Freestyle Snobs?

Former Member
Former Member
Am I alone in pursuing freestyle only? I never understood/appreciated anything other than "swim as fast as you can from A to B". I was a long time hard-core runner, and the different swimstrokes seems to me to be akin to running backwards or sideways. (Or....heaven forbid......Racewalking!!) Why shouldn't swimming follow the same path as running? Ie No stroke rules. Just go from A to B in the water anyway you wish? As fast as you can. School me! Kick my ass! In my newbieness I cannot understand anything other than "A to B in the water as fast as you can." Why do we have these 4 different strokes? It seems like a beauty contest. (I expect to be crucified for such blasphemy.) Educate me, USMS people. Help me understand why you would want to find a way to swim slower!! :)
Parents
  • For our much slower long distance swimmers at our local meets, they will start in an outside lane in heat one.. The heat 2 will start before they finish, maybe heat 3. Yep--that's how they've handled this swimmer too. It's a bit startling at first--when they start a heat with someone still swimming, but everyone realizes the time saved. :-)
Reply
  • For our much slower long distance swimmers at our local meets, they will start in an outside lane in heat one.. The heat 2 will start before they finish, maybe heat 3. Yep--that's how they've handled this swimmer too. It's a bit startling at first--when they start a heat with someone still swimming, but everyone realizes the time saved. :-)
Children
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