Did anybody else happen to catch the PBS show, Independent Lens, this week? There was an hour long documentary entitled Men Who Swim, and I must say it was one of the best things I have seen on TV in years, and the best documentary since Sherman's March. Funny, poignant, and beautifully filmed, especially the underwater stuff.
I almost didn't watch it because the topic seemed self-consciously whacky: a group of Swedish guys approaching 40 who decide to start what they believe is the first (and only) male synchronized swimming team.
You can see some clips that the director posted here: www.directorsnotes.com/.../
I suspect it might be available, too, for watching in its entirety on the pbs website.
Anyhow, I think it really captures what so many of us forumites seem to love about the swimming community in general--the friendships we make, the laughs we get to share, and a reassuring sense of camaraderie as we all approach the aging process together.
Two erect thumbs straight up!
Parents
Former Member
Sounds like a fun show.
When I was in high school we had a (girls) synchro swimming club after the HS swim season was over. We put on a show in the spring, kind of like a dance recital in the water.
The boy's swim team was recruited to assist with some duets/trios; and they performed a boy's only number. I forget what music they picked, but it was fun to watch as they did butterfly and flipturns and kicking with kickboards and big splashes in synch with some creative yet simple choreography. Pretty sure they wore their team Speedos - no leotards/tights/makeup. I think everyone enjoyed watching the guys swim.
Synchro teaches a lot that carries over to "speed swimming" - we did a lot of drylands working on the core muscles, we were great at sculling and breath control, and we had very good spatial awareness.
Sounds like a fun show.
When I was in high school we had a (girls) synchro swimming club after the HS swim season was over. We put on a show in the spring, kind of like a dance recital in the water.
The boy's swim team was recruited to assist with some duets/trios; and they performed a boy's only number. I forget what music they picked, but it was fun to watch as they did butterfly and flipturns and kicking with kickboards and big splashes in synch with some creative yet simple choreography. Pretty sure they wore their team Speedos - no leotards/tights/makeup. I think everyone enjoyed watching the guys swim.
Synchro teaches a lot that carries over to "speed swimming" - we did a lot of drylands working on the core muscles, we were great at sculling and breath control, and we had very good spatial awareness.
