On February 20, I'm hoping to go to my first swim meet......ever! :eek: I swam on the team when I was younger, but I never competed. I'm incredibly nervous already and I have no idea what to expect because I have never been to a meet before. I swam with my friend who is a coach, and I have what seems like a lot of work to do on my strokes. How realistic is it that I be ready by February? Obviously I won't be at the top of the field, but I'm hoping to at least not make a fool out of myself. But what I really want to know is what to expect. How do I train, and how do I taper? When do I start tapering? Do I even need to taper? Any good pre-meet workout ideas? Any thing that anyone can suggest would be helpful!!! Thanx a bunch!!
~Kyra
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Former Member
Hey Ky!
Since nobody responded to your question about backstroke starts (except for Guvnah saying he wasn't sure), I'll go ahead and add my two cents!
I've been doing backstroke since I was about 10 years old, and I've encountered every start block and wall imaginable. Personally, I tend to like using the poll wall/gutter more than I use the block starters. It all comes down to personal preference, but for me, I think that using the blocks means I have to keep most of my body out of the water, and it's harder, since most of my weight is now being held up by my arms, and it's tough to get a good quick start that way. I like using the gutters because it lets me balance out my start between my arms and feet, and I feel like I get more leverage that way.
Somebody mentioned on here the sprint lanes during warmups......I'd definitely use those. Try a couple backstroke starts, see which you're more comfortable with, and go for it. There's no rule saying you have to use the block starts.
Ooh, also, if you're going to do a backstroke event, MAKE SURE you do a couple of laps at race pace, and count the flags as you're going into the wall! There's nothing worse than coming into a wall blind and miscounting!
That's all from Pittsburgh for now!
Hey Ky!
Since nobody responded to your question about backstroke starts (except for Guvnah saying he wasn't sure), I'll go ahead and add my two cents!
I've been doing backstroke since I was about 10 years old, and I've encountered every start block and wall imaginable. Personally, I tend to like using the poll wall/gutter more than I use the block starters. It all comes down to personal preference, but for me, I think that using the blocks means I have to keep most of my body out of the water, and it's harder, since most of my weight is now being held up by my arms, and it's tough to get a good quick start that way. I like using the gutters because it lets me balance out my start between my arms and feet, and I feel like I get more leverage that way.
Somebody mentioned on here the sprint lanes during warmups......I'd definitely use those. Try a couple backstroke starts, see which you're more comfortable with, and go for it. There's no rule saying you have to use the block starts.
Ooh, also, if you're going to do a backstroke event, MAKE SURE you do a couple of laps at race pace, and count the flags as you're going into the wall! There's nothing worse than coming into a wall blind and miscounting!
That's all from Pittsburgh for now!
