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!! :)
Prepare for your ass to be kicked. You did ask for it. The answer to your question is simple. Medals. Why swim 200 freestyle where 1 medal is up for grabs? Add the 200 fly, 200 back, 200 ***, and 200 IM you now have 4 more medals up for grabs for a total of 5. It also makes for longer swim meets where we get better opportunities for socializing and stay away from home.
Yeah, you have a good point. There were no medals or ribbons in the last meet we both swim at each year; however, it counts for our Grand Prix series. I'm sure she is after that trophy at the end of the year.
I can relate; been there, done that! When I swam at Nationals in Mission Viejo (2013), I really wanted to win a medal, because they were so cool! It was the best design EVER: A palm tree on one side, and a surfboard on the other, with water in between. Being a Long Beach native myself, I just had to win one of those medals. I ended up with two, and they are displayed in my home office.:D
Evidently, this lady is willing to swim the scariest looking vertical fly EVER (with all of her long hair hanging in her face) just to (possibly) win that trophy at the end of the year.
Having said that, one of the Forum moderators knows exactly who I am talking about, and I'm guessing he will either:
A.) Warn me not to say another word about her. :censor:
or
B.) He is sitting there laughing, because he can visualize exactly what I'm describing above! :lmao:
Prepare for your ass to be kicked. You did ask for it. The answer to your question is simple. Medals. Why swim 200 freestyle where 1 medal is up for grabs? Add the 200 fly, 200 back, 200 ***, and 200 IM you now have 4 more medals up for grabs for a total of 5. It also makes for longer swim meets where we get better opportunities for socializing and stay away from home.
Yeah, you have a good point. There were no medals or ribbons in the last meet we both swim at each year; however, it counts for our Grand Prix series. I'm sure she is after that trophy at the end of the year.
I can relate; been there, done that! When I swam at Nationals in Mission Viejo (2013), I really wanted to win a medal, because they were so cool! It was the best design EVER: A palm tree on one side, and a surfboard on the other, with water in between. Being a Long Beach native myself, I just had to win one of those medals. I ended up with two, and they are displayed in my home office.:D
Evidently, this lady is willing to swim the scariest looking vertical fly EVER (with all of her long hair hanging in her face) just to (possibly) win that trophy at the end of the year.
Having said that, one of the Forum moderators knows exactly who I am talking about, and I'm guessing he will either:
A.) Warn me not to say another word about her. :censor:
or
B.) He is sitting there laughing, because he can visualize exactly what I'm describing above! :lmao:
