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:
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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.
Always the voice of reason. What I'm getting out of this thread is that I think we are all in agreement that equipment will be used when people want to use it.
What is fascinating to me is that some of these equipment lovers seem to have a problem if someone who chooses to not use equipment wants to stay in their lane and they are a bit slow for the lane. God forbid if a an equipment lover has to pass someone once or even twice during a set. If I'm leading a lane (and I'm not wearing equipment) and I've got to deal with two paddlers (and needing to avoid their windmill arms and drafting) and two finners (wake and drafting), adding in a slightly slower person (that I may have to pass) will not make a difference to me. But all of a sudden, the finners and paddlers are annoyed if they have to pass this person on occasion. Sounds to me like they can't deal with their own medicine.
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.
Always the voice of reason. What I'm getting out of this thread is that I think we are all in agreement that equipment will be used when people want to use it.
What is fascinating to me is that some of these equipment lovers seem to have a problem if someone who chooses to not use equipment wants to stay in their lane and they are a bit slow for the lane. God forbid if a an equipment lover has to pass someone once or even twice during a set. If I'm leading a lane (and I'm not wearing equipment) and I've got to deal with two paddlers (and needing to avoid their windmill arms and drafting) and two finners (wake and drafting), adding in a slightly slower person (that I may have to pass) will not make a difference to me. But all of a sudden, the finners and paddlers are annoyed if they have to pass this person on occasion. Sounds to me like they can't deal with their own medicine.
