One of the greatest attributes of our beloved sport is that virtually anyone of any age is able to get in the pool and kick-start a swimming career, whether it be for competition or for fun. For those adults who are wanting a little more from their aquatic exercise routine, there is the unique opportunity to be a part of United States Masters Swimming.
Masters swimmers come in many forms, shapes, sizes and degrees of seriousness, but several traits belong to all of us. Peruse any deck across the country and you’re sure to stumble upon at least a few of these “Masters-isms” common to the ‘seasoned’ swimmers.
#1 – The Luxurious Masters Minute
In age group swimming, you may get away with the occasional ‘hang out on the wall pretending I’m fixing my goggles’ impromptu break now and again, but you’ll rarely be given an actual rest period written in as part of your workout. We don’t have to engage in such covert operations in Masters – if we want a break, we, um, simply take a break. Bathroom break, water break, catch up on The Walking Dead break – anything that seems important at the time can sometimes take precedent over making the next send-off. Some coaches actually integrate the infamous “Masters Minute” into the written workout, giving swimmers the option to take a breather, regroup and prepare themselves before tackling the next set.
#2 – Our Swim Bags Get Mistaken for Medical Kits
Yes, we of course have the usual towel, suits, caps, goggles and the like, but tell-tale signs of a Masters swimmers bag include some variation of ‘Icy Hot’, ibuprofen, KT tape and foam rollers of various sizes. Our bodies are in great shape as a whole, yes, but it doesn’t hurt to have these old stand-bys on hand for the days we don’t feel especially spry.
#3 – We Struggle with Clock-Reading of Another Kind
When young swimmers are learning how to read a pace clock and grasping the concept of intervals, some Masters are just dealing with being able to focus on the clock period. Coaches often need to watch their step on deck during a Masters practice, so as to not crush the myriad reading glasses scattered about, a piece of equipment as vital as a pull buoy or set of paddles to the Masters swimmer.
#4 – No Rest for the Wicked
No, most Masters swimmers don’t pull a double with both morning and afternoon practice, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still deserving of the glorious post-practice nap. However, little things like making a living, raising a family and maintaining a household get in the way of even the tiniest power nap we’re tempted to take on our lunch breaks. Thus, we’re left in a perpetual sleep deficit most of the time, but it’s not enough to keep us away from our passion.
#5 – We Still Aim High
Yes, some of us have that pair of reading glasses I mentioned right next to our goggles. Yes, some of us wear a racing suit 2-3x the size we wore in years past. And, yes, several of us wear t-shirts with the phrase “the older we get, the faster we were” proudly emblazoned across the front. But, Masters swimmers still have the dedication, yearning to get better in our own way, and goal-setting mindsets that drive us to the cold chlorine abyss every practice ready to take on that day’s aquatic adventures.
It took me 6 months @ 50+ I swim 5-6 times a week though. Usually pretty hard. Did my first meet in 30 years. Came in 1 all age groups. You can too!
Question for you that have been in Masters for a while – I just got back in the pool after 25 years away. Yes, serious – it’s been 25 years. Finally got motivated to get back to swimming. We have no Master’s program within 100 miles, so I make up my own workouts (and borrow from internet workouts others post). I was a pretty good swimmer through HS and college, but. Man. I am terrible now. It hurts. I am gutted after a minimal workout. I can barely swim a 50 fly without resorting to the one-armed bandit! I want to do sets of 100s, 200s, etc, and end up doing sets of 50s. I am so slow and my… Read more »
hey, I took 26 years out of the pool and I think you should allow yourself a good 6-12months to start feeling “it” again. – providing you can get in 3x1hr sessions per week. If you can’t get to swim with a masters squad make sure you write a “fun” program before each session and try to stick to it. Just build up slowly with distance and work on improving your time cycles each month. Don’t get stuck in a rut if “garbage yardage” – mix it up and have fun.
Congrats on getting back into the water! I highly recommend joining US Masters Swimming, as one of the many benefits is online workouts created by fantastic coaches, and a list of places to swim. Maybe there is a team closer than 100 miles? Here is the link: http://www.usms.org. There is a link to Join, on the right side of the main page.
“The bigger..the better!” The size of some fins and paddles I have seen in practice is crazy!
Yes, that was one of the things I was most taken by when I first became a masters swimmer. We are treated like adults. Do what you think is best. I swam with a guy once who used to show up late for practice. Sometimes he would warm up with a 200 maybe. Then he would do 4 dive 25’s, all out sprint. He’d have a coach time him. Sometimes that is all he would do. I was fascinated by this. He was incredibly fast too. amazing.
Great list! I’d add the Masters Perogatve…the ability to change the set, stroke, repetitions, interval, or entire workout.