There are times when I feel that if humans were meant to swim, we would have gills. Getting over the awkwardness of propelling yourself through water is all about technique. One simple piece of technical advice I can offer is to "swim downhill" when swimming lap after lap of freestyle. It sounds crazy since pools are flat, but the image helps you become more hydrodynamic. Most of us swim as if Read more

Yesterday afternoon I had a session with Hannah, my Equinox trainer, and after she kicked my behind into shape (and I mean that literally), I had a swim lesson! I love jumping into a pool after strength training since one of my Spring fitness goals is to become a more efficient swimmer. We did clear up one important thing — everyone swims faster when being watched, and this is why I often Read more

Congrats to Natalie Coughlin, the reigning Olympic queen of the 100-meter backstroke! A stroke I have learned to love. Coughlin is the first woman to win repeat gold medals in this event, which is impressive considering her world record was broken in the semifinals by college rival, Kirsty Conventry of Zimbabwe, and that Natalie was having trouble swimming straight. I have that problem too and Read more

Michael Phelps is one of the fastest swimmers in the world and he's got his eye on eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympics. A lot of folks joke that he's got gills; I'm not sure about that but one thing that he definitely does have is a good training program. His coach Bob Bowman, head coach for the unstoppable University of Michigan swim team, recently gave some tips on what Michael does to Read more

I just bought a new suit for lap swimming and while it is not very fashionable, I feel like it helps me swim very fast. One thing that also helps with speed when swimming freestyle, aside from a shiny black racer back suit, is keeping your nose pointed toward the bottom of the pool. This will aim the top of your head toward the direction you are swimming. Another way to think about it is to Read more

The first swimming stroke most of us learn is freestyle, aka the crawl. Most of us still "crawl" along as we swim our laps, but learning a little technique goes a long way - literally. When swimming freestyle your body should roll and rotate along the axis of your spine. Try this image on for size: you are a screw drilling through the water, not a sled being pulled by just your arms. When Read more

It seems like boating season unofficially begins on Memorial Day weekend with everyone headed to their lake houses, weekend river residences, or the beach. In different parts of the nation, boating accidents, injuries, and unfortunately fatalities are on the rise. Now that I've captured your attention, let's review a few tips on boating safety. Boater's fatigue is real, and it can wear you Read more