Swimming

We here at WSI, when it comes to swimming, wanted to ask the experts. So I walked down the hall and knocked on my daughter's door. She has been swimming since second grade, is certified as a life guard, and helps coach the summer swim team at our local pool. She KNOWS swimming.

For recreational swimming for women, it all begins with a suit. When I swim in a pool, I like to race the kiddies, play volleyball, shout Marco Polo, and dive for pennies, all with about 2 to 5 kids hanging on me. I need a suit that will stay up and maybe even make me look good. I am partial to Speedo® sports suits; they do both. I, and my daughter, especially like the T-Back or racer models that won’t fall down my shoulders as I am being wrestled to the bottom of the pool. But I realize (and some manufacturers, too) that women’s bodies come in many different shapes and sizes. Speedo® has different suits to flatter different body parts. Land’s End® and Jantzen® have different body sizes, too. Investigate your options. I look for competetive racing suits, as they tend to have straps that don't fall off your shoulder. Speedo does well for me.

Swim Accessories- My daughter highly recommend goggles if you plan on spending any time in chlorinated water. For extra staying power, use a double strap, that is, a strap that goes behind your head and splits in two to rest on the upper and lower part of your skull. Because women tend to have smaller contours and narrower eye focal widths, check out models that cater to that. TYR® is a good example, as well as Speedo®. For Youth Models, my kids like the Speedo's® Hydrospex Jr. They also make Speedo's® Hydrospex in adult sizes. Speedo also makes a pair of goggles just for women called the Speedo Vanquisher Goggles. This model has a low profile design with a soft silicone strap. Look for them and other accessories at these stores:
Sports Authority-type swimming
Fogdog Swim Page
Board Tactics Surf Shop has a good variety of Swim Shirts, Rash Guards Or Wet Suits.

Swim caps-Most caps are made of rubber or silicon, such as this Speedo Silicon Composite, but they are hard to get on by yourself and pull your hair getting off. Another alternative is a stretch lycra cap. Nike® makes a good one, and it is much easier on your hair.

Swim Shirts, Rash Guards Or Wet Suits:
Wet suits and stretch lycra swim shirts keep you warm in the cold and the sun off your skin. Body Glove, Morey, and O'neill are the top three. Board tactics surf shop has a good variety. Check out the store links below, they were similar, compare prices and look for free shipping. Sports Authority, and Fogdog Swim Page for swim shirts and wet suits.

Training Aids-
Such as fins, paddles, buoys, and kickboards make good training materials. Swim fins are usually shorter than diving fins. A good brand name is Zoomers. Some swimmers prefer the split fin model. Swim paddles are aids you wear on your hand to help you pull through the water better. Zura paddles are designed to help build upper body strength, improve stroke mechanics and enhance the feel of the water. Speedo Aqua Fitness Swim glove is a neoprene webbed-glove designed to fit your hand like a, well, glove.