I love quotes and I thought it'd be cool if everyone posted their favorites whether or not they are related to swimming, motivational, inspirational, funny, etc.
"It is better to have swum and lost that it is to have ever been a cheerleader."
"The view from the summit is worth the effort."
"Success is found in our daily routine."
"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body but rather to skid in sideways totally worn out shouting, "Holy Sh*T what a ride!"
There are many others I will post when my eyes are more than 1/2 open...
Former Member
This isn't swimming related but I like it:
Arguing with a waitress is like wrestling a pig in mud. Pretty soon you figure out the pig enjoys it.
(its posted on the counter at the local Pig Stand #9)
Former Member
"Uncomfortable" will not kill you.
Former Member
Coming from a running background, here are some of my favorite quotes. Many are applicable for swimming.
"Apres moi, le deluge." Roger Bannister after running the first sub-4 minute mile.
"I will not last forever. But I am damn well going to know I have been here." George Sheehan.
"You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone." Percy Cerutty.
"Training is principally an act of faith. The athlete must believe in its efficacy; he must believe that through training he will become fitter and stronger; that by constant repitition of the same movements he will become more skillfull and his muscles more relaxed...He must be a fanatic for hard work and enthusiastic enough to enjoy it." Franz Stampfl.
"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." Juma Ikangaa
"God has given me the ability. The rest is up to me. Believe. Believe. Believe." Billy Mills.
"Men, today we die a little." Emil Zatopek at the start of the Olympic Marathon.
"Finland has produced so many brilliant distance runners because back home it costs $2.50 for a gallon of gas." Esa Tikkannen (quote from 1979).
"If you start to feel good during an ultra, don't worry - you'll get over it." Gene Thibeault.
Former Member
"Only mediocre people are at the best all the time."
Sommerset Maughm
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits." Albert Einstein
Former Member
We always knew we were in for it when our coach came into workout quoting Robert Frost.
My apologies to Mr. Frost.
"The water is lovely dark and deep. But we have promises to keep and miles to swim before we sleep. Miles to swim before we sleep."
All swimmers pretty much take the road less travelled. IMO
"Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the one less travelled by and it has made all the difference."
Former Member
Originally posted by swimshark
But if you practice something the wrong way over and over, then when and how will you learn to do it correctly? If you practice it perfectly, then there is nothing to correct, you can work on endurance and speed.
But how do you get to perfect to begin with then? It's a catch 22. If you don't have it, you don't have it. You have to find a way from A to B. This is where stroke clinics and coaches come in.
Former Member
Yeah, those aren't good things to hear from a coach at the beginning of a practice... also heard at the beginning or practice...
"We're going to step it up to the next level."
Heard after two insanely hard sets where we all thought our arms and legs were gonna fall off ... "That was phase one."
"How many phases are there?" "Four." "Great."
And similarly after you've swum a couple hard sets, "well, now that you are warmed-up"
Or a coach handed this saying to me once before practice. "When I'm tired and my workout is done, I envision my opponent doing one more, so I do one more. Then I envision my opponent similing packing her bag and going home. Then I do one more."
Another quote I actually love is from a league of their own when Gena Davis' charactor is leaving at the end and Tom Hanks asks her why and she says, "It just got too hard." and Tom Hanks replies, "It's suppose to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great."
Former Member
I tell my students this all the time, "practice makes perfect". You can not become perfect until you practice it. You learn from your mistakes and with that you can get better.
Former Member
More non-swimming quotes, but they are good and from a great movie! (Shawshank Redemption)
"Sometimes it makes me sad, though, Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are just too bright... and when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice... but still, the place you live is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend."
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies."
Originally posted by SwiminONandON
Or a coach handed this saying to me once before practice. "When I'm tired and my workout is done, I envision my opponent doing one more, so I do one more. Then I envision my opponent similing packing her bag and going home. Then I do one more."
That's strange. I envision my opponent visiting a sports doctor, ill with the flu and icing bad shoulders, because they forgot that quality rest is as important as quality work. ;)
