i swim in the medium to slower lanes at a very competitive masters team workouts in san diego, and am usually asked to slide down to slower lanes when the equal ability swimmers (vs triathletes) show up.
the funny thing is most of these swimmers use a pull bouy or fins for the WHOLE workout. i think it's a ego thing in la-la land.
i would like to swim with people who can push me harder, instead of down in the last slowest lane. should i just chalk it up to normal swimmers protocal? or find another team? :confused:
In our workouts, you shouldn't be getting lapped on say a 200, but people will get lapped on longer sets and it is understood that if you are passing someone, it is your job to pass them, assuming they are making the interval.
Interesting. What you describe is what I have always believed, and I always feel a little guilty if someone stops to let me by. (Unless I'm doing backstroke, it is hard to pass people then without breaking stroke.)
But there was a "passing etiquette" thread awhile back and I seem to recall that most people felt that the person being passed should stop or slow down to let the faster person by. (Again, I don't agree...but I DO get a little peeved if the passee decides to pick up the pace just as you're passing.)
More generally, I have to agree with CreamPuff: the chaos at most Masters practices is a little ridiculous. On our team, using equipment when it is uncalled for or changing the sets or the intervals is not okay (lobbying for a different interval is possible, but if the coach says no, it is no). However, most teams I have dropped in with are "whatever goes" and it is beyond irritating.
I think that a person has an obligation not to impede his/her teammates and their practice. If someone constantly wears paddles and can't control his arms, hitting people, that's a problem.
Other than that, I don't see why someone else's decisions about equipment should be my business. I'm not the person's coach or parent. And even if I were, masters swimmers are adults, not children; they are perfectly able to decide whether their use of equipment is excessive or not without hearing my voice on the matter. The coach can offer his/her opinion, or suggest less dependence on equipment, but most masters coaches I know won't press the matter. I think that's great, it is one of the charms of masters swimming.
Creampuff, I believe age group coaches would act the same way if they coached masters. When I swim with the age groupers in practice or go to their meets, I am given much more lattitude than the kids are. For example, I don't do their meet warmup because (a) I can use the extra sleep during a multiday trials/finals meet, and (b) I don't need to do nearly as much in warmup. Of course I cleared this with the coaches long ago, but there is no resentment at all from the kids or coaches.
In our workouts, you shouldn't be getting lapped on say a 200, but people will get lapped on longer sets and it is understood that if you are passing someone, it is your job to pass them, assuming they are making the interval.
Interesting. What you describe is what I have always believed, and I always feel a little guilty if someone stops to let me by. (Unless I'm doing backstroke, it is hard to pass people then without breaking stroke.)
But there was a "passing etiquette" thread awhile back and I seem to recall that most people felt that the person being passed should stop or slow down to let the faster person by. (Again, I don't agree...but I DO get a little peeved if the passee decides to pick up the pace just as you're passing.)
More generally, I have to agree with CreamPuff: the chaos at most Masters practices is a little ridiculous. On our team, using equipment when it is uncalled for or changing the sets or the intervals is not okay (lobbying for a different interval is possible, but if the coach says no, it is no). However, most teams I have dropped in with are "whatever goes" and it is beyond irritating.
I think that a person has an obligation not to impede his/her teammates and their practice. If someone constantly wears paddles and can't control his arms, hitting people, that's a problem.
Other than that, I don't see why someone else's decisions about equipment should be my business. I'm not the person's coach or parent. And even if I were, masters swimmers are adults, not children; they are perfectly able to decide whether their use of equipment is excessive or not without hearing my voice on the matter. The coach can offer his/her opinion, or suggest less dependence on equipment, but most masters coaches I know won't press the matter. I think that's great, it is one of the charms of masters swimming.
Creampuff, I believe age group coaches would act the same way if they coached masters. When I swim with the age groupers in practice or go to their meets, I am given much more lattitude than the kids are. For example, I don't do their meet warmup because (a) I can use the extra sleep during a multiday trials/finals meet, and (b) I don't need to do nearly as much in warmup. Of course I cleared this with the coaches long ago, but there is no resentment at all from the kids or coaches.
