I am 60 and I will never be as fast as I was at 30,but that is irrelevant.I just want to be faster than last year when possible and get slower more slowly than my rivals/friends.The rule of thumb used to be athletic performance diminished 1%/yr after age 30.Masters swimmers have thrown that on it's ear.
That is funny because I am swimming much faster now than I was in my middle 20s when I first competing in USMS back in '04. In fact, I am swimming on par to my first year of college. Also, I am swimming much much much faster than last year. Of course, I contribute that to stepping up my training, dropping about 70 lbs from 18 months ago, consistency with my dryland, and just motivation to get in shape. There are alot of late 20 to 30 something swimmers who competed at the WCT and US Open who are erasing that rule of thumb. It is truly inspiring to hear about a 31 year old beating Jessica Hardy at the US Open. Or, that 28 200 breaststroker who just made her first World Champ team.
I am 60 and I will never be as fast as I was at 30,but that is irrelevant.I just want to be faster than last year when possible and get slower more slowly than my rivals/friends.The rule of thumb used to be athletic performance diminished 1%/yr after age 30.Masters swimmers have thrown that on it's ear.
That is funny because I am swimming much faster now than I was in my middle 20s when I first competing in USMS back in '04. In fact, I am swimming on par to my first year of college. Also, I am swimming much much much faster than last year. Of course, I contribute that to stepping up my training, dropping about 70 lbs from 18 months ago, consistency with my dryland, and just motivation to get in shape. There are alot of late 20 to 30 something swimmers who competed at the WCT and US Open who are erasing that rule of thumb. It is truly inspiring to hear about a 31 year old beating Jessica Hardy at the US Open. Or, that 28 200 breaststroker who just made her first World Champ team.
