The latest threads clearly reveal that the vast majority of masters swimmers wish breaststroke did not exist (except Peter, Allen, Aquafeisty, and a possiblely experimenting SCY freestyler). So why does everyone hate breaststroke? :mad:
I'll go first. I hated it when I was young because it was too slow, I never learned how to do it right, and I never learned the wave action because it didn't exist when I was young. I can't seem do get the timing right now. And I have no excuse. Unlike my shoulder, my knees are fully intact. Not sure I have the gumption or time to put in 100,000 yards for a complete overhaul on a stroke I don't swim in meets. But I'd like to be able to fake it in IMs ...
I actually did most of my swimming breaststroke, b/c I couldn't do free for more than, let's say, 50 yards at a time. Then while an injured runner in '02, I missed competition, so decided to try an open water mile--and I figured my breaststroke would mean that the rescue boats would be out looking for me after sundown.... So I weaned myself of breaststroke, trying to add more and more freestyle laps, until I could go a mile with free only. (Let's just say, I had no masters swimming/coaching advice at the time, just doing a lot on my own.
Breaststroke remained my comfort stroke, but it isn't now b/c my knees are torn up from running and hurt when I try breaststroke. But do I hate breaststroke? Absolutely not. I wish my body allowed me to do it better, but that isn't the fault of the stroke. The people I really envy are those I see swimming breaststroke while I do free--and passing me! :frustrated:
I actually did most of my swimming breaststroke, b/c I couldn't do free for more than, let's say, 50 yards at a time. Then while an injured runner in '02, I missed competition, so decided to try an open water mile--and I figured my breaststroke would mean that the rescue boats would be out looking for me after sundown.... So I weaned myself of breaststroke, trying to add more and more freestyle laps, until I could go a mile with free only. (Let's just say, I had no masters swimming/coaching advice at the time, just doing a lot on my own.
Breaststroke remained my comfort stroke, but it isn't now b/c my knees are torn up from running and hurt when I try breaststroke. But do I hate breaststroke? Absolutely not. I wish my body allowed me to do it better, but that isn't the fault of the stroke. The people I really envy are those I see swimming breaststroke while I do free--and passing me! :frustrated:
