The Fastest Age

Originally posted by Ion Beza Maybe not. Just do it. Then talk about it. My bet is that you will never do 29 or better. And an Anthony Ervin starting to swim like you at age 34 will have exactly the same obstacles that you just posted that you have, for never doing 29 or better. My coach disagrees with you very much. And he knows a lot more about swimming in general, and my swimming in particular than your your little lame attempt to discourage. He thinks that I can go just about as far as my best friend, who made all american this year, within few years of training. And that I can definately qualify for the LCM '05 nationals. And, unlike you, I listen to my coach, and he's been right on every account so far, when it comes to my performance. The guy knows what he's doing.

Ion - you keep up the workouts, buddy. You are only 2.5 seconds away from qualifying times for the 50 in Indy and 4 seconds for the 100. I know you are ashamed to go as a non qualifier but there is no shame in being in lane 8 for these events, heat 97. And, yes Ion, my late blooming friend, who doesn't use that as an excuse, schools you in the water. He also has a life and a family. Connie - don't stoop to his level, you are a good swimmer, regardless of age and sex.

Originally posted by kaelonj ...yet you will compare yourself to a female swimmer and brag about how you can beat them (whatever lifts your ego). You also belittle swimmers because you can beat them in a 1000 free, but they can beat you in say 100 free or breastroke... ... I compared to geek too, who is a man in the 35 to 39 age group, didn't I? The 1,000 free is how much you train and get cardiovascular. The 50 free and the 100 free is more for the swimmer who doesn't train, relies on age-group cardio that I never did, and is not much more of a hero than when racing a 25 yards.

Originally posted by Glenn ... ...more of a "catch up" style stroke. Catch up style stroke is a no for the 1500 meters free world record holder Grant Hackett (Aus.) and many more. See how rampant are the cliches in the USMS culture? Here is the Total Immersion's rampant 'merit' of the catch up stroke. I re-cycle what I debunked about the 'merit' of the catch up stroke, when eight months ago I posted in this forum a quote from 'Swimming Technique' of April/June 2003 in page 16, 'Overlapping and Rotary Strokes' by Cecil Colwin: "...The other style shown here has been called the rotary stroke because the arms rotate continuously at almost the same speed. The rotary action is the main feature of the stroke and it was brought to a high point of development by Alex Popov, the all-time maestro of freestyle technique... ... ...as in Thorpe's classic race with Grant Hackett in the 800 meter freestyle in Fukuoka 2001, both swimmers used a rotary stroke...". Note: that race produced the two fastest 800 meter free times in history.

Ion, I'm fairly new to this forum and I'm not liking you to much. You act like your the only one who can swim out there. As for Connie "you go girl" keep up the great work. I wish I had the time and the coaching to improve as much as you have.

Originally posted by Conniekat8 My coach disagrees with you very much. ... And, unlike you, I listen to my coach, and he's been right on every account so far, when it comes to my performance. ... Maybe is what you think that you understand from me and from your coach that gives you the illusion that your coach disagrees with me very much. Unlike you, I listen to my coach and I am way faster than you.

Originally posted by aquageek Connie - don't listen to old grouches like Ion. Good for you, keep it up. I swim with a guy who started in his 20s, yet doesn't use it like a crutch like Beza, who goes sub 30 in every meet. Ion is just bitter because he can't swim a 100 SCY very fast, despite his 30K yards a week. We're not all like Ion. Good luck to you and keep up the hard work. You have a lot to be proud of. Yeah. His claim about not being able to do is pretty much baseless. I'm already faster than several people on my team that have started in the same physical condition as me, at the same time. The only thing is, the other ones did swim as kids. I just tied one of them in a 50 yard sprint, and she was rather upset that someone so 'green' caught her. Besides, the coaching I'm getting is just awesome! One of the things I never look for is the excuses as to why I can't do something, but ways to do it, and get around the obstacles. VOmax is not the only factor in swimming. I bet with a good technique you can go a lot faster with a certain level VO max then with poor technique. Unlike Ion, I have really really good flipturns and streamlines. I wonder what Ion's stroke count is on 25 yards.... Mine is around 22-23 in a sprint, 17-18 in a 500 yard swim pace, and down to 13-14 in drills. Within 7-8 months of starting. Being that Ion goes by the beat of his own drummer, perhaps he is lacking the rythm that a good swimmer needs to have. Thos things tend to carry in all facets of our lives, not just people interactions. I wonder if the inablilty to switch from swim to a good turn, back to the swim without difficulty indicates lack of rythm. Maybe he's at odds with water, just like he's at odds with so many people. Just an impression I get.

Originally posted by knelson Obviously there's some truth to that statement, but that's not the facet of the American population you're addressing in this forum. Let me see how that applies to this forum: .) "I haven't been in the water since November." .) "Once I get in shape, I will be swimming with you." .) "I have to work, blah, blah..." ( who doesn't?) .) "Swimming is technique." .) "Swimming fast is all mental." .) not training. .) not listening like I do to the coaches that I entrust. .) "I will be racing in ." then when the date comes the bragger doesn't step up on the block to show the courage of being a good or bad swimmer. .) etc..

Originally posted by SWinkleblech Ion, I'm fairly new to this forum and I'm not liking you to much. You act like your the only one who can swim out there. ... You know what I don't like about you? "...You act like your the only..." is spelled "...You act like you're (or you are) the only..." This is a lesson from the foreigner that I am and who makes the effort to speak four languages, two of them more proficient than your native language.

Originally posted by aquageek ... Ion - hundreds of other racers will be in Indy with you, all hard workers, all taking a risk. ... I know that. But I don't know where are thousands like you. And in your case, who talk about swimming but don't do it.