MASTERS SWIMMING
The Olympics have wrapped up after two weeks of great competition. As happens every four years, sports that usually are not on the main stage get loads of viewers and positive attention. One of these sports was swimming! The drama around swimming coming into the Olympics was unrivaled. Australia and the USA were exchanging fierce words about who would come out with more GOLD medals, Leon Marchand of France was attempting to take down Micahel Phelps’s last Olympic Record, and multiple world records were shaking at the prospect of being shattered.
After the Dust Settled
Those who watched swimming on prime time were left nothing short of entertained! USA got the best of Australia in the Gold medal count on none other than the FINAL RELAY OF THE MEET (USA: 8 / AUS: 7). Leon Marchand broke the 400M IM Olympic Record as well as became the first man to win gold in both the 200M Butterfly and the 200M Breaststroke (both olympic records, a mere 120 minutes apart) in his home country. And everyone was left with their jaws on the floor when Pan Zhanle (CHN) beat the Men’s 100 Freestyle final field by a body length to break his own world record by four tenths of a second (46.40). '
All this excitement has resulted in many people being interested in swimming themselves. Outside being a super cool sport to watch at the moment, swimming has been revered as one of the best forms of exercise for people to take part in. The buoyancy of water allows it to have a low impact on joints. The continuous nature of it and the breath control make it very good for one's cardiorespiratory health. Finally, it has a large skill component that can be effectively learned under a Masters’s Swim coach. Starting with the basics is still very good exercise, and the more you improve at the skills taught, the more effectively you can train in the pool.
Wait, Masters Swimming??? What is that?
Masters Swimming is an organization that provides individuals 18 y/o and up opportunities to swim, compete, exercise, and be part of a team. There are multiple teams, each have trained coaches that know how to coach for adults and make swimming a fun part of their life again. You can find teams in your area and register at the US Masters Swimming website. If you are interested in trying a team, reach out to their coach or person of contact, they typically offer a first practice free.
If you have questions about how you, or a friend, could get involved with swimming you can also direct them to me, Andrew Duff, and I will help to find a team near them! Contact: andrew@pittsburghfitnessproject.com
Video links for those sensational races (all world records):
Leon 200 Fly
Leon 200 Breast
Zhanle 100 FR
Women’s 4x100 Medley