have been swimming year round since I was eight years old. I am now going to be a sophmore in college. I have lived and breathed swimming since I first started. My life revolved around swimming and only that. Through high school I gave up hanging with friends to go to swim practice. I never really was a great swimmer even though I worked super hard to be succesful. I did swim one year in college. I am completely burnt out and cant stand to go to swim meets and not be able to swim the times I did when I was 13-15. now 20. It kills me and after my freshman year and this summer I have made the decision to call it quits because I 'cant put my self through all this hard work to not see results and swimming just dosent make me happy. Am i making a huge mistake and what happens say a year from now when i miss swimming greatly? will it all be ok then? I was so sure on my decision but when other people dont support me like coaches and parents etc its hard. I just need some advice or encougagement!
thanks!
Parents
Former Member
It sounds like you might be a victum of a lazy or inexperienced coach and also the fact that once you reach the teen years so many coaches forget to reinforce stroke technique... Most coaches seem to think that all you need to do is to swim more distance when most teens are natural sprinters and distance swimming does no good for a 100 yard sprint...so much waste of otherwise very good swimmers.. maybe you could rethink your workouts with a new coach who will work with your technique...
I can relate to the burnt out part especially when you don't improve as you think you should. Burn out is a natural progression and I agree that swimming should be fun so take a break and in the meantime I would get a hold of some swim technique building dvd's, books, web sites.
Then when you decide you want to swim again concentrate on using these techniques in your training. Just like anything in life if you try hard and get no results try making some changes to your stroke. Just like in golf if you hit the ball into the woods time to make a change to your stroke.
Do skulling drills they are great way to develop the feel for the water. Start by just trying to make some changes to your strokes by focusing on your drills
.. don't try to swim far or fast at first just try to preform the drills correctly and slowly (we call it super slow swimming) concetrate on your balance, your high elbow as you pull the water with your forearms (fist swimming drill) and most important accelerate your hand and arm through the stroke so the fastest part of your stroke is at the end and rip the water as you exit (except for breastroke)
good luck!
It sounds like you might be a victum of a lazy or inexperienced coach and also the fact that once you reach the teen years so many coaches forget to reinforce stroke technique... Most coaches seem to think that all you need to do is to swim more distance when most teens are natural sprinters and distance swimming does no good for a 100 yard sprint...so much waste of otherwise very good swimmers.. maybe you could rethink your workouts with a new coach who will work with your technique...
I can relate to the burnt out part especially when you don't improve as you think you should. Burn out is a natural progression and I agree that swimming should be fun so take a break and in the meantime I would get a hold of some swim technique building dvd's, books, web sites.
Then when you decide you want to swim again concentrate on using these techniques in your training. Just like anything in life if you try hard and get no results try making some changes to your stroke. Just like in golf if you hit the ball into the woods time to make a change to your stroke.
Do skulling drills they are great way to develop the feel for the water. Start by just trying to make some changes to your strokes by focusing on your drills
.. don't try to swim far or fast at first just try to preform the drills correctly and slowly (we call it super slow swimming) concetrate on your balance, your high elbow as you pull the water with your forearms (fist swimming drill) and most important accelerate your hand and arm through the stroke so the fastest part of your stroke is at the end and rip the water as you exit (except for breastroke)
good luck!
