Winter Storm Types and Snowfall Intensity:

The terms "winter storms" and "snowstorms" may mean roughly the same thing, but mention a word like "blizzard," and it conveys so much more than just "a storm with snow." Here's a look at the flurry of winter weather terms you may hear in your forecast, and what each means.

Blizzards

Blizzards are dangerous winter storms whose blowing snow and high winds lead to low visibility and "white-out" conditions.

While heavy snowfall often occurs with blizzards it isn't needed. In fact, if strong winds pick up snow that's already fallen this would be considered as a blizzard (a "ground blizzard" to be exact.) In order to be considered a blizzard, a snowstorm must have: heavy snow OR blowing snow, winds of 35 mph or more, and a visibility of 1/4 mile or less, all lasting for at least 3 hours.

Ice Storms

Another type of dangerous winter storm is the ice storm. Because the weight of ice (freezing rain and sleet) can down trees and power lines, it doesn't take much of it to paralyze a city. Accumulations of just 0.25 inches to 0.5 inches are considered to be significant, with accumulations over 0.5 inches considered as "crippling." (Just 0.5 inches of ice on power lines can add up to 500 pounds of extra weight!) Ice storms are also extremely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians. Bridges and overpasses are especially dangerous when traveling since they freeze before other surfaces.

Lake Effect Snow

Lake effect snow occurs when cold, dry air moves across a large warm body of water (such as one of the Great Lakes) and picks up moisture and heat. Lake effect snow is known for producing heavy bursts of snow showers known as snow squalls, which drop several inches of snowfall per hour.

Nor'easters

Named for their winds which blow from the northeast, nor'easters are low-pressure systems that bring heavy rain and snow to the East Coast of North America. Although a true nor'easter can occur any time of the year, they're most fierce in the winter and spring and can often be so strong that they trigger blizzards and thundersnow.

How hard is it snowing?

Like rainfall, there are a number of terms used to describe snowfall depending on how fast or intensely it is falling. These include:

• Snow Flurries: Flurries are defined as light snow falling for a short duration. They can also be tiny snowflakes falling for longer periods of time. The most accumulation that can be expected is a light dusting of snow.
• Snow Showers: When snow is falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time, we call it snow showers. Some accumulation is possible, but not guaranteed.
• Snow Squalls: Often, brief but intense snow showers will be accompanied by strong, gusty winds. These are referred to as snow squalls. Accumulation may be significant.
• Blowing Snow: Blowing snow is another winter hazard. High wind speeds can blow falling snow into almost horizontal bands. In addition, lighter snows on the ground may be picked up and redistributed by the wind causing reduced visibility, "white-out" conditions, and snow drifts.

Critical Thinking:

The concept of critical thinking has been defined in many complex ways, but for young students new to the concept, it can best be summed up as thinking and judging for yourself.

When you develop critical thinking skills, you will learn to evaluate information that you hear and process information that you collect while recognizing your implicit biases. You will analyze the evidence that is presented to you in order to make sure it is sound.

Recognize Common Fallacies

Fallacies are tricks of logic, and understanding them is the best way to avoid falling for them. There are many types of fallacies, and the more you think about them, the more readily you will recognize them all around you, especially in advertisements, arguments, and political discussions.

• Bandwagon Appeals: Bandwagon appeals argue that you should follow along with something because everyone else believes it
• Scare Tactics: A scare tactic is the use of a scary story as an example to make you more likely to believe some underlying assumption. 
• Appeal to Emotion: An appeal to emotion uses a fiery speech or a tragic story to convince someone to side with you.
• False Dichotomy: Often there are many sides to an argument, but a "false dichotomy" presents an issue as one side versus the other.

Characteristics of Critical Thinking

To become a critical thinker, you must develop a few skills.

• Recognize assumptions you carry with you. Have you ever wondered why you believe the things that you believe? Do you believe things because you’ve been told to believe them? Step outside your own beliefs to observe from a neutral viewpoint. Be aware of assumptions and learn to self-reflect.
• Process information honestly. People sometimes pass along information that is not really true (i.e. the "fake news" crisis.) 
• Recognize a generalization. Girls don’t like bugs. Old people are wise. Cats make better pets. These are generalizations. They’re not always true, are they?
• Evaluate old information and new ideas. There was a time when doctors thought leeches could cure us. Recognize that just because something is commonly accepted, doesn't mean it is true. 
• Produce new ideas based on sound evidence. Detectives solve crimes by collecting bits of truths and putting them all together like a puzzle. One small deceit can jeopardize an investigation. The entire truth-seeking process is destabilized by one piece of bad evidence, leading to a wrong conclusion. 
• Analyze a problem and recognize the complex parts. A mechanic must understand how an entire engine works before s/he can diagnose a problem. Sometimes it is necessary to deconstruct an engine to figure out which part isn’t working. You should approach big problems like this: break them down into smaller parts and observe carefully and deliberately.
• Use precise vocabulary and communicate with clarity. The truth can be blurred by fuzzy language. It is important to develop your vocabulary so you can communicate truths accurately.
• Manage emotions in response to a situation or problem. Don’t be fooled by stirred up, emotional plea or angry speech. Stay rational and keep your emotions in check as you encounter new information.
• Judge your sources. Learn to recognize hidden agendas and bias when you collect information.

As students progress from high school into college and graduate school they must develop critical thinking skills in order to carry out research. Students will learn to identify good sources and bad sources, make logical conclusions, and develop new theories.

Inspiring True Words..!!

Interesting Facts..!!

There’s a restaurant in New York that doesn’t employ chefs; they employ grandmas. Every day, a different grandma from around the world designs her own menu.

Comedian Ryan Stiles from Whose Line is it Anyway? has been a frequent fundraiser for children with burn injuries, raising over $500,000 for the Burned Children Recovery Center since 2009, helping the foundation to recover from the economic crash of 2008.

In one of Thomas Jefferson’s letters to James Madison in 1789, he stated that the Constitution and laws should expire after 19 years. This was to allow the new generations to learn from the past and change accordingly, it was also to prevent older generations from “binding” subsequent ones.

Avocados depended on megafaunas to disperse its seeds. However, when the megafaunas became extinct, avocados survived primarily due to human cultivation.

A chimpanzee became the 22nd most successful money manager on Wall St after choosing stocks by throwing darts at a board of 133 tech companies.

The aviation industry always uses “deaths per km” to quote safety to the public, while internally insurers use “deaths per journey”, where air travel is more dangerous than most other forms of transportation.

The 90s sketch comedy show “In Living Color” drew away 22% of Super Bowl XXVI’s viewers during its halftime show by doing a special live episode of their own, which is why subsequent Super Bowls got A-List performers and dropped the previous themed marching band format.

No symphony orchestra can ever make a profit on its own, even if it sold out tickets at every show. This is mainly because the show consists of 40-100 fully salaried members who only perform the same piece 2 or 3 times. Most orchestras rely heavily on donators to be profitable. 

President LBJ was a competitive womanizer, and whenever people mentioned Kennedy’s many affairs, LBJ would bang the table and declare that he had more women by accident than Kennedy ever had on purpose.

Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, began life in a mud hut.

A New Zealand couple disappeared after $6M was accidentally credited to their bank account.

“Happy Birthday” is now in the Public Domain after Time Warner was sued in 2016.

The engine on the BMW M5 is so quiet that the company plays fake engine noises through the speakers to “remind” drivers of their car’s performance.

Orcas and other marine mammals are given a plethora of drugs to deal with their captivity. These drugs include antacids (to treat ulcers from stress), antibiotics (for injuries and infections), antipsychotics, benzodiazepines (valium, again for stress), and contraceptives

Sublime made 40oz. to Freedom by sneaking into the music department at CSU-Dominguez Hills after hours and recording all night.

Logo of the popular Japanese rock band, Greeeen is a mouthful of teeth because the members are actual dentists IRL. They have never shown their faces in the public and their identities are still unknown to protect their dentistry careers.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas fought against efforts to drain the FL Everglades and reclaim land for development when she was 79 years old. Her tireless efforts earned her several variations of the nickname “Grande Dame of the Everglades.” She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Soft-shelled crabs are just regular crabs removed from the water after molting to prevent their shells from hardening and not a species of crab with soft shells.

String cheese is made by heating mozzarella to 60 °C which causes the milk proteins to line up. They can then be peeled off in strings.

All potatoes used to make fries from Five Guys are required to be grown north of the 42nd parallel.

Two babies were switched at birth, one family was rich and the other poor, the rich couple’s biological baby became a truck driver and the poor couple’s biological baby became a CEO of a company.

Exactly..!!

Interrupting in English:

Interrupting a discussion can seem impolite, but is often necessary for a number of reasons. For example, you might interrupt a conversation to:

• Give a message to someone
• Ask a quick question that has nothing to do with the conversation
• Give your opinion about something that has been said
• Interrupt to join the conversation

Here are forms and phrases used to interrupt conversations and meetings arranged by purpose.

Interrupting to Give Someone Information

Use these short forms to quickly and efficiently interrupt a conversation to deliver a message.

• I'm sorry to interrupt but you're needed (on the phone / in the office / in the classroom / etc.)
• Sorry for the interruption. It's Jim / Peter / Mary on the phone.
• Pardon me, but I have John on the phone.
• Excuse me, could I get a signature / an answer / a cup of coffee quickly?

Interrupting to Ask a Quick Unrelated Question

At times we need to interrupt to ask an unrelated question. These short phrases quickly interrupt to ask for something else.

• I'm sorry to interrupt, but this will only take a minute.
• Sorry for the interruption, but could you (answer a quick question / help me for a moment / give me an opinion on ...)?
• I'm so sorry. This will just take a minute.
• I apologize for the interruption, but I have an important question.

Interrupting to Join the Conversation With a Question

Using questions are a polite way of interrupting.

Here are some of the most common questions we ask in order to be allowed to join the conversation.

• Could I jump in?
• Could I add something?
• Can I say something?
• May I interject?

Interrupting to Join the Conversation

During a conversation, we might need to interrupt the conversation if we are not asked for our opinion.

In this case, these phrases will help.

• Would you mind if I joined the conversation?
• I couldn't help overhearing. (Use when listening to a conversation that you are not a part of)
• Sorry to butt in, but I think/feel...
• If I may, I think/feel...

Interrupting Someone Who Has Interrupted You

Sometimes we don't want to allow an interruption. In this case, use the following phrases to bring the conversation back to your point of view.

• Please let me finish.
• Let me complete my thought.
• Would you please let me finish?
• Can I continue, please?

Allowing an Interruption

If you want to allow an interruption, use one of these short phrases to allow the person to ask a question, express an opinion, etc. 

• No problem. Go ahead.
• Sure, what do you think?
• That's OK. What do you need/want?

Continuing After an Interruption

Once you've been interrupted you can continue your point after the interruption by using one of these phrases.

• As I was saying, I think/feel...
• To get back to what I was saying, I think/feel...
• I'd like to return to my argument.
• Continuing where I left off...

Example Dialogue

Example 1: Interrupting for Something Else

Helen: ... it's really amazing how beautiful Hawaii is. I mean, you couldn't think of anywhere more beautiful.

Anna: Excuse me, but Tom is on the phone.

Helen: Thanks, Anna. This will only take a moment.

Anna: Can I bring you some coffee while she takes the call?

George: No thanks. I'm fine.

Anna: She'll be just a moment.

Example 2: Interrupting to Join the Conversation

Marko: If we continue to improve our sales in Europe we should be able to open new branches.

Stan: Could I add something?

Marko: Of course, go ahead.

Stan: Thanks, Marko. I think we should open new branches in any case. If we improve sales great, but if we don't we still need to open stores.

Marko: Thank you, Stan. As I was saying, if we improve sales we can afford to open new branches.

Did you know?

Mississippi is now the 20th state of United States. It became the US state in 1810.  Before enjoining the US, Mississippi was under British control. The history of the state goes like this: first in 1540 it was discovered by Spanish and it was then controlled by Spain, later on, it was claimed by France. In 1713 Britain took control of Mississippi and in 1768 this area was given to the US. The state became the legally bounded area of US in 1810. This was the brief history of Mississippi now below are given some facts about the state.

1. The cotton crop

Cotton was the main crop and biggest economy contributor until the 20th century. The warm climate and rich soil of Mississippi born cotton that is to date, the big cash crop of this region.

2. Soybean

Mississippi took a step towards growth and progress by diversifying its production and entered more agriculture and industry. For last four decades, soybean is panted even more than cotton. But cotton is still the main crop.

3. Black residents

In all American states, the number of white residents is more than black residents. In other words, black residents are in minority in every state except Mississippi where they are a majority.

4. Agriculture

The climate and soil of Mississippi are so rich that they are perfect for agriculture. The other crops that are grown in Mississippi include; corn, peanuts, rice, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, food grains.

5. Livestock and poultry

Mississippi does not only earn from agriculture but live stoke and poultry are also the contributors. The poultry, eggs, meat animals, dairy products, especially milk and feed crops etc also play their role in boosting the economy.

6. Forests

Near 60 percent of the area of Mississippi is covered with forests. There are found almost 100 species of trees in Mississippi alone.

7. Teddy bear

Teddy bear is world famous because of President Roosevelt who refused to kill a captured bear while his expedition of hunting in the sharked county.

8. The first nuclear submarine in south

Mississippi is not only an agriculture-oriented region anymore. With the start of industry, it has diversified its business. The first nuclear submarine of the south was produced in Mississippi.

9. Mississippi river

Mississippi River is the world famous water carrier. It is US largest river and chief water source. The nickname given to this river is Old Man River.

10. Education system

Despite the economic growth, Mississippi has the poorest education system in America as compared to other states.

Time Traveler From ‘2030’ Just Passed Lie Detector Test

A man claiming to be from the year 2030 who shared various forecasts for the future has somehow passed through a lie detection test.

The Self-Proclaimed Time Traveler

A man named ‘Noah’ is a self-broadcasted individual who says that he has gone from the future, 2030. This man as of late passed through a lie-detection test sharing an inexplicable number of forecasts. He expressed that he needed to stay mysterious in view of the dangers that may happen in exhibit day undertakings.

The Lie Detector Test

Despite the fact that not every person believed his story, in this way, keeping in mind the end goal to demonstrate them wrong, he chose to take a lie-detector test. He had a current meeting with Apex TV where he was inquired as to whether he is truly from future or not. He answered with a yes, and before he could state so the green header expressing ‘true’ comes up on the screen. He was asked of any strong proof to which he answers that Donald Trump would be re-chosen in 2020, there would be electric autos with speed of 600mph, people would go to Mars and Bitcoin would acquire benefit.

He likewise expresses that he couldn’t give verification in view of the Catch 22 to which the green header showing true again shows up on the screen. This was first gotten tied up with the news when Paranormal Elite got a video saying that a man from future has time traveled. He has despondency and uneasiness issues in view of all the time traveling. He expresses that he is 50 years of age, yet he took medication to keep his age at 25 and that the time traveling has been conceivable since 2003, however, didn’t get in public before 2028.

Link: https://youtu.be/TyWOjfSxt3Q

What Countries Have the Most and Least Neighbors?

While some countries have many neighbors, others have very few. The number of bordering countries a nation has is an extremely important factor when considering its geopolitical relationship with surrounding countries. International borders play an important role in trade, national security, access to resources, and more.

Many Neighbors

China and Russia each have fourteen neighboring countries, more neighbors than the other countries of the world.

Russia, the world's largest country in area, has these fourteen neighbors: Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, North Korea, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine.

China, the world's third largest country in the area but the world's most populous country, has these fourteen neighbors: Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.

Brazil, the world's fifth largest country, has ten neighbors: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, France (French Guiana), Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Few Neighbors

Countries that occupy only islands (such as Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Iceland) may have no neighbors, although some island countries do share a border with a country (such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and Papua New Guinea and Indonesia).

There are ten non-island countries that share a border with only one country. These countries include Canada (which shares a border with the United States), Denmark (Germany), Gambia (Senegal), Lesotho (South Africa), Monaco (France), Portugal (Spain), Qatar (Saudi Arabia), San Marino (Italy), South Korea (North Korea), and the Vatican City (Italy).

Quote of the day..!!

Science of the Mystery Boom!!

A skyquake or mystery boom is like an earthquake in the sky. If you've ever heard a sonic boom or cannon fire then you'll have a good idea what a skyquake sounds like. It's a stupendously loud, window-rattling noise. While a sonic boom is caused by an object breaking the sound barrier, a skyquake is when a boom occurs with no apparent cause.

Is Skyquakes Real?

You can search YouTube for videos of skyquakes to hear what they sound like, but be warned: many of these videos are hoaxes (e.g., skyquake2012's channel).

However, the phenomenon is real and has been reported for centuries. Locations reporting skyquakes include the Ganges river in India, the East Coast and Finger Lakes of the United States, the North Sea of Japan, the Bay of Fundy in Canada, and parts of Australia, Belgium, Scotland, Italy and Ireland. Skyquakes have their own names in various parts of the world:

1. In Bangladesh, they are called "Barisal guns" (referring to the Barisal region of East Bengal).
2. Italians have several names for skyquakes, including "Balza," "Brontidi," "Lagoni," and "marine."
3. The Japans name the sounds "umimari" (cries from the sea).
4. In Belgium and the Netherlands, skyquakes are called "mistpoeffers."
5. In Iran and the Philippines, they are "retumbos."
6. In the United States, some recurring skyquakes are the "Seneca guns" (near Seneca Lake, New York) and "Moodus noises" in Connecticut.

Possible Causes

While sonic booms from aircraft might explain some skyquakes, the explanation doesn't account for reports predating the invention of supersonic flight.

The Iroquois of North America believed the booms were the sound of the Great Spirit continuing the creation of the world. Some people believe the sounds are produced by UFOs. Most scientists propose other possible explanations:

1. Some modern skyquakes may be sonic booms from meteors or military aircraft.
2. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce sounds that are heard far from their point of origin. There are well-documented accounts of booming sounds associated with earthquakes, particularly those with a shallow origin. For example, the quakes in Spokane, Washington in 2001 and New Madrid, Missouri in 1811-1812 were accompanied by reports resembling artillery fire.
3. The sound may be distant thunder, with the sound focused on the atmosphere. Some skyquakes may also result from clear-sky lightning (the "bolt from the blue"). which occurs near mountain ranges or large open areas, such as plains, sounds, or lakes.
4. Some skyquakes may be produced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). A CME is a solar radiation storm that can accelerate protons to 40 percent of the speed of light, potentially generating shock waves that break the speed of sound and produce sonic booms.
5. A related explanation is that the Earth's magnetic field produces the sounds, either by accelerating particles or from resonance.

While skyquakes occur all over the world, most of them have been reported near a coast. Some explanations focus on the possible relationship between proximity to water and skyquakes. One disputed hypothesis is that the sounds may be produced when parts of the continental shelf fall into the Atlantic abyss. Problems with this hypothesis are the extreme distance from the ridge to the site of reported sounds and the lack of modern evidence. Another water-related explanation is that the sounds are produced when underwater caves collapse, releasing trapped air, or that trapped gas escapes from vents or from beneath decaying aquatic vegetation.

Experts disagree about whether the sudden release of gas could produce a loud report.

Scientists believe there are several occurrences which are not likely causes of skyquakes. There is no evidence booming sounds are associated with global warming, industrial disasters, tectonic plate shifts, the hole in the ozone layer, or ghosts revisiting past battles.

Other Strange Sky Sounds

The booming sound of a skyquake isn't the only incompletely explained atmospheric noise. Strange hums, trumpeting, vibrations, and wailing have also been reported and recorded. Sometimes these phenomena are called skyquakes, although the origin of the boom is likely quite different from that of the other eerie noises.

Fast Facts

1. A skyquake is a loud boom that has no apparent cause.
2. While some videos of skyquakes are hoaxes, the phenomenon is real and has been reported all over the world.
3. Scientists believe skyquakes have a variety of causes, including meteors, coronal mass ejections, escaping gas, and collapsing land masses.

Understanding Sport Ethics:

Sports ethics is that branch of the philosophy of sport addressing the specific ethical questions that arise during and around sports competitions. With the affirmation of professional sports in the past century as well as the rise of a voluminous entertainment industry related to it, sport ethics has come to be not only a fertile terrain for testing and developing philosophical notions and theories, but also a foremost point of contact between philosophy, civil institutions, and the society at large.

Lessons of Respect, Justice, and Integrity

Sports are based on the fair enforcement of rules. At a first approximation, this means that every contestant (being an individual player or a team) has the right to see the rules of the game applied in equal measure to each and every contestant while having the duty to try and respect the rules as best as possible. The educational importance of this aspect, not just for children and young adults but for everyone, can be hardly overstated. Sport is a critical tool to teach justice, the respect of rules for the benefit of a group (the contestants as well as the spectators), and honesty.

And yet, as it happens outside a competition, one may wonder if – at times – players are justified in seeking an unequal treatment. For instance, when breaking the rule will offset some mistaken call that the referee has made earlier the game, or will partially make up for some economic, social, or political inequities that stand in between the contesting teams, it seems that a player may have some justifiable motives for breaking the rule.

Isn’t it simply fair that a team who has had a valid touch down not counted in will be given some minor advantages over the next attack or defense situation?

This is, of course, a delicate matter, which challenges our ideas circa justice, respect and honesty in a way that mirrors the key issues humans face in other spheres of living.

Enhancement

Another major area of confrontation regards human enhancement and, most notably, cases of doping. Considering how invasive the application of drugs and medical techniques is to the contemporary professional sport, it has become increasingly difficult to set an intelligent boundary between those performance enhancers that shall be tolerated and those that shall not be tolerated.

Every professional athlete competing for a well-off team receives medical aids to enhance his or her performances in amounts that range from thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands and, perhaps, millions. On one hand, this has contributed to spectacular results, which much add to the entertainment side of sport; on the other, however, wouldn’t it be simply more respectful for the athletes’ health and safety to set the bar for tolerance of enhancers as low as possible? In what ways enhancers have affected the relationship between body and soul among athletes?

Money, Just Compensation and the Good Life

The increasingly high salaries of certain athletes and the disparity between the pay of the most visible ones as opposed to the pay of the least visible ones have also offered the opportunity to rethink the issue of just compensation that much attention had received in eighteen hundred philosophy, with authors such as Karl Marx.

Swimmers - Getting Started Swimming:

Here are a few things for swimmers to keep in mind as you splash through the swimming pool.

Establish a few swimming goals.

Set realistic, challenging steps to help you meet your objectives. What do you want to accomplish? Improved fitness? Racing ability? Alternate workout opportunities for cross training? A faster (or easier) first leg of your triathlon? Set goals for each workout; what do you want to get done today?

If possible, find a local swim team.

It may be a USA Swimming, United States Masters, YMCA, or another type of team. Finding one that works for you can be a big plus for getting into the swimming routine. Besides the help that a little peer pressure provides, it can give you other sources of input as you develop and some social interaction to avoid monotony.

If you don't find a swim team that fits your needs, at least find a swimming pool.You can easily succeed on your own - stay focused on your goals and pack your workout gear the night before - this really helps the "I forgot it" self-excuse. If you have a choice, find both an indoor and outdoor pool to prevent interruptions in your routine due to inclement weather.

Determine a weekly swim training schedule.

You will need to plan three to five 30 to 60-minute swim workouts each week (not including the time you spend changing your suit or talking with the lifeguards). Do you want to work out at the same time each day, or vary your schedule? You might schedule longer workouts as you improve or if required by your goals.

Gather swimming gear.

You will want comfortable goggles, several competitive style suits (baggy trunks are good for the beach, but are like wearing hiking boots for a run), a waterproof wristwatch, and a swim cap (to keep your hair off of your face or to keep warm). Often, workout gear, such as kickboards, pull buoys, flippers, and hand paddles are available at the pool. Eventually, you may want to purchase these items for yourself, after you try several different styles to find what "suits" you best!

Write a swim workout.

If you are on a team, this may be done for you by your coach). You can design your own workout or borrow ideas from someone else. You will usually accomplish more if you write down a specific workout and follow it. You may even make a season or yearly plan, and base your daily workouts on those guidelines. Your first workouts should be easy, as you build base mileage and work on your technique through the use of stroke drills. Include at least an adequate warm-up, main work set, and cool down. There will always be days when you want to get in and "just swim a few laps." This is fine - just be sure to get in the pool regularly.

Get started swimming

Remember, as with any exercise routine, make sure that you are in an adequate state of health to start swimming. If in doubt, check with your physician. As you progress, keep track of your accomplishments in a training diary. Also, remember to follow some simple rules of etiquette - swim counterclockwise in your lane (if that is the way it is done in your area), stay off of the person's feet in front of you, and if you need to spit, use the gutter!

Now that you are in swimming shape, you may want to compete.

There are many possibilities. A few are Masters, Age Group, Park and Recreation, Open water, and Postal competitions. Find meets and choose races based on the goals you have set. They should present a slight challenge at first. As you gain experience and confidence, move up to increasingly more challenging events. This will keep you moving forward as you develop your swimming fitness.

Swim On!