Does Practice Make Perfect?
I just heard a swim coach working with a masters club. She said practice makes perfect. What she was teaching should never be taught.
I don't think practice makes perfect, do you?
Former Member
Practice is for people who are not genetically gifted. Just look at the freaks on this messaage board who train 2,000 yards every other day and dominate at meets. If you don't have it genetically, you'll have to practice. If you're naturally gifted, practice is pretty much optional.
Don't let your desire to be perfect effect what is good.
A very good admonition, George, but I can't help but ask: doesn't this also describe your unwillingness to compete unless -- as you have stated -- you can be tops in your age group?:bolt:
I just do not want to make a fool out of my self.
It is up to you, of course...you shouldn't do it if you aren't going to enjoy yourself.
But I can assure you that no one will ridicule your efforts. I liked Jeff's post about Jim Montgomery placing 14th in the 100 free. At Zones, one of my former teammates swam and did not come close to winning...she is someone who used to place 2nd to Tracy Caulkins at NCAAs, but didn't care about her placing at zones. She's a mother of four kids, who is going to ridicule her efforts to stay in shape?
I think there are a number of former elite swimmers do not swim because they are too worried about losing, or what other people will think, or don't want to think about how much slower they've gotten.
Competition is a great spur but the only thing you are racing against is the clock (and age!).
Chris
I just do not want to make a fool out of my self. I swim a little, I almost get ready to swim and then I am out of the water for a month or two. My last serious swimming was in October and Dec. Intentions are there but execution not there. I sign up for a month of swimming and may get there 5 times. Since Dec 22nd I have been in the water 15 times.
I know I can do OK if I were to race even without being in shape I can swim a 30 second 50m lc crawl without training at all. The fly I doubt I can swim under 40 sec without training and if I did this without preparation I would have a heart attack.
We are heading to Mexico again and will train for 2 months then fly home and try to keep training to swim in Oregon in August. The entry forms will be out next week.
I hope to enter the 50, the 100 free and the 50 and 100 fly.
It is up to you, of course...you shouldn't do it if you aren't going to enjoy yourself.
But I can assure you that no one will ridicule your efforts. I liked Jeff's post about Jim Montgomery placing 14th in the 100 free. At Zones, one of my former teammates swam and did not come close to winning...she is someone who used to place 2nd to Tracy Caulkins at NCAAs, but didn't care about her placing at zones. She's a mother of four kids, who is going to ridicule her efforts to stay in shape?
I think there are a number of former elite swimmers do not swim because they are too worried about losing, or what other people will think, or don't want to think about how much slower they've gotten.
Competition is a great spur but the only thing you are racing against is the clock (and age!).
I can relate to this, Chris. I wasn't an elite swimmer by any means, but I did stay out of the water for several years because I was worried about how slow I'd be without being able to train as much as I had in my late teens/early twenties.
I finally got back in this year, and I'm glad I did, because I really love the sport. I'm not as fast as I was in "my events", but now I get to race in a whole slew of events that I never got to do before. The best part really, though, is the social aspect and all of the great people involved. :wine:
YES.You have a very smooth stroke.You have all summer to get ready for Nats,and you said you are swimming short distances only.Swimming will be good for you.See you at Mt Hood.
