60 percent of a routine is spent underwater. U.S. team members practice 6-8 hours a day, six days a week. During a competition, swimmers aren't allowed to touch the bottom of the pool. The U.S. Synchronized Swimming team won the Gold in 1996 Olympics. Duet routines will be a part of the Olympics in 2000.
Synchronized Swimmers can boost themselves out of the water by doing an eggbeater kick.
Synchronized Swimmers wear nose clips to prevent getting water up their nose when in a vertical position. Synchronized Swimmers listen to the music through underwater speakers, and counts are sometimes shouted out loud. Synchronized swimmers can hear the music underwater via underwater speakers. Synchronized swimmers do not touch the bottom of the pool during routines. They create the illusion that they are with sculling and the eggbeater kick.