The SwimOutlet.com Blog

Expert Product Review: New Balance 890v3 Running Shoe

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The team at SwimOutlet.com and RunOutlet.com will be running in The Color Run 5k San Jose this month, so we thought we’d try out a pair of colorful running shoes as training gets underway this week!

The growing popularity of lightweight running shoes has been building for the past several years, but what seemed to be primarily a fashion-driven movement done for looks and style has very much become a functional development as some of the best running brands have entered into the category with terrific designs.

A few of the brands that focus on running technology have been putting a greater emphasis on making these lightweight shoes into terrific running shoes by their own accounts – not just resting on the laurels of the low-profile silhouette itself.

The New Balance 890v3 very much falls into this category: a good-looking, lightweight shoe that still doubles as a terrific runner. At 9.55 oz, it’s roughly 25% lighter than New Balance’s classic 990v3 design – so it checks the lightweight test.

Final Training Weekend before Wildflower

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:12:37 GMT

Less than a week to go to Wildflower, I spent this past weekend getting race ready. Saturday morning I slipped into my On Cloudracers and linked my Garmin Forerunner 210 to the satellite. Heading out on the trails I started at an easy pace and charged the hills like I was racing up San Antonio Drive. I spent the last mile of my run focusing on my form and pacing to dial in the right speed and comfort for race day.

Sunday I was eager to get on my bike and test out my new Giro Air Attack Aero Helmet. I headed out on a flatter course so I could stay in the aerobars as much as possible. The helmet was incredibly comfortable and felt fairly lightweight. My test on a local Strava segment proved it would help my speed on race day. The remainder of the week my workouts will taper down as my excitement grows for Sunday’s race.

Amanda Beard Mother's Day Contest

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:32:27 GMT

Celebrate Mother's Day by going swimming with your kids!

Swimmer Amanda Beard is not only a four-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist, but also a mother to son Blaise, age 3. She recommends introducing your kids to swimming and water safety at a young age and explains that learning to swim at an early age opens up a lifetime of healthy activities in-and-around the water.

Amanda will be taking her son swimming on Mother's Day, what will you do with your kids this Mother's Day?

The Story Behind YogaOutlet.com - A Message from Our Founder

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Yogis:

I am thrilled to announce the official launch of YogaOutlet.com, a yogi-centered yoga shop. Our goal is to provide the most comprehensive assortment of yoga gear at the best prices – and ship it to you as fast as possible.

We also want to provide you with the best online shopping experience; our customer service team has been awarded STELLAService “Elite” recognition placing us among the top 5% of all reviewed online retailers.

I discovered yoga about seven years ago and primarily practice vinyasa and yin yoga. If it wasn’t for yoga, I would not be where I am today. It has helped me so much, and in so many ways. I am thankful for all the great yogis who have taught me over the years.

Yoga has been exploding in popularity all over the world as people recognize the great benefits. The work of a yogi is very much about helping others. We hope to inspire as many people as we can to live healthier lives through the benefits of yoga and an active lifestyle.

Namaste,

Avi Benaroya

Founder & CEO

“Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame.” B.K.S. Iyengar

(Photo: YogaOutlet.com employees practicing yoga after work)

31st Wildflower Triathlon - Training Weekend

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:21:38 GMT

Editor’s Note: Along with the broadest inventory of swim gear, SwimOutlet.com has a full selection of gear for all your Triathlon needs (except the bikes!), so we asked if the SwimOutlet.com blog could follow along with our triathlon category manager, Polly Feyereisn, as she prepares for the legendary Wildflower Triathlon in May.

Lake San Antonio… it’s considered hallowed ground in triathlon circles. Maybe it’s the clear sunny sky or the crystal cold water. Maybe it’s 30 years of triathlon history, or my personal history with the race. Maybe it’s the 30-foot triathlete billboards. Whatever it is, this place is special. Where else can you get up at the crack of dawn, roll in for a training day and be treated with the sight of more triathletes than most local races.

As we pull up to the entrance gate, we are greeted by the massive cut out of a runner baking in the sun, a reminder of what is to come. Rolling down to the parking lot – which in four weeks will be one of the largest transition zones I've ever witnessed – I see a stage of swimmers stretching out their wetsuits from a winter of neglect, runners lathering pale winter skin with sunscreen and cyclists pumping up the tires of mountain bikes, road bikes and carbon master pieces. All attracted to this location for their own preparatory reasons, but also for the same reason I'm here: this place is awesome.

Photo: One of Wildflower's famous billboards posted in the park.

Masters Swimming: Olympic Silver Medalist Emily Silver's Perspective

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:51:45 GMT

I recently moved to San Jose, CA for my job with SwimOutlet.com from Colorado Springs, CO. It’s been a great transition so far; I’m liking my job, coworkers, being back in the Bay Area, the weather, I could go on and on.

As a former competitive swimmer, swimming will always be a part of my life; I grew up on Bainbridge Island in the Puget Sound and I swam on a swim team for 20 years of my life. I am naturally drawn to the water, whether that’s watching the waves crash or enjoying a swim meet ever now and then.

After I decided to retire in 2008, I enjoyed having a little break from the hours spent at the pool swimming laps. I traveled and enjoyed land activities like running, yoga and hiking. But alas, I came back to the sport last year when I was living in Colorado Springs and joined the Pike’s Peak Athletics Master’s team, George and Anna Heidinger started the team and have done a great job of growing it’s membership.

Swimming Masters is a whole different kind of swimming for me, there’s no requirement or obligation to go, it’s purely for the love of swimming! The Pike’s Peak Athletics team was fantastic to be a part of, I enjoyed going to practice three times a week for the social aspect of it as well as getting away from my desk in the middle of the day to submerge myself the liquid escape that is a pool.

Yoga for Every Swimmer

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:17:47 GMT

With our newly launched sister site YogaOutlet.com; you will begin to see the occasional yoga post on this blog. Our first post comes to you from Olympic Silver medalist for swimming and SwimOutlet.com employee, Emily Silver.

For a swimmer, it’s important to be in the water at least once a day to keep your feel for your stroke. Outside of the water, it’s equally important to get in some dynamic dry land workouts for strength and flexibility.

Coach Teri McKeever, Cal Women's Swimming (2005)

During my swimming career at Cal, coach Teri McKeever had us try a number of different dry land exercises. Our workouts varied from normal weight lifting to hip-hop dance class, Pilates to spinning on a bike, yoga to stadium stairs. We tried just about anything and everything. Looking back the one exercise that really stuck with me and I still enjoy today is yoga. It enabled me to work on flexibility, core strength, balance and mental focus, all skills that translated to success in the pool.

Okay, I admit that I was skeptical at first. What are these moves? I felt like the instructor was trying to turn me into a human pretzel. I also found it hard to simply focus on my breathing and keeping balance in order to keep from toppling over onto my teammate next to me. But once I got the hang of it and felt more comfortable, I was hooked.

Emily Silver, doing a yoga pose at work

Yoga requires the same discipline and laser focus needed to swim lap after lap in the pool but without the mundane repetitiveness of swimming. It also works a completely different set of muscles, which can aid in preventing injury. But of all the benefits of yoga, one thing I liked most was that it enabled me to practice visualization and mental toughness, two things that helped aid in success throughout my career.

Running in our Backyard

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Hello SwimOutlet fans!

You may have noticed over the past few months, that SwimOutlet.com has been increasing its product selection beyond swimming to include running, yoga and surf gear, too. So we’ll have some non-swimming posts from time-to-time.

We’re building up a running culture here and this weekend a bunch of staffers ran in the popular 408k Race to the Row in San Jose.

Congrats to the participants!

Asics was nice enough to send us a few pairs of the new GEL-Kayano 19 that just hit our inventory to try out for the race – and we took them for a test run out back of our office along the Guadalupe River Trail.

Having a trail behind our office is a big perk of being at SwimOutlet.com. The Guadalupe River Trail runs 11 miles from downtown San Jose to the southern most point of San Francisco Bay. It’s flat and has both gravel and paved sections, making it a perfect spot to try out the new Asics.

Olympic Swimming Mural: Time-Lapse Video

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Here at the SwimOutlet.com headquarters in San Jose, CA, we got a conference room makeover with an Olympic swimming themed mural painted by artist Morgan Bricca. She based the mural off a real image from the 2012 London Olympics to capture the essence of Olympic swimming. Watch the video to see the mural come to life.

More information about Murals by Morgan can be found at her website.

Top Tech Suits Compared - The Gangloff Review

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:41:31 GMT

TOP TECH SUITS REVIEWED:

Women's High End Technical Suits - Jump to Reviews | Visit Category Page
Arena Carbon Pro - Stupp Review | Product Page
Blueseventy Nero XII - Stupp Review | Product Page
Dolfin Platinum2 - Stupp Review | Product Page
Rocket Science FU2 Racer - Stupp Review | Product Page
TYR AP12 - Stupp Review | Product Page

Fitter & Faster Tour presented by SwimOutlet - Weekly Swim Tips

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Swim Tips Tuesday from Fitter & Faster Tour presented by SwimOutlet.com! This week features 2-time Olympian Chloe Sutton and one of her favorite freestyle drills, Rotisserie drill.

Rotisserie drill - Swimming freestyle from Fitter & Faster Swim Tour on Vimeo.

Nathan Adrian: Gold Medal Minute Presented by SwimOutlet.com

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:18:12 GMT

In this Gold Medal Minute 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Adrian talks about his race strategy, a crazy travel schedule, and his main competition moving forward.

Missy Franklin Ready for 2013: Gold Medal Minute Presented By SwimOutlet.com

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:34:10 GMT

5-time Olympic Medalist Missy Franklin gives a great interview on Gold Medal Minute about her post-Olympic life, including media appearances, swimming for her high school, winning Golden Goggles awards, and her Bieber Fever!

Fitter & Faster Tour presented by SwimOutlet.com - Weekly Swim Tips

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:50:38 GMT

Check out weekly swim tips from Fitter & Faster Tour presented by SwimOutlet.com! This week features 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler McGill and one of his favorite butterfly drills, butterfly with head up.

Butterfly with head up from Fitter & Faster Swim Tour on Vimeo.

What to Look for When Choosing a Tech Suit - The Julie Stupp Guide

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:13:57 GMT

This month, SwimOutlet.com has brought in Olympic gold medalist Mark Gangloff and former US Olympic Trials finalist Julie Stupp to do independent reviews of some of the top tech suits on the market. Those reviews will come later in February, but first, here's a quick "what to look for in a tech suit" written by Julie for women's suits. You can also check this handy reference guide from SwimOutlet.com on women's tech suits here.

Choosing a Women's Tech Suit

By Julie Stupp

When choosing a racing suit, each individual athlete has their own likes, dislikes and style preference. You can compare choosing a suit to differing stroke techniques. Every swimmer's stroke is built from the basic technique, but every swimmer has their own flair. Just like every suit has a basic cut, but each suit has its own differing high-tech qualities that makes it stand out.

While one particular stroke technique or suit brand works for swimmer A, it may not work for swimmer B. When I choose a suit I look for five main components including: 1.) ease to get in; 2.) fit; 3.) comfort while swimming all four disciplines; 4.) compression and; 5.) durability.

1) Ease to get in
When I am at a major competition I don’t want the suit to take me too long (more than 8-10 minutes) to get on and I definitely don’t want it to wear me out in the process. If I get too tired while putting on a suit or it becomes a struggle, it is not worth the trouble.

2) Fit
The fit of the suit is very important in competition. For me, the suit must not be too tight in the shoulders and it must be long enough in the legs. If the suit is too tight in the shoulders then I know my muscles will easily fatigue in a race, because of all the tension the suit is causing. The suit’s length in the legs is also important to me, because if the suit is too short then it will most likely be too tight around my quads and hamstrings. This tightness can cause a loss of circulation throughout my body, which can cause fatigue and hinder my race performance.

3) Comfort while swimming all four strokes
Because I swim the Individual Medley, I must have a suit that functions very well in all four of the strokes. If the suit is comfortable for only a few of the strokes, it does me no good. I want a suit that will stay in place for the breaststroke, create compression in my core and legs for butterfly and freestyle and one that will resist water in the chest for backstroke. This is a tall order but there are definitely suits that have all of these qualities.

4) Compression
Finding the perfect balance of compression is tricky. If a suit is too tight you can lose sensation and fatigue quickly but if a suit is too loose you run the risk of trapping water in your chest, torso or legs, which causes major drag. I like my suit to be on the tighter side of compression throughout my core and legs, but I don’t want it to be too tight in the shoulders or back because then I can lose mobility. If any of these are off balance it could affect my results.

Top Swim Paddles Compared - The Gangloff Review

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:07:47 GMT

SWIM PADDLES COMPARED

Arena Vortex (Medium) - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Aqua Sphere Vortex V8 - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Aqua Sphere Ergo Flex - Gangloff Review | Product Page
TYR Training Catalyst Contour - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Speedo Contoured Swim Paddles - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Speedo Training Paddles - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Speedo I.M. Tech Paddles - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Speedo Power Paddles - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Strokemakers - Gangloff Review | Product Page
FINIS Agility Paddle - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Speedo Bio Fuse Finger Paddles - Gangloff Review | Product Page
Strokemax Antipaddle - Gangloff Review | Product Page
FINIS PT - Gangloff Review | Product Page
TYR Training Catalyst Connect - Gangloff Review | Product Page

He’s back! Olympic gold medalist and University of Missouri Assistant Swim Coach Mark Gangloff has prepared another round of performance reviews exclusively for SwimOutlet.com. This month’s reviews focus on an all-important training accessory: paddles. Later this month, we’ll review some of the top performance suits for 2013. Happy reading!

SwimOutlet.com's Top 10 Viral Swimming Videos of 2012

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 10:33:45 GMT

We made a list and checked it twice. With the end of the year upon us, we thought we’d look back on some of the best viral videos from 2012. Enjoy some laughs and Happy New Year from SwimOutlet.com

#10 - Elon Swim Club goes Gangnam Style
It’s the biggest video phenomenon of all time, here’s the swimming version!

#9 - Tony Azevedo's Lamborghini Trick Shot Video
See U.S.A. Water Polo star Tony Azevedo pull off quite an unbelievable trick shot during a kids clinic in California.

#8 - Breaking the Ice
A man cannonballs into a frozen pool. Watch it and wince!

#7 - Matt Grevers' On Deck Proposal
How about this for catching your girlfriend by surprise! Great work from Olympic champion Matt Grevers.

#6 - The Meaning of Jeah!
Ryan Lochte takes us through the various interpretations and meanings of his own addition to Webster’s Dictionary: “JEAH”

Work Out with Ryan Lochte!

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:30:56 GMT

Check out the workout that’s been written up nation-wide by Men’s Fitness, USA Today... and even WebMD!

Eleven-time Olympic medalist and our favorite grill-wearing swimmer, Ryan Lochte, is legendary for his tough and fanatical dry land work-outs. Now you, too, can follow along with the same training regimen that helped Lochte win multiple golds at the 2012 London Games.

Ryan Lochte’s Hard-CORE workout focuses on strengthening the core, an important part of a swimmer's body. Sculpt the core of your physique and allow the rest of your body to follow.

You can do the workouts in the comfort and privacy of your own home -- with no need to buy weights.

It’s the perfect stocking-stuffer for winter training or to prepare for the upcoming summer season. Competitive or recreational swimmers and fitness buffs alike will all enjoy Ryan Lochte’s Hard-CORE training video, helping them achieve their desired physique and “abs of steel.”

Purchase here: http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/46758.htm

Earn Cash Back for Your Team!

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:14:42 GMT

SwimOutlet.com has just launched its new Affiliate Team Store feature this past month as part of its T eam Affiliate Program!

This is great news for any club, team, coach, school, facility, or aquatic organization that wants to set up its online store. The Team Store can be embedded directly onto your own team site or hosted on SwimOutlet.com. Affiliates will earn 8-10% commission -- cash back or store credit -- on referred store orders. This gives teams a great way to increase fundraising efforts! It's also very easy to use as well as customize.

To see how it works, check out the Team Store Information Page. Swim teams around the country have already launched their Affiliate Team Store! If you'd like to see it in action, here's an example team site we've created: Albany Sea Turtles

Check out what the Lancaster YMCA Stingrays has to say about it!

"Setting up the team store was a success! SwimOutlet.com understood exactly how to display what we requested and gave us easy step-by-step directions on how to embed the team store on our website. SwimOutlet.com has been a great partner in turn by giving back to our team; we are grateful for this support!"
- Cindy Gilmore, Parent Board President, Lancaster YMCA Stingrays

Have your club, team or school join the Affiliate Store program today! Click here to get started: www.swimoutlet.com/teams/fundraising-tools/store

New Gold Medal Delivery with Tony Azevedo!

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Another Gold Medal Delivery strikes again, this time in the water polo community! SwimOutlet.com and Tony Azevedo – four-time Olympic water polo player – partnered up to make a surprise delivery of free SwimOutlet.com gear to water polo players... in a Lamborghini!

The delivery took place in Thousand Oaks, CA during a regularly scheduled practice. Tony also got into water, did some drills with the kids, and gave an inspirational speech.

Check out the newly published Gold Medal Delivery with Tony Azevedo here::

Under the "Gold Medal Delivery" initiative, SwimOutlet.com is giving teams across the nation a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet with an Olympian and receive free product, courtesy of SwimOutlet.com. These deliveries are documented on video and available to view on SwimOutlet.com. The goal of these surprise deliveries are to show the human side of Olympians and inspire impressionable young swimmers in a positive way.

Where should SwimOutlet.com make its next Gold Medal Delivery?! If you would like to suggest a swim or water polo team, please submit their details here.

Q&A with Tony Azevedo - Ask your question here!

Need any water polo tips? Have a question for Tony? For the next few weeks, Tony Azevedo will be answering fan questions here. Just submit your question in the comments section below.

Ryan Lochte & SwimOutlet.com Launch Fan Photo Contest

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:21:26 GMT

Within the first hour of launching the Team Lochte Photo Contest, over 50 fans had already submitted photos. Participants said the reason why they jumped on this opportunity so fast was due to the amazing grand prize: a 1-on-1 phone call with Ryan Lochte.

Would you also like a chance to win a 1-on-1 PHONE CALL WITH RYAN LOCHTE?! All you have to do is submit a photo of yourself wearing the Lochte Glasses, made famous by Ryan himself with appearances on The Today Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and NBC Olympics in London. Make sure to have your friends vote for you -- The person with the most votes and the highest rating wins the grand prize of a 1-on-1 call with Ryan Lochte! Prizes will also be given out weekly throughout the contest: A pair of the Lochte Glasses signed by Ryan.

If you're a Lochte fan, you'll love this contest: It's dripping with Lochte likeness. The photos even have an advanced "JEAH" rating system! Can you get more "JEAHs" than Jimmy Fallon?

To find out more or to enter the contest, click here.

Don’t have a pair of Lochte glasses yet? Click here!

The SwimOutlet.com Junior Olympics - We HEART Water Polo too!

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:41:13 GMT

The SwimOutlet.com Junior Olympics is taking place in Stanford, California right now. We are proud to be the title sponsor of the Junior Olympics for the 2^nd year in a row! We had a blast interacting with our fans. We even set up a prize wheel so fans can win FREE gear! The line got long at times, but who doesn't love free shwag right? Checkout some photos from the event below! Continue Reading...

Omaha Trip Contest Winner: Inspirational and a Hero

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:23:14 GMT

From April to June, we held our Omaha Video Contest. The videos were aimed at promoting a positive message about the sport of swimming. It was a success! Contestants were asked to submit a video responding to the question: "How has swimming inspired you?" The grand prize winner received an all-expenses paid trip to Omaha for Swim Trials (a $6,000 value including flight, hotel, 2 tickets to the meets, and $150 spending cash per day)! We received a lot of video entries. Our judges had a tough decision to make, but finally came to a verdict. Continue Reading...

Go Team USA + Props to the Swim Brands that Support Them!

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:11:14 GMT

Congratulations to all of the swimmers who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team! And a big thank you to the brands that got them there! View all athletes who made it to the London Olympics and the swim brands that supported them!

Top Training Fins Compared - The Gangloff Review

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:07:02 GMT

TRAINING FINS REVIEWED:
FINIS Zoomers Gold Swim Fins
Speedo Biofuse Training Fin
TYR CrossBlade Training Fin
Sporti Training Swim Fins
HEAD Swimming Energy Swim Fin
Arena Tech Fin

Hi guys, Mark Gangloff here! Welcome to my first product comparison post! I thought hard about which review I would like to do first, and decided to start with fins for several reasons. My primary reason is that fins are probably my favorite piece of equipment. It is very difficult to create high speeds during training and putting on fins instantly gives you that speed you are looking for. Also, during longer swims, I believe it helps you maintain better form throughout the course of a set or workout. Continue Reading...

SwimOutlet.com Launches Its Very First Billboard in Omaha!

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:01:22 GMT

In honor of the Swim Trials taking place this week, we launched our very first billboard in Omaha, Nebraska! There will be over 100,000 swimming fans coming in for the week-long event.

In addition, we also have a mobile billboard traveling around Omaha! The billboard is promoting a unique contest! To participate, all you have to do is take a picture of the mobile billboard and post it on the SwimOutlet.com Facebook page. This automatically enters you in the contest, giving you the chance to be one of randomly selected winners. We will be selecting 100’s of random winners daily from June 24 until July 2. Winners will be receiving a SURPRISE SwimOutlet.com gift!

If you're in Omaha this week, keep your eyes peeled! Check out the contest here: http://www.swimoutlet.com/mobilecontest

SwimOutlet.com @ Orinda Swim Meet

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:20:14 GMT

SwimOutlet.com just ventured over to Orinda, CA for a dual swim meet between Orinda Park Pool and Sleepy Hollow Swim and Tennis. At the meet, swimmers enjoyed winning free schwag through the SwimOutlet.com Prize Wheel! Where should SwimOutlet.com go next?!