Im an Exercise PhysiologistHeres Why You Shouldnt Worry About Cortisol Spikes When You Do HIIT Workouts.
Elliptical vs Treadmill: Which Cardio Machine Is Right For You?
Does Rowing Count as Strength Training?
Heres What Experts Had to Say
Swimming pools are a hallmark of summer vacations, a piece of Americana.
At least, thats the case for many people.
Its a statistic that Paulana Lamonier, CEO and founder ofBlack People Will Swim, is striving to change.
Paulana Lamonier is the CEO and founder of Black People Will Swim, a company that teaches Black people and people of color how to swim.
It started with a simpletweeton July 6, 2019.
And that tweet went viral, she says.
From there, people from LA, Atlanta, and Florida were saying: I need lessons.
Well+Good: In a previous interview, you said swimming is an act of resistance.
Why do you believe thats true?
How did this myth that Black people cant swim become so pervasive?
When you say something long enough, it becomes somebodys truth.
And thats why we want to smash that stereotype and shut that false narrative down altogether.
This is a life skill that youve been telling people they cant do.
Paulana Lamonier is the CEO and founder of Black People Will Swim, a company that teaches Black people and people of color how to swim.
Black People Will Swim is encouraging people to share stories about how they learned to swim.
What is your swim story?
I learned how to swim through a Saturday swim program in my neighborhood in Uniondale, in Long Island.
Its a nice melting pot.
Does Dancing Count as Cardio?
Heres What Experts Say
Glute Bridge vs Hip Thrust: Which Is The Better Booty Booster?
Im a Master TrainerHeres Why You Shouldnt Skip Your Post-Run Stretches.
When did you fall in love with swimming?
When I first relearned how to swim, I was doing it to lose weight.
One day we had to do a [longer distance] relay event, and I was cruising.
And when I got out of the pool, I felt like this is my event.
It felt so good as a plus-size athlete to find an event that I can excel in.
Thats when I learned long-distance swimming was my niche.
Thats when I knew this was my life.
I wasnt competing against other people, I was really doing what felt right for me.
What does that plan look like now?
Were still in the process of pivoting.
Were also pivoting into storytelling with a campaign called #MySwimStory.
Were doing a deep dive into the stories of Black people and their relationships with water.
We have stories from competitive swimmers to people conquering their fears.
Tell us more about F.A.C.E.
and how it helps swimmers face their fears
With F.A.C.E., were encouraging people to face their fears.
F is for fun.
We have a good time in my swim classes.
A is for awareness.
Its a big disparity.
We want to emphasize this is not a luxury.
Its a real problem.
C is for community.
Similar to general exercising, our hair is often used as an excuse not to swim.
How do you personally care for your hair while swimming?
For me, I plan my hair days out.
Either I have braids if I know Im going to swim this week.
And before I go swimming, I wet my hair because our hair is a sponge.
Its important to wet your hair before you go into the chlorine so the chlorine wont stick.
Look up protective hairstyles, such as box braids, Senegalese twists, and cornrows.
Its important to find styles that will protect your hair.
…
Got it, you’ve been added to our email list.
