Dear Aquabilities Community,

We need to learn from other people's mistakes and inattention to safety to help prevent unfortunate accidents like the one that happened to Usher's son this past week.  Please read the informative article below and pay special attention to the end where it gives tips on what to do if you find someone stuck on a drain.  Remember, this can happen in a pool or a hot tub, at your home, a friends or on vacation.  

It only takes a minute of inattention for something tragic to happen and a minute to read this article to know what to do.  Please forward to your friends and loved ones.

Be safe,
Jennifer 

Pool drain accidents such as Usher’s son’s near-drowning incident can be prevented with proper safety measures

Source:
NY Daily News
8/8/2013

Usher's 5-year-old son survived a near-drowning incident involving a pool drain, but each year other kids aren't so lucky.

The 5-year-old Usher Raymond V nearly drowned when he became stuck to the bottom of a pool at his aunt's house.  The suction created by the drains can trap children under the surface or catch limbs, in some cases causing serious injury or death.

"The force of a drain on a residential pool has a weight of at least 500 pounds," said Paul Pennington, founder and chairman of the Pool Safety Council, a non-profit advocacy group. "A parent can't lift 500 pounds off the ground."

An average of 390 children under 15 die each year from pool or spa-related submersion injuries, including drowning or near-drowning incidents, according to 2008-2010 statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Forty-eight percent of injuries and 73% of fatalities involving kids under 15 occurred at a residence, not a public pool.

The Atlanta home where the incident occurred. Many older residential pools may not have the safety features required by law for public pools, or may not have been checked recently enough.

Pool drains were responsible for sending 39 people, mostly children, to the emergency room from 2008 to 2012. Their injuries ranged from bruising to fractured toes to rectal and intestinal prolapse caused by drain suction. Two girls, a 6-year-old and a 14-year-old, died.

In 2007, Virginia Graeme Baker, the 7-year-old granddaughter of former secretary of state James Baker, drowned after sitting on a hot tub drain and getting stuck. This prompted the Pool And Spa Safety Act, which called for public pools to replace flat drain covers with large, rounded covers that do not create suction. It also called for mechanical backup systems on single-drain pools that trigger a vacuum release if a person or object becomes caught in the drain.

But many older residential pools and hot tubs don't have the updates, and states vary in requiring the safety vacuum releases for new private pools, Pennington said.

Even the new, domed drain covers present a hazard if they're not checked regularly, as the screws holding them in place will come off or rust through.

If a pool drain is not properly covered, the force of suction can seal children to the drain or catch limbs.  In the case of young Usher Raymond V, the boy became trapped by the drain's suction when he reached in to retrieve a toy.

That "should never have happened," Pennington said, adding that drain covers should be regularly checked and replaced by pool maintenance professionals.

Here are some additional tips for preventing this type of accident:

Get the proper safety features: Every residential pool should have up-to-date domed drain covers that are securely attached, plus a safety vacuum release system, Pennington said. There are also protectors that block the drain pipe underneath the cover so children's hands and feet won't get stuck inside.

Put a barrier around the pool: Hundreds of young children and toddlers die each year after falling into backyard pools. "Now they make very attractive safety fences that are about four feet high," Pennington said. "You can see through them, yet kids can't climb over them like a ladder."

If your child gets stuck to the drain: Don't try to lift him or her straight off the drain, Pennington said — the force of the suction makes that impossible. Instead, reach across the child, wedging your fingers between the drain and their body. Then peel or roll them off by pulling sideways.

tmiller@nydailynews.com

Aquabilities Community Gives Back After Hurricane Sandy

My childhood friend's bedroom in Sea Bright. Notice the scum line where the water level was.

The number "5" on the house means that is is uninhabitable and slated for demolition. Imagine coming home to that.

Another Sea Bright building destroyed

The unsalvagable contents of the homes and business in the community

My grandparent's old home where I spent many summers and holidays. We are not sure whose boat that is.

The tents set up to house and feed the utility companies who came from other areas to help bring our towns back to normal.

The lunch bags that our Aquabilities kids decorated for the displaced families and volunteers helping with the recovery efforts. They were very much appreciated!

Aquabilities Community Gives Back - What We Can Do to Help

As many of you know, I was born and raised on the Jersey Shore. This is where I learned how to swim and started my lifelong career as a swim instructor when I was 15. I spent every summer at our local pool club in Oceanport, NJ, at the beach in Long Branch and Sea Bright, and at my grandparents house on the Raritan Bay in Cliffwood Beach. On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy swept through the East Coast causing more destruction that any of us have seen in our lifetimes. Homes were flooded, ripped from their foundations and torn to pieces. Sand and debris were deposited on the streets and needed to be plowed to allow passage. Power lines are still down in some areas. Utilities and infrastructure were all compromised.

I went to visit my home town and the surrounding area this past weekend. I brought some donations of cleaning supplies, food, household items, hygiene products etc. to local relief distribution centers in my area. The kids who attended swim class last Thursday helped decorate lunch bags with pictures and thoughts of hope and encouragement. We put together over 50 lunches for people in need. It was very much appreciated but the residents and volunteers who received them.

New Jersey residents are strong and determined to rebuild their lives. With our assistance, we can help restore some normalcy back to these hard hit areas. The Whitehall Dolphins is having a swim-a-thon on Tuesday November 20, 2012 to raise money for those people who need to rebuild their lives. I encourage you to sponsor one of our swimmers. Please email us for more information.

Any cash donations that we receive will be used to purchase cleaning supplies, gift cards, food, hygiene products or any other requested items. I will be getting them down there on a weekly basis. Donations by check can be made out to:

United Way of Monmouth County, Rebuild Monmouth Fund

Checks can be left with one of the instructors at the Whitehall or mailed to:

Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser,

c/o Aquabilities with Jennifer

20 Barrett Hill Road

Mahopac, NY 10541

100% of the money donated to this fund will be used in the recovery effort. If you would like, I will also bring down donations of gift cards (Home Depot, Lowes, Toys R Us, Bed Bath and Beyond etc.) to help people rebuild the lives of those who have lost everything. No amount is too small. If you would like to purchase items for me to bring to the area, I have been told that there is a need for travel size hygiene products, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, new socks and underwear, non perishable food items, etc. Distribution centers are no longer accepting clothing at this time. "Like" our Facebook page on our website www.aquabilitieswithjennifer.com and I will post updates on current items needed

Thank you to all who have offered their support, donations and well wishes. It is really nice to be able to pull together and give back in a time when the East Coast is in such great need.

All our best,

Jennifer Paolicelli and the Aquabilities Crew

When it Comes to Our Children, We CAN Do Anything!

When It Comes To Our Children….We CAN Do Anything!

by Jessica Pinter, MS WSI

It seems that these words are thought daily. From the moment you become a parent you begin to improve so many areas of your life. First and foremost, you become an excellent early riser. You learn to multitask in the wee hours of the morning. It becomes second nature. You learn about pediatric medications for almost every sickness. You learn the best way to fix boo-boos. You get a game plan for every potential emergency. You know who to call in the middle of the night if something happens. You find the best and fastest route to the hospital. You brush up on the current CPR procedures. As your children grow, you learn the best culinary disguises for vegetables. You re-learn the rules to games you haven’t played since you were a child.

You are in control and in a groove, but something is missing. You can’t swim. You never could and fear has kept you from even attempting to learn. It is the scariest thought in the world that our children might put themselves into a dangerous situation that renders us helpless. That is exactly what will happen if your child falls into the water and you are the only one around. What would you do? Scream for help? Try to grab them from the edge knowing that if you fall in as well you will not be able to keep your child or yourself afloat? The answer to these questions is clear. You MUST learn to swim.

It is so important for ALL adults to learn to swim and be safe in and around the water. Remember…You CAN do anything!

WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT FEAR

by Jeff Krieger, MS

Please keep in mind the following important points that I have learned after many years as both an aquatic and mental health professional regarding the issue of "fearful swimmers":

1) There is a SIGNIFICANT difference between a child or an adult who has never had an opportunity to learn to swim properly and and those who have never learned to swim, despite possibly having the opportunity to do so, as a result of their fear of water.

2) Individuals that have never learned how to swim, either as a result of fear or not, remain a high risk for drowning as well a poor resource to help someone else that is drowning due to their low "Aquatic IQ".

3) Helping an individual overcome their fear of water requires more focus on the emotional roadblocks rather than teaching them the nuts and bolts of aquatic skill building. Trying to teach a person how to swim without first teaching them how to understand, manage and overcome their fear is truly putting the cart before the horse.

4) The wounds that can result from an individual's fear of water can be deep, very painful, wide ranging and long lasting. They can impact one's emotional and physical health in a very negative way, as well as relationships with family and friends, their careers and overall lifestyles.

5) Fortunately, with the right resources, anyone can overcome their fear of water, regardless of age, fitness level or life experience and move on to enjoy the many emotional, physical and recreational benefits that result from participating in aquatic activities.

6) Unfortunately, most traditional "learn to swim" programs often do not or cannot make those resources available to this highly diverse population of fearful swimmers. As a result, many of them give up their pursuit of a process that will help them feel comfortable, competent and safe in water.

7) For additional information on how to help fearful swimmers succeed in water, please visit www.WaterPhobias.com or www.aquabilitieswithjennifer.com

"Fear can be a powerful motivator, rather than a painful deterrent."

New Years Resolution

As the new year is approaching, we all want to do something to improve ourselves or make the world a better place. Our resolution at Aquabilities is to encourage every member of our community to learn to swim. Many parents make it a priority to teach their children to swim, even when they don't know how to swim themselves. It is my lifetime goal as an instructor to educate every parent of the equal importance of being a competent swimmer, so that they can both protect and enjoy their children in the water. As a parent myself, I cannot imagine being in a situation where my child needed my immediate help in the water and my choices would be to watch them struggle or to face my own demise trying to save them. These should not be the only options.

New Years is a time for New Beginnings. We have a wonderful program at Aquabilities that will support you every step of the way towards your success and comfort in the water. An added benefit is that you will even enjoy it! Please read the following article written by our instructor, Jeff Krieger, who is the director of the S.O.A.P. program (Strategies for Overcoming Aquatic Phobias) that we are now offering at Aquabilities. If you or someone you know is not comfortable in the water, please consider joining us this winter and enjoy the success that so many others have found!

For last minute gift ideas, we also offer gift certificates! Happy Holidays!

Fear of the Water: a Powerful Motivator, Not a Painful Deterrent.
by: Jeff Krieger, MS

The S.O.A.P. (Strategies Overcoming Aquatic Phobias) Program is a highly successful “Health and Wellness Aquatic Program” that offers an innovative approach to helping people overcome their fear of being in and around water. As the Founder and Director of this program, I have had the privilege of working with a highly diverse group of people who have been unable to enjoy the many emotional, physical and recreational benefits that result from participating in an aquatic lifestyle. Every S.O.A.P. client has a personal story that is inspirational, but here are a few highlights that paint a colorful picture of a very special journey.

There has been nothing that has served as a more powerful example of the depth of aqua phobia as one of my clients who is a retired Marine Officer. He shared with me and the other members of his S.O.A.P. group that although he served in military conflicts in both Korea and Vietnam, which clearly required tremendous courage and physical and emotional strength, that surprisingly, nothing during those extremely difficult moments on the battlefield terrified him more than the thought of being in water over his head. The smile on his face as he jumped off of the one-meter diving board into thirteen feet of water after completing his S.O.A.P. Program was perhaps the most powerful sense of accomplishment that I have ever felt as a professional.

However, there has been nothing that helps define the hope that the S.O.A.P. Program offers as the story of my oldest client to date, who at the age of ninety-one, had never learned how to swim because of her fear of water, especially in water over her head. As a result of the skills and encouragement that she received during her S.O.A.P. Sessions, she was finally able to swim the entire length of a twenty-five meter pool, finishing in ten feet of water. The huge ear-to-ear smile on her face was not only shared by her SOAP Instructor and her fellow SOAP classmates, but also her ninety year old husband who watched nervously from the side of the pool and could not believe what he had just witnessed.

Furthermore, there has been no better example of the importance of a program such as S.O.A.P., than the story of a young mother of two toddlers who had never learned to swim because of her fear of water. Being a new mom, her biggest concern was that she would be unable to protect her children in and around water and be unable to enjoy special moments in the water with them as well. Towards the end of her SOAP sessions, I enjoyed watching her put her newly acquired skill sets to use as she became a role model to her fellow SOAP mates and confidently helped them to achieve their own aquatic goals. This convinced me that her fear of water would no longer prevent her from feeling anything less than an attentive and competent parent being able to enjoy family outings to the pool or beach.

Finally, there has never been an experience as satisfying to me as both a mental health counselor and special needs swim instructor as the story of a very special six-year-old boy, whose parents brought their son to me with a combination of guilt, anger, sadness and frustration. Unfortunately, with the best of intentions, they had decided to send their son to summer camp where they offered swim instruction. They had alerted the camp director that their son was afraid to put his face in the water. Despite a series of swim lessons at the local pool during the previous winter, their son continued to struggle in the water.

When the young child returned home from his first day of camp, he became hysterical and asked that he not return to camp.
After a great deal of questioning, their son reluctantly told his parents of the very bad experience he had at the pool that day. His parents offered to go to camp with him the following day and speak with the camp director and swim instructor about his experience at the pool. He adamantly refused. They finally offered to let him skip swimming altogether and the boy remained unwilling to return to camp. This type of unfortunate experience often results in not only a more intense fear of water, but it opens the door for the development of other negative feelings that can impact a person well beyond their childhood.

While working with this child, it became very clear that he desperately wanted to overcome his fear of water and learn how to swim, but that his lack of confidence in his physical skills in general was adding to his high level of anxiety and fear of being in water. Fortunately, the more he began to trust me, the more he began to trust himself. As his confidence grew, so did his interest in learning how to swim. Hearing him tell his parents that he could not wait to attend camp and go swimming that summer was not only a defining moment in his life, but another one for the S.O.A.P. Program as well.

The message behind these stories is that the S.O.A.P. Program can help any person, regardless of their age, life experience and fitness level, who suffers from a fear of water and who is unwilling or unable to overcome that challenge using “traditional” learn to swim programs or therapy. Unfortunately, very often these silent sufferers choose to avoid water and never seek help for overcoming their fear. Many of them who have taken steps and enrolled in aquatic or therapeutic programs in an effort to overcome their fears, become increasingly disappointed in their results and their failure to overcome their fear and never try again. Sadly, the fact remains that both the mental health and aquatic communities have historically ignored this group and effective resources have not been widely available to them.

The S.O.A.P. Program offers resources in three different areas: cognitive awareness, emotional support and aquatic skills. When combined, these components will significantly increase an individual’s “Aquatic I.Q.” The program defines “AIQ” as an individual’s age appropriate ability to effectively perceive, process and proceed successfully within an aquatic environment. The introduction and application of the cognitive, emotional and physical skill sets required to improve an individuals’ “AIQ” can only be achieved when an individual overcomes their fear of water. This process will allow an individual to consistently make choices that will keep themselves and those around them safe in an aquatic environment.

Interestingly, most people who suffer from an exaggerated fear of water did not suffer a near drowning or terrifying experience in or around water and have no idea why they respond to water in the way they do. All they know is that they have no control over their reactions, which includes increased heart rate, feeling dizzy, nauseous, increased sweating, headaches, trembling, weakness in their limbs and being unable to think or communicate clearly. Their view of the aquatic scene is so overwhelmingly skewed, that they truly believe that they are in imminent danger when in fact there is none.

There are also those people whose fear has been the result of a traumatic aquatic experience, while there are still others who are fearful due to their lack of exposure to the water as a result of health and financial issues or even their geographic location. As time goes on, their fear increases, while their interest and efforts to confront and overcome it diminishes.
　
The most important part of this process lies in the emotional support that client’s receive both in and out of the water. This support includes a healthy dose of empathy and patience along with the introduction and use of relaxation, behavioral modification and systematic desensitization techniques.

When the time is right, S.O.A.P. Instructors teach their clients the aquatic skills necessary for a participant to feel safe and competent in the water, such as breathing, floating, gliding, rolling over and treading. These skills will enable the client to develop and expand their comfort zone in areas where they had none previously. Once that zone is established and their “AIQ” is in place, then they will be ready to learn how to apply these skills so that they can swim for enjoyment and not just survival.

The S.O.A.P. Program remains one of the few programs that is designed specifically to help individuals understand and manage their aquatic fears and allows them to wade into an aquatic lifestyle and be able to continue to improve their “AIQ”. This is possible through the unique blend of cognitive, emotional and physical support both in and out of the water. The program is offered in both individual and group format for adults and private or semi-private sessions for children. Remember, with the help of a little SOAP, any person can wash away their aquatic fears forever and that:

Failure, no matter how significant, is only temporary.
Success, no matter how small, lasts forever.

For more information on our program please email us at: aquabilitieswithjennifer@gmail.com
or visit our website www.aquabilitieswithjennifer.com
www.waterphobias.com

The Forgotton Ones - Living with Aquaphobia

Everyone knows someone who has some level of fear of the water. It is conservatively estimated that 1 out of every ten adults is aquaphobic. Some of these individuals are unable to enjoy swimming as a form of recreation or exercise, unable to swim with their children or grandchildren, unable to enjoy snorkeling or SCUBA diving, unable to drive or fly across a body of water and most importantly, they would be helpless when it came to saving themselves (or someone else) in a potential drowning situation. If you are a parent, it is the worst feeling in the world to be helpless if your child is in a drowning situation. Our mission at Aquabilites with Jennifer is to reach out to all of those people suffering from this debilitating phobia and help them to conquer their fear.

Our staff recently had the fortunate opportunity to continue our education on the subject of aquaphobia with one of the area's leading experts, Jeff Krieger. He has written the article below that was published in AKWA Magazine, the official publication of the Aquatic Exercise Association. If you know anyone who has any of these issues, please have them contact us for a consultation. You could change someone's life!

Fear – A Powerful Motivator
By Jeff Krieger, MS

Throughout the aquatic community they are “The Forgotten Ones", the widely diverse group of silent sufferers who are aqua phobic, also known as hydrophobic. Sadly, they are unable to enjoy the many emotional, physical and social benefits resulting from participating in an aquatic lifestyle. Aqua phobia is defined as an abnormal and persistent fear of water. It is a specific phobia that involves a level of fear that is beyond the individual’s control or that may interfere with daily life. People demonstrate aqua phobia in many ways and may even recognize that the water poses no imminent threat. They may avoid such activities as bathing, boating or traveling over bodies of water. The most common aversions for aqua phobics include putting their face in water, entering water over their heads and swimming in
any way, shape or form.

Some of the more common physical reactions of aqua phobic’s when near or around water
include increased heart rate, nausea, headache, uncontrollable shaking, sweating, as well as the inability to think clearly or react normally. All of these symptoms are the result of high levels of emotional and physical stress that the body endures during a phobic episode. This phobia knows no boundaries and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, and fitness level or life experience. It is estimated that one out of every ten people suffers from some degree of this phobia. This fear may prevent them from ever stepping foot in water, other than a shower, let alone learning how to float, tread or swim, or being able to help themselves or somebody else in need of assistance while in water. In addition to these physical barriers,
there are many emotional wounds and scars that result from being phobic, such as
diminished self esteem and confidence; feelings of guilt, shame or failure; internal problem solving conflicts; as well as a decreased willingness and ability to confront new challenges. Furthermore, aqua phobics may endure a lifetime where their fear impacts relationships with family and friends.

The process begins during childhood. While most children are enjoying time with friends and family in the water, an aqua phobic may find themselves on the outside looking in. This experience is never more painful than when a child, who is aqua phobic, is sent to a summer camp where the highlight of the day is a trip to the pool or waterfront. Many parents may not fully understand the depth of their own child’s fear. Or, if they are aware, may unfairly expect the camp’s aquatic staff to effectively help their child overcome this fear. On the other hand, the camp might convince parents that they have the professional resources to help the child
deal with this traumatic experience. Unfortunately, most camp and recreational staff members do not understand the origin and process of this specific phobia. You cannot smile, bribe or encourage it away. You can, however, ignore or deny it and this is exactly where the process goes terribly wrong.

Concerned and dedicated parents may choose not to ignore the issue and enroll the child in a local “learn to swim program”. Unfortunately, this experience, much like the camp experience, may result in deeper feelings of fear and anxiety, in addition to another layer of self-doubt, decreased self-esteem, frustration and an overall unhealthy view of what should be a very healthy resource, water. This occurs because most learn to swim programs for children are not equipped to handle this type of very delicate and emotional process. Organizations with years of experience and a wealth of resources are very clear on their criteria and techniques for teaching swimming. It is a very technical approach and the instructors are keenly aware that emotional support and positive reinforcement are important parts of that learning process. However, many programs do not recognize that working with an aqua phobic is a completely different process, requiring different teaching styles, skill sets,
time lines, expectations, results and rapport between instructor and child.

This is the point when a large percentage of children become part of “The Forgotten Ones”, youngsters whose parents make the difficult decision to withdraw from swim lessons and change family activities in an effort to help their child avoid water and the painful consequences of aqua phobia. Unlike other phobias that can prevent a person from pursuing an education or result in serious and severe short and long term emotional and physical health problems, a child can avoid an aquatic lifestyle and still lead a productive and healthy life. However, this is unfortunate and unnecessary. Aqua phobia does not need to be a lifelong sentence and can actually offer an opportunity for a child to overcome a significant obstacle and experience the feeling of personal pride. With the right support, guidance and program, a child can overcome that overwhelming and paralyzing fear and move on to enjoy a lifestyle that includes swimming, boating, scuba diving and many other aquatic activities.

It remains unfair to this group of children and their families that effective resources are few and far between. Many aquatic organizations, as well as community swim programs, seem to ignore the situation. Two primary arguments exist – either their learn to swim program is equipped to handle children fighting this phobia or that there is not a large enough population of aqua phobic’s to justify dedicating pool time and expenses. Either way, these views and decisions result in aqua phobic youngsters remaining part of “The Forgotten Ones.” The fear of the water may become dormant until these individuals become parents themselves. Then, once again, this monster rears its ugly head. They hope that their own children will not demonstrate and develop an abnormal fear of water. They want their children to enjoy the wide range of benefits that result from participating in an aquatic lifestyle. Yet,
most importantly, they wish that they could get in the water with their child, help them to learn how to swim and enjoy aquatic activities as a family.

Parents who are aqua phobic not only revisit the bad childhood memories associated with their phobia, but they are concerned that their own fears will impede their parental responsibilities. Naturally, it is at this point in their lives, that they again make an effort to confront and overcome their fear of water. However, the lack of effective resources is even more difficult to find for adults than for children

Many adult learn-to-swim classes are designed to help adults who do not fear water, but who never learned proper stroke technique. Adult aqua phobic’s who begin swim lessons without first dealing with the internal emotional struggle that their fear generates, will often be unsuccessful in learning to swim. As adults they may be more prepared to handle the disappointment, anger and frustration, yet the fact remains that they may not conquer their fear of water, learn how to swim or enjoy an aquatic lifestyle. This is again unfortunate and unnecessary.

There are very specific aqua phobic water adjustment skills and transitional swim techniques in existence. For success, these must be part of a strategy that also includes emotional support, both in and out of the water. This emotional support is best offered by a mental health professional through behavior modification and relaxation techniques. A clear presentation of exactly what a phobia is, how it works, and what is required to overcome it are also important.

It is true that fear can serve as a powerful motivator, rather than a painful deterrent. Fear remains an important part of our mental arsenal that protects us from making unhealthy choices and avoid dangerous situations. However, an abnormal fear that disrupts one’s ability to make safe choices and pursue healthy activities is a barrier to achieving all that is possible in life. In most cases, therapists who treat phobias are not trained and accomplished swim instructors. It is also unfair to expect that all aquatic professionals understand the emotional component of aqua phobia. The good news is that there are hybrid professionals, trained
both as mental health and aquatic professionals, who are aware that helping “The Forgotten Ones” requires a strategy that combines both components.

It is time that the aquatic community stops ignoring “The Forgotten Ones” who, as a result of their phobia, are unable to enjoy the many experiences and benefits of water. For those of us who share a passion for water, aqua phobia may be a difficult concept to fully understand, but that does not exempt us from accepting part of the blame for this problem. We can learn to play a much larger role in solving the problem and eliminating the growing number of “The Forgotten Men, Woman and Children” who suffer from aqua phobia.

Jeff Krieger, MS, has been active in the aquatic community as a competitive swimmer, coach, lifeguard and water safety instructor, special needs swim instructor and certified pool operator. He holds a BS in Psychology and an MS in Counseling, which were instrumental in his becoming the Founder and Director of the Strategies Overcoming Aquatic Phobias (SOAP) Program in 2001. Jeff is the recipient of the USA Swimming “Water Hero Award” as well as a presenter and author on various aquatic topics... You can find more information about the SOAP program on Jeff's website below:

www.waterphobias.com

The highly trained staff at Aquabilities with Jennifer share the same beliefs as Jeff and we are also passionate about having everyone be safe and enjoy all that the water has to give! Please contact us if you or someone you know has a fear of the water. We can make a world of difference and conquer this fear, one person at a time!



Thanks!

Jennifer
www.aquabilitieswithjennifer.com
aquabilitieswithjennifer@gmail.com

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

We've all heard the saying that practice makes perfect. During my 20+ years of teaching the art and science of swimming, I have come to realize that this saying is not entirely true. You will hear me say time and time again to my students that if you practice something in a sloppy way, you are going to learn it in a sloppy way. At Aquabilities, we are trying to instill in our students that perfect practice makes perfect.

It takes a lot less time to learn a skill if it is only practiced correctly from the start. Our swim program is designed to build on a strong foundation of head and body positioning in the water. This is why we focus on getting students comfortable with putting their face in the water from an early age. In front floating, if your face is down with proper alignment, your feet will go up with very little effort. With this basic principal in place, the arm strokes can focus on propulsion instead of keeping the body afloat. This will make swimming much more efficient.

This same principle holds true for back floating. We try to have our swimmers become comfortable with submerging their ears under the water. If you try to swim with your ears out of the water, you will have to kick extra hard to keep your feet up. This uses up a lot of energy in a stroke that is meant to be relaxing.

When the head is aligned properly with the body, the energy from the legs can be used for propulsion through the water instead of keeping the feet afloat. Kicking should be from the hip with a soft straight knee. Splashing should be minimal.

Now that the head is aligned with the body and the feet are kicking effectively, the arms can also efficiently aid in pulling the body through the water. I often tell my students to reach out as far as they can in front of them and pull the water towards their feet. The body will roll slightly on its side when reaching ahead allowing the stronger core muscles, such as the lats and pectorals, to activate and power the stroke. If no rolling occurs, mostly the weaker shoulder muscles will be used and you will not obtain optimal strength and speed.

I often tell my students to swim with "zero splashes" or swim as quiet as you can. Splashing does not perform any function in swimming. It only creates resistance, looks sloppy, and provides a greater chance for you and others to swallow water when inhaling.

Breathing proves to be the most challenging aspect of swimming. One of the biggest mistakes I hear parents say to their kids is "hold your breath!" Have you ever tried to hold your breath when you were exercising on the land? You would get tired very easily! Always exhale under the water so that when you are ready to take a breath, all you have to do is inhale.

Breathing at a rhythmic pace will also helps the body maintain its energy for swimming. You want to breath at a rate that is as close to what you would do outside the water. I usually breathe every 3-4 strokes. Less than 3 strokes and you may be hyperventilating and more than 4 strokes and you may not be getting enough oxygen to power the muscles.

For more information check out the following website for excellent videos and instruction on proper form and technique in swimming: www.swimsmooth.com


Happy (perfect) swimming!

Jennifer

The Good, the Bad and the Downright Dangerous Sunscreens

Now that we helped break the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Swimming Lesson, we can now focus on safe sun care! Environmental Working Group (EWG) has published their annual sunscreen report and guide. The also have a database rating 292 brands and 1700 products for safety and effectiveness. Check them out on the link below and see how safe your sunscreen is!

Click HERE for the EWG Sunscreen Report and Database

Basically look for sunscreens containing minerals such as zinc or titanium which naturally block the sun's rays. Stay away from sprayed or powdered sunscreens which pose inhalation risks. Be wary of sunscreens claiming over spf 30 protection. Also steer clear of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and retinal palmitate. See below for more details!

Let us know if you have a good sunscreen and where you got it in our comment section!


More mineral sunscreens
Nearly 90 brands, including CVS, Neutrogena, Banana Boat, Walgreens and Aveeno now offer sunscreens with zinc and titanium. These are the right choice for children, people with sensitive skin and others who want the best UVA protection without potentially hormone-disrupting chemicals like oxybenzone or vitamin A, which may be carcinogenic on sun-exposed skin. None are sprayed or powdered, so they don’t pose inhalation dangers.

Red flags:

Poor UVA protection

Three of five U.S. sunscreens wouldn’t be acceptable in Europe. EWG’s analysis of more than 500 beach and sport sunscreens with SPF ratings of 30 and higher finds that more than 300 of them, about 60 percent, provide inadequate UVA protection and are too weak for the European market, where manufacturers voluntarily comply with a standard for meaningful UVA protection.

Risky vitamin A additives

Many sunscreen makers still use a form of vitamin A, called retinyl palmitate, ignoring recent scientific research by the federal Food and Drug Administration indicating the chemical may be photocarcinogenic – that it may heighten skin cancer risk when used on sun-exposed skin. While more definitive research is under way, EWG recommends that prudent consumers avoid vitamin A-laden sunscreens.

Sky-high SPF claims

About 1 in 6 beach and sport sunscreens claim SPFs greater than 50+, compared to 1 in 8 in 2009. Yet studies show that high-SPF users are exposed to as much or more ultraviolet rays than people who use lower SPF products. Why? Those big numbers give people a false sense of security. They wait too long before reapplying and stay out too long.

Still no federal sunscreen rules

The FDA declared its intent to regulate sunscreens back in 1978. The rules are still in bureaucratic limbo. While regulators delay, sunscreen makers can sell products that overstate sun protection and underperform in the real world. EWG continues to pressure the FDA to issue enforceable rules for sunscreen products.
*EWG’s Sunscreen Guide was updated with additional products on June 28, 2011. Statistics throughout this report are based on products in the database as of May 2011.

Be safe in the sun this summer!

Jennifer

May is National Water Safety Month!

The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™

Aquabilities with Jennifer along with other top water safety and training organizations will be joining forces to present The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL) on Tuesday, June 14, 2011.  The goal of this worldwide event is to build awareness about the vital importance of teaching children and adults to swim to help prevent drowning. On June 14th, water parks, pools and other aquatic facilities around the globe will host local WLSL lessons simultaneously at 11am ET (3pm GMT) in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record.

Please email us at aquabilitieswithjennifer@gmail.com if you can join us for this unique opportunity on June 14th!  

Thanks!

Jennifer

May is National Water Safety Month!  

See some helpful tips below from the creators of The Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson. 

Be Water Aware

Swimming is one of life's great pleasures. It offers many health and fitness benefits, cools you off in the summer, and provides a great opportunity to socialize with family and friends. Make sure you and yours stay safe in the water by being water aware.

Learn to swim
Swimming Lessons Save Lives.™ The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes both adults and children.

Never leave children unattended
Parents are the first line of defense in keeping kids safe in the water. Never leave children unattended near water, not even for a minute. If your child's in the water, you should be too!

Read all posted signs
Follow posted safety rules and warnings. Teach kids that being safe in and around the water is a personal responsibility - yours and theirs.

Never swim alone or in unsupervised places
Teach your children to always swim with a buddy.

Wear a life jacket
If you or a family member is a weak or non-swimmer, wear a life vest. It's nothing to be embarrassed about and many facilities provide them at no charge.

Look for lifeguards
It is always best to swim in an area supervised by lifeguards, but remember, Lifeguards are the last line of defense when all other layers of protection fail.

Don't drink alcohol
Avoid alcoholic beverages before or during swimming, boating or water-skiing. Never drink alcohol while supervising children around water. Teach teenagers about the danger of drinking alcohol while swimming, boating or water skiing.

Spit it out
Teach kids not to drink the pool water. To prevent choking, never chew gum or eat while swimming, diving or playing in water.

Avoid water wings
Do not use air-filled swimming aids (such as "water wings") in place of life jackets or life preservers with children. Using air-filled swimming aids can give parents and children a false sense of security, which may increase the risk of drowning. These air-filled aids are toys and are not designed to be personal-flotation devices. After all, air-filled plastic tubes can deflate because they can become punctured or unplugged.

Check the water depth
The American Red Cross recommends 9 feet as a minimum depth for diving or jumping.

Watch out for the dangerous "toos"
Don't get too tired, too cold, too far from safety, exposed to too much sun or experience too much strenuous activity.

Note the weather
Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first indication of bad weather.

Use sunscreen
Apply sunscreen on all exposed skin to ensure maximum skin protection. Hats, visors and shirts are recommended to prevent overexposure.

Don't take risks
Don't take chances by overestimating your swimming skills.

Keep toddlers in shallow play areas
Zero-depth entry pools have water games, sprays and fountains with no appreciable water depth.

Follow age & height instructions at water parks
Restrictions apply to many rides in a water park. Size and coordination is critical to safety inside open water flumes.

Watch water depth
When you go from one water park attraction to another, note that the water depth may be different and the attraction should be used in a different way.

Warn kids about swallowing park water
Chlorine and water pH readings are usually posted at large water parks.

Use plastic swim diapers
Many parks require them. Note where changing areas are located and use these designated, sanitized changing spots.

Notice health restrictions
Guests with neck or back problems, heart conditions, prevalence toward motion sickness or pregnancy may not ride high-speed or rapid-descent rides.

Learn More About Water Safety

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1-14. It can and should be prevented. Research shows that if a child doesn't learn to swim by the third grade, they likely never will. Teaching children to swim is a vital skill for drowning prevention along with other key water safety measures that everyone can take to stay safe in and around the water.

Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

Most drowning incidences happen in the blink of an eye.  You turn your back for one minute and your child is out of sight.  Contrary to what we see on TV, drowning is often silent.  There may not be splashing or yelling for help.  Protect your children and those around you from this life threatening danger by knowing how to identify the signs of a person who is drowning.  Make teaching your kids water safety a priority and get yourself lessons if you don't know how to swim.   Most importantly, ALWAYS keep an eye on your child even when lifeguards are present. 

This is an excellent article that everyone should read!

by Mario Vittone on May 3, 2010

in Boating Safety
http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

The new captain jumped from the cockpit, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sport fisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fifty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D.,  is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water.  And it does not look like most people expect.  There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind.  To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this:  It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult.  In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC).  Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

1.     Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.

2.     Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.

3.     Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.

4.     Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.

5.     From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006)

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experience aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in there own rescue.  They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are n the water:

• Head low in the water, mouth at water level
• Head tilted back with mouth open
• Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
• Eyes closed
• Hair over forehead or eyes
• Not using legs – Vertical
• Hyperventilating or gasping
• Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
• Trying to roll over on the back
• Ladder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a crew member falls overboard and every looks O.K. – don’t be too sure.  Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning.  They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck.  One way to be sure?  Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are.  If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them.  And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.