LOS ANGELES — The longer you stay underwater, kicking your feet, sculling your arms against all that heaviness and bright blue, the worse it gets. Legs cramp, fingers tingle and lungs burn as the brain screams for oxygen.
The trick is staying calm, accepting the pain.
Daniella Ramirez explains this in the simplest terms. Built small and thin, her dark hair tucked beneath a swim cap, she suggests pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth so you don't panic and gulp water. One of her teammates, Natalia Vega, says, "It might sound silly but relaxing your face helps."
