Synchronized swimming is multi-tasking at its finest. It combines dancing, gymnastics, and swimming into one complex sport. When most people think about a synchronized swimmer, they think of the flower caps and spinning in circles in the water. Times have changed my friends and here is why:
- We don’t actually wear caps anymore, we use unflavored Jell-O. Yep. You read that correctly. We put our hair in ballet buns, then “paint” them with Knox. This way, our hair doesn’t come out when we swim… it’s also extremely hard to get out in the shower as well.
2. We can never touch the bottom. If we touch or stand on the bottom during a competition, we receive a penalty. So, when we’re throwing people out of the water or holding ourselves out of the water, just remember, it’s all leg and arm strength
3. Designing and being able to wear a shiny suit is always a plus. It adds to the creative portion of the routines and it looks better than a plain bathing suit!
4. Holding our breath is crucial in this sport. To practice and “exercise” our lungs, we swim lengths of the pool underwater without coming up, also known as unders. For a typical 3:30-4 minute routine, we will be underwater for a total of about 2 minutes. This would be similar to running while holding your breath.
5. When you spend endless hours at practice and meets, your team becomes your second family. You gain lifelong friendships and it’s worth all the blood, sweat, and tears that the sport brings!