Debating doing College Swimming... Never Swam Competitively
Former Member
Here is the low down guys. I am a Sophomore at a pretty average division 1 university. I am a member of the cross country and indoor/outdoor track teams so i have been competitively racing for almost 6 years. I have never swam on a team before but... I want to! I feel as if I've gone mad. I want to try in college!! Next year, not this year, I need to get my base up i know that. off of 2 swims a week (500yards) i swim 500 yards free in 7:48 as of yesterday (you dont need to tell me how slow that is I already know). I am not afraid of hard work, swimming 2+ hours a day I can do that. I want to try! can anyone tell me what I need to do to see if i can get to around 5 flat in the 500 yard free? or a fast 1000 time it doesn't matter, just good enough to walk on the team. the weird thing is, i think I am a better swimmer than I am a runner. the pool just seems to click for me. can anyone help me out? I am willing to swim every day from now till next swim season to make this dream a reality! ...ps i'm a guy if that matters
Parents
Former Member
Swimming isn't like running or cycling where a high volume of practice on your own will make you better. Unless you are are extremely naturally talented you really need a good coach to fix stroke flaws since so much of swimming speed is from technique not fitness.
The swimming specific flexibility mentioned by Jazz Hands is also pretty important. Collage swimmers often have shoulders as flexible as yoga instructors from the thousands of hours of swimming they have done. Runners also typically have really poor ankle flexibility which greatly reduces propulsion from kick. With effort though huge increases in flexibility are possible within a year.
It depends a lot on your collage and your natural talent but your goal isn't impossible.
Swimming isn't like running or cycling where a high volume of practice on your own will make you better. Unless you are are extremely naturally talented you really need a good coach to fix stroke flaws since so much of swimming speed is from technique not fitness.
The swimming specific flexibility mentioned by Jazz Hands is also pretty important. Collage swimmers often have shoulders as flexible as yoga instructors from the thousands of hours of swimming they have done. Runners also typically have really poor ankle flexibility which greatly reduces propulsion from kick. With effort though huge increases in flexibility are possible within a year.
It depends a lot on your collage and your natural talent but your goal isn't impossible.
