Hi,
I didn't learn to really swim until about 5 years ago, I'm middle aged. I have since become handicapped (mildly in the legs but enough to qualify). Since I participated in some of the meets, the below is what I've improved on from Feb/March to October times in SCY.
My regular times are still slow from what people swim/post here, even with the improvements. I can also do things this year I never thought I could (400 IM, 100/200 fly, 100/200 ***, 500 free, etc.). I've only done them once or twice (400 IM I had a 10 second difference in times in a month) so I've no way to know if I'm improving or not.
The question is: does any one know people who learned to swim as adults and what times they can expect? Or handicapped people? Should I be ok with just getting time improvements, as I don't think I can expect what others to swam as kids do? Should I be happy with the ability to do some of these (learning and doing a 100/200 fly, 400 IM at my age), and doing it legally in a meet, and just leave it at that?
Thanks,
Vic
50 free: 5/6 seconds
100 free: 10 seconds
200 free: 15 seconds
50 back: 5 seconds
100 back: 17 seconds
200 back: 40 seconds
50 ***: 20 seconds
50 fly: 6 seconds
100 fly: 5 seconds
100 IM: 15 seconds
200 IM: 30 seconds
Well, as for disabilities, min's more psychological and mental, I have Asperger and poor visual perception skills. I can see but some problems interpreting visual information in my brain. People with Asperger tend to be poor at sports because of poor motor skills. I was not but noticed that when I swam as a kid I had some timing issues. Also, I'm flat footed which means I have less flexibility in my feet for Backstroke and Freestyle which were my worst strokes as a kid. As a adult breaststroke is my best stoke and as a kid Breaststroke and Butterfly were my best strokes but I have put on lots of weight and I'm in less shape, so butterfly is not as good as a kid. In my mid 40's when I return to swimming, I swam 50 yard fly about 8 to 10 seconds slower than when I was 18 or 19 years old at my peak. I swam 50 yard breaststroke about 5 to 6 seconds slower. The 100 meter Breaststroke was 13 seconds slower. Different swimmers will swim differently as adults depending on how much yardage they can do or if they gain a lot of weight and so forth.
Well, as for disabilities, min's more psychological and mental, I have Asperger and poor visual perception skills. I can see but some problems interpreting visual information in my brain. People with Asperger tend to be poor at sports because of poor motor skills. I was not but noticed that when I swam as a kid I had some timing issues. Also, I'm flat footed which means I have less flexibility in my feet for Backstroke and Freestyle which were my worst strokes as a kid. As a adult breaststroke is my best stoke and as a kid Breaststroke and Butterfly were my best strokes but I have put on lots of weight and I'm in less shape, so butterfly is not as good as a kid. In my mid 40's when I return to swimming, I swam 50 yard fly about 8 to 10 seconds slower than when I was 18 or 19 years old at my peak. I swam 50 yard breaststroke about 5 to 6 seconds slower. The 100 meter Breaststroke was 13 seconds slower. Different swimmers will swim differently as adults depending on how much yardage they can do or if they gain a lot of weight and so forth.
