I overheard some ladies talking yesterday and instructing their kids not to get in the ocean. Here are two of their reasons: 1) they just had lunch and lady said you'll get cramps, you can't swim for an hour, and 2) your face will turn to scales while food is in your stomach.
Later, a young woman was advising me on my newest problem, leg cramps, and she told me it was impossible for me to get leg cramps because I wasn't sprinting. She said that leg cramping is caused from dehydration and only a person who sprints will get dehydrated; not distance people, so she suggested I see a doctor.
We all know these are pretty ridiculous, have you overheard anyone advising others about "their myths?" The people making these comments were from England.
Parents
Former Member
I hate to say this but from my military training, there are issues with black swimmers. Blacks have a denser muscle structure which makes them (stereotipically) less bouyant. We know more bouyant is faster. That's not the issue. Its teaching to swim. Blacks have a harder time learning to swim because of this.
Now let's add the other demographic issues: less access to swimming pools, no support for the sport, and probably parent that can't/don't swim.
I now live in Atlanta, I recently went to a public pool. Everyone was having a great time, but almost every black child (up to and including teens) had swim aids!
So, you take a harder than more entry to the sport, add a cultural differance, and no one to teach black children to swim; what outcome do you expect. Its sad, but its the outcome that drives the myth.
The next time you think this is a myth, look around thepool deck and SEE who is there. This "myth" can be fixed.
I happen to be a swim teacher in ATLANTA! I teach kids of all sizes, shapes and colors. (I teach a lot of *very* scared grown ups too) The African American kids do just fine! The "denser muscles is a myth. A lot of young people, particularly boys sink when they do a back float, but its across the board, not just African Americans.
I hate to say this but from my military training, there are issues with black swimmers. Blacks have a denser muscle structure which makes them (stereotipically) less bouyant. We know more bouyant is faster. That's not the issue. Its teaching to swim. Blacks have a harder time learning to swim because of this.
Now let's add the other demographic issues: less access to swimming pools, no support for the sport, and probably parent that can't/don't swim.
I now live in Atlanta, I recently went to a public pool. Everyone was having a great time, but almost every black child (up to and including teens) had swim aids!
So, you take a harder than more entry to the sport, add a cultural differance, and no one to teach black children to swim; what outcome do you expect. Its sad, but its the outcome that drives the myth.
The next time you think this is a myth, look around thepool deck and SEE who is there. This "myth" can be fixed.
I happen to be a swim teacher in ATLANTA! I teach kids of all sizes, shapes and colors. (I teach a lot of *very* scared grown ups too) The African American kids do just fine! The "denser muscles is a myth. A lot of young people, particularly boys sink when they do a back float, but its across the board, not just African Americans.
