Campus Connection

When considering an athletic activity, I often think about the amount of aerobic exercise I’ll be getting, or perhaps some gain in strength or speed. Swimming is one of those activities that has many merits: it provides an excellent cardiovascular workout, builds muscle and core strength, and, as a low-impact activity, is easy on the joints. It also has a unique claim that most other sports do not: knowing how to swim is a valuable life skill, so much so that it’s required education in several European countries.

When I talk to many of my friends about the sport, they immediately call to mind recent athletes like Michael Phelps, who surely deserves recognition for his impressive accomplishments at the 2008 Olympic Games; however, the history of swimming is surprisingly rich.

References to the activity itself can be found in Stone Age cave paintings and in written works as early as 2000 BC, and a German text devoted to ‘the art of swimming’ was published in the late 1530s. An often-cited critical event in the development of the sport was an 1844 race which included competitors from Britain, as well as several Native Americans who employed their own version of the front crawl, later called Trudgen, and soundly defeated those who preferred a more gentlemanly breast stroke that made few splashes and kept their heads above the water. Swimming events have been included since the first modern Olympic games in 1896.

While the act of swimming involves moving through the water from point A to point B, the modern sport recognizes four official strokes that have evolved over a number of years. These can be divided into ‘long axis’ strokes, which are freestyle (most recognized as the front crawl) and backstroke, and ‘short axis’ strokes: breast stroke and butterfly. Another stroke, not used in competition but popular for recreational swimmers, is known as the side stroke.

Speed and ease of learning the strokes differs for each person. A novice swimmer might consider enrolling in a class at a community pool to gain the benefit of one-on-one or small-group instruction, or recruiting a knowledgeable friend. There are also a number of resources for the self-taught swimmer, such as Total Immersion swimming by Terry Laughlin. One challenge to a beginning swimmer is the simple matter of access. Current full or part time UMB students can use the Retrievers Activity Center on the UMBC campus, which features a 25 yard indoor pool, as well as a 50-meter (or Olympic size) outdoor pool with seasonal hours.

A popular option for new swimmers, or those returning to the sport, is to join a team. Practicing with a group has several benefits, including stroke improvement and new friendships formed during training. Athletes participating in these programs include beginners, experienced swimmers, and triathletes among others, and participants can compete in races, called meets, or simply swim for fun. US Masters Swimming is the non-profit, national organization that oversees more than 500 of these clubs across the country. There are twenty-seven clubs listed for Maryland at last count, including ones that meet at CCBC in Catonsville, the Merritt Club in Canton, and UMBC. There are often fees associated with joining these programs and/or the clubs that support them, so contact the coach or facility in advance and try several practices before deciding to make sure it’s a good fit.

Once you’ve decided where you want to swim, there are just a handful of items you might want to consider:

• A bathing suit. This one seems self-explanatory, but if you’re going to swim regularly you’ll need one or several good-quality suits. Typically these are made of lycra or polyester, and popular brands include Speedo, Nike, and Tyr. Keep in mind that fit varies with both material and brand, so if you can try the suit on before purchase to get an idea of what works.

• Cap and goggles. Caps are good for protecting and restraining hair, but they also keep in warmth. Goggles are useful for protecting eyes from chlorine in pool water.

• A dedicated swim bag to help keep your gear organized and in one place as you travel between pool and home. Consider stocking it with chlorine-neutralizing shampoo and body wash, as well as lotion to prevent dry skin. There is additional equipment that can be incorporated into an aquatic training program, though much of it is sometimes provided at the pool for general use. These include kickboards, pull buoys, hand paddles, and fins, which can all be used for drills in the context of a workout.

For now, as we come into the spring months, focus on getting into the pool and a routine that incorporates swimming into your normal workouts. For further information, check out:

• US Masters Swimming - the governing body of Masters Swimming programs, this site includes helpful articles as well as listings of local clubs. http://www.usms.org/

• USA Swimming - this organization oversees competitive swimming in the United States. Even if racing isn’t your thing, this is a great resource for current events in the sport, as well as guidelines on stroke technique and swimmer resources. http://www.usaswimming.org • International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) - A Florida-based organization that preserves the history of the sport, highlights its heroes, and promotes water safety in its community. http://www.ishof.org/

• UMBC Retriever Activities Center - if you haven’t been to the RAC at UMBC, take some time and visit the facility. http://www.umbc.edu/UMBCathletics/Recreation/

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