Swimming attire

I don't have access to starting blocks and at my first meet I was shocked how scary the blocks seemed. I used to hop up on those all the time. Now I'm envisioning this: 24.media.tumblr.com/.../tumblr_mg0vejHrYy1r3gb3zo1_400.gif I agree that this is hilarious. However, I am not absolutely certain that the kid is falling in by accident. When my son was this age, he would regularly fall into pools "by accident" because he wanted to go for a swim. As far as goggles go, I agree that they are very individual. I finally found a pair that fits my beedy little eyes perfectly, and Speedo immediately discontinued making them. (I stocked up on a few additional pairs so should be good to go for the foreseeable future.) Anyhow, a local swim suit sales person known as "the goggle lady" gave me some great advice, which is probably on the packaging anyhow, but it really does seem to work. When you put on a pair of goggles before a race, push them into your eye sockets a bit, almost like burping a Tupperware container, to push out excess air and create a slight vacuum effect. If you can then lightly pull on the little piece connecting the two eye cups, and you feel they are adhering with a suctioning kind of effect, they are working right. With her advice and the aforementioned Sengar goggles (now discontinued, alas), I have been able to skip wearing a swim cap (which I always hated because it makes the aqueous world sound so different that what I am used to) and dive in without worrying the goggles will come off. Good luck in your inaugural meet, but think gradual rather than overnight improvement, and you'll save yourself the potential for a lot of orthopedic mayhem.

Burn the board shorts! You'll feel so much faster in the jammers. I just started doing starts off the blocks in the last couple of months (and really only work on them the week before a meet, which I know is not good)... start with diving in from the side before stepping up to the blocks. Everyone who learned how to swim as a kid learned how to dive from the deck, so that will come back quickly and you'll feel better going off the blocks after you have a few successful entries under your belt.

Yeah I went w the jammers last night for the first time and makes a world of difference. Took probably an easy 1-2 strokes off my free. And added some good distance to my push offs.

For me the starts off the block were a bit of a shock, climbing up, height to water surface, and starting with goggles on. I had never raced with goggles on, but i need them now in order to see, so figure this out ahead and my sense of balance ain't as good as when i was youngster. Its was hard for me to find a pool with the blocks in place to practice. I got a few block starts in the morning before my first meet and that at least settled my nerves a bit, but more starts would've been helpful. Try to find a pool where you can practice. Usually at most meets there is a lane or two open for starts during warm-up, but you really don't that to be your only practice experience. I don't have access to starting blocks and at my first meet I was shocked how scary the blocks seemed. I used to hop up on those all the time. Now I'm envisioning this: 24.media.tumblr.com/.../tumblr_mg0vejHrYy1r3gb3zo1_400.gif

Luckily at my Y, which was built 2 years ago, we have a full 8 lane SC so we have blocks on either end. I just have yet to work up the courage to dive in... especialy since the place is packed w the youth swim teams practicing when I go.

Jammers are just a streamlined version of boardies and they feel like a python divouring the upper half of your legs. It's better to just get a regular pre 90's suit. :D D2