwater.

Want to listen to your music while you are swimming? Finding the perfect waterproof MP3 player will allow you to enjoy your music while you are working out in the pool, training or just swimming for fun. Each of these players offers great features that will allow you to enjoy your music, even when you are in the water.

The Many Uses for Water Shoes

August 27, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Water shoes are special shoes designed specifically to wear in the pool, lakes or rivers. They provide the perfect amount of traction and allow you to walk without slipping or scraping your feet. Swim shoes have various uses that prove to be beneficial to those who spend time in any type of water.

Water Aerobics

One of the most popular uses for special aqua shoes are for water aerobics classes in the pool. During these classes, participants are jumping and moving around quickly, making it easy to slip or scrape your feet on the bottom of the pool. When you protect your feet with protective shoes that can be worn in the water, this will not occur, allowing you to maximize the results of your aerobics class, rather than taking it easy to protect yourself from getting injured.

Open Water

If you spend time at the beach, it is beneficial to wear special water shoes to protect your feet from the harsh bottom of the lake or ocean. You never know what the ground of the body of water consists of when you explore the water. You could put your feet at great risk for scrapes and other injuries without proper footwear.

Speedo Surfwalker Pro

The Speedo Surfwalker Pro is the perfect pair of aqua shoes. They offer a modern look to classic water shoes and are available for men and women. The mesh top and jersey material of these shoes dry quickly, allowing you to experience comfort, even when you are not in the water. These swimming shoes are also easy to slip on when dry and take off when wet, still allowing you to have a comfortable fit in and out of the water.

Water Sandals

When you are not in the water but will be near it, whether at the pool or beach, it is also good to have water sandals that can handle getting wet while you are on the sidelines. There are various styles for men and women that offer incredible comfort, style and performance that lasts no matter how wet they get. For women, one of the more popular styles is the Dolfin Uglies Flop Flops; with their flexible sole for traction and incredible style, they are the perfect pool side shoes. For men, one of the more popular styles is the Speedo Poolside Men’s Pool Slide, which provides incredible traction, a comfortable sole for long-term wear and an adjustable Velcro strap for a secure fit.

What’s Your Favorite Carbon Pro Color?

August 24, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Arena Carbon Pro Swimsuits — The Arena Carbon Pro comes in a variety of great colors.

If you’ve ever paid attention to the swimsuits you will see at the pool during your workouts, training and competitions, you have probably noticed the dull colors everyone is wearing. A lot of people are wearing plain black suits because this is what a performance suit is made from, right? However, when it comes to the Arena Carbon Pro, you can experience the performance enhancement you desire with a splash of color that will make you stand out from the crowd. Available in the open back kneeskin, closed back kneeskin and jammer, you have four colors to choose from.

Dark Grey

If you prefer a more muted color that doesn’t stand out too much, the dark grey is the perfect option for you. This color is dark enough to almost qualify as black, allowing you to take advantage of the benefits of the Arena Carbon Pro performance suits without being too loud. Some people just want to stand out based on performance, not the color of their suit.

Bright Green

Green is a sign of life and vitality. Bring new meaning to the color green when you purchase your Carbon Pro suit in this bright color. All your competitors will be green with envy when they see you streak by them in the pool, wearing this impressive green color. Everyone will be able to see you coming through the water.

Bright Red

So maybe green isn’t your color. In that case, if you are looking for something bright to help you stand out from your competitors, bright red can be a great option. Your competitors and the fans won’t be able to help but notice this fantastic color as you streak through the pool.

Royal Blue

If you are looking for something that will stand apart from the typical mute colors swimmers wear for their performance suits but you want something a little tamer, the royal blue is an excellent choice. A darker color than some of the other options, you can show off what you can do with a little splash of blue to complement the blue of the pool water.

So which Arena Carbon Pro color is your favorite? Will you choose the typical dark grey for your suit, or will you choose something a little different to help your performance stand out from the crowd, such as bright green, bright red or royal blue.

The Importance of Choosing Competitive Swimwear

August 20, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

If you are involved in competitive swimming, you understand you can’t just pick up any swimwear at your local store and expect to do well in the water. While the swimwear that is available at your local department store or other retailer is functional, looks great and does the job when you are swimming recreationally, they aren’t designed with racing in mind. This means you need to choose your competitive swimwear from an experienced retailer.

Fit

One of the biggest concerns with competitive swimwear is how it fits your body. When you will be using the suit for racing, you want a suit that will hug your features and won’t increase the drag of the water on your body. The sleek fit of the perfect competitive swimsuit will increase your ability to cut through the water smoothly with the least amount of resistance possible to enhance your natural performance.

Compression

While most competitive swimmers are incredibly fit, there is still a need for compression for certain areas of your body. This is one area where the typical swimsuit available from your local retailer won’t do the job necessary. This is why it is so important to look for competitive swimwear that is designed with this compression in mind to provide you with the enhanced performance you need to do well in the water.

Less Restrictive Materials

Suits that are created with competition in mind will be made from lighter materials that restrict movement less than the swimwear you will find in your local stores. Swimmers want to reduce their weight as much as possible in the water and require the ability to move freely so they can perform the movements necessary to propel themselves through the water quickly and efficiently. If your movement is restricted or your suit causes friction on your body, you won’t be able to swim as well, creating a negative impact on your swimming.

Getting involved in competitive swimming means you need to invest in quality competitive swimwear to be a contender in all your races. These swimsuits offer additional benefits to competitive swimmers over those you can find in your average store. These competitive swimsuits will be made from lightweight materials that don’t restrict your movements in any way. They also fit better than your average suit and provide you with the compression you need to become more aerodynamic in the water, improving your speed naturally.

Two Types of Water Swim Shoes

August 17, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Whether you are looking for a great pair of water swim shoes to wear for your day on the beach or an afternoon at the pool, you may feel a little overwhelmed by the choices you have. There are many brands that make these shoes that are meant for use in the water, but how do you find the right one? Are the cheaper pairs just as good as the more expensive brands? Understanding the two basic types of water shoes will help you decide which pair is right for you.

Speedo Surfwalker Pro

If you are looking for more traditional water swim shoes, the men’s and women’s versions of the Surfwalker Pro by Speedo can be a great option for you. With a sleek fit and great colors, you will enjoy the way these shoes fit your feet and allow you to enjoy the water without worrying about stepping on anything. These water shoes are made from quick drying mesh, which allows you to enjoy them while you are in the water and not feel as though you are walking in slush when you are out of the water. Choose the pair that matches your swimsuit or best fits your style.

Speedo Hydro Trainer

Not everyone uses water swim shoes for swimming alone. If you are enrolled in a water aerobics class or another type of water fitness training program, the Speedo Hydro Trainer shoes for men and women give you a sturdy fit more like tennis shoes. In fact, they even look like tennis shoes at first glance. The main difference in these shoes from the tennis shoes they replicate is their ability to use in the water. The advantages of these shoes for water training are better traction, good shock absorption and breathability. The bungee laces will allow you to get the best fit from these water swim shoes.

When you are in the water, protecting your feet should be your top priority. Whether you are swimming in the pool or enjoying a day on the beach, the type of swim shoe you wear is important. If you are just looking for a casual fit for your leisure, the Speedo Surfwalker Pro is a great option. However, if you need more support for water aerobics or any other water training, the Hydro Trainer can provide you with all the comfort and support you need to ensure your safety in the water as you train.

Proper Care for Your Sport Swim Wear

August 13, 2012October 2, 2012 by kturtenwald ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Competitive Swimwear Care — Taking proper care of your competitive swim suit is important.

Chlorine and the various other chemicals in the pool can be harmful to your sport swim wear. If you do not take proper care of your suit, you could shorten its life significantly. If you are a competitive swimmer, you probably go to great lengths to find the perfect suit that will allow you to swim fast and perform well. The material used to construct these suits is fragile. Manufacturers use these specially woven fabrics to increase speed by decreasing drag and increasing compression. The fragile material requires special care to lengthen the life of your competitive swim suit.

Rinse Your Swim Suit

This might seem like a waste of time, but the simple act of rinsing your swim suit right after getting out of the pool can add more use to your suit. This will remove the chlorine from your suit right away rather than sitting on the suit, causing damage while it waits to be laundered.

Washing the Chlorine Out

While rinsing is helpful, it does not get rid of all the chlorine. You should carefully wash your competitive swim suit as soon as possible. Washing it by hand is best because it allows for a gentle wash to preserve the fragile fabric of your suit. Simply add a few drops of mild laundry detergent to a sink full of water, turn your suit inside out and gently wash it. All it takes is a few gentle glides back and forth in the water to thoroughly wash it. Never use abrasive or harsh cleaners and avoid bleach at all costs.

Drying Your Suit

You will want to get rid of the excess water on your suit, but you must do this carefully. Excessive wringing can cause more damage to your suit than putting it through the washing machine. Simply give your suit a few gentle squeezes to get the excess water out. Once the excess water is out, lay your swim wear flat on a towel to allow it to dry. Never use the dryer because it will cause fading and shrinking.

If you follow these simple steps with your competitive swim suit, you will not only prolong the length of time you can use it, but you will also keep the specific features of each suit intact. This will allow you to increase your performance when you wear your sport swim wear.

Water Warrior

Swimming Gear, News, and More

Lifeguard Accessories Make Your Job Easier

Swim Parkas Keep You Warmed Up

Training Beginners for Competitive Swimming

Finding the Best Swim Backpack

The Best Waterproof MP3 Player

The Many Uses for Water Shoes

What’s Your Favorite Carbon Pro Color?

The Importance of Choosing Competitive Swimwear

Two Types of Water Swim Shoes

Proper Care for Your Sport Swim Wear

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: