Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:42:52 GMT

I compete for the fun and camaraderie...I swim for the fitness--my main reason. My Times aren't worth getting excited about! Ditto here......................... with one amendment: I swim because I like and enjoy the feeling (that fitness is a result? Great!) :drown: How come that the ONLY swimming smiley we have (on the site) is a "drowning"? Can we have real swimming smileys, please? Maybe one for each stroke?

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:14:54 GMT

Hey I'm new here but I would consider myself a fitness swimmer who is heavily "recruited" by the in house swim coach to join the more formal team at my gym LOL! So far I have resisted, mainly for financial reasons, but also because I am not convinced the coach is genuine after watching some of the sessions. The team looks as if it just involves paying a "coach" to watch you swim laps over and over, which is not what I am after. There appears to be very little structure in the classes in the way of sets etc. I am currently looking for a more organised USMS swim team in San Antonio, Texas.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:02:23 GMT

I'm a lap swimmer, and a member of USMS to get the magazine and because I want to do a swim from Alcatraz one day. I've always had flaky shoulders, so I don't really want to work out hard & possibly mess them up. My 43-minute mile feels about right for me -- I'm fitter than I was and my body is holding together.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

poolraat — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:21:16 GMT

I think I can be considered a fitness/lap swimmer. I started swimming 9 years ago (at age 48) just to lose some weight and improve my overall fitness. I had been a runner up until I quit while in my mid 30's. I turned to swimming since I had no desire to subject my legs and feet to the pounding again. I am also a member of USMS and do about a half dozen swim meets a year just for the fun of it and as a way to keep myself motivated to keep swimming.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:11:24 GMT

GTD = GO THE DISTANCE!! Check it out. Pretty amazing program. Very well run and supported. Probably one of the best programs for our Fitness Lap Swimmers! www.usms.org/.../gothedistance Ah, yeah ... sweet, i'm in for 2009.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:06:58 GMT

I'd put myself into a fitness swimmer category right now. I was a competitive swimmer until my freshman year in college. I'm planning on joining USMS when I get a few extra bucks (hubby lost his job..gotta save $$). I would like to compete after I accomplish some things first...lose some weight and get a schedule that allows me to practice with the USMS swimmers locally. My goal is to compete again someday. I'm just not ready right now.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:37:06 GMT

I'm a fitness swimmer. I've wanted to join Master's since I learned to swim 2 years ago but I have a stubborn shoulder problem that leaves me only able to swim breaststroke and do kicksets. So I swim breaststroke and do kicksets and feel pretty happy that I can even do that. I don't worry about competition. I don't have much drive for or interest in speed, so while I check in here, I don't participate much because I'm just not on the same page as most posters here. Plus I have an ambivalent relationship with the internet anyhow... You just made my day!!! In my 2 years visiting this board I had yet to find another swimmer that is "stuck" doing *** stroke and kick sets like me! I have never competed and don't know if I would have the stomach to do it. I just about loose it when my kids are swimming, I get too nervous for them. If it were me I might leave my lunch at the block!:eeew:

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:33:11 GMT

I'm not sure if I belong on this thread, maybe the OW threads, but I am also a lap swimmer, I just do it in the ocean. There is a place I train that is one-half mile around this bight, and that is my "lap." Training for a long swim, a 20 miler, so it helps to have half-mile laps. I normally swim four hours at a whack with hydration (crucial) every half-mile. The thing about lap swimmers is they are generating great fitness at the same time; cudos. My lap swimming may be a little extreme, but I still consider myself 1) a lap swimmer and 2) an open water swimmer. Speed? I just need to finish my long swim before the sun goes down because if not, I'll have to abort the swim due to boat/reef conditions. Usually when I am home in Texas, I go to a health club and swim for two hours. But pool swimming is a tad boring because there are no fish to watch, but I also know the longer I swim, the better my heart likes it! So when swimming in a pool, I look at it as fitness, in the ocean, I look at it as enjoyment and "longer" sets. Donna

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

ViveBene — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:06:39 GMT

I think your problem in reaching the lap swimmers are they are happy where they are at. ... I think the same thing with a lot of runners. Their fitness is going out and running their X amount of miles. They do it to stay in shape, it makes them feel good, but they don't necessarily want to join a group. . The nut of it, IMO. Incidentally, there is a tightly focused thread on Swimmer that has been directed to editor: forums.usms.org/showthread.php

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

dorothyrde — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:00:10 GMT

I think your problem in reaching the lap swimmers are they are happy where they are at. They don't want to be reached. They go to the pool, swim their laps for their work-out, and go. They may get to know the other lap swimmers around them and say hi and share short chit-chat. They may even have an organized breakfast once a month that the more social ones go to, but on the whole, they just want to keep doing what they are doing. It is like my weight lifting. I love weight lifting, and do it regularily. I have built my home equipment up over the last 15 years so that I can get good hard work-outs in at home. I get up and weight lift, and go to work. I don't want to join a weight lifting club and lift with others. I will read magazines(and ignore the awful ads), and read forums and articles on-line to educate myself about form and latest concepts in training, but I am happy just doing it on my own. I think the same thing with a lot of runners. Their fitness is going out and running their X amount of miles. They do it to stay in shape, it makes them feel good, but they don't necessarily want to join a group. So I think there in lies your reason you do not reach the lap swimmers. They don't want to be reached.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:15:04 GMT

Definitely for fitness, summer open water competitions help keep me motivated to keep at it. I would join a team though if it fit in my schedule though, i'm not good at programming my own sets and pushing myself above my comfort level....that takes a lot of caffeine. Ahh so true. I train with a team but sometimes swim on my own and caffeine definitely acts as a coach. I find mself swimming much better and faster when I have someone looking over me.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:18:47 GMT

I compete for the fun and camaraderie...I swim for the fitness--my main reason. My Times aren't worth getting excited about! What he said, only my times are less exciting than his.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:13:41 GMT

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:46:22 GMT

I don't think there's a difference. I consider myself someone who swims for fitness, yet is a USMS member. I keep my membership to help support the organization, and get the nifty GTD certificates. Hmm, cool but what are nifty GTD certificates? Maybe a stupid question ... but I have no idea! ... anyway, I think anyone who swims wants to swim well, and achieve a goal or they would not be there. This forum can help reach goals, and shares excellent advice strategies across the gamut of needs. So, maybe there isn't a difference generally, just varying expectations.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:19:35 GMT

We all swim to improve and maintain our level of fitness. Some of us also choose to compete for a variety of reasons. Knowing that I have an upcoming meet helps motivate me to get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning and put forth some effort in the pool.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:15:20 GMT

I'm a fitness lap swimmer but not a member of masters. I would join and possible even attend a meet here and there, but the 2 teams in my area have either very early or very late/too far away practices. I already have 2 kids that swim 5-6 nights a week, I really don't need to be adding my stuff to our crazy schedule. If I can go to the pool in the morning and knock out 2 miles a couple of times a week I'm happy.I mainly come to this board because there is a wealth of info from technique to equipment to nutrition and so on.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

SLOmmafan — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:48:18 GMT

I have a lot of respect for the pure "lap swimmers" out there. The kind that can knock out 3000 or 4000 yards non stop. The kind that put on a swim snorkel and don't come up again until they are through. I am the kind of swimmer that can max out about 1500 of straight lap swimming (and I have to be really "in the zone" to do that). The swim coach was invinted for people like me, that would not get much more than 1/2 hour per day if someone was not pushing us to do more.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:47:42 GMT

I compete for the fun and camaraderie...I swim for the fitness--my main reason. My Times aren't worth getting excited about!

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

elise526 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:24:21 GMT

My mother and I are examples of some of the different types of members of USMS. I mainly enjoy meets and competition. As a young woman, my mother did compete in meets and open water swims. All along, however, she did not enjoy competition. She said it made her anxious and took the fun of swimming away from her. My mother has been swimming twice a week with a masters group for over ten years and has no desire to do a meet. She derives a good bit of joy in getting individual instruction from the coaches and trying to perfect her strokes. Also, she enjoys the sense of accomplishment from completing a challenging workout. Despite the fact she did meets and competition in her youth, she does not remember her places or times. What she does remember, however, is the day she decided to swim the distance across the English Channel non-stop at the pool where she lifeguarded. She got a friend to count and did indeed swim the distance and did it without goggles! This is the perfect thread for my mother. I will encourage her to post here.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Ahelee Sue Osborn — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:29:22 GMT

Hmm, cool but what are nifty GTD certificates? Maybe a stupid question ... but I have no idea! ... anyway, I think anyone who swims wants to swim well, and achieve a goal or they would not be there. This forum can help reach goals, and shares excellent advice strategies across the gamut of needs. So, maybe there isn't a difference generally, just varying expectations. GTD = GO THE DISTANCE!! Check it out. Pretty amazing program. Very well run and supported. Probably one of the best programs for our Fitness Lap Swimmers! www.usms.org/.../gothedistance

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:29:08 GMT

Wait, i'm confused ... are we talking USMS members who consider themselves lap/fitness swimmers, or just any lap swimmer. I think there might be a difference there, maybe. I don't think there's a difference. I consider myself someone who swims for fitness, yet is a USMS member. I keep my membership to help support the organization, and get the nifty GTD certificates.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:36:05 GMT

But your flip turns make up for it! :lmao: No doubt. But have you ever seen someone so excited at executing a flip turn that slowed them down! :groovy: I'm one of those "spies" one lane over. I've held myself under lane lines so frequently watching people do flip turns that I'm surprised no one has served me with a restraining order.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:25:14 GMT

And is this restricted to just lap swimmers or can those of us who swim lengths participate. Oh wait.......:bolt: Wugh. My mind is going. I can feel it, Dave.

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Former Member — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:19:09 GMT

RE: Fitness and Lap Swimmers - You out there?

Patrick W. Brundage — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:00:06 GMT

In our workout group, there is a mix of swimmers: about half of them don't compete ... That's a great percentage of people competing ... The group has a couple of folks who compete in swim meets. This is very true. The VAST majority of people who train up at Cactus pool here in Scottsdale (probably ~70 or more over the course of the week?) do not compete ... less than 10%. That doesn't mean the other 90% are not competitive. Many of us "meet competitors" will get beat in workout by the people ostensibly only there for "fitness." We all swim to improve and maintain our level of fitness. Some of us also choose to compete for a variety of reasons. Knowing that I have an upcoming meet helps motivate me to get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning and put forth some effort in the pool. My primary goal is fitness, far, far ahead of competition. My family history is littered with elevated to high blood pressure, I work in a fairly high pressure job with consistent cross-country & global travel, and have seen out-of-shape colleagues/bosses die or nearly die too young. Having competition to train for keeps me going. ... Patrick who's laying around getting fat ... I'm back at it ... and only put on 5 lbs during my week off. (It was a gooood week).