I'm a practicing Muslim and Ramadan is coming up very soon so that means I'm gonna be fasting. And due to time constraints I can only swim at one very tiny pool that must be less than 12.5 meters. The problem is that I've worked hard on getting my times low and the championship meet I want to compete at lies the day after Ramadan ends. So I can compete, but I don't just want to compete I want to win. I'm a freestyle sprinter and I focus on the 50 free and 100 free with a little bit of phases on breastroke. The question is can I do it? In such a tiny little pool, I'll probably train using USRPT but I'm not even sure if the pool is 12.5 meters.. What can I do? I just need advice, I've worked my butt off just to get to this moment and my religion is in the way
This comment concerns me. For me, my religion is a way of life, not something that gets in my way, ever. If you are more concerned about the swim meet than Ramadan, then you have your answer, right there.
Hear, hear!
I would recommend training at the crack of dawn, if your faith allows, because many of us swim before breakfast, and it doesn't affect my personal training at all.
I think this is good advice. If it were me, I'd eat a big meal after sundown and again immediately before dawn and then train in the early morning.
This comment concerns me. For me, my religion is a way of life, not something that gets in my way, ever. If you are more concerned about the swim meet than Ramadan, then you have your answer, right there. If I am not mistaken, you do get to eat during Ramadan, but only at night, right? So this is not a complete fast by any stretch - you will still have calories coming in during the evening. I would recommend training at the crack of dawn, if your faith allows, because many of us swim before breakfast, and it doesn't affect my personal training at all. If you are allowed to drink water after you train, all the better. They do say that racing is 90% mental, so perhaps doing USRPT for the month prior to your event could be considered your taper. You can carb load on the day of the meet. Best wishes on your conflicted interests.
I can't add to the practical advice, but I actually do get this sense of religion being in the way. And for me it has nothing to do with my religion not being part of my life. Of course it is. But I'm also human, and sometime, yes, a conflict can arise between what my religion requires and something I want to have or do. And that something might not even be a bad thing--nothing wrong, for instance, with the OP's wanting to do well in a swim meet!--but the requirements set forth by a particular religion can sometimes complicate things. And finding a way to deal with those complications isn't unreasonable and doesn't mean you don't care about the religion. Often you care deeply or it wouldn't matter. For instance, the OP could decide that it doesn't matter and he'll skip the fast, in which case he wouldn't even have an issue. But as both swimming and his faith are important parts of his life and he wants to find a way to negotiate the conflict, the issue arises. TooPro, can't offer advice, but I wish you success! BTW, remember to pray about your issue too, so you find peace with the contradictions.
I think these are personal choices only you can make. As far as training dry land excersise will fill in during the off pool time. are vitamins considered food for you?
Thanks for all the advise guys.
But sadly my beautiful grandmother passed away recently, and I'm not even sure if I'm gonna attend the championship meet now. I only got one practice last week, and only am gonna be able to get two this week. (And yes I did decide to skip fast on 2-3 days a week of training until championship and just make up the fasts later, and pray to God for forgiveness, but then this came up :()
The motivation I had is just gone.. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when it comes time for the meet. I may or may not go, If I do go I'm gonna get destroyed.. I guess there's always next year.
What kind of evidence do you want me to provide you? I don't like being called a liar when it's relating to the death of a really close family member..
I should have been more clear about my cynicism. My remark was not about the death of a relative but the initial comment
"I've worked my butt off just to get to this moment and my religion is in the way".
Certainly if you are very religious then giving up a swim meet because of a percieved conflict would seemingly be insignificant and predictable given the date of the meet, if not as religious then there would be no conflict. Either way asking advice from a general audience about a possible personal conflict is what I feel is not logical.
There is no malice intended, Sorry for passing of relative.
Call me cynical, but I don't believe this.
What kind of evidence do you want me to provide you? I don't like being called a liar when it's relating to the death of a really close family member..
