Articles and Videos
Why Swimmers Need to Use a Snorkel
There are many good uses of a snorkel and not just for freestyle. The benefits are numerous including reducing the anxiety associated with breath holding and regulation, developing a better stroke, and injury prevention.
How Can I Keep My Hair Healthy While Swimming?
When we were kids, it was some sort of swimmer’s badge of honor to have slightly green, hyper-fried hair. It marked us out as pool lifers, and the ever-present perfume of chlorine was somehow affirming that we were on the right track in life.
Two Father-Daughter Duos Enjoy Summer Nationals
Most Masters swimmers know well that this is a sport you can engage with at any point in the lifecycle. But for some, it’s become a special way to connect across generations.
PanAm Masters Championship Provides USMS Members Connection
The 2024 PanAm Masters Championship brought athletes from across the Americas to Trinidad & Tobago in July to compete in a variety of aquatic sports, including pool swimming and open water swimming. U.S. Masters Swimming members stood out as a sh...
How to Get Rid of Neck Tightness After Swimming
Do you experience neck tightness or even pain after a tough swim? And do you get only temporary relief from stretching, massage, or other remedies?
How Swimmers Can Cope With Cramps
Cramps happen. Whether during a tough kick set or even while you’re sleeping, many swimmers have experienced the stabbing, sudden pain of a cramp. Often located in the calf muscle—but possible in virtually any skeletal muscle—cramps...
What Makes Elite Swimmers Fast?
Elite swimmers are a special breed of athlete, who spend hours on end training for ever faster times. But there’s more to an elite swimmer than just lots of swimming. There’s a whole host of factors that play into whether one person is fa...
What Swimmers Need to Know About Protecting Their Eyes from UV Light
Of all the gear you use when swimming, which piece is the most important? Is it the swimsuit, which allows you to conform to social mores when enjoying a swim in a public venue? Is it the swim cap that keeps stray hairs out of your eyes and out of th...
Why Don’t Open Water Swimmers Kick More?
In sprint distance pool events, swimmers kick a lot. A strong, balanced freestyle kick can provide a lot of propulsive assistance. When the difference between first and second often comes down to a matter of hundredths of a second, engaging the large...
3 Exercises to Keep Your Shoulders Healthy
As a physical therapist who specializes in the treatment of swimmers, I’m repeatedly asked this question: “What exercises can I do to prevent another shoulder injury in the future?”
