How do you determine whether you would be better off training and racing sprints or distance events?
I'm back into competitive training this winter after ~2 decades since high school. I used to coach age group, and I've been hitting some master's practices, so I'm not without direction for what I should be doing to get back in shape. I am, however, clueless about distance swimming.
I have no exposure to distance racing or training so I am starting to read up on it (Maglischo). In high school, with the longest event being the 500 free, everyone was a "sprinter" whether they were suited to it or not.
Since I'm basically rebuilding myself from the ground up, I am wondering whether I might give distance a try? What sorts of physiology, technique or psychology lend themselves to doing distance as opposed to sprinting? Or does this not really matter for a nearly 40-year-old masters swimmer that's been out of the pool for nearly forever?
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Former Member
The dirty little secret of swimming and life is this: Deep down, everyone wants to be a sprinter. Anyone who says otherwise is just trying to convince themselves so they can sleep better at night. The guy with the honda civic may brag he can go 600 miles on a tank, but he secretly envies the guy with the 400 hp corvette.
The next step is to realize that breaststroke is the greatest test of a swimmers mettle. So if you can sprint a fast 50/100 ***, welcome to the ranks of swimmings elite. Ignore your teammates who say otherwise; it's just jealousy.
(Disclaimer: I can't swim a fast 500 to save my life, so I may be biased. But seriously, be a sprinter. All the cool kids are doing it....)
Nope...not true. I have no desire to be a sprinter...never want/wanted to be a sprinter. I am very happy being a mid-distance swimmer of 200's.
I like SUV's. I hate small cars and don't give one rat's butt about little fast cars unless a truck like bigfoot is crushing them.
You may think everyone wants to be a sprinter but you are wrong. I think 50's are absolutely pointless. Wish they would do away with them.
The dirty little secret of swimming and life is this: Deep down, everyone wants to be a sprinter. Anyone who says otherwise is just trying to convince themselves so they can sleep better at night. The guy with the honda civic may brag he can go 600 miles on a tank, but he secretly envies the guy with the 400 hp corvette.
The next step is to realize that breaststroke is the greatest test of a swimmers mettle. So if you can sprint a fast 50/100 ***, welcome to the ranks of swimmings elite. Ignore your teammates who say otherwise; it's just jealousy.
(Disclaimer: I can't swim a fast 500 to save my life, so I may be biased. But seriously, be a sprinter. All the cool kids are doing it....)
Nope...not true. I have no desire to be a sprinter...never want/wanted to be a sprinter. I am very happy being a mid-distance swimmer of 200's.
I like SUV's. I hate small cars and don't give one rat's butt about little fast cars unless a truck like bigfoot is crushing them.
You may think everyone wants to be a sprinter but you are wrong. I think 50's are absolutely pointless. Wish they would do away with them.
