Shallow Water Blackout

14-Year-Old Illinois Swimmer Dies In Pre-Season ‘Conditioning’ Session

14-year-old swimmer Julian Urbina died after being pulled from the pool unconscious during a Thornton Fractional South High School practice in Illinois last Wednesday, November 14th.

  26 Comments

Shallow Water Blackout Shows No Age Bias

Although shallow water blackout, or loss of consciousness due to prolonged breath holding in a pool or shallow body of water, is typically associated with young children and age group swimmers, the unfortunate scenario can happen to anyone of any age.

  Comment First!

Bystander CPR Saves Young Swimmer from Shallow Water Blackout

Following a near drowning at a middle school pool in Edgewood, Maryland last Friday the actions of a coach, parent,…

  Comment First!

Shallow Water Blackout: One Man’s Second Chance At Life

If you are not familiar with Shallow Water Blackout (SWB), it is essentially when a person “faints” while doing hypoxic swim training, free diving or playing breath holding games in the water.

  5 Comments

Teenager Rescued from Shallow Water Blackout at Swim Practice in SF Bay Area

A 17-year-old was rescued at swim practice after nearly drowning from shallow water blackout.

  1 Comment

Shallow Water Blackout – Do You Know What It Is? You Should.

Shallow Water Blackout is caused primarily by Hypoxic Training – rigorous hyperventilating and breath holding prior to submerging underwater. When the normal level of carbon dioxide in the blood stream is exceeded, which happens every few seconds, the brain receives a signal that it is time to breathe.

  Comment First!

National Shallow Water Blackout Prevention Day is officially May 31st

This announcement is courtesy of VASA, a SwimSwam partner.  This letter to the swimming community is from  Rhonda Milner, M.D., Founder…

  Comment First!

Is Hypoxic Training Good, Bad or The Wrong Terminology?

You may have heard swim coaches use the term Hypoxic Training and wondered exactly what it meant. The literal definition means to swim with fewer breaths per length and so limit the supply of oxygen to your body.

  11 Comments

Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman Host Shallow Water Blackout Prevention PSA

Phelps’ career-long coach Bob Bowman does the heavy lift in this PSA, but Phelps is the backdrop, swimming with his North Baltimore Aquatic Club teammates, and Phelps weighs-in at the end with a strong message.

  5 Comments

Shallow Water Blackout: The Quiet Killer – Prevention

Courtesy of Julia Galan and VASA, a SwimSwam partner. This article is the final piece in our three-part series on…

  Comment First!

Shallow Water Blackout: The Quiet Killer – The Facts

In most swimming pool or non-diving situations when the victim’s medical history is irrelevant, blackouts occur due to prior hyperventilation, followed immediately by rapid, repetitive breath-holding.

  3 Comments

Shallow Water Blackout: An Interview with Vasa’s Rob Sleamaker

Rob Sleamaker is known in the swimming community as the founder of Vasa, Inc., the company behind the Vasa Trainer and Vasa Swim Erg, widely used around the world. Recently, Rob has been on a mission that has less to do with innovative swim training and more to do with saving lives.

  2 Comments

Don’t Risk Shallow Water Blackout: Swim Smart and Safe with the Cardio Cap

Using the Cardio Cap takes the guessing game out of hypoxic training. The Cardio Cap allows for intensified hypoxic training by restricting air flow at a safer, more regulated level.

  Comment First!