As an "outsider" to the world of "hardcore" swimming ...
Former Member
I swim a lot and really enjoy it. It's something I've done all of my life, growing up in Southern California, and it's my main form of exercise. I'm good at it, but I do it primarily for health and enjoyment.
I've noticed from lurking around this board for several years that there seems to be a very self-congratulatory, cliquish tone to many threads and posts. It seems like it's often a small group of people who post relentlessly, as if they are engaged in some sort of private conversation where they're trying to outdo each other.
Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way. Maybe that's part and parcel of the world of "hardcore" competitive swimmers. Or maybe it's because there wouldn't be anything else to talk about, unless there weren't a constant focus on who's the "best" at this or that.
A race is something that happens once in a while, whereas a lifetime of swimming lasts, well, a lifetime. Yes, it's great to break a certain time in a certain race, but it's also great to have the self-discpline to keep at a daily swimming program and work on improving one's technique and endurance. Both are valid, and, to my mind, neither is more worthy of praise than the other.
Jim Thornton, if I recall correctly, noted a while ago that there were a lot of people lurking around the board and not really participating. If that is the case, I would propose that may be due to the general off-putting tone of things on here. (I won't give examples at this point, although I could.)
Over 90% of USMS swimmers swim for fitness and don't compete, but the magazine and forums tend to obsess over competition.
What would you prefer the magazine to be like? (This is an honest question, I'm not trying to be hostile.)
There is little that can be done to regulate the topics of the forums -- it would be fairly silly to ban discussions of swimming competition in the same way that politics or religion is banned -- but I agee that the magazine ought to reflect the broad interests of the membership and not a vocal minority.
I'm curious how you came up with "over 90%." I agree there are a many fitness-only swimmers who are uninterested or intimidated by competition, but I don't think it is quite that high. (Seems I've heard numbers in the range of 60-65% USMS members do not go to meets.)
BTW, speaking only for myself, fitness/health is my main reason for swimming too. It's just that competition is a way to motivate me to be in better shape than otherwise. There is no question that I am fitter than I would be if I never swam in meets, though others obviously may differ in what motivates them to work out.
There is certainly a social aspect too; there are a lot of people I see at meets, or friends I've made, that I see nowhere else. And occasionally there is a blast from the past: I've unexpectedly come across old friends or teammates. At Worlds in 2006, I saw my swim coach from when I was a 14-year-old in Greece, which was pretty cool and totally a surprise.
Over 90% of USMS swimmers swim for fitness and don't compete, but the magazine and forums tend to obsess over competition.
What would you prefer the magazine to be like? (This is an honest question, I'm not trying to be hostile.)
There is little that can be done to regulate the topics of the forums -- it would be fairly silly to ban discussions of swimming competition in the same way that politics or religion is banned -- but I agee that the magazine ought to reflect the broad interests of the membership and not a vocal minority.
I'm curious how you came up with "over 90%." I agree there are a many fitness-only swimmers who are uninterested or intimidated by competition, but I don't think it is quite that high. (Seems I've heard numbers in the range of 60-65% USMS members do not go to meets.)
BTW, speaking only for myself, fitness/health is my main reason for swimming too. It's just that competition is a way to motivate me to be in better shape than otherwise. There is no question that I am fitter than I would be if I never swam in meets, though others obviously may differ in what motivates them to work out.
There is certainly a social aspect too; there are a lot of people I see at meets, or friends I've made, that I see nowhere else. And occasionally there is a blast from the past: I've unexpectedly come across old friends or teammates. At Worlds in 2006, I saw my swim coach from when I was a 14-year-old in Greece, which was pretty cool and totally a surprise.
