Hi all,
I'm new here, and I've searched around the forums but haven't really found any other discussions similar to my situation. I hope you're willing to indulge a true (re)beginner. I'd appreciate if people are gentle with their redirects to other threads and please don't flame me. I may be explaining in over-detail, but I don't know what's important.
I'm 34, F, many pounds overweight. I swam summers and HS as a kid and have inconsistently swum in recent years for fitness. I am clearly out of shape, but this year kicked myself off with wii fit (things like short stints of running, push-ups) and free weights, and my CV health has improved dramatically.
This summer, I tried SCY on a whim (instead of the usual LCM I've tried occasionally in the past few years) and something just clicked. For years I struggled with short distances, rarely improving, but I decided to try to work myself up to distance (the 0-1650 plan). The very first day I swam a mile. This was a huge surprise to me.
I completely remembered why I loved swimming and started to think about how to plan some goals. OW suggested itself, I tried it and loved it. I swam my first open water mile last week with a friend following in a kayak, but with my poor sighting skills had to switch to *** most of the way back while against the current. I swam it in 51 min (very slow I know).
I'd like to try an open water mile race by the end of the summer. Here's what I have for times: 1:49 free/:52 split; my mile interval practice, mostly of 100ys :15 rest today took 42 min. I have no idea how any of this corresponds to distance, and I am trying to avoid too many "distance days" as I understand the intervals will build speed. I'm working on breathing on both sides and sighting.
I've been thinking about working out with the local Masters, but feel shy for a few reasons. I am just now working up a good free. I have always been terrible at back. I have not yet gotten the courage to try fly again, but am doing drills on the whole body dolphin. I love *** (always have) but feel like it's the "dummy" stroke, esp. in OW swimming. As I mentioned above, I'm overweight and out of shape (but believe me, better than 6 months ago).
Could anyone tell me what I might expect at Masters in a college town at an uncoached practice? Should I work on my own for a bit to get better so I won't screw anyone else up? What does everyone suggest for my mile OW goal? Also, is it normal for my shoulders to hurt after a lot of free? This didn't happen when I was a kid.:blush: Thanks for your help.
Jenn, welcome back to swimming! I'm glad you've found it to be something you love. As for getting in with a masters workout, go for it. Masters swimmers will be of all abilities, ages and body types. Even in an uncoached practice, you'll most likely get advice. And don't worry about not doing the other strokes, just modify the practice as needed. I've been back to swimming for 9 years and I still don't do backstroke well :D
Try the masters practice. Don't be afraid! We don't bite and we love new members.
Hi Jen, WELCOME BACK!
No, in masters, trying to come back and work back up to competing shape, you won't mess anyone up. Most often there are a lot more coming back, and fitness swimmers, and those who are trying to stay ahead of health problems, but because of ongoing ones will never be able to get into top racing shape.
In most clubs, there is room for everyone!!!
On occasion there are clubs that specialize little more in one thing then another, but in most, there is room for everyone.
I'm not familiar with your particular area, so I can't reccomend a specific easy going place, bit I think most clubs offer a free workout or two, so I would very much encourage you to call or email them, have a chat with the coach.
Masters swimming is much more laid back and less competetive then college swimming. You don't have to be at a certain level before you join in. Lot of people are little intimidated at first, but once they poke their head in, that changes fast.
Actually, often there are people who never swam before too, so you may find yourself not quite as far behind as you think ;)
One thing that becomes a bit more of a concern compared to college days is, we need to become more aware of overtraining. Our bodies in our 30's and 40's and later don't recover as fast as they did in teens and 20's.
In a club, with a good coach, you're likely to progress faster, and it's more fun, you meet some cool people and make new friends, and get a lot of encouragement, it really helps the motivation.
Welcome Back!!!
Could anyone tell me what I might expect at Masters in a college town at an uncoached practice? Should I work on my own for a bit to get better so I won't screw anyone else up? What does everyone suggest for my mile OW goal? Also, is it normal for my shoulders to hurt after a lot of free? This didn't happen when I was a kid.:blush: Thanks for your help.
Don't wait join. You know how to swim, so you might be in the middle of the pack. You will be surprised what masters is like. First, the fat old guy is FAST and the young stud with 0% bodyfat? He can't swim more than 100 without a 2 minute break. All those skinny kids that you swam with in high school, they aren't skinny now anymore either. There is this thing called "master's prerogative" that pretty much means you don't ever have to swim butterfly again. If you can keep the peace within your lane, you will be fine.
Being the new kid at a masters practice is a million times easier than when you were a kid. I have practiced with 3 masters teams, and thus been the new guy 3 times. It is rather easy. You go in, introduce yourself to the coach if you can find one and figure out what lane you best fit in. Someone might even say hello and introduce themselves to you, but if it is a morning practice, don't count on that until AFTER practice.
As for your shoulders, old age sucks :) Just kidding.
Things that didn't hurt when you were a kid will hurt now. Now is a good time to think about your stroke. You can ask a coach to look at your stroke, you can video tape yourself, or you can go to a clinic. I try to do all of them. My shoulders have bothered me enough that I have stopped swimming several times to let them recover. Things you need to do are the rotator cuff exercises with stretch cords you did when you were a kid, everyday. You need to make sure you posture is good all the time. Finally, you stroke needs to be good. I went to Karlyn Pipes Neilsen's clinic on freestyle and changed my hand entry from in front of head to in front of shoulder and that took a lot of pressure off my shoulders.
I quit swimming when I was 17 and came back at 28 (and left again and came back at 32). I expected to be swimming with all ex-collegiate swimmers, be really slow, etc etc. I came back and was the youngest person on the team and after a couple months one of the fastest on the team. A real shock to me.
The only people who look like they are in really good shape are the triathletes, and they can't swim worth ... :) You will be fine. Have fun.
Ditto to all of the above! I swam age group to 18 in the UK, then went back to masters after a 7 year gap with a large increase in weight that I finally got rid of. Only to get pregnant, have baby 1, come back again, lose some of the weight, do a couple of best EVER freestyles, have another baby, move to the USA, get back into swimming (alas not coached) lose some weight, swim some surprisingly good times in the last 2 weeks....see the pattern.....
Masters is very different from age-group, people are coming and going all the time, taking breaks due to personal circumstances, then coming back at a lower level and working up through the lanes again - its inspirational to watch! Also you CAN take things slower to concentrate on your stroke technique rather than thrashing out the yardage.
Also masters is a chance to reset those PBs, or as you are doing to try new distances, but you also know that once upon a time you did X for say 100 free. At 34 you're young enough to achieve that again (well that's what I'm telling myself and I'm almost 36) It may take a couple of years for you to build the fitness and lose the weight, but your body remembers the technique and feel for the water after a bit of practice. Its definitely possible :)
