In 2007, Adam, then a toaster salesman, was inspired by a film about a man attempting to change his life by swimming the English Channel to try to emulate the feat. After a year of rigorous training without a coach, Adam achieved his goal in 11 hours 35 minutes, despite a ruptured bicep tendon leading to medical advice to give up long-distance swimming. In 2011, after two operations and a change to his swimming style to take pressure off his injured shoulder, he became the first Briton to achieve a two-way crossing from Spain to Morocco and back. In the process, he broke the British record one way. Shortly afterwards, the Ocean's Seven challenge was born, a gruelling equivalent to the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge. At first it seemed that injury would prevent Adam from participating but, ignoring medical advice, he developed an innovative technique - the Ocean Walker stroke - that would enable him to continue with the ultimate aim of completing this seemingly impossible feat. Whether man would triumph over ocean, or fail in the attempt, forms the core of this extraordinary autobiography. Always intriguing, sometimes terrifying, and occasionally very funny, Adam's story is about sport in its truest form: rather than competitions between teams and individuals, it is about man against nature - and against his own failings and demons. In that, it is truly inspirational.

Discover over 150 magical places to swim and explore in Spain. With stunning photography this book reveals the best crystal mountain lakes, secluded lake-side beaches, and turquoise pools hidden deep in waterfall-filled gorges. With recommendations for places to camp and eat this is all you need to take you off the beaten track.

Covering a time of great social and technological change, this history traces the development of the four classic aquatic disciplines of competitive swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo, with its main focus on racing. Working from the beginnings of municipal recreational swimming, the book fully explores the links between swimming and other aspects of English life society including class, education, gender, municipal governance, sexuality and the Victorian invention of the sports amateur-professional divide. Uniquely focused on swimming -often neglected in analytic sports histories- this is the first study of its kind and will be an important landmark in the establishment of swimming history as a topic of scholarly investigation. This book was previously published as a special issue of the International Journal of the History of Sport.

'One of the best accounts ever written of deep-water diving and its staggering, haunting dangers' Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow Divers Deep underwater lurks a mysterious man-made illness. It has gone by many names over the years - Satan's disease, diver's palsy, the chokes - but today, medics call it decompression sickness. You know it as the bends. That's the devil British diver Martin Robson faces each time he plunges beneath the surface. In the winter of 2012, Robson was part of an expedition to Blue Lake, southern Russia, which sought to find a submerged cave system never seen by the human eye. On the final day of the expedition, as Robson returned from diving deeper into the lake than anyone had before, disaster struck: just seventy-five feet down, he was ambushed by the bends. Robson knew that if he continued up to the surface he would probably die before help arrived. Instead, he sank back into the water, gambling on an underwater practice most doctors believe is a suicidal act. Soon the only hope he had of saving his life would rest in the hands of a dramatic mercy mission organised at the highest levels of the Russian government. Between the Devil and the Deep is the first book to tell the terrifying true story of what it feels like to get the bends, taking you inside the body and mind of a man who suffered the unthinkable. Writer Mark Cowan also explores the grimly fascinating history of decompression sickness, the science behind what causes the disease, and the stories of the forgotten divers who pushed the limits of physical endurance to help find a solution.

'Barnett's well-crafted backlist is big on emotional acuity and this novel is no different, forging from Christina's grief an insistence that we think more creatively when it comes to happiness, and especially to the shapes that our families might take' OBSERVER At forty-three, Christina Lennox thought her future was settled: marriage to Ed, children, a house of their own. But this is not that future: her marriage has ended, fractured by the stress of five rounds of IVF and two miscarriages. Overwhelmed by grief and disappointment, Ed has relocated to San Francisco and Christina's dream of becoming a mother rests on persuading him to let her go ahead with one final round of IVF, using the last frozen embryo they have stored at the clinic. But when Ed drops a bombshell that threatens to undo everything Christina has strived for, she is forced, once again, to realign her plans: is this the end of her dream, or an opportunity to consider a different - perhaps happier - version of her future?

Is there anything quite so exhilarating as swimming in wild water? This is a joyful swimming tour of Britain, a frog's-eye view of the country's best bathing holes - the rivers, rock pools, lakes, ponds, lochs and sea that define a watery island. Charming, funny, inspiring, an assertion of the native swimmer's right to roam, a celebration of the magic of water - this book will indeed make you want to strip off and leap in. Selected from the book Waterlog by Roger Deakin VINTAGE MINIS: GREAT MINDS. BIG IDEAS. LITTLE BOOKS. A series of short books by the world's greatest writers on the experiences that make us human Also in the Vintage Minis series: Eating by Nigella Lawson Liberty by Virginia Woolf Summer by Laurie Lee Desire by Haruki Murakami

Explore 100 breathtaking scuba diving sites around the world--from the cenotes of Mexico to the best wreck in Micronesia--through stunning National Geographic photography, expert tips, and cutting-edge travel advice. Filled with more than 350 images from National Geographic, 100 Dives of a Lifetime provides the ultimate bucket list for ardent scuba divers and aspirational travelers alike. From diving with manta rays at night in Kona, Hawaii, and swimming with hammerheads of Cocos Island in Costa Rica to exploring caves in Belize's Lighthouse Atoll and diving beneath the ice floes of Antarctica, this exquisite inspirational book is filled with beautiful imagery, marine life guides, trusted travel tips, and expert diving advice from world-famous National Geographic divers and explorers like Brian Skerry, Jessica Cramp, and David Doubilet. Organized by diving experience and certification level--from beginner open water and wreck dives to expert cold water and cave dives--each location offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the magic of our world's oceans--from your armchair or with your scuba gear in tow.

Aquatic fitness is not just for older adults or those with physical limitations. Water exercise is a proven fitness activity that is challenging and fun for all age groups and abilities. It offers reduced-impact options for group exercise, small-group fitness, and personal training. As the primary preparation resource for the certification exam of the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA), Aquatic Fitness Professional Manual, Seventh Edition, is the most comprehensive resource to help you design and lead effective exercise sessions in the pool. With contributions from 17 industry experts, you will learn how to energize your teaching with techniques and programs based on many popular fitness formats, such as kickboxing, yoga, body sculpting, Pilates, walking and jogging, circuits, intervals, and sport-specific training. You'll also find updated research on shallow- and deep-water exercise, as well as new and revised content on the following: * Specialty equipment such as bikes, treadmills, and gym stations intended for the aquatic environment * The latest interval training techniques, including HIIT and Tabata * Water safety guidelines * Aquatics recommendations from organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation and the National Osteoporosis Foundation * Nutrition and weight management guidance that reflects the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans * Business and legal insights on compliance with insurance, music licensing, and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) In addition, the Aquatic Fitness Professional Manual covers basic exercise science concepts, including exercise anatomy and physiology. The text reviews injuries, emergencies, and working with special populations. For those preparing for the AEA Aquatic Fitness Professional Certification exam, you'll find a detailed glossary and index, along with review questions at the conclusion of each chapter, to help you study. Nowhere else will you find the fitness applications and comprehensive programming you need in one convenient resource. The Aquatic Fitness Professional Manual contains essential foundational information on the components of physical fitness, group fitness teaching techniques, and the AEA Standards and Guidelines. Expand your teaching and career opportunities by cultivating the critical skills for leading safe, enjoyable, and effective aquatic exercise programs.

The Definitive Guide to Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in Palm Beach "This is what divers want. A mapping style and key information presented in a way that really prepares you for each dive site. I expect this book will be the tool that dive shops give to their new divemasters to learn all of the top dive sites quickly." Ocean Frontiers #1 New Release in Scuba Travel Guides For Lonely Planet fans comes a unique and essential scuba, snorkel, and surf travel guide. A great Florida travel book. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of beaches, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and other dive spots are ideal for divers, snorkelers, kitesurfers and windsurfers. This guidebook will help you make the most of your time in the city and in the water. Detailed descriptions and map art. Reef Smart catalogues the beaches, surf spots, and dive and snorkel sites in Palm Beach. With the help of Reef Smart's unique 3D-mapping technology, learn all you need to know about the regions' top dive and snorkel sites. These maps provide useful information such as depths, currents, waves, suggested routes, potential hazards, unique structures and species information. Don't go diving without it. This indispensable resource will help you plan and execute dives without a hitch. Make sure to pack this guidebook with the rest of your scuba gear. This guidebook provides: The best locations for diving, snorkeling and surfing, and how to access them Detailed 3D maps, graphics and information to help you plan your time in and out of the water Species guide to help you identify and understand the marine creatures you'll encounter And much more! A unique and comprehensive SCUBA diving book. Also look for Reef Smart Guides Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach; Reef Smart Guides Barbados; and the best selling Reef Smart Guides Bonaire.

"Custom Swimwear" is the sixth title in Marie Porter's "Spandex Simplified" series, and is all about designing and creating flattering, comfortable, and durable swimwear. This sewing manual is written from the experience of not only a spandex designer, but a former "performance" athlete. Written in layman terms, "Custom Swimwear" features carefully explained, step-by-step instructions and more than 250 full colour photos and diagrams. Requiring only basic sewing knowledge to get started, beginner and advanced seamstresses alike can enjoy using this book... and produce spectacular results from it. Learn how to design swimsuits that flatter any body type and how to alter patterns for shape, size, and style. Learn the tips, tricks, and techniques to make many of the design elements that can be used to design and create almost any style of swimsuit imaginable

I spent my summers growing up at the Jersey Shore and many of those summers as an ocean lifeguard. As you can imagine, I am very comfortable in the ocean. During those summers, 13 children drowned after hours when the beaches were not guarded. I wanted to do something to help prevent this from happening again and that's when I came up with the idea to write a children's book with the hopes that parents would read the book to their children. My book would then educate the parents and children at the same time about water safety in the ocean. If this book saves one life, it's worth everything to me. Follow the Sands family on their vacation to the shore town of Seaside Delight. Little Sean and his sister, Summer, along with their parents will learn some important safety tips about swimming in the ocean while making some very special friends. Find out who their new friends are and what valuable lessons they learn on this vacation.

This is a true story. What is the ultimate price of success? In 1924, swimming superstar Hilda James was a dead cert for the British Team at the Paris Olympics. Her family had other ideas. This is the account of a World Champion who suddenly found that her ultimate challenge was to pull her life back together after her dream was cruelly shattered forever. Hilda wasn't about to bow down to anybody and broke away, finally achieving full emancipation. A social history of life in South Liverpool plus the story of Parkgate Baths on The Wirral provide the early background for this extraordinary book. The final chapters are set against the backdrop of life as a celebrity crewmember aboard Cunard's first purpose built cruise liner, Carinthia.

See how to achieve stronger starts, more explosive turns, and faster times "Swimming Anatomy" will show you how to improve your performance by increasing muscle strength and optimizing the efficiency of every stroke.

"Swimming Anatomy" includes 74 of the most effective swimming exercises, each with step-by-step descriptions and full-color anatomical illustrations highlighting the primary muscles in action.

"Swimming Anatomy" goes beyond exercises by placing you on the starting block, in the water, and into the throes of competition. Illustrations of the active muscles for starts, turns, and the four competitive strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke) show you how each exercise is fundamentally linked to swimming performance.

You'll also learn how exercises can be modified to target specific areas, improve your form in the water, and minimize common swimming injuries. Best of all, you'll learn how to put it all together to develop a training program based on your individual needs and goals.

Whether you are training for a 50-meter freestyle race or the open-water stage of a triathlon, "Swimming Anatomy" will ensure you enter the water prepared to achieve every performance goal.

How To Swim Faster will show you everything you need to know about swimming faster.

Once you have learnt how to swim, the next stage is how to swim faster. I will reveal the valuable secrets you must know to quickly achieve success.

Swimming lessons will give you the basics. This book will go further than your swimming lessons and give you the winning advantage.

Dive into this challenge and make the most of your effort. Don't miss your chance to discover the techniques used by professionals.

Swim faster. Train better. Win more often. Achieve your goals.

Topics covered in How To Swim Faster include:
- What speeds you should be aiming for
- Techniques to improve your individual strokes
- Overcoming drag to increase your speed
- How to increase propulsion
- A better catch and pull technique
- What should you do with your recoving hand
- How often should you include speedwork in your training for maximum results
- How to position yourself for a great dive to give you a lead from the start
- Outdoor swimming and open water swimming
- AND SO MUCH MORE

You've got an important decision to make. Do you want to discover how to swim faster?

Unlock your potential today by reading this incredible book.

The Swimming Triangle: A Holistic Approach to Competitive Swimming is a unique, innovative, and essential guide to achieving superior mental, technical, and physical fitness in one of the world's greatest sports. Whether you're a coach or a swimmer, former Olympic coach Nick Baker's wholly integrated approach can help you maximize your true potential. In this book Coach Baker offers proven, results- oriented methods for gaining-and keeping-a competitive edge, including: 75 winning mental concepts to use in training and competition 75 elite-level technical concepts A complete breakdown of all starts, strokes, turns, and finishes More than 100 stroke errors to avoid 100 progressive stroke drills 30 sample practices for novice-, junior-, and senior-level swimmers Intensive dry-land training circuits More than 100 strength and flexibility exercises

"Synchro Swimwear" is the first in Marie Porter's "Spandex Simplified" series, and is all about designing and creating spectacular and durable competitive synchronized swim costumes. This book is appropriate for beginner to advanced levels of sewing ability, and is written from both a designer, and former "performance" athlete's point of view. It will teach everything from the basics, to tricks of the trade. "Spandex Simplified: Synchro Swimwear" will prepare the reader to design and make almost any design of competitive synchro swim suit imaginable. Given the cost of decent competition suits, this manual will more than pay for itself with the savings from just one project The entire book is written completely in layman terms and carefully explained, step by step. Only basic sewing knowledge and talent is required. Learn everything from measuring, to easily creating ornate applique designs, to embellishing the finished suit in one book

'An important, inspiring book by someone that has encouraged million of people to experience the wonders and friendships of Britain's rivers, lakes and seas' ROBERT MACFARLANE 'A treasured guide for anyone who wants to venture into rivers, estuaries, lakes and seas for a dip, a moonlit swim or a great adventure. I loved this book!' LYNNE COX Capturing the freewheeling spirit, community and wisdom that defines The Outdoor Swimming Society movement, founder Kate Rew reveals everything you need to know to explore rivers, lakes, seas and estuaries. Sharing tales of her own inspiring swims, Kate explores the rich and varied life of outdoor swimmers, from the physiology of cold to planning lazy hazy downstream swims. An exquisite guide for beginners and enthusiasts alike, The Outdoor Swimmers' Handbook will lead you to the shore and become your trusted companion for the adventures ahead.

This is the second book in the series that contains 100 conditioning workouts that focus on building swimming capacity, with specific workouts for each of the competitive swimming strokes, and overall endurance. The workouts in this book use interval training, speed play, and stroke contrasting sets that total up to 3,500 yards/meters. Each workout is accompanied by a 'Tip of the Day' to help swimmers get the most benefit out of their conditioning routine through heart rate monitoring, stroke versatility and improved strength. Coach Blythe's Swim Workouts are appropriate for the self-coached swimmer and triathletes, as well as for coaches looking for workout content for the athletes they train. The presentation of the workouts in this book series is clear and comprehensive. Photos and diagrams are included to assist with training goals. Each book begins with a motivational introduction, and contains sections on planning an on-going swimming routine, and goal setting.

This is an exciting new diving guide covering dive sites in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Explore the wreck of the E39 submarine off Pembrokeshire or the stunning Cathedral Rock off St Abbs to the Unknown Coaster in Portland Harbour. In this title, 100 dives are described in detail from easy shore dives to more demanding boat dives. Dive locations are fully illustrated with specially commissioned maps and diagrams together with full colour photography throughout. All dives are above 18m and suitable for all levels of experience from novice to technical diver. The United Kingdom has some of the best diving available in Europe offering a mixture of scenic reef dives and spectacular wrecks. Wherever you are in the United Kingdom you are only a short distance away from one of these spectacular dives.

This is a complete guide to learning all of the basic strokes and perfecting techniques, for children and teens. Includes swimming terms and drills, how to perform each of the strokes, and learning how to lessen drag and improve your time.

The recorded history of the diving industry has been fundamentally corrupted over the past 150 years. The result is a complete misunderstanding of how it all began. Who invented the diving helmet? Refer to any encyclopaedia or history book and the answer you will find will almost certainly be wrong. The First Treasure Divers reveals the true and fascinating story. It blows away the myths and deliberate misinformation that have crept into the historical record. Thanks to the painstaking research the author has carried out over the past 25 years, the falsehoods are peeled away to unveil the true, definitive account. It follows the lives of two brothers as they struggle to turn their newly-invented diving helmet to advantage and how they wrestle with apathetic and even hostile authorities for recognition of their invention. It thunders through sunken treasure adventures to the heroism and horrors of the Crimean War. The impact of the invention of the diving helmet is immense. In the 180 years since the Deane brothers carried out the first ever commercial helmet dive off the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England, the diving business has expanded to a global industry with an annual turnover in excess of $3,000,000,000. From another point of view, the life-support technology developed in the diving industry provided the knowledge for keeping the pioneering, high altitude pilots alive, which in turn evolved into the life-support systems of the astronauts who walked on the moon.