I have a couple of months to workout/train for swimming, but no idea where to start. Some background:
I'm 17, currently a Junior and I'm going to train over the summer intensely to get on my school's swimming team my Senior year. Thing is, I've never swam before on a team or anything. Sure I can swim basics in the pool, but nothing you would call fast.
I'm about 5'10 or 5'9, 160lbs. I've been working out for about two and a half years so I have a strong upper body, and I guess I'm lean. Other than that, I'm not physically ready for swimming at all.
My main thing, I don't know where to start. I have really no knowledge about the sport of swimming, what and how to train, or any of that. However, I'm eager to learn.
Any response regarding my questions are appreciated, thanks.
Parents
Former Member
Go to usaswimming.org, find a club and join the team.
If your high school team is any good, swimming on a summer league team probably won't do enough to get you in shape for try outs. Plus, if you want to do well during the season, you will swim with the HS team once a day, and the club team once a day. The club team should have practices twice a day throughout the summer, which is what will get you ready for try outs.
As someone new to competitive swimming, you need to worry about swimming, rest and nutrition in that order. Everything you have already done to build strength will be helpful, but you can forget about any focus on strength training. Try to maintain what you have, but you need to devote your focus to swimming.
Be ready to be humbled, because the club team will have 12yo faster than you, you will likely not be swimming with kids your age, and you will be ridiculed by the other kids for not being able to keep up in practice. If this is what you really want, you need to push through. You will gain endurance and speed quickly, and hopefully by the end of the summer you will be fast enough to swim with kids your own age, keep up in practice and make the HS team.
Don't look for anyone to cut you any slack. It will be a long hard road.
Good luck.
Go to usaswimming.org, find a club and join the team.
If your high school team is any good, swimming on a summer league team probably won't do enough to get you in shape for try outs. Plus, if you want to do well during the season, you will swim with the HS team once a day, and the club team once a day. The club team should have practices twice a day throughout the summer, which is what will get you ready for try outs.
As someone new to competitive swimming, you need to worry about swimming, rest and nutrition in that order. Everything you have already done to build strength will be helpful, but you can forget about any focus on strength training. Try to maintain what you have, but you need to devote your focus to swimming.
Be ready to be humbled, because the club team will have 12yo faster than you, you will likely not be swimming with kids your age, and you will be ridiculed by the other kids for not being able to keep up in practice. If this is what you really want, you need to push through. You will gain endurance and speed quickly, and hopefully by the end of the summer you will be fast enough to swim with kids your own age, keep up in practice and make the HS team.
Don't look for anyone to cut you any slack. It will be a long hard road.
Good luck.
