The Top 10 Things You Should Know About Masters Swimming (Part 1)
Beginners, and most other people in the triathlon community, believe that coached group workouts for those 18 and over (otherwise known as masters swim teams) are for fast, competitive swimmers who have been swimming forever. The triathletes who believe this feel out of place or even left out when they attend a masters workout. They feel there is no room for novices on masters swim teams.
In reality, 80 percent of swimmers on masters teams are not there for competitive training, but for fitness. The other 20 percent consists of competitive masters, triathletes, and open water swimmers.
If you are a beginner triathlete who is new to the concept of masters team swimming, or an experienced triathlete who has shunned masters and always trained on your own, here are the top 10 things you should know about masters swimming:
According to the US Masters website, the stated goal of masters swim programs is: “All USMS programs are designed to help swimmers improve fitness and/or train for specific goals, and offer active support for a healthy lifestyle through friendship, and camaraderie.”
Accept that, if you are a beginner, most of the other swimmers will realize it. But this is not a problem; in fact, most masters swimmers love having new swimmers and should be happy to help.
Not all masters teams are created equally. Talk to the coach about your ability level and your goals, and see if it will work. Most coaches will work with you no matter your level, but if not, there may be an alternative option in your city.
Don’t be late. It makes the coach’s job easier, and makes your fellow lane-mates lives easier.
Learn to swim “circle pattern”, which means you stay to the right of the line in the middle of the lane (it is marked on the bottom of most pools in the middle of each lane). Circle pattern allows for more than two swimmers per lane.
In many Master’s Swim classes, eager students are trained over time to build up endurance with very bad form. The result is a high level of strength and endurance in executing bad form. Advice for would be master swimmers – hire a Swim “PRO” – not a lap coach to show you proper form so that when you build endurance, it’s with good form.
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Good point James! Many masters coaches out there are not stroke technicians, unfortunately.
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