Synchro
| Synchronised Swimming - OTS Angels |
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We are the first swimming club in the UK to offer the sport to both men and women. Thank you very much to Pascal Anson of OTSS for the striking new logo, featuring the future OTS synchro team name, the "OTS Angels".
Overview Synchro combines swimming, dance and gymnastics in a synchronised routine performed in deep water to musical accompaniment. The sport develops advanced water skills, including strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination and precise timing, as well as breath control for the underwater segments.The sport has several competitive formats: solo, duo, trio and team routines for male, female and mixed teams. A team consists of between 4 and 10 swimmers, depending on the competition and event. Competition events are divided into technical routines (1 min 40 secs),which must include compulsory elements, free routines with no compulsory technical elements (4 mins), and combination routines (team routines that feature solos and duos, also without compulsory technical elements).
The LGBT competitions opened to mixed, female and male teams are the Gay Games (every 4 years), the Outgames (every 4 years), IGLA (yearly), the Tournoi International de Paris (TIP) (yearly) and the Men’s Cup (men only; held every two years in a European city). Several non-LGBT events are also open to mixed and male teams, including the British Nationals, although they are yet to host a male team.
What to bring/wearIt’s essential that you equip yourself with a nose clip (these can be purchased at most sports shops and pools for a few pounds) for underwater inversions. If you have long hair, please bring a swimming cap to avoid your hair getting in the way when underwater or inverted. Remove watches and jewelry, such as bracelets, necklaces and rings, to avoid injuring yourself and other swimmers. And don't forget your goggles!
Training/swimming and fitness requirementsTraining in synchronised swimming includes both dry-land and water training.
Dry landBecause the sport demands good flexibility, coordination, core strength and body awareness, useful dry-land training includes all forms of stretching (e.g. yoga, Pilates and dance-based stretching); dance, ballet, gymnastics and aerobics are recommended for stamina, core strength and coordination. Those wishing to compete will also have to rehearse their choreography and synchronisation in dry-land sessions. WaterThere are many hundreds of positions and movements used in synchro, but they are all based on two basic skills: sculling and the eggbeater leg kick (also used in water polo).
Swimming requirementsIn addition to sculling and eggbeater, synchro requires a basic knowledge of front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke, although these are performed in modified form during synchro routines (e.g., in front crawl a straight-arm recovery is used). Anyone wishing to take part in synchro should be a competent swimmer in these three strokes. Coaching and practice in all strokes is available during the club's swimming sessions, and teaching is also available on Sundays (see "Lessons").
When and where we trainAt present we will have one weekly coached session on Saturdays, 6-8pm, at Queen Mother Sports Centre (Victoria), see the “Venues” sections of the website for directions to this pool. In the run up to competitions/demonstrations we usually have a two hour dry-land session on Wednesday evening which we run through the routine (it is also a quasi-social event as we bring along food). Coaches and volunteer coachesWe’re aiming to provide professional coaching for all sessions, in line with swimming and water polo, and we’re also looking for volunteer coaches. If you are interested in training as a Level 1 synchro coach, you will be eligible for funding from London Swimming. For further information on ASA Synchro Level 1 and CPD courses (for those already holding a Level 1 or 2 ASA qualifications), please speak to Eric, or alternatively refer to the “Teachers and Coaches” section of the ASA website (http://www.britishswimming.org).
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| Last Updated on Saturday, 05 June 2010 14:07 |
In April 2009 Out to Swim added a fourth discipline to its aquatic repertoire: synchronised swimming. Our aim is to provide coached synchro to both men and women, for those who want to take part in the sport for general fitness, as well as for those who want to train for competition.