Competitive swimming?

Question

During this past week and previous olympic events by watching all the different swim meets i have become overly inspired by the American and other swimmers. I have always been very competitive loved sports (volleyball, bball, softball). but two years ago i got a DVT (blood clot in leg), (abnormal for my age) and that took away any aspirations of playing any of those sports on a competitive organized team. I cannot run, stay on my feet and move with my legs at all like i used to. Im going to be a junior in HS and i have never swam on a team nor had professional lessons. Ive always loved swimming laps at the public pool. It relaxes me in ways i cannot express and I would love to start swimming competitively and get into sports again. Swimming the only thing i can do without any physical obstacles and i would like to know how to start getting into it and know what i can do to make a team and how long it takes to learn before competing. Anything anyone can tell me about swimming as a sport would be greatly appreciated. =]

Answer 1

I've been swimming for awhile. This will be my 4th year. I love it. Watching the olympics inspires a lot of people. It really pumps me up for the up coming swim season. Anyways all you need to know to get on a swim team is freestyle breathing side to side and backstroke and breaststroke and most likely you will need to know how to do butterfly. you don't have to be awesome at it. They will work with you on it. But once you start swimming you won't compete until like the first at like 8 or 9 weeks because most team do basic training at the begining of the year. In texas our meets really don't start picking up til like november. But swimming is an awesome sport and i know your gonna love it! It is the best excercise and its easy on the body too. So it will be perfect for you. Well hope you have fun and join a swim team

=]

Answer 2

I've been competively swimming since I was about 10 and and am now a junior in high school.  Swimming is a really easy sport to get into and you should defenitly try getting on a team.  A club team at a local pool would be a good place to start, if you're not ready to try your school team.  They don't race as much, but more really give you individual training on your strokes.  If you're ready to start racing join your school team! Don't worry if you're the fastest one just keep trying and it's tons of fun :]  Once you get the hang of the strokes, the rest is just repetitive practice.   Good luck!  

Answer 3

OK first don't let some of the others on here deter you and your most noble ambition towards swimming.   I think what you want to do is great!

Depending on where you are, you can go on line and find a good swim club and start that way.  

I swam competitively for years and actually got burnt out...but I have photos of me ahead of my competitors before I even hit the water.  It is fun, but very very hard work.   It is deceiving watching the Olympic swimmers, because they make it look easy.  To have the energy and sheer power to catch someone, is well...astounding to me.  

Michael Phelps is utterly the best I've ever seen.  The French guy is annoying because he thinks he is all that...despite being a good/great swimmer, he seems a bit too puffed up.

With your health issue, swimming will be a great way to keep active and keep in shape and still be competitive.   Good Luck!

Answer 4

Sorry to bring you down but swimming isn't a sport where you can...start swimming and be the best. It takes size, determination and ability. Did you see any women in the swimming events that were shorter than 5'7? Most of them were quite buff. Your going to be a junior now and you are NOW just starting. Its going to be torture. BUT i could be wrong and maybe you will make it to the olympics one day. Look at the 41 year old lady. She finished 2nd place in the 50 free. Inspiring.

Answer 5

Swimming is amazing. I have been swimming for more then 10 years now, and 4 years of competitive swimming. I was on my high school swim team for 4 years, and I mostly swam the 100/200 freestyle. I love swimming and  our team was very very competitive, we had a lot of students on the team, and we worked really really hard. Practice was long (nearly 3 hrs/day 5 days/week). It was difficult, but I got through it day after day, and I was really proud of myself. The best feeling in the world was standing there on the stand, and hearing the the sound and then diving in the water. Swimming is a fun sport, work hard and you can make it.  

Answer 6

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Answer 7

you can probably find a local swim club to train in

it takes lots of laps and hard work

at swim clubs you can probably ask if there are any teams that practice there and you can probably swim for them

also you would need to lift weights to get stronger (if possible)

Answer 8

ahh Ive been swimming for 9 years. and I'm also going to be a junior in high school.

You can start competing as soon as you et the rules and storkes down. It's not hard.

You have to learn the turns and the flips and how to dive off a block and how to do a backstroke start.

Understand your event, and how many laps.

Gain some endurance

and your off :-)

Answer 9

i can swim faster than 95% of my school swim team but like you only because it relaxes me. i swim for relaxation and because its fun. like the other guy said you might be a bandwagon swimmer.

Answer 10

i like swimming (:

sry i didnt have time to read this all

Answer 11

I can tell you that the swimers g straight to the showers after they race or dive.The swimers get judged on this as well. The reason to going to the showers after every swim or dive is to keep there muscles loose. The different temperatures in the air and water cause them to tighten  

Answer 12

it takes a lot of practice but its probably the best form  of cardio, you get from it what to put in

good luck

Answer 13

First thing to do is join the local swim club.  This will lead to competition meets and if you are good enough you will proceed further.

Answer 14

you can join any local swim team you dont have to try out

Answer 15

I thought blood clots result from sittign too long.  You mean you can't do those things now because of the damage done?

I think there are lots of sports you could pursue.  Go for it!

Answer 16

if your serious about it thats great, but u might just be a band-wagon swimmer like alot of people. i have been swimming for 7 years im 16. and there are alot of people at the local swim club i have never seen befor and they suck

what people dont understand is that its hard work, but if your serious that great and good luck.

Answer 17

its good for you

Answer 18

yup yup

Answer 19

Try joining a summer league before you go for winter swimming.

Usually, you can learn all the strokes in a few weeks if you have an accomplished coach. If you belong to a country club or swimming pool that has a team, you can usually get information from the front desk. As of now, the summer swimming season is over, but you could probably take some lessons at your local Y to get used to deep water and learn the strokes so you'll be ready for summer.

Good Luck!

Answer 20

Another Olympic sheep ! Yayyyy....!

My Grandma wants to be a swimmer now too.

Answer 21

Join the team at your high school.   Go to the YMCA and ask about any organized swimming teams or clubs.  You will find plenty of resources.

Answer 22

ok, well first off, u have to be really serious about swimming. it may look easy, but it's not. My first swim meet i did like 7 years ago, i saw people my age who were super fast and i was only 7 then! so u have to practice, praCTICE, practice!

Answer 23

Swimming sport is really great, and much appreciated by others.

And to beginners start in a shallow or knee deep water and start stretching your legs with your body before going to a head-deep water.

Answer 24

join your closest swim team and the coaches will get you in the hang of it i use to swim for like 4 years i can still swim just like i could then probly even a little better i wanna get back in it but i dont ever have time for anything with school and being a lifegaurd

Answer 25

You might want to talk to the swim coach at your school about what you want to do, he or she would have the best advice about how to prepare and train.  I hope you go for it.  Good luck!!!

Answer 26

Go for it

Answer 27

find the closest place u can get into a swim team, ask ur parents for help with this. it depends how good u are to when u can start competing. i no a person whos trained for like a yr bfor she competed and another one of my friends only trained for a month before she competed.  

Answer 28

practice makes perfect.

Answer 29

ohh, i loved that olympic swimming on tv

Answer 30

I swim at the YMCA. It's the only pool I know of that is near my location.

Answer 31

next olympics they all will swim nude.