Hi! I'm new to swimming as far as proper stroke technique goes. Learned how to swim as a kid, though.
I'm currently taking the Stroke Introduction (Stage 4) class at the local YMCA. Figured it would be good to start with the basics and build up with a solid foundation from there. There are still two other class levels after Stage 4. Should I wait until I've maxed out of all YMCA offered levels before looking at joining the local Masters program?
So I got my answer to my question of when you should think about joining Masters. Showed up midway through the Masters practice just to watch to see what levels of people they seem to have. Nobody remotely close to my level! Watched the end of their practice from the luxury of the hot tub. Anyhow, one of the members came over after, he's also an instructor at the Y. He suggested I aim for being able to do 1000 yds. (10 sets of 100 yds. would be fine). So anyhow, it's going to be some time until I get there. So until then, I'll just keep doing the Y lessons and practicing solo. Maybe I can make a friend in a lesson to practice with.
Stayed and practiced in the rec pool as the lap pool was BUSY and I'm slow and take frequent breaks and didn't want to hold up what I call the "real" swimmers. OMG the rec pool is like a bath tub; it was so warm and gross. But I practiced all 4 strokes in that bath tub of human soup. Swam 4 lengths of the rec pool freestyle (not sure if it's 25 yds. like the lap pool?). Managed 1 full length of awful butterfly. As it turns out the lap pool is yards, not meters. Got in 50 yds. of breaststroke in the lap pool before I gave up my lane to a better swimmer and moved to the rec pool.
So all in all a good night and informational. I hope you all don't mind if I still ask questions from time to time, even though I won't be joining Masters anytime soon.
So I got my answer to my question of when you should think about joining Masters. Showed up midway through the Masters practice just to watch to see what levels of people they seem to have. Nobody remotely close to my level! Watched the end of their practice from the luxury of the hot tub. Anyhow, one of the members came over after, he's also an instructor at the Y. He suggested I aim for being able to do 1000 yds. (10 sets of 100 yds. would be fine). So anyhow, it's going to be some time until I get there. So until then, I'll just keep doing the Y lessons and practicing solo. Maybe I can make a friend in a lesson to practice with.
Stayed and practiced in the rec pool as the lap pool was BUSY and I'm slow and take frequent breaks and didn't want to hold up what I call the "real" swimmers. OMG the rec pool is like a bath tub; it was so warm and gross. But I practiced all 4 strokes in that bath tub of human soup. Swam 4 lengths of the rec pool freestyle (not sure if it's 25 yds. like the lap pool?). Managed 1 full length of awful butterfly. As it turns out the lap pool is yards, not meters. Got in 50 yds. of breaststroke in the lap pool before I gave up my lane to a better swimmer and moved to the rec pool.
So all in all a good night and informational. I hope you all don't mind if I still ask questions from time to time, even though I won't be joining Masters anytime soon.
