Hey, solo swimmers! :wave: Welcome to the thread for all of us who train solo. Whether you train on your own due to a lack of a Masters team in your area (or for any other reason), this is our virtual locker room. Please post training tips that you think would be helpful, or anything else you would like to share with the rest of us. Have a rant? Go ahead and vent here! :rantonoff:
I'll start with a tip:
The most frustrating thing for me training solo is not having a coach on deck to evaluate my stroke and keep me on track, so I bought a waterproof camera and enlisted the help of my husband to periodically shoot video of all four strokes. Shooting underwater video became a knee/back buster, so I bought a camera mount and attached it to PVC pipe, so my husband could stand up straight to shoot underwater video. The camera gets dunked underwater, and he twists the pipe to pan the camera as I swim by.
Today, I bought a 2-pack of 12-inch "Gear Tie" reusable rubber twist ties (available at Home Depot), so I can tie the PVC pipe to the pool ladder (located in the corner of the pool) and shoot video myself. (If I angle the camera just right and keep it on wide angle, I can video me coming and going.)
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After each video session, I upload the videos to my desktop computer and compare my stroke to my favorite Go Swim stroke videos to see what I'm doing well (or not). I also post them on the Forums for feedback.
Ok, solo swimmers, what's your tip?
Parents
Former Member
Sure! Don't dive off the blocks, and don't do flip turns! Believe me, you won't be the only one, and NOBODY will care. If they do, then do yourself a favor and avoid anybody who would have the nerve to make a comment to you about it. They are not worth befriending!
Masters is all about what YOU want it to be. At meets, you will see swimmers who are very serious and those who are just there to have fun and socialize. It's all about what YOU want it to be, and I have always found the atmosphere to be very encouraging. The swimmer in my LMSC (Georgia Masters) who gets the BIGGEST applause and loudest cheering section is Anne Dunivin, now 101 years old. She doesn't dive off the blocks, she doesn't do flip turns, and she is very slow. We all tell her how we want to grow up to be just like her! :banana:
C, go to the meet WITHOUT a mind block, and take the pressure off yourself. Don't expect yourself to go off the blocks-- heck, do an in-water start! Just hang on to the wall, don't move, and then push off when the whistle blows. When you get to the other end, do an open turn. Don't worry about looking stupid; just go have fun, introduce yourself to a bunch of people, and relax.
I wouldn't go to a meet and just watch the first time, because you know what's going to happen? You're going to kick yourself in the butt for not signing up for the meet and joining in on the fun! :agree:
Everyone will feel better about themselves if they measure themselves against LA Fitness swimmers. I did a short workoout there since it was thanksgiving and the rec pool was closed. So, my breaststroke kickboard kick can keep up with slow freestyle swimmers. Too many times we measure if we can make qualifying times at masters nationals. I was about 11 seconds off the 100 *** and about 8 seconds off the 50 *** last year. So, maybe it doesn't matter.
Sure! Don't dive off the blocks, and don't do flip turns! Believe me, you won't be the only one, and NOBODY will care. If they do, then do yourself a favor and avoid anybody who would have the nerve to make a comment to you about it. They are not worth befriending!
Masters is all about what YOU want it to be. At meets, you will see swimmers who are very serious and those who are just there to have fun and socialize. It's all about what YOU want it to be, and I have always found the atmosphere to be very encouraging. The swimmer in my LMSC (Georgia Masters) who gets the BIGGEST applause and loudest cheering section is Anne Dunivin, now 101 years old. She doesn't dive off the blocks, she doesn't do flip turns, and she is very slow. We all tell her how we want to grow up to be just like her! :banana:
C, go to the meet WITHOUT a mind block, and take the pressure off yourself. Don't expect yourself to go off the blocks-- heck, do an in-water start! Just hang on to the wall, don't move, and then push off when the whistle blows. When you get to the other end, do an open turn. Don't worry about looking stupid; just go have fun, introduce yourself to a bunch of people, and relax.
I wouldn't go to a meet and just watch the first time, because you know what's going to happen? You're going to kick yourself in the butt for not signing up for the meet and joining in on the fun! :agree:
Everyone will feel better about themselves if they measure themselves against LA Fitness swimmers. I did a short workoout there since it was thanksgiving and the rec pool was closed. So, my breaststroke kickboard kick can keep up with slow freestyle swimmers. Too many times we measure if we can make qualifying times at masters nationals. I was about 11 seconds off the 100 *** and about 8 seconds off the 50 *** last year. So, maybe it doesn't matter.
