Lots of folks on this board are pretty experienced competitive swimmers (and you're awesome), but I'm wondering how many of us are in it just for fun/fitness. Is Masters really about competition, or is there room for the fitness swimmer, too?
Of course, I'm looking to get better, improve my stroke and kick and get a little faster. But only because it ups the fitness quotient. I didn't get into swimming to compete, but because my hereditary arthritis started kicking in and I figured it was a safe, effective way to exercise and drop those pounds my doctor's been hounding me about.
Who out there is a non-competitor, how many times a week to you swim, and do you count laps, time, or just do whatever feels good?
Denise,
Swimming is what you make it.
If you want to swim for fitness then do it. If you want to compete then do that. One team that I workout with has only three members who enter swim meets once in a while out of a total of 42 team members. One team member only does Nationals and not regular swim meets. Others only do open water swimming.
There is one city not too far from where I live which once per year puts on a Community Swim Meet. Not sanctioned by USMS or USAS. Just get in swim, do you best and receive a ribbon if, in your age group you place 1-3. In this swim meet that I received my first ribbon for swimming. I was excited. On the other hand some USMS put me down for participating in this event. I say hooey to those persons who told me that.
I too started swimming later in life (5 years ago). I kept it up. Worked off some extra poundage and stay fit. You can do the same.
Denise,
Swimming is what you make it.
If you want to swim for fitness then do it. If you want to compete then do that. One team that I workout with has only three members who enter swim meets once in a while out of a total of 42 team members. One team member only does Nationals and not regular swim meets. Others only do open water swimming.
There is one city not too far from where I live which once per year puts on a Community Swim Meet. Not sanctioned by USMS or USAS. Just get in swim, do you best and receive a ribbon if, in your age group you place 1-3. In this swim meet that I received my first ribbon for swimming. I was excited. On the other hand some USMS put me down for participating in this event. I say hooey to those persons who told me that.
I too started swimming later in life (5 years ago). I kept it up. Worked off some extra poundage and stay fit. You can do the same.
