The Fastest Age

Originally posted by swimr4life To be competitive, your start,turn and stroke have to be close to perfect. I am a sprinter and I work very hard at practice. We are all blessed with different abilities (sprint or distance), it doesn't mean that one is better than the other. I also think that good technique takes much less energy than bad technique. Watch an experienced swimmer with good technique versus a beginning swimmer who slaps and fights the water. Ultimately, that would be true. But if someone is starting with bad technique, or no prior knowledge, training with a good technique, and not reverting to something that avoids the use of the 'good technique' underdeveloped muscles is very hard work. After plenty of training and developing what I hear many coaches call "a good swimming base" I' sure taht swimming with good technique mecomes much easier than slapping water. In my case, I'm nowhere near there. Getting flat, dropping my elbows and neglecting to 6-beat kick takes a lot less energy that to pay attention to ll the little aspects of proper form. When I pay attention to it all, it saps my energy out in a few laps. But, I expect that just like - FINALLY - not crossing my arms became second nature, the other things will too... in due time. Sheesh, only took me several months to stop crossing and get used to high elbows on recovery. Now if I could just remember to keep high elbows under water... Man, there's a lazy muscle in there somewhere, cause as soon as i stop thinking about it, they drop. Well, gimmie a few more months, I'll get it eventually. Im sure after that something else will pop out. Sheesh, it never ends ;)

Originally posted by swimr4life To be competitive, your start,turn and stroke have to be close to perfect. I am a sprinter and I work very hard at practice. We are all blessed with different abilities (sprint or distance), it doesn't mean that one is better than the other. I also think that good technique takes much less energy than bad technique. Watch an experienced swimmer with good technique versus a beginning swimmer who slaps and fights the water. Ultimately, that would be true. But if someone is starting with bad technique, or no prior knowledge, training with a good technique, and not reverting to something that avoids the use of the 'good technique' underdeveloped muscles is very hard work. After plenty of training and developing what I hear many coaches call "a good swimming base" I' sure taht swimming with good technique mecomes much easier than slapping water. In my case, I'm nowhere near there. Getting flat, dropping my elbows and neglecting to 6-beat kick takes a lot less energy that to pay attention to ll the little aspects of proper form. When I pay attention to it all, it saps my energy out in a few laps. But, I expect that just like - FINALLY - not crossing my arms became second nature, the other things will too... in due time. Sheesh, only took me several months to stop crossing and get used to high elbows on recovery. Now if I could just remember to keep high elbows under water... Man, there's a lazy muscle in there somewhere, cause as soon as i stop thinking about it, they drop. Well, gimmie a few more months, I'll get it eventually. Im sure after that something else will pop out. Sheesh, it never ends ;)