The Swimmer's Will (15 Steps For Great Success)

1. I will always say “I will” or “I do.”

2. I will think positive at all times.

3. I will respect myself, my teammates, my coaches, my parents and my competitors.

4. I will do my best each day.

5. I will be on time.

6. I will start and end each swim at the wall.

7. I will start each set on time.

8. I will streamline always.

9. I will flip all turns.

10. I will breath from both sides.

11. I will push myself past what I believe possible.

12. I will encourage my teammates.

13. I will follow directions.

14. I will have a strong kick.

15. I will have fun!

Importance of Self Confidence

.Yes You Can!.

The Importance of "Self Confidence" in Achieving Your Swimming Goals

Belief is the knowledge that we can do something. It’s the inner feeling that what we undertake,

we can accomplish. For the most part, all of us have the ability to look at something and know

whether or not we can do it. So, in belief there is power: our eyes are opened; our opportunities

become plain; our visions become realities. (unknown)

By Wayne Goldsmith

Have you said (or thought) any of the following in the past few months??? "I can’t do it," "They

are much faster than me. I’ll come last," "I’m hopeless," "I’ve never been able to do that, so I

know I can’t do it now," "It’s just too hard. It’s impossible."

You are not alone. Many swimmers have these thoughts and say these words from time to time.

Most swimmers (and people generally) have times when they get a little negative and lack faith in their abilities.

When swimmers say "I can’t" or "it’s too hard," what are they really saying?

Swimmer says: "I can’t do it." Swimmer means: "I am not prepared to try because if people might think less of me."

Swimmer says: "They are faster than me. I’ll come last." Swimmer means: "If I can’t win there’s

no point trying."

Swimmer says: "I’m hopeless." Swimmer means: "I have no faith in myself or my ability to

succeed. I have no confidence."

Swimmer says: "I’ve never been able to do that, so I know I can’t do it now ." Swimmer means:

"I’ve never really prepared for this or learnt how to do it correctly so the chances of me doing it

now are not very good" or "I tried once and failed, so I am not going to try again."

Swimmer says: "It’s just too hard. It’s impossible." Swimmer means: "I’m not prepared to try ."

Confidence is believing in yourself to do what has to be done. To do what needs to be done, with

faith in your ability to achieve it. To meet new challenges with an expectation that anything is

possible. To accept failure as an opportunity to learn from the experience and try again. And try

again. And try again if necessary .

Confidence is trying to achieve and if you fail knowing that it was the nature of the task or the

circumstances or just plain bad luck, not your lack of character that is to blame. Confidence is

learning from that failure and trying again with more energy, more commitment and greater

determination than before.

What do some of Australia’s most successful people say about CONFIDENCE??

"Confidence comes from accepting a challenge and achieving it using the best of your ability.

Confidence builds through training to meet your challenge". Phil Rogers (Commonwealth Games

and Olympic Medallist).

"Confidence is about believing in yourself and your ability to do something -- not necessarily

believing in your ability to do it perfectly or better than other people, but believing that you have

as good a chance as anyone to achieve something. Confidence is having the courage to get up

and try and face whatever the outcome is -- good, bad or something in between." Chloe Flutter

(Australian Representative Swimmer -- now Rhodes scholar).

"In my experience, confidence is best achieved through controlled independence. If a young

athlete is constantly challenged to be independent (within reasonable bounds), they will learn to

rely on themselves and know how to thrive without the assistance of others in moments of

greatest need. The ability to follow good decision making processes is a crucial part of this. For

young athletes, teach them to take personal responsibility ( control the controllable and develop a chameleon-like ability to deal with the rest). Confidence is the ability to believe you can do

something and the courage to do it - if others have made the hard decisions for you and you have

never had to live with the results of your own actions, you can never be expected to know full

confidence and the power of the self". Marty Roberts. (Dual Olympian, Commonwealth Games

Gold medallist, University Graduate, father of two).

" Attitudes such as belief, optimism, high aspirations, and anticipation of the best possible

result—all these positive states of mind add up to confidence, the keystone for success. But of

course it pays for all of these to be built on the firm rock of a sound preparation". Forbes Carlile

(Legendary Coach, successful business man, author, leading anti-drugs in sport campaigner).

Confidence it seems, is a skill -- a skill that can be learnt. You learnt to swim. You learnt to tumble turn. You learnt how to do butterfly. You can learn to be confident.

Leading Melbourne based Sports Psychologist, Dr Mark Andersen agrees: "Many people believe

that confidence is something that comes from the inside, but we probably develop confidence

from the models we have around us, that confidence really comes from the outside. If we have

coaches, parents, teachers and instructors that model confidence in our abilities and let us know

that they think we can do good things, slowly their confidence in us becomes internalised".

A few tips to develop confidence:

Accept who you are and learn to like and respect yourself.

Nothing helps build confidence like learning the 3 P’s. Practice to the best of your ability. Develop

a Positive Attitude to trying new tasks. Persevere, Persevere, Persevere.

Understand what motivates you to do well then you can harness your energy in the right

directions.

Failure is a race or a meet or a task -it is not a person. Failure is not the person: it’s not you- it’s

the performance. Learn to separate who you are from what you do.

Learn to talk to yourself positively. When the negative thoughts come, learn to replace them

with positive ones. I can’t = I can, I won’t = I will, I will try = I did. Remember the old saying, "If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right".

"The greatest achievement is not in never failing but in getting up every time you fall". Keep trying and it will happen.

What you believe, you can, with effort and persistence, achieve. Dream a dream, believe in that dream, work towards achieving it and live the dream.

Anything worth having is worth working to achieve. Talent is important, but there are many

talented swimmers who don’t make it to the top. TOUGH, TENACIOUS TRAINING makes up for most talent limitations.

Successful people are not afraid to fail. They have the ability to accept their failures and continue on, knowing that failure is a natural consequence of trying. The law of failure is one of the most powerful of all the success laws because you only really fail when you quit trying.

Ladder of Achievement

100% I Did

90% I Will

80% I Can

70% I Think I Can

60% I Might

50% I Think I Might

40 % What is It?

30% I Wish I Could

20% I Don’t Know How

10% I Can’t

0% I Won’t

This is called the Ladder of Achievement. It shows how your attitude towards a goal or task can impact your ability to achieve it.

The ladder of achievment suggests that an attitude of "I can’t" has almost no chance of success whilst "I won’t" is no chance at all.

Change "I can’t" and "I won’t" to

I CAN - I WILL - I DID !

ASCA Online

http://www.swimmingcoach.org/articles/2000/1026_1.asp

Thoughts On Age Group Development (From ASCA)

Thoughts on Age Group Development

We do not need to give all the available meets, awards, training time, or even training techniques to all levels and all ages of swimmers. Life is progressive. We cannot drive until we are sixteen, we cannot vote until we are 18. Just because we have seniors swimming at prelim and final meets doesn't mean that age group swimmers need to. Age group swimmers do not need the same kind of awards which seniors receive. Our system gives too much too soon and sets up for a serious problem because every level looks the same. Let the swimmers grow through the sport rather than giving it to them. Let them experience racing, winning, and losing but they do not need twelve solid years of these things to become effective prelims-finals swimmers.

- Peter Malone

ASCA Level 5

K.C. Blazers

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Sometimes young swimmers perform exceptionally well quite simply because they are "big for their age" and, or, they are capable of working harder. They do not need to depend on technique and they may, or may not have better technique than slower swimmers. If we could go back and get a physical description of all the 10 and under swimmers who were nationally ranked, I think we would find that these young athletes were all more physically developed than the average 10 and under.

Most of these children will not continue dominating their age group into the senior years as other swimmers catch up in size and ability to work. Unfortunately they may not have developed the quality of skills other swimmers have. Too often the result is a young senior swimmer who becomes frustrated at losing when he had been so used to winning.

There are two important points for parents to keep in mind:

1. Skills need to be the basis of an age group program, not distance.

2. It is a mistake to seek a distance oriented age group program to place your child in so that he can keep up with other faster swimmers.

Age group swimmers should concentrate on fundamentals and not senior oriented yardage so that they can learn correctly. There is a proper time and place for athletes to take part in a serious training program but it is not for our younger swimmers. We must accept the fact that we are not dealing miniature adults.

- Jim Lutz

ASCA Level 5

Healthy Meals for Swimmers On the Go

Healthy Meals for Swimmers on the Go

Notes on BREAKFAST - Start your day off right!

· Try pancakes, waffles, french toast, bagels, cereal, English muffins, fruit or juice. These foods are all high in carbohydrates.

· Avoid high-fat choices such as bacon, sausage or biscuits and gravy.

· For breakfast on the run, pack containers of dry cereal, crackers, juice or dried fruit such as raisins and apricots; or pack fresh fruits such as apples or oranges.

· If you eat breakfast at a fast food restaurant choose foods like cereal, fruit juice and muffins or pancakes. Avoid breakfast sandwiches, sausage and bacon.

EXAMPLES OF HIGH CARBOHYDRATE BREAKFAST MEALS:

At Home:

Organge juice, Fresh fruit, Low-fat yogurt ,Pancakes with syrup, 2% or skim milk,

or

Plain English muffin, Strawberry jam, Scrambled Egg, Orange juice, 2% or skim milk

At a Fast Food Restaurant:

Hot cakes with syrup (hold the margarine and sausage), Orange juice, Low-fat milk

or

Cold cereal with low-fat milk, Orange juice, Apple, bran or blueberry muffin

At a Convenience/ Grocery Store:

Fruit flavored yogurt, Large bran muffin or pre-packaged muffins, Banana, Orange juice, Low-fat milk

At a Family Style Restaurant:

Pancakes, waffles or french toast with syrup (hold the margarine, bacon and sausage), Orange juice, Low-fat milk

Notes on LUNCH and DINNER

· Select pastas, breads and salads.

· Select thick crust rather than thin crust pizza for more carbohydrates.

· Choose vegetables such as mushrooms and green peppers on the pizza. Avoid high fat toppings such as pepperoni and sausage.

· Select vegetable soups accompanied by crackers, bread, or muffins.

· Emphasize the bread in sandwiches, not the condiments, mayonnaise or potato chips.

· Avoid deep fat fried foods such as french fries, fried fish and fried chicken.

· Choose low-fat milk or fruit juices rather than soda pop.

EXAMPLES OF HIGH CARBOHYDRATE LUNCH OR DINNER MEALS:

Large turkey sandwich on 2 slices of Whole-wheat bread, Slice of low-fat cheese, Lettuce, Tomato

Fresh vegetables (carrots and celery strips), Low-fat yogurt, Fresh fruit or fruit juice

Minestrone Soup, Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce, Salad, Italian Bread, Fresh Fruit, 2% or skim Milk, Sherbet

Chili on a large baked potato, Whole grain bread or muffin, Low-fat chocolate milkshake, Fresh fruit

Thick crust cheese and vegetable pizza, Side salad, Fresh fruit, 2% or skim milk

Timing is Everything

Knowing how much carbohydrate, protein and fat to get in a day is good. But knowing when you should be getting those nutrients is even better. In general, follow these guidelines for incorporating carbohydrate, protein and fat into your day:

· Spread carbohydrate intake out over the course of the day (i.e. smaller meals and frequent snacks). This keeps blood sugar levels adequate and stable.

· Eat some carbohydrate before morning practice. Note: This can be in the form of juice.

· Eat carbohydrate in the form of a carb-electrolyte drink, such as Gatorade or Powerade, during workout IF workout is 90 minutes or longer. Gels are also acceptable.

· Eat carbohydrate and protein within the first 30 minutes after practice. This enables the body to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue. This is perhaps the most important time to eat!!!!

· Eat again (something substantial, like a real meal) before two hours post-practice has elapsed. This is critical to maximizing recovery!!!!

· Incorporate fat into the day at times that are not close to workout. Fat is necessary, but contributes little to the workout or immediate post-workout recovery period.

Part of the reason good nutrition is critical during recovery has to do with the fact that the body is extremely good at making the most of what it is given. Following exercise, the body is very sensitive to the hormone insulin. Insulin is that hormone that rises every time blood sugar rises. In other words, every time a swimmer eats carbohydrate, which causes blood sugar to rise, insulin goes up. Well, it’s insulin’s job to remove sugar from the bloodstream, and it does so by facilitating its storage as glycogen. Glycogen, the storage form for carbohydrate, is what the body taps into for fuel when exercise is very intense. This can happen quite a bit during a tough workout, which is why it’s important to see that glycogen is replenished before the next practice.

The American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada Joint Position Statement on Nutrition and Athletic Performance states that:

“After exercise, the dietary goal is to provide adequate energy and carbohydrates to replace muscle glycogen and to ensure rapid recovery. If an athlete is glycogendepleted after exercise, a carbohydrate intake of 1.5 g/kg body weight during the first 30 min and again every 2h for 4 to 6h will be adequate to replace glycogen stores. Protein consumed after exercise will provide amino acids for the building and repair of muscle tissue. Therefore, athletes should consume a mixed meal providing carbohydrates, protein, and fat soon after a strenuous competition or training session.”

(ACSM, ADA, Dietitians of Canada, 2000, p 2131)

In addition, research (van Loon et al, 2000) has implicated immediate post-exercise carbohydrate ingestion (1.2 g/kg/hr for 5 hrs) in the enhancement of glycogen resynthesis.

Body Weight in lbs (kg) Carbohydrate Required (g) to meet Intake of 1.2-1.5 g/kg

120 (54.5) 65-82

130 (59.1) 71-89

140 (63.6) 76-95

150 (68.2) 82-102

160 (72.7) 87-109

170 (77.3) 93-116

180 (81.8) 98-123

190 (86.4) 104-130

200 (90.9) 109-136

210 (95.5) 115-143

220 (100.0) 120-150

USASWIMMING.org May 13, 2004

http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=1302&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=635&

ItemId=554

Swimming and The Art of Recovery - From USA Swimming

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Most of us associate increases in training load with increases in fitness level. What we often overlook is the fact that the real gains in exercise capacity occur when the body and muscles are at rest. While practice is where we see times improving, the underlying adaptations to this training actually occur while the body recovers from this workload. So, while workout is the all-important stimulus that initiates the adaptation process, the majority of the body’s “metabolic

rebuilding” occurs while the body is at rest (i.e. during recovery).

Cool Down – Eat – Stretch – Massage – Sleep

These are the five key components to an optimal recovery that all swimmers should understand, believe in, and most importantly, practice on a regular basis. Here’s why:

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Cool Down and Recovery

Swimming at high intensities, such as during racing and tough sets, can cause metabolites like inorganic phosphate, ADP, hydrogen ions, and of course, lactate, to accumulate in the muscles. A build-up of these metabolites is associated with conditions that can compromise the next swimming performance.

Cool down (active recovery) facilitates the removal/ utilization of lactate after a race or tough set. The intensity of the cool down influences how quickly this removal/utilization of lactate

occurs. Too high an intensity may produce additional lactate, while too low an intensity may not create enough circulation to remove/utilize the lactate any faster than standing around

would (passive recovery).

Because sprinters tend to have and engage more fast-twitch muscle fibers than distance swimmers, they tend to produce larger amounts of lactate than distance swimmers. This also

means that it tends to take longer for sprinters to remove/utilize accumulated lactate after races and other tough swims.

Therefore, the recommended intensity and duration of swimmer’s cool down depends on the individual’s distance orientation and event:

Distance Orientation Duration of Cool Down Intensity (Heart Rate)

Sprinter (50-100 m/y) 25 min Easy (120-130 bpm)

Middle Distance (200-500 m/y) 20 min Easy-Moderate (130-140 bpm)

Distance (+500 m/y) 10-15 min Moderate (140-150 bpm)

At meets where a warm down pool is not available, swimmers should complete their active recovery on land. This should include active stretching, light jogging, arm rotations and/or other land-based exercises that engage the same muscle groups used during the swim. Even on land,

this type of activity increases the blood circulation and removes/utilizes metabolites faster than passive recovery alone.

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Nutrition and Recovery

The primary fuel source for most swimmers during training is carbohydrate. During high intensity swimming, such as racing and completing tough sets, this carbohydrate comes from circulating blood sugar and glycogen, the storage form of carbohydrate. Over time, as glycogen is used, it must be replaced to avoid depletion. Should glycogen stores become low or depleted, circulating blood sugar shares the burden of supporting the demands of tough workouts and races with the body’s last resort high-intensity fuel source, protein.

Since this protein usually comes in the form of muscle protein, it is easy to see how long-term failure to replenish glycogen can lead to tissue breakdown. Combined with the tissue breakdown that is a normal result of hard exercise (and an important part of the adaptation stimulus during

training), it is also easy to see why poor nutritional recovery usually rears its ugly face in two forms:

1. Daily Training Indicators (chronic/long-term)

• complaints of “lead legs” and/or “can’t keep up”

• elevated resting heart rate

• elevated heart rate on typical sets, and/or

2. Meet indicators (acute/ immediate; usually on the back end of a meet)

• lower post-race peak lactate

• diminished lactate recovery

• feelings of fatigue

• elevated resting heart rate

• longer post-race heart rate recovery

Effective nutritional recovery maintains energy and limits tissue breakdown, especially during periods of high volume/high intensity training, and both carbohydrate and protein are essential to the plan. One of the key factors to keep in mind is that the “window of opportunity” for

maximizing glycogen repletion starts to close as soon as exercise stops and lasts for about two hours. Therefore, the most effective ways to make the most of your recovery time

and maximize the training adaptation are:

• Start the replenishment process during practice if workout is longer than an hour.

• Eat a substantial carbohydrate snack with some protein immediately after practice or within 20-30 min of finishing a workout.

• During hard training, add another post-workout snack 45 minutes to 1 hour later.

• Eat a main meal within 2 hours of finishing workout.

• During meets, eat a high-carb/moderate-protein snack immediately after your prelims race and immediately after your finals race, then again after cooling down.

• Substantial means 1.2-1.5 g of carbohydrate and .25-.4 g or protein per kg of body weight

(*kg=lbs/2.2)

• Include all sources of carbohydrate, such as colorful fruits and juices, milks, yogurts, breads, cereals, etc.

• Include various sources of protein, such as meat, peanut butter, milks, yogurt, cereals, legumes, etc.

• Include liquids to replenish lost fluids.

During its time off, the body will adapt, but only if provided with the right fuels at the right times. For many swimmers, ensuring good nutrition is like a full-time eating job! Not only

is the goal to replenish glycogen, but also to ensure a high level of circulating protein, vitamins and minerals to combat tissue breakdown during subsequent swims and recovery periods and maintain hydration to optimize metabolic efficiency (a fancy way of saying that water allows the body to access the nutrients it needs when it needs them).

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Stretching and Recovery

Stretching is a key component of the daily training plan for athletes. It plays an important role in the recovery process and in preparing for the next training session. Stretching increases blood flow to muscles, stimulates the passage of amino acids (building blocks of protein) into muscles,

accelerates protein synthesis in cells, and inhibits protein breakdown. These processes help the muscle repair itself and improve the body’s ability to recover in time for subsequent practices or competitions. Stretching as part of recovery can also reduce the chance of injury and enhance

stroke technique during subsequent swims. Its effects on increasing flexibility and range of motion allow the arms and legs to move freely and unencumbered.

A few important directions for stretching:

• Stretch when muscles are warmed-up.

• Stretch major muscle groups (lower leg, upper leg, back, shoulders, neck).

• Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds.

• Do not bounce.

• Do not stretch to the point of feeling pain. If you stretch and feel pain, you may be at risk of tearing a muscle.

• Do not hold your breath. Breathe freely and stay relaxed.

Keep in mind that not all athletes are built the same. A stretching routine that works for one person may not work equally as well on another person. A stretching program should be designed for the individual, taking into consideration individual needs and body type.

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Sleep and Recovery

As mentioned previously, the majority of the body’s muscle rebuilding occurs while the body is at rest. Therefore, in order to benefit the most from the work done during practice and to perform optimally, it is important for athletes to get sufficient sleep during their time away from the pool.

Getting too little sleep can hinder recovery from exercise by impairing glucose metabolism, increasing cortisol levels (causing decreased tissue repair and growth), and compromising immune function. Not only is protein breakdown reduced during sleep, growth hormone is

released during this time. Sleep also helps maintain optimal emotional and social function during the day.

Due to individual differences in recovery time, there is no set duration of sleep that every athlete should get. An important point to keep in mind when it comes to sleep is that every athlete has a different optimal amount of sleep (7 hours of sleep may be optimal for some, while 9 hours is optimal for others).

It is recommended that athletes keep a sleep log that tracks the number of hours of sleep per night. This should be correlated to how they feel during the day and their ability to recover after practice. Over time they will be able to determine their individual optimal amount of sleep based on parameters/correlations from their daily sleep log.

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Cool Down – Eat – Stretch – Massage – Sleep

Remember: Whether it’s daily training or the biggest meet of the season, what you do with your recovery time can and will affect your next swimming performance. Incorporate recovery into your training plan. Understand it. Believe in it.

DO IT! Train smart…Swim Fast!

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For more information on swimming physiology, nutrition, and

sports medicine, visit www.usaswimming.org

Adjusting To Different Stroke Techniques

News For

SWIM PARENTS

Published by The American Club Swimming Association

2101 North Andrews Ave., Suite 107

Fort Lauderdale FL 33311

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Adjusting To Different Stroke Techniques

“My daughter’s Coach has been changing her strokes and now all of her times are slower.

Does the coach know what he is talking about?”

Answered by: Mitch Ivy, a member of the 1984 Olympic Coaching Staff.

It is not unusual to experience slower swimming while adjusting to different stroke techniques.

Often, times stroke techniques feel awkward and uncomfortable to the swimmer. It is

important for the parents to encourage and support their young swimmer when he or she is

going through this period.

Often times the swimmer will become frustrated with his slower times and he will become

discouraged. The parents need to reinforce the benefits and the positive effects that the

stroke changes will bring. Once he adapts to the changes, he will be much better off in the

long run. The coach’s job is to make the transition as smooth as possible, “educating” the

swim family along the way.

The importance of proper stroke technique cannot be stressed enough. Given two welltrained

and physically comparable athletes, the race will ultimately be determined by technique and efficiency such as strokes, starts and turns. Fundamental stroke work should be the base for all 10 and under swimmers. We (concord Pleasant hill swim team) introduce training formats to swimmers 11 years and older and do not apply full double workouts and/or strength training until roughly high school age, although this is dependent upon individual maturity, physically and mentally.

Stroke work is not a seasonal or a special day even! Instead, it is an everyday part of our

program. A stroke error left unattended will eventually prohibit proper racing form, and can

even lead to injury. I consider each workout a “stroke workout” and constant care and

attention are demanded from swimmer and coach alike.

You might not see results right away, but the coach is trying to lay the groundwork for your

swimmer to reach his/her fullest future potential in our great sport. Also, be aware that as the age grouper matures, his strokes will change. As the swimmer develops physically and mentally, he becomes technically more polished. Expect changes. It is very rare for a swimmer to go through age group swimming and senior swimming with the “best” stroke. Trust the coach. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the coach so that you may have better understanding of his teaching methods.

Officials & Their Duties

If anyone is interested in being an official, please contact me and I will put you in touch with the appropriate person to set up a clinic for you!

News For

SWIM PARENTS

Published by The American Club Swimming Association

2101 North Andrews Ave., Suite 107

Fort Lauderdale FL 33311

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Officials And Their Duties

By Fred Cruciger, Longtime Florida USS Official and Swim Parent

When you as a parent go to a swimming meet you may not be totally familiar with the officials and their duties. In order to gain a better understanding of the functions of the officials, it might be a good idea to discuss the duties of each position and then to explain just how a person becomes an official.

The referee is the key official and is in complete charge of the competition. The referee makes decisions based upon the technical rules of swimming and assigns and supervises the other officials working the meet. The referee is the person who stands at the starting end of the pool and signals the starter when the race is ready to begin. No disqualification is final until the referee has signed the disqualification slip. The referee is the final authority.

The starter is responsible for ensuring a fair start to each race. He or she gives commands that are designed to inform the swimmer of the stroke and distance, to bring the swimmers to the proper starting position, and once all swimmers are motionless, he or she signals the race to begin with either the beeper or gun start.

There will also be stroke and turn judges stationed around the pool. They are charged with the specific responsibility of ensuring that the swimmers conform to the established rules of competition for that specific event. Each stroke has specific rules and it is up to these officials to enforce them.

Officials are well trained. The first level is that of a stroke and turn official. They can then progress to starter and finally to referee. Each level requires a clinic which is conducted by a certified clinic instructor. After the clinic there is a test and also a requirement for an apprenticeship period. During this time the apprentice works with a certified official to learn under actual competitive conditions. Once all of these phases are completed, the official is certified.

Once certified, each official must be recertified every two years. This is to ensure that each and every official is fully current on the rules. Rules change, and it is absolutely necessary for each official to be up to date. Rules can vary from very basic to highly complex. The key to the rules is contained in the first paragraph of the United States Swimming Rules and Regulations. It states "...so that no swimmer shall obtain unfair advantage over another." That is the reason for rules.

Also, officials are instructed to make sure that every benefit goes to the swimmer. In other words, if an official is unsure about a possible rule infraction, the benefit goes to the swimmer.

Officials signal a disqualification by raising a hand for about 20 seconds, or until the referee sees it. The purpose of the raised hand is not to signal any specific swimmer, but to call attention to the fact that a disqualification has taken place. The official calling the infraction will then write it up on paper, sign it and forward it to the referee for signature. Once signed by the referee the disqualification is official.

The referee is the only official who can be approached by a coach. The referee must know all of the details so that if approached by the coach, all of the necessary information will be at hand. Officials and coaches must work together. The coach wants his swimmer to be disqualified if there is an infraction. This becomes a teaching aid for the coach. If you, as a parent, have a question about a disqualification, contact your coach. Do not go to the referee. If the coach needs more information to answer your question, the coach will go to the referee.

Officials have a large responsibility. In virtually every case they are volunteers. They are not paid. They do this for the benefit of the sport. The chances are that they will have their own children in that meet. All of the officials do their best to be as fair and reasonable as possible. However, if they observe a rule violation, they will call a disqualification. That is why they are there.

Every meet must have a full staff of officials and this may be something that you might wish to try. One thing for certain, it sure makes the meet go more quickly! Contact any of the officials at the next meet you attend and ask them the procedure to become a certified official. It is a good way to learn some of the rules of the sport, contribute to the meet, and to show your children that you are supporting them.

What Can You Do To Help Your Child At Swim Practice

News For

SWIM PARENTS

Published by The American Club Swimming Association

2101 North Andrews Ave., Suite 107

Fort Lauderdale FL 33311

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What Can You Do To Help Your Child at Swim Practice?

The best thing you can do is to encourage your children to “have fun, be safe, and swim smart” before practice and be sure they have a warm towel for after practice. After practice ask them if they had fun and learned anything new or did anything they had never done before and offer your praise. Sometimes children will express feelings to their parents that may help the coach provide a more suitable environment for the individual. You are encouraged to talk to the coach about your child’s responses to the practice sessions.

If you decide to watch practice the most important thing you can do is allow your child to focus on the coach and on the tasks at hand. We know it is common in many other youth sports for parents to stand at the sidelines and shout instructions or encouragements and sometimes admonishments to their children. We ask you not to signal them to swim faster, or to try a certain technique, or to offer to fix a goggle problem, or even to remind them to listen to the coach. In fact, just as you would never interrupt a school classroom to talk your child, you should not interrupt a swim practice by attempting to communicate directly with your child.

What’s wrong with encouraging your child during practice? There are two issues. First we want the child to focus on the coach and to learn the skill for their personal satisfaction rather than learning it to please their parents. Secondly, parental encouragement often gets translated into a command to swim faster and swimming faster may be the exact opposite of what the coach is trying to accomplish. In most stroke skill development we first slow the swimmers down so that they can think through the stroke motions. Save encouragements and praise for after the practice session.

What’s wrong with shouting or signaling instructions to your children? When I watch my 8 year old daughter play in a basketball league I understand the overwhelming desire to shout instructions to your child because that is what I want to do. But those instructions might be different from the coach’s instructions and then you have a confused child. Sometimes you might think the child did not hear the coach’s instruction and you want to help. The fact is that children miss instructions all the time. Part of the learning process is learning how to listen to instructions. When children learn to rely on a backup they will have more difficulty learning how to listen better the first time.

What’s wrong with helping your child fix their goggles? Quite simply, we want to encourage the

children to become self-reliant and learn to take care of their own equipment.

If you need to speak to your child regarding a family issue or a transportation issue or to take your child from practice early you are certainly welcome to do so but please approach the coach directly with your request and we will immediately get your child out of the water. If you need to speak to the coach for other reasons please wait until the end of practice or contact them by phone or e-mail.

Team Website - How to Sign Your Swimmer Up and Job Sign Ups

Job Sign Ups – How To

To sign up for a job, please visit our team website at www.dynamoswimclub.com. From there, click on "Events & Records" on the top toolbar of the home page. This will take you to the meet schedule, locate the swim meet you would like to work, and click on the button that says "Job Signup". From there click on a white box (which designates an available volunteer position) of a job you would like to do, then scroll down and on the left side click the green + box that says "Signup". After you sign up you should see a your name underlined next to the job position you signed up for.

On this same page that you are viewing, next to job sign up is also a "Attend This Event" button. Click this, and from there you will click on your swimmer's name. This will bring up a declaration page. You only need to declare if your swimmer is going to swim, you never have to not commit your swimmer unless you sign up for a meet and find out you can't attend before the deadline. The comment box is a great use to let a coach know if your swimmer can attend only a certain day or session, as well as if there is a schedule conflict and they may be late or need to leave early. Go ahead and save this and they will be committed.

Hope this helps!

Compassion & Competition

Rick Reilly for ESPN wrote a great article on Sportsmanship. Above all, sportsmanship is one of the things I hope the swimmers in all 3 groups are learning as 10 & Unders. A skill that will help them in not only the present or in sports, but as well in the future and outside of the pool.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5218228

How Much Water Do You Need? (CNN)

I wanted a share a recent article posted on CNN (Elizabeth Landau) on hydration. As we are dealing with a stretch of unseasonably higher temperatures, it serves as a good reminder for both your swimmer and yourself to keep up with your water intake!

How much water do you need?
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
June 22, 2010 8:23 a.m. EDT

Summer temperatures are soaring, and that scratchy dryness in your throat makes you crave a glass of water.

What you might not know is: If you feel thirsty, you're likely to be already dehydrated.

"If you drink only when you're thirsty, you're probably behind the 8-ball when it comes to drinking water and to staying hydrated," said Dr. Sylvia Morris, assistant professor at the Emory University School of Medicine.

Last week, when Gen. David Petraeus, head of the U.S. Central Command, briefly fainted at a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting, dehydration was cited as the cause. Dehydration is also a challenge for workers cleaning up the oil disaster, as they fight extreme temperatures around the Gulf of Mexico.

Dehydration can lead to your becoming overheated, exhausted and lightheaded, experts say. You could also develop an electrolyte imbalance, muscle cramps and an increased risk of heatstroke.

The old adage recommending "eight glasses of water a day" still holds to some extent -- but people need more than this, some doctors say.

Men should have more than 13 eight-ounce glasses of water a day, and women need nine, Morris said. Pregnant women and nursing mothers need more water than just the eight glasses of eight ounces each, she said.

Sodas do not count toward the eight glasses a day, said Heather Nettle, coordinator of exercise physiology services at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

"Whatever you're drinking, you're going to be adding calories if you're drinking something else besides, and with that, it's going to be negative, particularly if you're doing exercise for weight management," Nettle said.

Fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, tomatoes and celery help give you more water but do not count toward daily recommendations for glasses of water, Morris said.

You can also add lemon, lime, cucumber or mint to your water to jazz it up, Morris said.

Keeping up with your hydration helps quash appetite, which is good for those who are trying to lose some pounds or maintain a healthy weight, she said.

Morris recommends drinking two glasses of water between meals, in addition to one to two glasses with each meal.

You should especially get in the habit of drinking a lot of water for heavy outdoor exercise, Nettle said.

Drink two cups of water before you exercise -- the first one, one to two hours beforehand, then have the second cup up to half an hour before the workout. Have another two cups 10 to 15 minutes before.

During exercise, you should drink on average a half a cup every 15 minutes, Nettle said. Afterward, drink two cups or more if you're thirsty, for every pound you lost through sweat.

"If you know you're going to be exercising heavily outdoors, it's recommended that you weigh yourself before you leave and then weigh yourself after you get back," she said.

If you're going to be exercising vigorously outside for an hour, just drink water, she said. But if you will be out longer than that and you're focusing on performance, consider a sports drink also, such as Gatorade or Powerade. The sugar in juice or soda can cause gastrointestinal distress, causing some people to feel bloated, gassy or nauseated, she said.

"Unfortunately, I think that we are all a little bit dehydrated, and we're not getting nearly as much water as we need, but certainly it's something that is easily rectified," Morris said.

IMX Summer Blast and Summer Sizzler Meet Recap

Great weekend for swimming for all! My favorite comment was hearing from the officials about how much better all the swimmers at the Sizzler were with their dives since the Derby. That goes to how hard your swimmer(s) have been working at practice to little details!

Lifetime Best Swim(s): J Shuford, R Cetron, B Fadjariza-Dumais, N Singh, M Johnson, E Walls, A Cook, K Yao, K McGrady, S Humphrey, N Bent, N Gonzalez, T Piper, L Cardot, B Curry, D Hall, JR Hull, N Shields, M Young, C Gantt, Y Smith, I Taboada, A Tirrell, C Hughes, H Price, L Cryor, A Reid-Martin, C O’Kelley, S Bettin, A Voloschin, J Purdy, P Biondi, C Chernow, W Wright, C Crumley, D Gantt, R Jatar, M Sketel, J McGuire, J Hull,

USA Swimming Motivational "B" Time(s): B Fadjariza-Dumais, K McGrady, S Humphrey, D Hall, N Shields, M Young, B Curry, K Yao, L Cardot, I Taboada, A Tirrell, A Reid-Martin, M Sketel, A Voloschin

USA Swimming Motivational "BB" Time(s): E Walls, A Cook, R Cetron, K Yao, N Singh, K McGrady, B Fadjariza-Dumais, M Johnson, Y Smith, A Voloschin

Georgia Age Group State Cut(s):
Julia Shuford – 200 IM, 100 Fly, 100 Back
Rachel Cetron – 200 IM, 100 Breast
Megan Johnson – 100 Fly
Nicholas Gonzalez – 100 Fly, 200 Free
Louis Cardot – 100 Fly
Brooks Curry – 100 Fly
Elizabeth Walls – 100 Back
Yannick Smith – 100 Back, 100 Breast
Nora Singh – 100 Breast
Teo Piper – 100 Breast
Nolan Shields – 100 Breast
Brian Fadjariza-Dumais – 100 Breast
Dixon Hall – 100 Breast

USA Swimming Motivational "A" Time(s): J Shuford, N Singh, N Gonzalez, C Gantt

Swim Suit Policy

I am posting this as a reminder as I know questions come up and we see a lot of things at swim meets. This is an excerpt sent out last year to all families:



___________________________________________________

The Dynamo coaches are very sensitive to any and all additional costs for this sport, and look for ways to eliminate rather than add them. Our policy as such is to limit the suits for our 14 and Under swimmers. Senior swimmers (15 and over), and those younger swimmers who compete in Senior Level meets are not restricted, except to be guided by their coaches. In all:
For all meets but championship meets, our swimmers are to wear their traditional black suit with the Dynamo logo. The only requirements Dynamo asks of its athletes is the black suit and yellow cap. Other Dynamo gear you purchase is encouraged, but not required.


For Championship meets:
10 and Unders are to stick with their normal cut of suit they have been wearing all year. The ‘tech’ suits are not at all made for these body types.


11-12 year olds have the option of wearing their traditional suit, or a Speedo Aquablade. The Aquablade is an excellent suit, and costs well under $100.00 versus a LZR that can cost $350.00. Again, these suits are not designed for this body type.


13-14 year olds are also encouraged to wear their traditional suit or the Aquablade at their championship meet. 13-14 year olds who compete at Senior Level meets (SR. State or SR Sectionals) may be encouraged to wear a tech suit (LZR or Faststkin Pro) by their coaches. We are serious about eliminating monetary roadblocks to athletes competing in our sport. The advantage we are interested in exploiting is the one that states you belong to Dynamo, and are surrounded by a great group of coaches and teammates, and we will out technique and out-work our opponents. For ordering the team suit, you use the Kastaway order form. While we won’t be too hard on those who don’t have their suit their first meet, we do expect our athletes to be in the Team suit at meets after that.

_____________________________________________



The reason why I bring this up is so that not only you are aware of the policy, but know that I will enforce it. At States last summer I asked a 10 yr old girl in our group to change suits because she was in an aquablade. I have asked swimmers to change suits this year in the short course season. I have been asked a couple of times why not 10 & Unders, but lets look at what we are building your swimmer up for without the suit vs with.



With the "tech suit" - there is a lot of hype as well as the mental mid set. I heard one swimmer refer to it once as their Super Suit. They think they can only swim fast if they are wearing that suit. When they don't swim fast the next time they where- it will be they need a newer suit or a better one - this means more $$ from the parent and not a good mindset for the swimmer especially at a young age.

Swimming without a "tech suit" - swimmers learn how to swim well and fast through technique and hard work. At the 12 & Under age (esp. those who have not hit puberty) any suit that is a tight/snug fit is appropriate and what it is made of makes very little difference. Introducing them to the suit as they get older will help financially as they are more likely to be committed to swimming more as well as an understanding that the suit alone does not make you faster - there are other things at play in that moment (hard work, technique, mental mindset, and sometimes pure luck!).

Save your money for every meet you will attend this summer for a drink of water for you and your swimmer, snacks during the meet, as well as a treat for your swimmer post meet. That will be money better spent on them for their performance at this age!

Hope this helps!

Dixie Classic and Gwinnett Aquatics Meet Recaps

Lifetime Best Swims:

M Johnson, C Tappero, R Cetron, A Cook, L Sun, C Staley, M Swett, B Lonial, F Bettin, T Piper, R Cetron, A Cook, C Gantt, J Von Biberstein, B Curry, Y Smith, N Singh, I Ariail, K Yao, B Fadjariza-Dumais, I Velarde, N Gonzalez, J Hansen, N Bent, K Chen, S Humphrey, N Shields, L Cardot, P Johnson

USA Swimming "B" Times:

C Staley, R Cetron, I Ariail, B Fadjariza-Dumais, S Humphrey, L Cardot, P Johnson

USA Swimming "BB" Times:

M Johnson, R Cetron, A Cook, L Sun, M Swett, B Lonial, F Bettin, R Cetron, A Cook, C Staley, B Curry, C Tappero, Y Smith, T Piper, N Singh, B Fadjariza-Dumais, K Yao, N Gonzalez, N Bent, K Chen, L Cardot, N Shields

Georgia Age Group State Cuts:

Carmen Tappero: 100 Breast
Ben Lonial: 200 Free, 200 IM
Foster Bettin: 200 Free, 100 Back, 100 Fly, 200 IM
Alissa Cook: 50 Breast, 100 Back, 200 IM, 50 Back
Courtney Gantt: 50 Breast, 50 Fly
Julia Von Biberstein: 50 Breast, 100 Back, 50 Fly, 100 Breast, 100 Free
Chris Staley: 50 Breast
Brooks Curry: 100 Back, 50 Free, 200 IM, 50 Fly, 50 Back, 100 Free
Leesan Sun: 100 fly
Mark Rotolo: 100 Back, 200 IM, 50 Back
Yannick Smith: 50 Free, 200 IM, 50 Fly
Nora Singh: 200 IM, 50 Fly, 100 Free
Teo Piper: 200 IM, 50 Fly, 100 Free
Jackson Hansen: 50 Fly, 50 Back
Nicholas Gonzalez: 100 Breast

USA Swimming "A" Times:

J Von Biberstein, B Curry, T Piper, M Swett, J Hansen, N Gonzalez, T Piper, B Curry, C Gantt,

USA Swimming "AA" Times:

J Von Biberstein

Age Group Sectional Cut:

Julia Von Biberstein: 50 Fly

Meet Anxiety

I got this from the USA Swimming parent section. It is a Q&A on Meet Anxiety. I thought this would be an appropriate topic as a few of the swimmers in all 3 of my groups have shown signs of meet anxiety. Most of the parents have approached me about this, and I try to help that swimmer leading up to the meet and at the meet - but for those parents that still want to help their swimmer or may be feeling like they do not know what to do to help here are some tips:

Q: My child gets so nervous before a competition. Is this natural? What can I do to help her to reduce this competitive pressure/stress?

A: To a degree, nervousness is part of the competitive experience and can be used as an opportunity to teach the young athlete specific strategies or skills to help her manage this arousal or nervousness. A simple skill that young athletes can learn to help manage the “butterflies in their stomachs” is belly breathing. The athlete is taught to take slow, deep breaths into her belly, hold it briefly, and then exhale slowly. Words can be included to help the athlete focus her thoughts on something besides worry. This is a quick strategy that helps calm the body and mind and only takes a few seconds to do. Another skill to help the athlete deal with muscular tightness brought on by nervousness is progressive muscle relaxation. In this procedure, the athlete goes through the major muscles in her body and first tenses and then relaxes each muscle. This teaches athletes to learn the difference between a tense and relaxed muscle, to learn where different muscles are located, and to eventually be able to relax specific muscles as necessary. Remember that these skills must be taught and practiced before the athlete will be able to use them effectively.

We also know that excessive anxiety can be damaging to both performance and to the athlete's desire to enter such situations in the future. Two factors which have been found to play a role in the level of anxiety experienced are the importance of the event and the uncertainly of the outcome. Greater importance and greater uncertainty lead to increased anxiety. Parents, this suggests that you can play an active role in reducing competition anxiety by de-valuing the outcome of the event and by focusing on the individual performance over which the swimmers have control.

Symptoms of anxiety: increased heart rate,rapid breathing, sweating, negativity, jittery, frequent ‘pit stops’, excessive worry, doubts, talk of failure, low confidence.
Strategies to Manage: Deep belly breathing, positive self-talk, relaxation exercises, think of successes, stretching, visualize race, listen to music, focus on goals, light massage, distract by talking with friends, family.

Meet Recaps -Spring Splash & Dynamo Derby

A little behind, but here are the meet recaps for our 1st two long course meets!


Spring Splash

Lifetime Best Swims: C Gantt, C Tappero, R Cetron, M Johnson, A Cook, K Yao, N Gonzalez, J Hansen, B Lonial, Y Smith, M Young, L Sun, H Burdette-Sapp, M Speece, S Humphrey, M Rotolo, F Bettin, N Shields, N Singh, E Harrison, I Ariail, N Bent, C Horlock, T Piper, P Johnson, L Hutson, B Fadjariza-Dumais

USA Swimming "B" Times: M Young, M Johnson, R Cetron, H Burdette-Sapp, N Shields, B Lonial, L Sun, M Rotolo, Y Smith, M Speece, K Yao, N Bent, S Humphrey, I Ariail, L Hutson, B Fadjariza-Dumais, C Tappero

USA Swimming "BB" Times: C Tappero, R Cetron, M Johnson, A Cook, K Yao, J Hansen, B Lonial, Y Smith, L Sun, M Rotolo, F Bettin, N Shields N Singh, E Harrison, T Piper

Georgia Age Group State Cuts
Nicholas Gonzalez – 200 IM, 50 Fly, 50 Back, 100 Free
Jackson Hansen – 200 IM, 100 Breast, 100 Free, 200 Free, 50 Free, 100 Fly
Leesan Sun – 50 Fly
Mark Rotolo – 50 Fly, 100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Fly
Foster Bettin – 50 Fly, 50 Back
Alissa Cook – 100 Breast
Courtney Gantt – 100 Breast, 50 Back
Nora Singh – 200 Free, 50 Free, 100 Fly
Teo Piper – 200 Free, 100 Fly
Lauren Hutson – 50 Breast
Carmen Tappero – 50 Breast
Yannick Smith – 100 Fly

USA Swimming "A" Times: N Gonzalez, F Bettin, L Hutson, C Gantt

Age Group Sectional Time Cuts: (as a reminder there is no Sectional meet for 10 & Unders over the summer, but if they are 10 through the March sectionals next spring this cut counts!)
Foster Bettin – 100 Breast

USA Swimming "AA" Times: F Bettin

Dynamo Derby

Lifetime Best Swims: C Gantt, J Shuford, A Cook, R Cetron, C Tappero, L Sun, M Lee, S Humphrey, H Burdette-Sapp, N Gonzalez, M Rotolo, D Hall, L Cardot, C Staley, P Johnson, C Langer, A Reid-Martin, C O’Kelley, C Hughes, A Cartwright, B Reynolds, A Brawley, L Pencea, J Grobety, M Sketel, J Hull, J McGuire, N Reynolds, G Wheeler, W Wright, R Jatar, W Dillard, N Rotolo, K Cheng, A Tirrell

USA Swimming "B" Times: C Tappero, L Sun, M Lee, D Hall, L Cardot, C Staley, C Langer, A Reid-Martin, C O’Kelley, C Hughes, J Grobety, N Rotolo, K Cheng

USA Swimming "BB" Times: A Cook, R Cetron, M Rotolo

Georgia Age Group State Cuts:
Courtney Gantt – 400 Free
Julia Shuford – 400 Free
Nicholas Gonzalez – 400 Free

USA Swimming "A" Times: N Gonzalez

What's the scoop on cereal?

What's the Scoop on Cereal

So many options...how do you choose?

For swimmers, cereal is great just about any time of the day. Competitive athletes are encouraged to choose nutrient dense cereals, which contain more of the right kinds of nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, minerals) per serving than their “candy cereal” counterparts. More bang for the buck, so to speak.

Generally speaking, the best cereals are high-carbohydrate (>25 grams/serving), moderate-protein (5-10 grams/serving), low-fat (<5 grams/serving), and moderate-fiber (2-4 grams/serving). Most cereals on the market today, including “candy cereal,” are fortified with vitamins and minerals, such that one serving usually provides 20-100% of a given vitamin or mineral. However, these values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which is well below the energy requirements for most competitive swimmers in their teens and twenties.

Consider cereals in three categories: High Nutrient Density, Moderate Nutrient Density, and Low Density (aka “candy cereal”). Athletes looking for a good cereal but not a whole lot of calories, a Moderate Nutrient Density product is best. For those looking for density (i.e. lots more nutrients/calories in a smaller serving), then a High Nutrient Density cereal is the way to go. Swimmers looking for “candy cereal” should be encouraged to save this type of product for weekends and/or limited occasions. The following table offers a non-exhaustive list of cereals in each of the categories mentioned above:


High Nutrient Density Cereals
>30 grams carb
>4 grams protein
<40% of carbohydrate is sugar

• Quaker Toasted Oatmeal
• Raisin Bran
• Smart Start
• Blueberry Morning
• Basic Four
• Wheaties Energy Crunch
• Raisin Nut Bran
• Honey Nut Shredded Wheat

Moderate Nutrient Density Cereals
>20-30 grams carbohydrate
>2-4 grams protein
<40% of carbohydrate is sugar

• Cheerios
• Team Cheerios
• Rice Crispies
• Corn Flakes
• Special K
• Total

Low Nutrient Density (“candy”) Cereals
>40% of carbohydrate is sugar

• Fruit Loops
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch
• Captain Crunch
• Cocoa Puffs
• Fruitie Pebbles
• Frosted Flakes

And of course, hot oatmeal and granola are always excellent choices. And all dry cereals make a great snack to take on the road. Just toss 1 cup into a plastic storage bag or air-tight container, and off you go. The point is to find a cereal that tastes good and also meets your nutritional needs. With all the products on the market, no swimmer should have any problem doing just that.

Water - The Athlete's Most Important Nutrient

This week’s article is on the importance of hydration. Between training (which requires more hydration – you do sweat when you swim) and the weather warming up, I thought this would be appropriate. Your swimmer is encouraged to bring water to practice! Have a bottle sitting on the deck next to their lane is a great idea. I encourage my AG3 swimmers to drink their water when I am telling them their next set of the workout. This goes for swimmers AND parents. We both know that our swimmers cannot make it to practice if you were unable to bring them and they appreciate the work you do (as do I)! So please, have some water on hand throughout the day! And it does not have to be water specifically – one of the reasons why I love this hand out is how it breaks down some of our common foods and drinks with the percentage of water in them!

WATER: The Athlete’s Most Important Nutrient

Forget about every other question that you have about nutrition until you’ve figured out how to stay hydrated. Being smart about water intake can separate good performance from great performance. You are mostly water. In fact, if you took the water out of a 180-pound lean body, there would be about 55 pounds left. Because your muscles, your brain, your blood and sweat are mostly water, your body doesn’t work like it should when it doesn’t have enough water. You don’t think as clearly, your lose endurance and your heart works harder. When you’re severely dehydrated, sweating stops and your body overheats. The result-fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and collapse, or worse. In fact, every year, deaths in young healthy athletes are linked to severe dehydration.

Sweat It Out

Sometimes you don’t even see sweat, like when you swim. But you sweat whenever your body heats up from working out. Sweat is your body’s cooling system. Evaporation of sweat from your skin cools you down. When you sweat, you lose water from your body and that water must be replaced. Replacing the water takes a plan.

Don’t Rely on Thirst

You might be thinking, “What’s the big deal? Won’t drinking when I’m thirsty guarantee that I’m hydrated?” Surprisingly, no. During exercise, for reasons not totally understood, humans don’t drink enough to prevent dehydration. You need to drink before you’re thirsty and keep drinking after you no longer feel thirsty.

Drink It In

Forget about the old rule of drinking 8 glasses per day. You probably need more than that on most days. Counting how many glasses you drink is only one way of keeping track of what you need. A better way of making sure you’re hydrated is to check your body weight before and after practice. For accuracy, weigh in minimal clothing if there’s privacy, and afterwards, change out of the sweaty clothing before you weigh. The weight lost during practice or competition is not fat, it’s water loss. One pint of water weighs one pound. To replace the water, drink one pint of fluid for every pound you lost. (One pint = 16 ounces = 500 ml = ½ liter).

It is critical to replace the water loss as quickly as possible. Before your next workout, your weight should be back up to normal. If you can’t check your weight, pay attention to your body for signs of dehydration. Your mouth should not be dry. Your urine should be lemon-colored most of the time. More than one episode of dark yellow urine is a warning sign that you don’t have much reserve. (Exception: Vitamin supplements can turn your urine yellow-orange, even if you are hydrated.) Loss of appetite, stomachaches, and muscle cramps can be other warning signals of dehydration. When? Drink before, during and after working out. Drink a pint or so of fluid a few hours before exercise. This will help make sure you are hydrated and give you enough time to urinate if you need to beforehand.

Keep drinking during exercise. If you are sweating, your body needs a constant supply. Drinking fluids after workouts is extremely important. Even when drinking fluids during a workout, many athletes become dehydrated. Athletes working out in the heat for several hours can lose 10 pounds. That's more than a gallon of water.

What Should I Drink?

Your body needs water. But remember water comes in all sizes, shapes and colors. Milk is 90% water. Juice and most soft drinks are 89% water, sport drinks are 94% water, and even pizza is 50% water. And it all counts. Nearly everything that passes your lips provides water for your body, and in fact, research shows that most hydration happens at meals from the combination of food and beverages.

Research also shows that we tend to drink more if the fluid is flavored and if a variety of fluids are available.

Keys to Hydration When you have figured out how to stay hydrated, especially when you sweat heavily, you have accomplished the single most important performance-enhancing aspect of nutrition. Water is your most important nutrient.

Water Content of Common Foods and Drinks

Item…………………………………………………………………………Water content, approximate
Diet soft drinks, tea, coffee............................................................... 99%
Sport drinks....................................................................................... 94%Milk.................................................................................................... 90%Soup................................................................................................... 90%
Soft drinks, soda pop, juice............................................................... 89%Yogurt................................................................................................ 80%Corn................................................................................................... 76%
Baked potato..................................................................................... 74%
Cooked rice........................................................................................ 73%
Cooked pasta..................................................................................... 66%Taco................................................................................................... 59%Chicken.............................................................................................. 54%
Ground beef....................................................................................... 53%Pizza................................................................................................... 50%

Prepared by the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Division and the International Center for Sports Nutrition.

©2006 U.S. Olympic Committee