How to Get Into Competitive Swimming
Whether you want to make it to the Olympic team or simply have a little fun and get in shape, competitive swimming could be for you. Anyone can join a team at most any age, but there are certain things you need to do if you want to swim in the higher level tiers of the sport. And let's face it; most competitive swimmers at least have this goal in mind at some point in their swimming careers.
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Things You'll Need
- Lots of time and dedication Swimsuit, cap and goggles Access to an Olympic-sized pool
Instructions
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Instructions
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Begin swimming at a young age. Most elite swimmers start swimming when they are around seven or eight years old, if not younger. This gives them a lot of time to learn their strokes, improve their speed and, of course, get in a lot of practice. So if you haven't started swimming yet, today is the day.
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Learn your strokes. Not all types of swimming are commonly seen in competition, especially at the elite level. The ones you will want to focus on are the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and crawl. The crawl is the stroke you see most swimmers perform in the freestyle and individual medley competitions.
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Practice and become proficient at flip turns and push offs. A flip turn is when you reach one end of the pool and quickly do an in the water somersault so you can start swimming in the opposite direction. Push offs from the wall are important because they can give you valuable momentum at the start of a race. Remember, competitive swimming is not about looking pretty. They're about pure speed. Use a technique that works for you, even if it's not the most graceful one.
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Join a swim team right away, even if you're not sure of your ability. Swimming with a group will give you the opportunity to learn from others so you can see your strengths and weaknesses. The coach can also give you advice that is harder to figure out on your own. This can also be a good segue way into tournaments and competitions.
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Enter any competitions you can, even at the very local level. Win a race, any race, and it will put you on the road to being noticed by higher-level swim coaches.
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Tips & Warnings
A lot of swimmers shave their body hair in an effort to increase their speeds. It is said to cut down on your resistance in the water.
See a doctor for a complete physical before you begin your training program. It's important to be sure that your body can handle it.
