Fans of competitive swimming might not consider synchronized swimming a real sport, but participants do what swimmers do, only upside down and with a smile. Today, "synchro" swimmers of all ages participate in the competitive sport. Girls join teams and women well into their seventies travel to compete amongst themselves. Synchronized swimming requires excellent cardiovascular health and breath control. All of the muscles in the body, particularly the core abdominal muscles, stabilize the swimmer in the various demanding positions.
Origins
The origins of synchronized swimming lie in water safety and rescue, and originally featured men. Because women naturally had more buoyancy in the water, particularly in the lower body, they excelled in the new activity. Annette Kellerman, an Australian, performed an "underwater ballet" in a water-filled glass tank in New York in 1907. Canada was a leader in the sport and Montreal hosted a regional championship of "scientific" swimming in 1924. Synchronized swimming had a brief moment in the spotlight when United States freestyle swimming champion Esther Williams brought aquatic ballet to the silver screen in the 1940s, but it only became an official Olympic sport in 1984, making its debut at the Los Angeles summer games.
Structure and Function
Synchronized swimming competitions have two distinct parts. The first is a technical or required routine, which contains specific required elements. The second part is a free routine, which allows the swimmers to use any moves or combination of moves they like. Judging is subjective and based on an analysis of the swimmers' technical abilities and their artistic abilities. Unlike race suits, synchro swim suits function to heighten drama rather than increase speed. The swimmers need to enhance their visual appearance while maintaining flexibility and function in the water.
Effects
Solo competitors, duos or teams compete in different events. Swimming costumes grab the attentions of the audience and judges while also complementing the program being performed. The effect must be eye-catching. Bold designs and custom details on swimsuits are common for Olympic competitions. The Olympic committee specifies that suits must be appropriate to the nature of the sport, and specifically bans transparent suits.
Features
Apart from swimming costumes, synchronized swimmers also use swim caps and nose clips. Nose clips keep water from entering the sinuses when the swimmers flip upside down in the water, and swim caps keep the swimmers' hair from getting in the eyes. Additionally, they lend a sleek look to team members. Swimmers often eschew caps and just slick back their hair into tight buns. Olympic synchronized swimmers cannot wear swim goggles, despite the sometimes-irritating nature of chlorinated water on the eyes. Specialized underwater speakers transmit the music to the swimmers during the routines. The Olympic guidelines specify that swimmers cannot use additional clothing or props in competitions.
Misconceptions
The athletes make synchronized swimming look effortless, but performing the swimming routines takes a lot of practice and conditioning. Flexibility and strength is of key importance in synchronized swimming, so athletes perform intensive dryland training in addition to water workouts. Although synchronized swimmers do not need to spend hours in the pool doing laps, they do need excellent swimming skills. Staying on the surface of the water in any position and propelling the body high out of the water takes athletic strength. Making it look pretty takes grace and training.
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