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
Parents
Former Member
I just wanted to add this in about the back starts... starting from the wall instead of the block is fine... I had to do that in college once my shoulder started to bug me a lot. Stagger your feet like the previous post mentioned. I have done that since high school ever since I slipped on my start at state (having both feet together)... You'll enter the water faster w/ the track start anyways...
I don't think anyone mentioned this, though....
Once your hands leave the gutter/block, throw your arms out to the side and then continue to swing them around up to your head into streamline (think of a graceful swan dive). A lot of people automatically throw their arms straight back up to their head, but that slams you down into the water. If you were looking down on yourself in the pool, imagine your hands drawing a line off the start, they would almost make a circle once they get back around to your head. When you swing your arms out to the side, you will have more time to arch your back and enter the water cleanly.... I hope that made sense.
OH yes, I remember the out of water start in HS... I got to do those my senior year... THOSE ROCKED!!!!
I just wanted to add this in about the back starts... starting from the wall instead of the block is fine... I had to do that in college once my shoulder started to bug me a lot. Stagger your feet like the previous post mentioned. I have done that since high school ever since I slipped on my start at state (having both feet together)... You'll enter the water faster w/ the track start anyways...
I don't think anyone mentioned this, though....
Once your hands leave the gutter/block, throw your arms out to the side and then continue to swing them around up to your head into streamline (think of a graceful swan dive). A lot of people automatically throw their arms straight back up to their head, but that slams you down into the water. If you were looking down on yourself in the pool, imagine your hands drawing a line off the start, they would almost make a circle once they get back around to your head. When you swing your arms out to the side, you will have more time to arch your back and enter the water cleanly.... I hope that made sense.
OH yes, I remember the out of water start in HS... I got to do those my senior year... THOSE ROCKED!!!!
