Hi everyone...
Tonight is my very first masters swim practice and I'm really quite nervous.
While I've been a competitive swimmer since the age of 5, swam on a US team, competed in both long course and short course US Nationals, and then went and swam in college.....I'm a nervous wreck about tonight's practice. Although I have more than enough swimming experience, I'm terrified that I won't fit in with the master's team.
I've been "out of the water" for 6 years now and I'm very out of shape and I've gained a considerable amount of weight. I can't believe that I've allowed myself to get like this, but it obviously didn't happen over night. So I've been doing cardio and weights at the gym to get myself back in shape but it doesn't seem to be working very well. I realized how much I miss swimming and that I'd like to get back into the sport and thats how I got interested in masters swimming. I'm excited to swim for me...not for the coaches, not for my parents. I'm looking forward to ENJOYING swimming, rather than dreading practices and having kick boards thrown at me if I have to stop during a set. I'm excited to meet people and have fun.....but I'm still so nervous to step foot onto the pool deck.
I guess I'm mostly embarassed. I know its silly to be like this, but I'm afraid everyone will be in good shape and I'll get run over during the practices. I'm wondering if maybe I should put off swimming for a little while until I can lose some more weight.
Can anyone please shed some light on their first masters practice and what you might have been feeling?
I really appreciate any help or advice that you can give me. Thank you!
Parents
Former Member
You are going to be fine. I have WAY less swimming experience than you, and I did fine (I was petrified too). Some people might be standoffish at first, but definitely don't let that deter you. Most times people will warm up to you after a few practices.
As for the weight issue, I know it is completely impossible, but try not to worry about them. You will start dropping pounds sooner rather than later if you start swimming NOW. Also, there are many many many overweight masters swimmers. You will not be alone. I have a friend who swore that she would start swimming as soon as she had lost a few pounds. That was two years ago and she has not been in the pool once. Some people tell themselves that they'll go as soon as they shave their legs, or as soon as the horrible zit on their chin clears up. When it comes down to it, you just have to go.
Let us know how it goes!
You are going to be fine. I have WAY less swimming experience than you, and I did fine (I was petrified too). Some people might be standoffish at first, but definitely don't let that deter you. Most times people will warm up to you after a few practices.
As for the weight issue, I know it is completely impossible, but try not to worry about them. You will start dropping pounds sooner rather than later if you start swimming NOW. Also, there are many many many overweight masters swimmers. You will not be alone. I have a friend who swore that she would start swimming as soon as she had lost a few pounds. That was two years ago and she has not been in the pool once. Some people tell themselves that they'll go as soon as they shave their legs, or as soon as the horrible zit on their chin clears up. When it comes down to it, you just have to go.
Let us know how it goes!
