Are some people just bad at swimming?

Question

I joined the swim team a few months ago but was the worst on the team. I just started out, but so did a few other girls. I have a slender body which I think would make me a good swimmer. The girls were averaging in the 1 30's for a 100 meter sprint, while i was in the 1 45's! To make it seem worse, i didn't skip any warm ups or anything. Every other girl was skipping. I quit because I was loosing to much weight. I was underweight (92lbs 5'5"). I don't get how i could loose so much weight but be so slow! Any ideas? Thanks!

Answer 1

Were you doing any kind of strength training to supplement your swimming? Swimming is hardcore cardio, which is probably why you lost so much weight. You can gain some muscle mass (which will probably improve your time) by increasing your protein intake and doing some strength training. Does your school have a weight room or anything? Talk to your PE instructors and explain that you'd like to build your muscle mass, and see if they can recommend a good program for you.

Answer 2

Not really

Answer 3

you need to eat more to get extra energy cuz thats alot of burning and im sure not enough eating to keep up. and i think you do much better not being under weight.

Answer 4

You do not say how old you are but 92 lbs for a 5'5" girl is not a healthy weight.  

Swimming maybe is just not your thing...find another sport that you feel more comfortable with and are good at.

Answer 5

loosing weight has nothing to do with it. because you're working hard at swim could mean you need to eat more. I know that during swim season i was eating tons of food, but stayed the same weight. Some people are naturally slower. you could try lifting weights because the more muscles you have in swim, the faster you'll go.

Answer 6

You're not buyont enough.  You need a little more body fat, especially in the lower part of the body.

All-in-all, be happy that you're underweight--there's much more problems with overweight than underweight bodies.

Answer 7

The reason you're slower is probably because you're so skinny. Fat floats, muscle sinks. Try to gain weight. You'll use less energy and probably go faster.

Answer 8

That's odd.....My Dad has never been able to swim. he has always been very thin. He can not even float , he sinks like a rock .I think you need some body fat to make you float better in the water, if you are too thin you are also fighting gravity while your swimming trying to stay on top of the water.

Answer 9

Congratulations on attempting something new and having the heart to give it everything you got (attending every warmup).  Swimming is a very very difficult sport and sounds like you lost a lot of weight for your efforts.

Good swimming is a combination of technique, strength, and cardiovascular conditioning.  It has nothing to do with fat making you float.  Olympic class swimmers have less than 5% bodyfat which would be extremely unhealthy for a non-athelete.  Proper technique includes proper arm movement, hand positioning, and breathing.  Breathing has more to do with floating or buoyancy than anything else because you fill your lungs with air.  Your have to breath properly for buoyancy and to supply your heart with oxygen to pump to the muscles.  The more your heart pumps the more calories you burn(sometimes called "cardio" training).  That is why you lost weight.  A serious athlete will eat enough of the right kinds of food(protein, carbohydrates, glucose), at the right times, to replace the calories being burned during training and also provide fuel for your body during these intense activities.  A lot of atheletes will eat small meals just before training just to provide energy for their muscles.  Something like a peanut butter sandwich.  They will also eat right after training.  Actually they will eat about every 2 or 3 hours.  I've heard of some strength training atheletes to set their alarms so they could get up in the middle of the night to eat something.  So even though you thought you were eating an awful lot, you still may not have been eating enough.

If you don't eat properly for the training you are doing, you could actually be weakening your body as you train as opposed to getting stronger and faster.  The body will try to use fat reserves for energy and when that runs out it will convert muscle, making you weaker.

It can all be a little complicated, but if it is something you enjoy, I would encourage you to continue.  If you are interested in some other sport, go for it.  Seek some advice on foods to eat from your school nutritionist and coaches and enjoy the feeling of improvement as you get stronger.  Don't be easily discouraged.  Have you ever seen the movie "Rudy"?  He was a small, under-performing football player that inspired an entire team of superior atheletes by his determination.  Determination is half of the fight for victory!!!

Answer 10

Swimming sure does burn calories a whole lot. Perhaps you have a great metabolism.

They probably didn't have previous swimming lessons.