Swimmer's Daily

  • Floods and storms can both wreak havoc on your swimming pool, and it can be a painstaking task to restore your pool to its best. However, the fact is that it can be done, and it won’t overwhelm you if you’re organized about it. In this article, we’ll share with you all the steps you need to follow to clean your swimming pool after a flood or storm. But before we get to the steps, let’s understand how a flood or storm can damage your swimming pool.

    For starters, during floods and storms, a diverse array of pollutants make their way into a swimming pool. These pollutants include waste, mud, microorganisms, and grass clippings. Quite simply, the longer a flood or storm lasts, the more pollutants get into the pool, which can lead to a variety of issues such as:

    • Dirt accumulation at the pool’s bottom
    • Pool wall staining
    • Overworked pool equipment
    • Pool sanitisers rendered ineffective

    Another potential problem is pool overflowing, i.e. the water exceeds the pool’s maximum capacity. This can lead to water flowing into other areas of your property and contaminating them. This is why cleaning your swimming pool after a flood or storm is imperative.

    Step 1: Gather the right supplies

    Before you start cleaning your pool, it’s important to gather the correct cleaning supplies, which include:

    • Water clarifier
    • Pool shock
    • Filter cleaner
    • Test strips
    • Brush
    • Leaf skim net

    A water clarifier will clump together microcontaminants, which will make it easy for your filter to trap them. Without one, your filter will fare poorly against the small pollutants and instead of getting them out of the water, will circulate them right back in.

    Shocking the pool comes in handy for removing bacteria and waste. We recommend a calcium hypochlorite shock as it’s readily available and incredibly effective. Calcium hypochlorite pool shocking products are also high on affordability.

    Cleaning your filter is also essential after a flood or storm as the filter will likely become clogged as a result of the pollutants that make their way into the water. It will ensure that your filter is able to run efficiently for removing contaminants from the pool once you turn it on.

    Test strips are effective in terms of checking the pool’s pH. The ideal pH range of a swimming pool is 7 – 7.6. If the pH level is over 8, swimming in the water is likely to lead to skin rashes. Likewise, a pH level of 7 or lower can cause a stinging sensation in swimmers’ eyes.

    A brush can help in removing dirt stuck to the pool’s flooring and walls, and a leaf skim net can remove leaves and other plant material on the pool’s surface.

    Step 2: Inspect for damage, skim floating debris, and clean pool surroundings

    Before you start using the supplies, put some time into inspecting for the damage caused to your fibreglass swimming pool by the flood or storm. Start your inspection by taking a close look at the pool’s electrical components and equipment. If you find that they aren’t working properly, reach out to a professional and have them serviced.

    After you’ve finished your inspection, it’s time to take the leaf skim net and get all floating debris out of the water. While there will be several contaminants settled at the bottom of the pool, some will float on the surface. Cleaning the surface can be helpful in terms of making the pool shock more effective.

    Also, check your pool’s surroundings for dirt and debris. If you find any, clean them up as well. Ignoring the pool’s surroundings can be costly, as winds may carry the dirt and debris to the pool and add to your cleaning work.

    Step 3: Scrub the floor and the walls, and clean the filters

    Once you’ve successfully completed step 2, it’s time to get the brush and start scrubbing. This is arguably the most gruelling part of the pool cleaning process, as you’ll have to scrub both the floor and the walls. Doing this will ensure that any pollutants stuck to the pool’s hard surfaces come unstuck and can be removed by the pool filter.

    Now that the pool floor and walls are scrubbed, you need to check the filters for excess clogging. A filter cleaner can make the clogged dirt loose, following which you can flush it out to get your filter working at its best again. Simply soak the pool filter’s cartridges in the filter cleaner. A few minutes of soaking should be enough to loosen the clogs. Take the cartridges out and scrub them with a soft brush.

    Before you put the filter back together, check for damage to the cartridges. You shouldn’t run filters with damaged cartridges. So, if you detect any damage, reach out to a professional and preferably get the cartridges replaced.

    Step 4: Shock the pool, run the pump, add the water clarifier, and test for pool pH

    You’ve done the hard part, and now it’s time to shock the pool with the calcium hypochlorite product. The recommended amount of pool shock is 3 pounds for 10,000 gallons. However, you might need to put in more if there’s excess contamination.

    After shocking the pool, you should turn on your pool pump and keep it on for a day or two. This will make sure that the pool shock works its magic on every inch of your pool. Keep running the filter occasionally too, as it’ll keep getting the contaminants out.

    Post-shocking, there’s a chance that the pool water has an unclear or cloudy appearance. If it does, it’s most likely due to tiny contaminants. This is the perfect time to use the water clarifier, which will clump the contaminants together and allow the filter to flush them out from the swimming pool.

    Last but not least, after everything’s done and dusted, you should check for the pool’s pH level and ensure that the pool water is safe for swimming.

    Wrapping up

    Now that you’ve successfully cleaned your pool after the flood or storm, it’s time to get into your swimwear and take a deep dive in!

    Sponsored post by Barrier Reef Pools

  • The stage is set for another outstanding spectacle, the 35th LEN European Water Polo Championships in Split. And that stage will be exceptional – for the first time since the water polo continental showcase became a stand-alone event in 1999, the ‘summer edition’ shall be held indoors, in the magnificent Spaladium Arena, the site of a series of outstanding sporting spectacles.

    Split and the Spaladium Arena is ready for the kick-off of the 35th European Water Polo Championships. As head of the organizers Renato Zivkovic said at the opening press conference since they had earned the right to host the event in 2018, they had to overcome the impacts of the global Covid pandemic and now those of the ongoing war – but with the support of the Government, the city and their partners, they were able to deliver everything they had planned.

    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference
    35th LEN European Water Polo Championship – Split 2022. Press Conference

    “Despite all these difficulties, we remained calm, solved the problems the best possible way over the last six months, though this was very demanding,” he said. “But now what matters is that we have 28 teams here, 92 matches to play in 15 days – two pools were constructed, the arena is dressed up and everything is ready for the great show. I hope that everyone will enjoy the next two weeks.”

    “I’ve been here for many events, handball championships, concerts, but for me, the Arena looks the most beautiful now and it would be nice if the pool could stay forever,” said Milos Mracevic, talking on behalf of LEN as Bureau Member and water polo liaison. “We can’t wait for the start of the competition and to pass the floor to the main stars of the event. On behalf of LEN President Antonio Silva and First Vice-President Josip Varvodic, we are all grateful to the Croatian Water Polo Federation for what they have done in the last year, and the enormous efforts they’ve put in to have a successful event in Split. I’m sure that in the end everyone will leave with the most positive impressions.”

    LEN Operational Manager Marco Birri highlighted that 34 broadcasters will have live coverage of the championships and LEN also offers free live stream of each game with on-site commentary. “On our new platform, which is available through our website, we’ll feature even more content, while you may relive each and every goal scored in Split by visiting our live scoring site where the goal clips will be featured almost immediately as the game progresses.”

    The championships begin with the first two rounds of the women’s tournament on Saturday and Sunday while the men’s tourney starts on Monday.

    Quotes from the protagonists

    Dejan Savic, head coach, Serbia’s men’s team
    “Our roster is new, even compared to the World Championships, we had the highest number of changes together with the Croatians. We had some injuries which were unpredictable but those will not influence our ambitions and goals here. Some may say we are too ambitious, knowing the team composition, but we have to appreciate the history of Serbian water polo, so we always have to aim to be the best. I’ve never asked for an alibi, neither as a player nor as a coach – but I keep telling, that for us it’s always the Olympics which are in the focus, to qualify and then reach the best result there. Here we just want to make sure that the team grows, as everything is just a step towards Paris. “We had the privilege to test the venue with our Croatian friends last evening and it’s beautiful. We know we’ll have the top level here – Croatia, Serbia, and Hungary are the best organizers when it comes to water polo events.”

    Ivica Tucak, head coach, Croatia’s men’s team
    “We had the privilege to play a practice game with Serbia in this beautiful venue – congratulations to Renato and the entire organizing team who worked on this wonderful project. I’m sure we’ll have a fantastic championship here in Split.
    “As for the team, everybody will give his absolute top to represent the country in the best possible way. We have ambitions but we have a completely new team compared to Tokyo. Going through all the changes and forming a new team is never easy, and we also had to deal with injuries and sickness, so we’ll miss a couple of players. Still, we proved our strength at the World Championships and at the warm-up tournaments, we have a lot to offer, and we have the same goal as always – that is, reaching the semis and playing in the medal round. It’s difficult to predict anything but we are ready to play in this beautiful city, in front of our fans, show our best and go as far as we can.”

    Anni Espar, player, member of Spain’s title-holding women’s team
    “We loved both medals, the gold from the last Europeans and the silver from the Olympics – obviously, the Olympic medal has a bigger weight even if it’s just a silver one. We came here to show that we are the best, we are ready to be among the best in this Olympic cycle too. Hungary, Italy, Netherlands – any team can beat anyone here, so we have to fight hard in every game to prove ourselves and keep playing on the highest possible level.”

    Laura Ester, goalkeeper, member of Spain’s title-holding women’s team
    “Thanks to the good results we achieved over these years, the country really supports women’s water polo and our national team. But of course, as the men could finally win the world title, now they are in the media spotlight. That’s fine after all, they pretty much deserved it.” Aljosa Kunac, assistant coach, Croatia’s women’s team
    “The coronavirus knocked on the door and we had to send two girls away. The preparations weren’t that easy as ours is a young team, and many players were in Belgrade at the U18 World Championships, but now we have the full line-up so we could practice together. We are expecting some good results at home.”

    Press release and photos courtesy of LEN

  • After a month-long closure due to dangerous blue-green algae, Big Soda Lake in Lakewood has reopened to swimmers and paddleboarders.

  • Since his father’s passing, Singapore national swimmer Joseph Schooling has seen his role in the family evolve, alongside his views on financial planning.

    https://youtu.be/yixiacaqniM

  • Georgia laws currently don’t address swim lessons in private pools though there are regulations for schools and daycares.

  • Four swimmers completed their Round the Rock swim on Wednesday after setting off from Western Beach

  • Swimming is one of the best activities for health, but if you want to take your swimming a notch above, you’ve got to learn and master certain strokes. Practising these strokes won’t just make you a better swimmer – they’ll also provide a variety of benefits for your health. In this article, we’ll take you through what those strokes are in detail, how to perform them, and the health benefits they have to offer. However, before we get started with the strokes, let’s go through some of swimming’s general health benefits:

    • Relaxes and rejuvenates the mind and the body.
    • Enhances metabolism and provides a boost of energy.
    • Can burn way more calories than running.
    • Beneficial for people suffering from muscle-related conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
    • Can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
    • Exercises all your body’s muscle groups, leading to enhanced strength and endurance.
    • A great way to learn new and improve existing breathing techniques, which can also help people with asthma and other respiratory disorders.

    So, now that you know the general health benefits of swimming, let’s dive into some different types of swimming strokes along with the positives they have to offer for your health.

    1. Breaststroke

    The breaststroke technique is typically taught to new swimmers and it involves different and distinct movements for the arms and legs. To perform the breaststroke technique, your arms will have to be bent at the elbow and move in a semicircular motion at the same time. They have to sweep apart and come together in the direction of your chest.

    Simultaneously, your legs will have to perform a technique called frog kick, which involves kicking with the legs as they are hip-distance apart. If you’re performing the breaststroke technique for the first time, it can be a bit difficult to get the rhythm right. However, once you start getting the rhythm right, you should kick when your arms are at rest and move your arms when your feet are at rest.

    Breathing can also be a bit complicated at the beginning, as the breaststroke technique requires the head to constantly shift in and out of water. The breaststroke technique has the following health benefits to offer:

    • Burns 200 calories within half an hour
    • Works the muscles in the hamstring and chest regions
    • Also benefits the arm, thigh, and core muscles
    • One of the best cardio workouts as far as swimming strokes go
    • Great for building endurance

    2. Front crawl or freestyle

    The front crawl or freestyle technique involves placing the body in a prone position, i.e. you will be on your stomach with your face in the direction of the water. While performing this technique, your torso needs to be stable as your arms and legs do all the hard work to keep you moving through the water. The movement of the arms needs to happen alternately, i.e. if your right hand is arching up, your left hand will be arching down. For minimizing resistance, you need to hold your fingers straight and together.

    Your legs will have to perform the flutter kick technique, i.e. the legs will move like scissors with the knees bent. The best thing about this technique is that you can choose to do it either fast or slow, which isn’t possible with the breaststroke technique as it’s a naturally slow stroke.

    To breathe while performing the front crawl or freestyle technique, you need to turn your face sideways from time to time. This technique’s health benefits include:

    • Burns hundreds of calories within half an hour
    • Takes swimmers farther compared to other strokes without spending more energy
    • Gives a full-body workout by working arm, back, core, and leg muscles

    3. Backstroke

    Backstroke is a unique swimming technique as it involves placing the back on the water’s surface and not the stomach. In simple terms, the backstroke technique is the freestyle technique’s mirror image. The only difference is that you have to face upwards instead of downwards. The majority of your movement in this technique will be dictated by your arms, which have to work similarly to a windmill. As one arm comes out of the water and goes over your head, the other goes forward under you. This movement needs to keep happening alternately.

    The movement of your legs in the backstroke technique will be the same as that in the freestyle stroke – the flutter kick. You can control the speed of swimming in this technique based on the frequency of kicks, i.e. more kicks will result in a faster pace and vice versa.

    The best thing about the backstroke technique is that you don’t need to worry about your breathing as your face will remain above water at all times. The health benefits of backstroke include:

    • Burns up to 250 calories within half an hour
    • Improves your posture as your back needs to remain straight to perform this technique correctly
    • Enhances hip flexibility
    • Works on arm, core, and leg muscles

    Conclusion

    While there are several other swimming techniques such as butterfly and sidestroke, these three are the easiest to learn and master. However, if you’re looking for the easiest swimming technique to learn and master among these three, look no further than the breaststroke. For beginners, breaststroke is the best way to start feeling comfortable in the water. Also, as  mentioned before, it’s a naturally slow technique – you can’t ever perform the breaststroke technique and move too fast. So, it’s easier to remain in control, learn these methods in your melbourne fibreglass pool to begin mastering these skills!

    The freestyle technique, despite being the technique that allows swimmers to swim the fastest, can be difficult to learn as it involves a lot of simultaneous movements of the arms and legs. Also, breathing can be an issue initially as your mind will tend to focus more on the arm and leg movements instead of breathing, which can make you gasp for air.

    In terms of breathing, there’s no easier technique than the backstroke. However, the problem with this technique is that you might not feel too confident performing it as you won’t be able to see the direction you’re moving in.

    Sponsored post by Barrier Reef Pools

  • Knowing how to swim is an essential life skill that isn’t easily accessible to everyone, so on Tuesday at The Rockaway Hotel, children from Queens shelters received free swimming lessons to help them learn a new survival skill.