Are Triathletes worth the dues they pay toward Masters Swimming?
I say we force all Triathletes to spend one day a week in the sprint lane, one day a week doing stroke (i.e. IM) work, and then make them focus on their starts and turns.
This invasion needs to be controlled.... :-)
John Smith
:)
This thread makes me wonder....being almost 48,two years ago, never having had a swim lesson in my life, weighing 310 pounds (6'1") I start swimming with my local Masters club. Now 50 pounds later, I dont do flip turns, fly, or back, and my breaststroke kick is probably illegal 10% of the time. I am slow (1:30 100 free) have since swam two-one mile open waters (32 minutes) swam in three different meets, and swim 2900 yards 5 days a week and love the sport. Never thought of myself as a problem for others in the pool....but I am exactly what you all are complaining about. Should I stop going to Masters practice? I guess I will drop my Masters membership, dont need it for the health club. Leave the Masters swimming to the experts. Although no one on our club has complained to me yet. Hate being an obstacle in the way.
I get where you're coming from. These forums do seem to contain an element of elitism that could easily feel like hostility to those who are not gifted with a history of childhood competitive swimming.
I've seen a lot of suggestions to get coaching in masters groups, but in reality a bit of on deck coaching between sets isn't always sufficient to teach an adult a new stroke or unfamiliar skill. I've had to resort to private lessons, and it's been very difficult finding decent instruction. :dunno:
Don't know where that came from but as long as you are having fun and fitting in with your team, why would you quit? The majority of USMS members don't compete and most are in it for fitness only.
Many of the posters on this DF are well intentioned and helpful, but there are some who think this is their very own space for venting and/or gossiping. And do it with astounding frequency.
I think I know who you're talking about.
This thread makes me wonder....being almost 48,two years ago, never having had a swim lesson in my life, weighing 310 pounds (6'1") I start swimming with my local Masters club. Now 50 pounds later, I dont do flip turns, fly, or back, and my breaststroke kick is probably illegal 10% of the time. I am slow (1:30 100 free) have since swam two-one mile open waters (32 minutes) swam in three different meets, and swim 2900 yards 5 days a week and love the sport. Never thought of myself as a problem for others in the pool....but I am exactly what you all are complaining about. Should I stop going to Masters practice? I guess I will drop my Masters membership, dont need it for the health club. Leave the Masters swimming to the experts. Although no one on our club has complained to me yet. Hate being an obstacle in the way.
And do it with astounding frequency. Please adjust your personal (spam, junk, drivel, spew, dreck) filters accordingly before reading any threads and you will be pleasantly surprised.
How very tolerant of you.
Getting back to the original thread, I have to add that in the pool ALL are swimmers, whether we get out and go to work or for a bike ride afterwards. If someone wants to work on their swimming and happen to also race biking and running I say come on in the water's fine. Also I really don't care if they do all freestyle while I swim the practice the coach designed for me, if everyone is paying for the coach on deck then they don't swim the specially designed practice, I really don't care. So long as they aren't interfering with my practice. It is probably frustrating for the on-deck coach to have people doing their own thing while he or she has a particular goal in mind for the day. It would be up to the coach to modify the "Go your own way" behavior.
