My name is Miriama and I am 33 years old, living in UK. As a kid and during my teenage years I was competitive swimmer in Slovakia. Since then I have stopped swimming, but I miss it so much.
Recently I have joined masters swimming club, .....I have been training with them for over two months and I love it, .....I can feel that I am getting stronger and faster each week ( I swim 5 times per week), as my son is back in school now I have time to go to gym (2 times a week) as well as have my swimming sessions.
My question is
- Is it possible with the right training to swim faster now (33 years old) then when I was 17 y.o.?????? My personal best are -
100m freestyle - 1:03
200m freestyle - 2:14
400m freestyle - 4:42
800m freestyle - 9:42 Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot in advance,
I'm **55** and I am close to my 18 year old time, but not quite there yet. I did not swim competitively between 18 and 53, although I did swim here and there for exercise, so I never lost the muscle memory. At 18, I did about 28.5 in a 50 meter free (admittedly a midling time, which is why I didn't bother in college). I recently did 26.3 in practice in a 50 yard free, which is about 29.2 in meters. Haven't gotten there in a meet yet, though.
Admittedly, I don't have the muscle tone I did then, but there are other factors that partially offset that:
1) I gave up pot, alcohol, and smoking...I used to sometimes get up for practice hung over and while I wasn't a regular smoker, I would smoke when I went to a bar. Giving all that up certainly helps. Not sure it is an issue for everyone...a little weed didn't seem to hurt Michael Phelps.
2) Strength training...I never lifted a weight back then.
3) Much better knowledge of nutrition for pre and post workout and on race day.
4) I swam for a club team back then...we started practicing on Memorial Day and stopped when the season ended in August. I did NO swimming in the off-season (others did, but I didn't). Now, I swim all year round.
5) I have asthma now which is being treated. I am pretty sure I had it then and it was undiagnosed and therefore untreated.
6) Getting some coaching on technique, some formal, and some just by hunting around on the internet. With the internet, you can find all kinds of tips on bettering your technique and on drills. Back then, unless the coach decided to say something, you were pretty much on your own.
I'm **55** and I am close to my 18 year old time, but not quite there yet. I did not swim competitively between 18 and 53, although I did swim here and there for exercise, so I never lost the muscle memory. At 18, I did about 28.5 in a 50 meter free (admittedly a midling time, which is why I didn't bother in college). I recently did 26.3 in practice in a 50 yard free, which is about 29.2 in meters. Haven't gotten there in a meet yet, though.
Admittedly, I don't have the muscle tone I did then, but there are other factors that partially offset that:
1) I gave up pot, alcohol, and smoking...I used to sometimes get up for practice hung over and while I wasn't a regular smoker, I would smoke when I went to a bar. Giving all that up certainly helps. Not sure it is an issue for everyone...a little weed didn't seem to hurt Michael Phelps.
2) Strength training...I never lifted a weight back then.
3) Much better knowledge of nutrition for pre and post workout and on race day.
4) I swam for a club team back then...we started practicing on Memorial Day and stopped when the season ended in August. I did NO swimming in the off-season (others did, but I didn't). Now, I swim all year round.
5) I have asthma now which is being treated. I am pretty sure I had it then and it was undiagnosed and therefore untreated.
6) Getting some coaching on technique, some formal, and some just by hunting around on the internet. With the internet, you can find all kinds of tips on bettering your technique and on drills. Back then, unless the coach decided to say something, you were pretty much on your own.
