What's more important: striving for maximal health/fitness and a long life or setting WRs or national records or team records in swimming?
I think the latter is overrated. I'm all for improving one's stroke and striving for PBs. Who isn't? PBs produce euphoria and pride and keep you on the path to improvement. But I wonder if restorative, technique based workouts that might help you improve in swimming and/or achieve world or local fame really help make one extremely fit or improve one's health? I think someone referred to Gary Hall as doing "sprinter" type high intensity training and doing his aerobic/strength training outside the pool, which seems perfectly sound. He's getting it all in. I think you need to get it all in and work hard. You gotta break a sweat. A lot. Frequently.
So will TI-ing your life away and looking pretty make you as fit as you can be? Isn't there something to be said for hard training? Not necessarily because it will improve your 50 free (everyone seems to agree it won't), but just to improve health, mental outlook, physical well being and keep the bod hot and the spouse interested? Plus, if you're a distance swimmer you gotta have some endurance. Talent and technique only get you so far, at least IMHO.
I just thought we were supposed to exercise more, and more intensely for optimal health.
Parents
Former Member
What's more important: striving for maximal health/fitness and a long life or setting WRs or national records or team records in swimming?
Swimming for health is more important than anything else.
After health is achieved, some will pursue more vigorous challenges PB's, WR, etc etc. Others will pehaps just focus on that last 5lbs or impressing their doctors on their next physical. They are just as important as any award.
If nobody started/returned to swimming for health I think the sport would lose a % of those who go on to compete, and perhaps break a record or nick time off their PB's each season.
Sure a WR for an ex-college level swimmer is awesome and a reflection of hard work, but a certain amount of programming is already within that individual. With that in mind, I believe someone getting off the couch and making themselves feel physically and mentally healthier through exercise is perhaps a less superficial goal.
What's more important: striving for maximal health/fitness and a long life or setting WRs or national records or team records in swimming?
Swimming for health is more important than anything else.
After health is achieved, some will pursue more vigorous challenges PB's, WR, etc etc. Others will pehaps just focus on that last 5lbs or impressing their doctors on their next physical. They are just as important as any award.
If nobody started/returned to swimming for health I think the sport would lose a % of those who go on to compete, and perhaps break a record or nick time off their PB's each season.
Sure a WR for an ex-college level swimmer is awesome and a reflection of hard work, but a certain amount of programming is already within that individual. With that in mind, I believe someone getting off the couch and making themselves feel physically and mentally healthier through exercise is perhaps a less superficial goal.
