The Open Water Experience

Open water swimming occurs in large bodies of water. In the late 19th century, swim competitions for the Olympics were held in open water.

Today, Long Beach Calif. is home to one of the top three marathon courses in the world. The 21-mile course from Catalina Island to the Long Beach shore along with the 21-mile course across the English Channel and the 28-mile course around Manhattan Island in New York  complete the “Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming."

Open water has its own techniques, which help swimmers endure the race.

Stroke

There is no specific stroke for competitions, but most competitors employ the Freestyle Stroke. 


Sighting

When competing, buoys are stationed to provide guidance since it is easy for swimmers to head off course. Since a swimmer's visibility is reduced from foggy goggles and choppy waters it can sometimes be impossible to see the buoys. Therefore, "triangulating" helps by looking for two aligned, easily visible objects on land and making sure they continue to appear aligned during the race.


Drafting

"Drafting" helps a swimmer reduce water resistance by closely following another swimmer. When utilizing this technique, someone is able to swim at the same speed as the lead swimmer with little effort. Not all race organizers permit its usage.

Beach starting/exiting

When entering the water, it is important to high-step into the water and at hip depth begin "dolphining.” When exiting, it is important to body surf as far as possible and then high-step the rest of the way. 

Video #1: Leslie Thomas, open water coach for 11 years reviews some additional techniques like breathing and mental elements of open water. 

Video #2: Gerry Rodrigues demonstrates the "dolphining" technique swimmers use to enter the open water competition. 

SoCal Swim: Spotlighting Long Beach

Labeled the "Aquatic Capital of the Nation," Long Beach, Calif. is home to some of the world's greatest aquatic athletes like 1948 Olympic swimming gold medalist, Greta Andersen and long-distance open-water swimmer, Lynne Cox.

Long Beach is also known for it's renowned Olympic-size swimming pool. This facility gained recognition after hosting the 1968 and 1976 US Olympic swim trials, as well as the NCAA championships in 1974 and 1978.  In 1984, it was also the training site for the Los Angeles Olympic Games.  

This million-gallon facility sits right on the beach and the best part is that anyone in the community can utilize it for lap swim, water exercise/aerobics, deep water exercise, springboard and platform diving instruction, SCUBA lessons, swim lessons and open swim.

The fee for public swim is $3 for children and seniors and $4 for adults.  For details on fees and times please visit the city of Long Beach website .

Long Beach is also a great training area for open-water swimmers. The Naples Island channels and the beach provide a calm environment that helps swimmers build the endurance needed for the stronger ocean currents experienced during long-distance competitions.

Whether you are on a mission to train for a triathlon or you are simply in need of some daily exercise, Long Beach is a convenient location for you to take a dip!

The historic Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach, Calif. is a perfect place for  anyone to learn or enhance their skills in various aquatic sports like diving, swimming, SCUBA diving and water polo. (Photo by: unknown)

Swimming Techniques

Since Michael Phelps took to the Olympic diving block in 2004, competitive swimming has become a popular sport in the U.S.  Although the majority of us may not be able to swim from one short-end of the pool to the other in 20 seconds like Phelps can, many children, adolescents, and adults are seeking the competitive nature of swim in their community teams. Often times, young and old swimmers practice two hours a day, five days a week just to compete twice a month against other teams in their regional leagues. 


The pool environment during a competition builds up for an exciting day for both the swimmers and the families! But before you decide to jump in and join a team, it is important to know the four basic swim strokes. Below are videos of each stroke. Click on them so you can learn how to perfect your technique!

1.    Freestyle Stroke: The Freestyle Stroke is the fastest and most popular swim style. 

                                       

2.     Back Stroke: The Back Stroke is the upside down version of freestyle.

3.     Butterfly Stroke: The Butterfly Stroke is the most difficult style to swim since it requires a tremendous amount of upper body strength. 

4.    Breast Stroke: The Breast Stroke is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep your head out of the water longer.

Benefits of swimming

Swimmers often practice several hours a day in order to maintain a healthy heart and increase their physical endurance.(Photo by: Matthew Cutaia)

Since the start of the 20th century, swimming has been a popular activity to participate in amongst all age groups. According to MedicineNet.com, swimming is currently the second most popular exercise activity in the United States with more than 360 million visits to recreation centers, swim clubs and recreational water venues. Five physiological benefits are provided below from MedicieNet.com in order to understand why millions of people resort to swimming as a form of exercise.

Benefits:

1.    Low impact

Swimming, unlike many other sports, has no ground impact, which protects the joints from stress and strain. Arthritis patients use swimming and water aerobics as a form of exercise since often times “ground sports” can further damage their bones.

2.     Burns calories

    Swimming can burn around 500-650 calories per hour, depending how efficient the swimmer is.

3.     Builds muscle mass

    Certain swimming techniques help build muscle like the butterfly stroke. Most aquatic strokes however, do very little to produce muscle growth, stated the Harvard Medical School.

4.     Builds cardiovascular health

The Harvard Medical School reports that swimming works out the heart and lungs. “This trains the body to use oxygen more efficiently, which is generally reflected in declines in the resting heart rate and breathing rate,” stated the article.

5.     Alternative when injured

Athletes are often required to swim in order to stay in shape and help the rehabilitation process. According to MedicineNet.com, swimming promotes rehabilitation by making the muscles work hard without the high impact experienced on land.

Welcome!

Jaime A. Varela is a student double majoring in journalism and communication studies at California State University, Long Beach. As a child, Jaime swam competitively for five years at the Bellflower Aquatic Center in Bellflower, CA. He also swam for Downey High School in Downey, CA for four years. During the summer, Jaime would compete in open water swimming in Seal Beach, CA. His nine years of  experience has inspired him to inform people in the Southern California area about the importance of swimming.