getting slower with age

RE: getting slower with age

swimshark — Sun, 25 May 2008 07:03:07 GMT

With all you people doing the sprints and shorter distances, I am definitely going to be sure to do distance - there's not many people out there left doing those events! :rofl: That's my plan!

RE: getting slower with age

mikeh — Sat, 24 May 2008 10:11:18 GMT

Seems inevitable, no? Even though my practice times seem to be pretty consistent with intervals I was able to hold 5 to 7 years ago (mid to early 30's), now that I am 40, my races just seem to get slower. Its an odd scenario to be in. As an age grouper and into college, the older you got, the more you trained, the faster you swam. Now, it seems, mother nature is kicking things in reverse. While I still love to train, I'm finding less incentive to compete. Anyone else come to this conclusion? If your workout times are the same as several years ago, but your races are slower, perhaps you need to rest more before big meets.

RE: getting slower with age

knelson — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:15:18 GMT

With all you people doing the sprints and shorter distances, I am definitely going to be sure to do distance - there's not many people out there left doing those events! :rofl: Shhh! Don't tell everyone! Other than the 200 free, the events I swam at Nationals were all pretty easy to place top ten in--at least compared to the shorter events.

RE: getting slower with age

pwolf66 — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:24:44 GMT

Shhh! Don't tell everyone! Other than the 200 free, the events I swam at Nationals were all pretty easy to place top ten in--at least compared to the shorter events. Oh yeah, suuuuuure. That just means I'd have to go 5:16 500, 11:54 1000 or 22:18 1650. Hmm, actually to get 10th all I would have had to do was finish the 1650. Not sure if that could happen but hey, blind squirrels and acorns and all that. Maybe next year at LCM Nats? Give the 800 a try? Paul

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:05:35 GMT

With all you people doing the sprints and shorter distances, I am definitely going to be sure to do distance - there's not many people out there left doing those events! :rofl:

RE: getting slower with age

Celestial — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:59:49 GMT

Okay, for starters, I'm not going to any meets right now...I get my butt kicked plenty in workout, okay?! I wish I had the time to go to meets, but I would have to travel OOT every time (by myself, since we don't really have a masters team, and no one else goes to meets either), and I'm really busy taking my 15 year old to Sectionals etc. So, my slowness is in workouts. I just want to be able to keep 100's on the 1:15 w/out fins (again). :rant3: Maybe I'm slacking off in workout, but man, after a couple of rough swims, I just need to REST!. But everyone else can keep on going!! My solution...I'm trying to use my son's Bowflex every other day, I'm taking B-12 injections every month (to help build more lean muscle & pick up my energy level) and swimming at LEAST 3500 yds each time I get in. Sometimes I do a bit more, like today, it was really pretty outside & I was feeling happy, so before I knew it I had done 5000. But I didn't go hard the whole time, because I was training by myself, with only the clock and leisure swimmers to keep me on my toes. I just can't always train with the group due to my job. :(

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:26:55 GMT

I'm 49 and I am faster than I was at 47. Kinda hoping that trend continues as I age up later this year. I have no intention of swimming more than I do today. I average 4 times/wk, and always 't like long events anyways). If you are stuck - I suggest changing your focus. Swim different events - maybe shorter.

RE: getting slower with age

ourswimmer — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:22:24 GMT

Count me as another believer in more race-pace swimming, if your goal is your best possible performance in shorter races. I am 40 and I have been swimming masters since I was 27. For several years I focused primarily on OW racing, so my main workout objectives did not include maxing out my speed or my heart rate. This season after I decided to go to Nationals I spent more time in workout swimming at a faster pace with more rest, really working on being able to recruit all my muscles at the same time and on getting my heart to go fast enough to serve them. I swam best masters times in every event this season. A lifetime best in the 100 back now seems possible whereas if someone had suggested that goal to me a year ago I would have laughed.

RE: getting slower with age

Celestial — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:28:06 GMT

:dunno:I get kinda depressed about this getting older thing too. It's definitely not for sissies. My question is how much extra do you have to do to get better? I have limited time (as do we all) - I only get to swim 3 times a week right now - and I try to get in 3500-4000 yds. I keep telling myself that I will get better if I put more time in the water, but I don't know if this is really true. Sometimes I think that what I need to do is train with the kids, draft off them for a few weeks & see if that helps me speed up. It's depressing and demoralizing to be "stuck" at my speed....even if that speed is faster than some others, its not as fast as I want to be going:dunno:.

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:30:24 GMT

Age is it important. The British Columbia Medical Card for seniors is gold colored. Chuckie went to have here eyes tested for contact lenses, of course covered by BC Med. The receptionist said to her that she had not seen a card like this before. Chuckie said all seniors in BC have a gold card. The receptionist said you don't look like a senior. It Made Chuckie's day.

RE: getting slower with age

aztimm — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:08:20 GMT

I didn't actively start swimming until I was 28, and my times have gotten dramatically faster since. Most recently, since I began a new job 2-1/2 years ago that allows some flexible hours and work from home (both a blessing and a curse), I've been able to get serious with weights and running. This has helped me drop my weight down to pre-college levels (I'm similar now to what I was at 22 and in the Army). For a long time I had hit a plaeau that just recently started to break through. I'd imagine at some point I'll slow, but I'm trying to fight it as much as I can. I made a goal with my coach to swim a sub-minute 100 SCY free by the AZ state meet next March, and he's holding me to it.

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:30:26 GMT

Good points on the "injury free" importance -- that may rank number 1 out of all factors. I am really not sold on the max heart rate decline notion. I believe that this is also very much a factor of training to reach your max heart rates. All the Age minus 40 or whatever lists seem rather silly (just a personal opinion - no hard facts). How often does a typical 55 year old approach maximum heart rate vs. a 15 year old ? You lose it if you don't use it -- would love to know the max heart rates of some of the top sprinters in the older age groups.

RE: getting slower with age

rtodd — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:01:55 GMT

Here is inspiration for us older people. Willie Gault, who turns 48 in September ran a wind legal 21.80 200m. He also holds the M45 record in the 100m at 10.72 less than a second off the world record. This is hard to comprehend. To put it in perspective, in my opnion that 200 is equal to a 23.4 sec 50m free in swimming parlance. Not bad for someone pushing 50. Can you pick Willie out of this lineup from this years Mt. SAC Relays? The one on the right is Tyson Gay, world outdoor champion and world record holder in the 100m. www.masterstrack.com/.../b21.jpg.html

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:26:52 GMT

The fact is that you will slow down at some point. But I think we are not even close to what may be possible in terms of performance levels at an "older age". But we can still try to figure out what exactly "slows us down" as we age - here is my top 5 list (this is meant for swimmers that used to train at a high level): - time spent working out: I work out quite a bit right now, but it is less than 1/2 in terms of time spent working out as a youngster. - simple body weight: are you the same weight as in college ? Just 10 pounds can be a big difference. - flexibility: this is very underrated, but coming back from a shoulder surgery, I noticed the HUGE difference between having full shoulder flexibility and maybe 98% -- and "full flexibility" now is still much worse than 20 years ago. - Recovery rate: It just takes me a lot longer to recover from a hard workout. It is no surprise that Dara Torres spends so much time on massages and stretching. - Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results: this really applies to all levels of swimming - if you keep doing the same thing, you will actually get worse over time. If you keep doing the same intervals, the same sets, the same intensity, the weights, you may stay at the same level, but I think you will actually get worse over time. Your body and mind always needs new challenges - you need to push further, smarter, push yourself in different ways in order to improve.

RE: getting slower with age

Chris Stevenson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:33:02 GMT

Celebrating more "swimming faster than age" results, this time non-free, youngest only, all SCY::applaud: 100 back John C Smith, 67, 1:06.61 (2006) 100 fly Richard Abrahams, 55, 54.49 (2000) 100 IM Richard Abrahams, 62, 1:00.13 (2007) I like Erik's list. I will say that -- barring injury -- I think flexibility need not be lost to such a great degree if you really work on regaining it, though it may take awhile. I remember reading somewhere that max heart rate declines with age and there isn't much we can do about it through exercise/training. Seems like that -- and similar factors -- might provide the ultimate limit with age, though I agree that we are nowhere close to those limits yet. I don't often train with the high school kids, but I do so every once in a while. I notice that there are some I can beat regularly in practice -- or at least keep up with them -- who can just thrash me in meets. Somehow they have an extra gear that I just don't have anymore, no matter how much race pace training I do. Wally Dicks mentioned to me that he has had similar experiences.

RE: getting slower with age

ande — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:00:55 GMT

don't buy the lies it's totally possible to improve as you age but you have to train properly eventually time catches up with you I'm 44, I'm swimming faster now than I did 4 years ago I've blogged my workouts for the last 3 years Strength is a very important part, if you get stronger you should swim faster Seems inevitable, no? Even though my practice times seem to be pretty consistent with intervals I was able to hold 5 to 7 years ago (mid to early 30's), now that I am 40, my races just seem to get slower. Its an odd scenario to be in. As an age grouper and into college, the older you got, the more you trained, the faster you swam. Now, it seems, mother nature is kicking things in reverse. While I still love to train, I'm finding less incentive to compete. Anyone else come to this conclusion?

RE: getting slower with age

ande — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:54:01 GMT

great points as these younger faster generations of swimmers age and if they continue training they will totally redefine what is possible we're now seeing swimmers compete at a world class level into their late 30's and early 40's the most important parts of all of this is proper TRAINING, talent and keeping injuries in check swimmers have to figure out how to train guys like Rich Abrahams and Trip totally get it it takes dedication and consistency their results are proof how fast were you at your peak? how many years are you from your peak training? how bad of shape are you in right now? how much and how well have you been training recently? The fact is that you will slow down at some point. But I think we are not even close to what may be possible in terms of performance levels at an "older age". But we can still try to figure out what exactly "slows us down" as we age - here is my top 5 list (this is meant for swimmers that used to train at a high level): - time spent working out: I work out quite a bit right now, but it is less than 1/2 in terms of time spent working out as a youngster. - simple body weight: are you the same weight as in college ? Just 10 pounds can be a big difference. - flexibility: this is very underrated, but coming back from a shoulder surgery, I noticed the HUGE difference between having full shoulder flexibility and maybe 98% -- and "full flexibility" now is still much worse than 20 years ago. - Recovery rate: It just takes me a lot longer to recover from a hard workout. It is no surprise that Dara Torres spends so much time on massages and stretching. - Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results: this really applies to all levels of swimming - if you keep doing the same thing, you will actually get worse over time. If you keep doing the same intervals, the same sets, the same intensity, the weights, you may stay at the same level, but I think you will actually get worse over time. Your body and mind always needs new challenges - you need to push further, smarter, push yourself in different ways in order to improve.

RE: getting slower with age

Chris Stevenson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:14:12 GMT

Perusing the USMS Top Ten (back to 1993), the youngest to “swim under your age for the 100” were (assuming no errors on my part): SCY 2004 Jack Groselle (49) 47.85 SCM 2004 David Quiggin (60) 59.90 LCM 2005 Rich Abrahams (60) 58.61 2005 James de Lacy (60) 59.66 I get the same results as you. But don't forget the women: SCY 2007 Laura Val (55) 54.83 2000 Gail Roper (70) 1:09.79 These are the ONLY two such swims I found.

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:40:56 GMT

RE: getting slower with age

Allen Stark — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 11:39:29 GMT

If you can swim more than 10 sec under you age for 100 free your name is Abrahams.

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 09:16:26 GMT

Yes--if you can swim your age for the 100 free, your name is Smith. This is true - almost any of us Smiths can do this ;-) I can vouch for it - even in LCM now I'm old enough. A round of golf under your age is much tougher - I'll never be old enough. Rich must be the youngest to do a 100 LCM in less than his age?

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:33:09 GMT

Yes--if you can swim your age for the 100 free, your name is Smith. In Minutes?:cane: or seconds!:rofl:

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:28:35 GMT

Meldyk, :bow: Thanks for taking me to the place where I could get to see how I'm comparing to the others in my age group. I'm a hippo compared to those women completing at 28 seconds free 50 SC. I'll need to shave 28 seconds to get there which I see is an impossible feat. :( But, I'll find the workouts to help me get there just like I did with Concept2 - row 2k at 2:10 or better from 2:30. Thanks!

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:37:19 GMT

Thanks for that excellent thread! It begs for a nice table that I can use! It is an idea that I can ask rowers over at Concept2.com to see if we can come up with that table as well. Christine, go to the competition tab on the USMS home page and click the Top Ten link. This is not a simple table but rather a database of all top 10 swims in each age group for the past many years. It is similar in principle to the Concept 2 tracking except that the usms table is meant to include ALL sanctioned meets whereas the Concept 2 tables only list those who have entered data. If you want to see times further down than the first 10, then click the Current Top Times link on the competition tab. This will get you to a much larger database for the current swim seasons. You can browse through the age groups separately to see how it changes with age.

RE: getting slower with age

Former Member — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:10:47 GMT

Thanks for that excellent thread! It begs for a nice table that I can use! :D It is an idea that I can ask rowers over at Concept2.com to see if we can come up with that table as well.