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Have you registered for 2009?
Click here and register for another year with U.S. Masters Swimming! |
Congratulations
to our
Go The Distance Swimmers of the Month!
Charlie Schlegel, Corby Arthur, Mike Broglio, Michael Sirkin, and Barbara Phillips
Click here for more information about Go The Distance and other U.S. Masters Swimming fitness events.
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Do you know what the most popular U.S. Masters Swimming event is each year?
a. Short course
nationals
b. Long course
nationals
c. USMS 1-Hour postal
d. 1-Mile open water
championships
If you chose...
c. USMS 1-Hour postal
you're right, and it's not too late to join in the fun...
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Really Cool Club Website of the Month...FLA Masters
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Do you have a story to tell?
We are always looking for stories and personalites to feature on www.usms.org. If you or someone you know would like to see their story featured on the U.S. Masters Swimming homepage, click here to contact us! |
Support our Official U.S. Masters Swimming Partners because they support you!
Click here for a complete list of U.S. Masters Swimming Partners. |
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Greetings!
One of our 2009 New Year's resolutions is to offer you more value. We are excited to stick to our promise and share with you the new U.S. Masters Swimming member e-newsletter, "Member News from Behind the Blocks." You will receive our content-driven e-newsletter once a month. Our goal is to provide you with more fitness, training, nutrition, and racing information and even some fun content, such as "Really Cool Club Website of the Month." We have designed this e-newsletter with you in mind and hope that you enjoy it!
Swimming for Life!
Your friends at U.S. Masters Swimming
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It's All in the Water
by Dr. Jim Miller
While all tennis players, runners, soccer players know the importance of hydration; swimmers frequently overlook this critical key to performance. Swimmers do not see the fluid loss, so most do not think about it. So, how much should you drink during a typical practice? Read More...
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We've Got Spirit!
Walnut Creek Masters displayed outstanding spirit during their annual 3am swim!
To see yourself, your coaches, or your program featured send us a photo that displays outstanding spirit to usmsnewsletter@usms.org
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My USMS
U.S. Masters Swimming has built you a place of your own. When you set
up your MY USMS account you will be able to create your own blog,
access members-only workouts on our discussion forums and share photo
albums with your swimming friends. More members-only services are
coming soon, including access to a complete online version of each USMS
SWIMMER Magazine, the ability to maintain your personal fitness log
online and even more opportunities
to share with other Masters swimmers from across the country!Click here to set up your
MY USMS
account today!MY USMS accounts are free for all U.S. Masters Swimming members
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Open Water Swimming:
Winter Workouts for Summer Success
by Randy Nutt
 How does an open water swimmer train throughout the winter for successful summer open water swim season? Obviously most of your training will be done in a pool, which is OK -unless you are fortunate enough to live in the tropics. Here are some ideas that will keep you on the right track and ensure summer success: - Go to the USMS Open Water Swimming Event Calendar and select a summer open water swimming event to enter. Having a goal will give you focus. If you are new to open water swimming contact the event director listed and speak directly with him/her to ascertain if their event is friendly for a first timer and a good one for you and your abilities.
- Find a swim partner, preferably one who will enter the same event you have selected. A training partner will keep you motivated and accountable.
- Seriously consider the USMS One Hour Postal Swim which is held every January. A long swim in January is very helpful.
- The importance of longer base building aerobic sets during winter is very important however do incorporate some form of "fast" swimming and "sprinting" into your workouts.
- Incorporate all the strokes in your training. IM sets greatly improve your conditioning and are a valuable component of a successful open water swimmers training.
- Circle swim with lots of swimmers in your lane. A little rough water and other swimmers in close proximity will prepare you for the awareness necessary during an open water swim.
- Practice breathing on both sides (alternate breathing) This may be tough at first so slowly introduce it into your training.
- If you train with a team and a coach I'd suggest doing all their workouts and then pick an extra workout time sometime during the week where you can perform a longer distance straight swim.
Randy Nutt coaches Boca Masters (FL), creates and directs open water swim events (www.AquamoonAdventures.com) and was selected 10k Swimmers 2008"s World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year. He is also a member of USMS Open Water Committee.
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Calendar Updates: January/February
January1/1/09-12/31/09USMS Go the Distance National Fitness Event 1/1/09-12/31/09USMS Check-Off Challenge National Fitness Event 1/1/09-01/31/09 USMS 1-Hour Postal1/25/09 Deadline for submission of information to be included in the winter issue of Streamlines... from the National Office1/31/09 All registrations received as of this date will receive the Mar/Apr issue of USMS SWIMMER MagazineFebruary2/23/09 Article ideas for July/August issue of USMS Swimmer Magazine due to USMS Editor (Bill Volckening; editor@usms.org) 2/28/09 Open Water/Long Distance individual and relay All-Americans posted on the Open Water/Long Distance webpage
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A Secret to Effective Swimming
by Rob Butcher, Executive Director, U.S. Masters Swimming
Balance. Our coaches tell us it's important. We mentally understand the balance between our head, our hips, and our legs and its impact on our swimming, but what if you are like me and you struggle with holding balance when you swim? The longer the set, the more tired my shoulders and legs get which leads to unbalanced swimming and an efficient stroke. I've found a cure for my balance problem... fins!
Fins help me keep my legs and hips higher in the water. The more inline my legs and hips are with my chest, the less drag I create in the water. The reduction in drag relieves a lot of the pressure from my shoulders. With less strain on my shoulders and a more balanced body position I can concentrate on the entry point of my hand, keeping my elbows up, catching the water, and using hip rotation to pull through. During sets of 100 yards or greater, I am often times thinking merely of survival and my stroke becomes very sloppy. A sloppy stroke in practice leads to a sloppy stroke in a race.
So, if you struggle with balance in the water like I do, think about using fins.
If you are looking for your first set of fins or a new pair to replace your old fins visit Kiefer, a proud partner of U.S. Masters Swimming,
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