Swimmer Problems

Oh of course! 5 months is plenty of time to learn the strokes or at least the basics of each stroke. If you can find someone to work with you and teach them you're good. Once you learn them, it's all about getting your strength up!

Usually a gym/racquet club or a college that has a pool and has open swim.

What I do with my swimmers is this:5X100 on let's say a 1:20 pace (which will give you about a 7 minute 500) with 30 seconds between each 100.Now this will be tiring but also it will make you realize what exactly that pace needs to be like and how it feels when you swim about a 1:20. I do this at least twice a week so they know and can get an understanding of what that pace feels like.

Hi anon :) Thanks for the concern~ I’ve been sick for nearly four months now unfortunately :( We are trying to keep the blog running while we are all busy so hang around :)-Mari

Sorry for being so inactive in answering questions etc. For the past four months I have been in and out of the hospital due to how sick I’ve become. And it doesn't seem to be getting better.  If anyone is interested in bing an admin let me know, just send an ask and I’ll answer as soon as I am able. - Mari

Your legs have to be moving in the same plane so it doesn't look like they are being flutter kicking or something. A good tip is to lay on a kick board and practice. See if your coach can help.

We have another ask with this problem so I am researching videos for you all :)-Mari

I would try doing a one arm drill when your coach lets you do drills. This way you can really focus on getting your arms used to staying straight and you can focus all your energy on that one arm. The best thing is muscle memory when it comes to butterfly, so just get in the habit of keeping those arms straight during drills and practice. Also try swimming slower during practice so you can focus on keeping the arms up and straight. When you swim fast you tend to fall into old habits because it is easier (like taking short strokes in freestyle).Hope this helps!-Mari

Whenever we would have a swim meet we would have a major “Pasta Party” the night before. You want carbs you can burn so usually Italian food like pasta, and so on, is easy to burn and packed with carbs. Right before swimming keep it simple and keep it light. I liked to have a few Honey Nut Cheerios on hand during the meet just to keep my blood sugar up.STAY HYDRATED majorly important too. Gatorade and water were my top picks.I don’t recommend swimming on an empty stomach. You’ll burn everything you have and then some leaving you feeling sick to your stomach and could even make you pass out.This is true if you are distance or a sprinter. And if you’re too full you have to be careful too. Listen to your body. Don’t stuff your face and don’t swim on an empty stomach. Both can make you throw up.Also, try to avoid candy. That’ll give you a short rush and then it’ll be done. I knew a girl who used fruits for sugar and that helped her a lot.Hope this helps!-Mari

Honestly you shouldn't be afraid of the block. The water isn't going to hurt you if you do it right. Just think of it as diving from the side of a pool or something. If you need to, close your eyes and focus on your race, not the blocks.

Hang in there, you can’t compare yourself to others. I used to get so hard on myself because our star distance swimmer would basically look at the water and effortlessly win everything. It drove me insane. But then I was able to bring myself together (thanks to some friends) and see that it shouldn’t be me comparing myself to them. But me comparing myself to where I came from. I was a sprinter all through high school who never dreamed of touching even the 500! But in college I found myself as the 1650 swimmer and hating every stroke because I just didn’t think I was doing enough or advancing like everyone else. Look at where you came from, you’ve improved since the first day of the swim team and you have managed to keep moving forward. Be aware though that you could be at a point where you plateau, and that happens to everyone. You just have to trudge on through that time and soon you’ll begin to improve and move forward again.Hang tough and keep your chin up-Mari

Honestly, you’re never too old to join a team. When I was in high school we were getting people to swim for us and it was their first time ever learning to swim even! And they soared! The ones who decided to stay on the team made varsity in their events, and they had never been on a team or properly swam before!Later in college we had a girl join the team, never swam before in her life, just wanted to take a shot at it. She became one of our best sprinters for freestyle. She joined when she was 19/20. So I don’t think you are too old at all! If you want it, go for it! I think the team experience and competing is really a grew thing to take away from swimming and to grow with it. I wouldn’t change a thing I did on the swim teams I was on and I’m so happy I joined my high school team :)Swim swim swim!-Mari

More advice :D