Just wha does it take to become an Olympic Swimmer.?

Question

I've been Swimming in only the summer for 4 years, this being my fourth. I will most likely be Swimming in the winter this winter. Let me know if this will help me. I hope it does. My breaststroke time is 42.40. Just curious if that's good, I'm 13.

I just want to know, just what does it take to become an Olympic Swimmer. Because I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I know half of it is determination.

Answer 1

I answered this in another question, but here is my answer again...

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As I am not an Olympic athlete I don't know what kind of training that would entail exactly. However I do know that training for the Olympics is something that can start very young (around 10 or 11). As for a general picture of what being a young competitive swimmer is like, I can give you that.

It is being constantly tired because you have to wake up early in the morning (often before 5am) to go to a workout for 1-2 hours. Then maybe have a short break for breakfast (a nap if you're very lucky) before going to school.

After trying not to fall asleep in school all day you rush over to the pool for another 2-3 hour long practice. After that is dinner, homework, and bed. Many swimmers also coach or teach lessons so add in about another 1-2 hours of that after the evening practice.

On weekends without a swim meet it means an early morning Saturday practice (typically the hardest of the week) that lasts from 2-4 hours. I was lucky that Saturday mornings were my only weekend practice, but some teams and swimmers training for something like the Olympics have more than one Saturday practice or a Sunday practice too.

Weekends with a swim meet generally involve 1-4 days of getting up before dawn to go to the meet, staying there all morning, resting a few hours at the hotel and then doing it all again in the evening until well after dark. This intensity can change depending on the kind of meet, but for an Olympic hopeful, expect the rigorous schedule.

Also add to this schedule times for lifting weights and other dryland workouts and you can see how quickly life will become all about eating, sleeping, and swimming. Young swimmers who train like this do not have many friends outside of swimming (though some do) and do not have much free time. It takes a great deal of scheduling and commitment both on the part of the parent and the swimmer to make it work.

However, people who train like this often wouldn't want any other life. Sometimes they wish for an entire weekend to themselves, but once they get it they find they're ready to be back in the pool.

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In addition to all of that, it does take a good deal of luck and focus. Very few people even make it to Olympic Trials, even fewer to the Olympics.

Think of it this way: there are something like 1,200 swimmers at the U.S. Olympic Trials. To even be at the trials you have to be swimming times that would qualify you for the Olympics in other countries that don't have as many swimmers. Of that 1,200 fifty-six people go the Olympics. That's 0.04% and that's just on the Olympic level. The percentage of all U.S. swimmers that make the Olympic team is something like 0.002%.

Is it possible? Yes. The odds aren't good, but the point I'm trying to make is that the odds aren't good for any world-class swimmer. If you want to go for it, you need to train harder, swim faster, and be mentally stronger than your opponents at all times, starting a.s.a.p.

Answer 2

It definitely takes a lot of hard work and determination!!!  Though there are certain times that need to be met.

2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifying Standards

June 30-July 7, 2008 - Omaha, Nebraska

Go to this URL and it gives you the qualifying times!!!

Answer 3

Just practice and be totally dedicated to swimming and getting better,