FitSugar

3 Easy Ways to Spare Your Hair While Swimming

Jaime Richards — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:04:00 PDT

Swimming season is upon us, and while it's a fun (even athletic) activity, the tangled, frizzed-out hair that can result is decidedly not. Chemicals in pool water can wreak havoc on your strands, while salt water from the ocean has drying effects. There are a few things you can do, though, to keep your summertime style from looking gnarly, dude. To find out more, just keep reading.

Ryan Lochte Goes For the Gold: Get to Know the Lochtenator

Tara Block — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:51:08 PDT

Michael who? OK, we haven't forgotten Phelps yet, but there's a new kid in town who's dazzling us with his ripped body and gold medals. Ryan Lochte aka "The Lochtenator" is looking mighty fine on the Team USA cover of Vogue in his swimwear, alongside soccer's Hope Solo and tennis star Serena Williams.

"New" may be a misnomer, as the 27-year-old American swimmer is already a six-time Olympic medalist and has carried both World Swimmer of the Year and American Swimmer of the Year titles. Ryan is known to sport a diamond-encrusted grill, and besides a thing for sparkly teeth some other fun facts about the hottie include that his mother is Cuban, he majored in sports management in college, and he has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on the inside of his right bicep. Now onto the photo album! (And try not to drool.)

Jessica Hardy: "I'm on the Right Track For This Year"

espnW — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:18:38 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Jessica Hardy
Jessica will be blogging for espnW in the lead-up to this summer's London Olympics. Follow her journey on espnW.com

Going through a moment of crisis transformed me, humbled me, and brought out what mattered most in my life. During my suspension from competing, I probably would have lost my spirit completely if I didn't have a loving group of family and friends there, supporting me through it all. Giving up my spot on the Olympic team was extremely traumatic. But more than anything, I needed to fix it and I knew I couldn't do it alone - though I wanted to. For the first time in my life, I was forced to let my guard down and let people help me.

Jessica Hardy Getting Better Not Bitter

Janet Evans Comeback Whirlwind

My mom is a practicing, licensed psychotherapist, but I'm sure it wasn't easy for her to play the role of my mom and therapist. She was so good at talking me through emotions, calming me down, pumping me up, and helping me process my own thoughts. My sister, Amanda, who was a junior national team-level athlete in water polo, and stepdad, Bill, who's a lawyer, were amazingly understanding, too. Luckily, I had the perfect support group for an unlucky situation. I couldn't have survived the ordeal without them.

As supportive as my family was, it was my fiancé, Dominik, who encouraged me to seek help outside of my family. At one point, I was depressed, feeling really negative and taking it out on him. He sat me down and urged me to see somebody. Looking back, I realize I had put him in a really uncomfortable position. Every time he tried to cheer me up, I'd shoot him down. So it was a reality check and definitely the right thing to do. When I told my mom, she suggested I revisit my childhood family therapist - the one I used to see after my parents' divorce. I also sought the services of the US Olympic Committee's sports psychologists.

Amber Neben turns challenges into opportunities

Read on for more on Jessica's road back to competition after the break.

How to Begin a New Outdoor Cardio Routine

Leta Shy — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:44:31 PDT

Has the warm weather gotten you inspired to start a new outdoor cardio routine? Whether you've set your eyes on running, biking, or swimming, here are some things to remember before you begin.

Biking

Investing in a bike is exciting - once you find the perfect one for you, you'll be inspired to explore your town, take a long weekend bike ride, maybe even commute to work! But the process of finding the right bike and cycling routine takes a bit of thought. Start your cycling routine off right with these tips:

Buy the right bike: Do you want a road bike for commuting, a mountain bike for weekend trail rides, or something in between? Knowing the main purpose of your bike is the first step in buying the right kind of bike. You also will need to spend a few hours testing different brands and sizes. Read more tips for buying the right bike here.
Prevent pain and injuries: Even with the right size of bike, you need to ensure that you've adjusted your two-wheeler correctly so your rides won't lead to aches and pains. From saddle height to how to properly fit your helmet, here are tips on how to adjust your bike to fit your body.
Plan your workout: If you're new to biking, make sure you plan and prep your route and workout. If you're biking to work, for example, read these tips for how to start a bike commute to work, and if you can't wait to hit the hills this weekend, read our beginner mountain biking tips.

Read on for more beginner outdoor cardio tips!

Olympic Hopeful Jessica Hardy Shares Her Tips to Beat Workout Boredom

espnW — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 04:06:56 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Jessica Hardy

Jessica Hardy knew she wanted to be an Olympic swimmer at age 5, when her mom started taking her to the neighborhood pool in Long Beach, Calif. Now, more than 20 years later, she's a three-time world champion and a world record holder in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Her next goal? Olympic gold in London.

Jessica will be blogging for espnW in the lead-up to this summer's London Olympics. Follow her journey on espnW.com and read her full blog entry here.

How I Fend Off Workout Boredom

1. Hit Instant Replay. When I need motivation at practice, I just picture my competitors inching past me from the side of my goggles. That mental image is enough to drive me.

A Bright Idea

2. Sing It, Sister. The last song I hear on the radio in my car before heading into practice always gets stuck in my head. I end up singing it the whole time, and you know what, it keeps me entertained - though my teammates don't always feel the same way.

Playing Hard Ball

3. Go into Detail. During a tough part of practice, I focus on technique with each stroke rather than when on earth the set is going to end. That little trick helps me get through it.

Keep reading for more boredom-busting tips.

Swimmer Natalie Coughlin on Pilates, Plums, and Backstroking For Gold

Susi May — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:05:50 PST

Swimming always makes a splash at the Summer games, and Natalie Coughlin did just that in Beijing by becoming the first American woman to win six medals in one Olympics. A serious foodie as well as a gold medalist, Natalie took time out of her intense schedule to talk about her plans for London and how cooking calms her.

Natalie's training day starts with a 4:30 a.m. wake-up, and she's at the pool by 5 a.m. for a Pilates warmup, two hours in the pool, followed by an hour and a half of weight lifting. Impressed not only by the early morning start, I was also curious about her predawn power breakfast. She told me Bircher muesli is her go-to breakfast, explaining that it's "a really delicious uncooked oat, soaked overnight in orange juice and orange zest with dried plums." (Get Natalie's muesli recipe here.)

But wait. There's more. Natalie works out twice most days. Her second go-round involves a pool workout before heading off to the weight room for power circuits. The day sounds exhausting to me, and Natalie assured me that she certainly sleeps well and is not much of a napper; her head hits the pillow around 10 p.m. most nights, with an occasional early night when needed.

Keep reading to see what Natalie says about the upcoming London games.

Olympian Natalie Coughlin Dives Into Beauty

BellaSugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:05:42 PST

Two-time Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin is legendary for her 100 meter backstroke, impossible to beat as part of the freestyle relay team, and one of Team USA's brightest hopes for this year's London games. We met up with her at a shoot for her new Pantene ad and discovered that Natalie's also quite the glamour puss when she's on dry land. "I'm a girlie girl when I have the chance," she said. "I love playing up my eyes, and after my Dancing With the Stars experience, I love doing false lashes."

When she's in a pool all day, however, there's no reason to wear makeup. "It’s just the last thing I want to think about," Natalie admits. "But I do use a lot of sunscreen." With so much chlorine exposure and time in the water, painfully dry skin is also an issue many swimmers face. "I have to moisturize every day," Natalie says, "and I dry brush at night, which I think is important."

As anyone who was ever on a neighborhood swim team can attest, though, a swimmer's biggest beauty challenge is always hair. Natalie is known for her long, healthy mane, and says she's avoided the chop by following a cardinal rule. "Always wet your hair before you get in the pool," Natalie advises. "If you can put conditioner in your hair before you get in that helps, too." Wetting your hair... so you can get it wet? Apparently not as weird as it sounds. "If you think about it, "Natalie explains, "your hair is very much like a sponge, so if it absorbs tap water, that’s much better than chlorinated water." Thanks to Natalie, next time we go for a dip, our strands will have taken the plunge beforehand.

5 Ways to Save Your Hair Pre- and Postswim Workout (Plus Products!)

Self — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:45:54 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Once upon a time, many of us doused our hair with Sun-In and then spent the rest of the Summer with orange mops, euphemistically dubbed "strawberry blonde." But we knew the truth.

That may have been acceptable at 12 years old, but - as adults - we don't pay for high-end hair products, highlights, and conditioning treatments just to ruin them with chlorine, salt water, and sun. If your workout of choice involves swimming and water sports, or even just splashing in the waves, memorize these tips from celebrity colorist Sheri Roman, owner of LA hair Mecca Roman Salon, on how to keep your hair healthy and bright.

Source: Thinkstock

Picture It: Splish Splash

Tara Block — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:39:00 PDT

North Korea's synchronized swimming team competes in the free combination final at the 14th FINA World Championships, in which the Russian team took gold, China took silver, and Canada took bronze. FINA is an aquatic sports competition held every two years all over the world - this year it's in Shanghai, China - including diving, swimming, synchro, and water polo competitions. I love watching water sports in the Summer, but I've always been especially impressed with the strength and beauty of synchronized swimmers; they are like real-life mermaids, mixing gymnastics with dancing and doing it all while treading water. See more pictures of the water wonders in action now!

6 Reasons to Teach Your Tot to Swim This Summer

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:32:59 PDT

Take a dive! When it's scorching hot out, one sure way to cool off is a dip in the pool, lake, or ocean. Kids and parents alike love splashing around, but lil ones should learn to do more than that. Last year the American Academy of Pediatrics began encouraging children as young as 1 year old to participate in swim lessons, depending on how often they are exposed to water. While the youngest toddlers may not quite be ready for instructional swim, older ones are. Here are six reasons to get them started today!

Source: Flickr User heydrienne