Man, do I hate swimming

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

If I am not a terrific swimmer, and my goal is to swim for as long as possible, is 30-35 sec for 25 yards too fast?

That's slower than molasses, but it's all relative.

Some relative times.

6 to 8 year olds try to swim the 25 yard freestyle in under 14 seconds and once you get below 13, you start thinking you're hot shiz.

In high school, you try to break 10 seconds for that distance so that you can break the 22 second fifty yard barrier.

As an old man in the middle of the pack, we try to swim the fifty yard free on intervals of 40 seconds. 45 is restful. It usually means we're averaging between 32 to 36 seconds per fifty.

So you should be able to complete a 25 in 30 seconds. There is nothing wrong with body but something's terribly wrong with your stroke technique.

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by Archaea

That's slower than molasses, but it's all relative.

Some relative times.

6 to 8 year olds try to swim the 25 yard freestyle in under 14 seconds and once you get below 13, you start thinking you're hot shiz.

In high school, you try to break 10 seconds for that distance so that you can break the 22 second fifty yard barrier.

As an old man in the middle of the pack, we try to swim the fifty yard free on intervals of 40 seconds. 45 is restful. It usually means we're averaging between 32 to 36 seconds per fifty.

So you should be able to complete a 25 in 30 seconds. There is nothing wrong with body but something's terribly wrong with your stroke technique.

I agree with you that something is terribly with his stroke, but 6-8 yos swimming 14 seconds? They must be fast where you're from.

Let's not make him feel worse than he needs to. For a beginning swimmer, 35 secs on a 25 isn't THAT bad.

[bigpiney]

Originally Posted by ERCougar

I agree with you that something is terribly with his stroke, but 6-8 yos swimming 14 seconds? They must be fast where you're from.

Let's not make him feel worse than he needs to. For a beginning swimmer, 35 secs on a 25 isn't THAT bad.

I did competitive swimming when I was a kid. 7-12 years of age. When I was 8 I remember being able to swim a 25 yard free without taking any breaths,as that was my goal. not sure what my best was but probably around 13 or 14 seconds. Maybe around 15. When I was 9-10 the distance changed to 50 yards, so there was a turn involved, and my best freestyle was around 30 seconds. By the time I was 11 and 12, I know I had all strokes under 30 seconds except the breaststroke (I was so slow in the breaststroke).

[MikeWaters]

I spoke to my brother who did competitive swimming a few years ago:

1. His best stroke was breaststroke. That's also my most comfortable stroke. I don't think that is a coincidence.

Also, I was at the pool, timed a guy who was swimming free. He was going painfully slow. But very relaxed. Well, he did the 25yd in 35 sec. So now I know 35 sec is dang slow.

There was a fat lady doing the breastroke with her head above the water the whole time. I hate fat people who can just swim along effortlessly like they have a lifejacket on.

[MikeWaters]

I spoke to my brother who did competitive swimming a few years ago:

1. His best stroke was breaststroke. That's also my most comfortable stroke. I don't think that is a coincidence.

Also, I was at the pool, timed a guy who was swimming free. He was going painfully slow. But very relaxed. Well, he did the 25yd in 35 sec. So now I know 35 sec is dang slow.

There was a fat lady doing the breastroke with her head above the water the whole time. I hate fat people who can just swim along effortlessly like they have a lifejacket on.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by bigpiney

I did competitive swimming when I was a kid. 7-12 years of age. When I was 8 I remember being able to swim a 25 yard free without taking any breaths,as that was my goal. not sure what my best was but probably around 13 or 14 seconds. Maybe around 15. When I was 9-10 the distance changed to 50 yards, so there was a turn involved, and my best freestyle was around 30 seconds. By the time I was 11 and 12, I know I had all strokes under 30 seconds except the breaststroke (I was so slow in the breaststroke).

I was modest in swimming ability despite having devoted too much time.

By high school, my fifty times were 22 in free, 23.7 in fly, 27 in back and something horrible in breast (30 maybe). Again we had sophomores who later became AA beating me. Nowadays if I break 30 for fifty free or fly I'm ecstatic. At least in pushing off the wall.

[MikeWaters]

I swam 25 yards in 23 sec with the Crawl, and was no more exhausted than my 35 sec time from the other day.

I think one of the main differences might be my efficiency. instead of drawing my hand down below my body, I tried to keep my hands close to my body, as I am pulling water. Cause I watched a chick do that who looked like a good swimmer.

Have got to work on breathing more deeply however. I think I am making progress.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

If I am not a terrific swimmer, and my goal is to swim for as long as possible, is 30-35 sec for 25 yards too fast?

I just checked times for my now 7 year old. His last times, as a 6 year old for the 25 yard freestyle and backstroke were 33 and 32 seconds. Granted he swims 4-5 hours a week and has done so for more than 2 years.

I don't think those times are too fast. I agree that you must be terribly inefficient in the water. And this coming from some someone who is fairly inefficient in the water. The question is - why? Did you forget to shave your legs and don your speedo before the swim check? That could be your problem.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Black Diamond Bay

My bil is, by all accounts, a really great swimmer. He also has incredibly short legs, and a long torso. He says that my sisters and I suck at swimming because we have long limbs and he claims that makes our kicking less efficient. I don't know if I buy it or not. Sadly, I am the "strong swimmer" out of the three sisters, but I have to be one of the most inefficient swimmers alive. I feel like I expend an incredible amount of energy for the distance I'm covering...which is generally very short.

There are world record holders of all body types.

Some have long torsos, some have extremely long legs, such as butterfliers or breaststrokers. There is no one type of body that fits swimming, except for one that has the ability to recover aerobically. The person who learns feel on the water is a good swimmer.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by Black Diamond Bay

My bil is, by all accounts, a really great swimmer. He also has incredibly short legs, and a long torso. He says that my sisters and I suck at swimming because we have long limbs and he claims that makes our kicking less efficient. I don't know if I buy it or not. Sadly, I am the "strong swimmer" out of the three sisters, but I have to be one of the most inefficient swimmers alive. I feel like I expend an incredible amount of energy for the distance I'm covering...which is generally very short.

Ask your bil to explain why Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe the 2 best swimmers of the past 20 years, destroyed all of their competition despite having long limbs. Most of the best are long and lanky. There are notable exceptions (Spitz was under 6 feet tall and had size 7 feet), but I think your bil is dead wrong.