So I have decided to join USMS at the ripe age of 35, after spending the past 12 years teaching myself to swim. I've never been able to be a part of an organized USMS team due to work schedule or being in the middle of po-dunk America with no teams nearby.
So with my recent move back from Korea, I now have a good opportunity to train with a team, a real coach, and get good at this.
My first observation is this: I suck. I mean I REALLY suck. Everything I thought I had been doing right for the last decade, the coach quickly pointed out everything I was doing wrong. Which is good of course, because I want to learn and do it right and get better. But this is going to be tough, I can tell.
My question to everyone is this: Am I unique in the age I join and try to be on an organized team? Is it worth my time and effort to do this?
Hello,
I just started swimming with a group late last year when I was 36. I was extremely terrible as well. Still am to be honest. When I first went back in the water, I would swim on my own at the gym. I went from resting every 25m to 200m. I took that as major progression. Boy was I wrong. I joined a masters team because I started getting bored/lonely. And from day 1, it was clear I was just simply terrible. But the coach was very encouraging, he told me to keep at it, and challenge myself. The only stroke I could do was freestyle, and I was doing everything wrong.
Now a year later, I've moved 2 lanes over. When a set has backstroke and breaststroke, I am usually asked to lead the lane. I can swim butterfly with fins. Flipturns! I've done a couple of swim meets since, and I can see my progression. I'm still considered to be in one of the slow lanes. And there's still a lot of mistakes I am making. But I look forward to going to swim with the team every morning, even if I barely had any sleep. It has improved my personal life as well. I am much happier when I do go swim with the team. So yes, extremely worth it.
Hello,
I just started swimming with a group late last year when I was 36. I was extremely terrible as well. Still am to be honest. When I first went back in the water, I would swim on my own at the gym. I went from resting every 25m to 200m. I took that as major progression. Boy was I wrong. I joined a masters team because I started getting bored/lonely. And from day 1, it was clear I was just simply terrible. But the coach was very encouraging, he told me to keep at it, and challenge myself. The only stroke I could do was freestyle, and I was doing everything wrong.
Now a year later, I've moved 2 lanes over. When a set has backstroke and breaststroke, I am usually asked to lead the lane. I can swim butterfly with fins. Flipturns! I've done a couple of swim meets since, and I can see my progression. I'm still considered to be in one of the slow lanes. And there's still a lot of mistakes I am making. But I look forward to going to swim with the team every morning, even if I barely had any sleep. It has improved my personal life as well. I am much happier when I do go swim with the team. So yes, extremely worth it.
