15 Truths About Swimming
Swimming is a sport like no other. You learn a lot about yourself throughout your years as a swimmer and the sport inherently instills valuable life lessons in you. Even when your time as a competitive swimmer is done, you still continue to learn more about the sport and have time to reflect.
Here are 15 very real and very honest truths about swimming:
1. Swimming isn’t like any other sport, so don’t expect it to be.
Swimming is unique for many reasons and is truly unlike any other sport. You don’t get a timeout in the middle of your 400 IM, no matter how badly you may need one. Swimmers don’t, and probably won’t ever, get the same recognition as other teams, despite the achievements in and out of the pool. You may see your friends who play other sports have the week off around the holidays while you’re on your way to doubles. That’s just the way swimming is.
2. The clock will never lie.
You always hear the cliché—the clock never lies. Well, it’s true. The clock doesn’t and will never lie, but that’s the beauty of it. The precise nature of our sport allows us to visibly see the outcome of the work we do. There is no judge marking off points for technicality or style: you swim, look up at the scoreboard and boom, there’s the result. If you were .01 off the cut time, you were .01 off the cut time. If your reaction time was -0.32, you left early. It’s an honest sport; you can’t make up excuses for numbers that are right in front of your eyes.
3. It’s okay to fail.
Swimmers often find themselves in the mindset that failing is not an option. But here’s the thing: it’s okay. Fail. Make mistakes. Try a new race strategy. Hold a faster interval in practice. Maybe you fade in the last 50 of your 200 breast, maybe you have to add a few seconds for the final reps. You won’t know unless you try and you will never learn or grow or get faster if you never push yourself out of your comfort zone.
4. It’s not always fair.
Some people have natural talent. We all know the type, those who may not necessarily put in the training but can bust out a fast time at meets. Others simply do not have that ability. Swimming was never natural to me; I was not one of those lucky individuals who had God-given speed. I had to train extremely hard to see minor results at best, if any improvements at all. But that’s just how it is. You cannot control what others do.
5. You don’t have to be best friends with all of your teammates.
You can choose what club team to swim with or where you go to college, but your teammates are like family—you don’t get to pick them. Despite spending a good portion of your time with them, it’s okay not to be best friends with all of them. Despite any differences, support each other and push one another to be the best athletes you can be. After all, you’re there for the same reason, and competing with the same team name on your caps.
Photo Courtesy: David Rieder
6. You won’t always drop time like your 10-year-old self.
Remember when you were younger and you would drop three seconds in your 50 free each time you raced it? As we all know, once we get older, that stops happening. There comes a point in your swimming career when you simply won’t drop time anymore. As much as you’d like to and no matter how hard you train, the results just don’t seem to go your way. Plateaus happen. You may only drop a few tenths here and there—celebrate that success.
7. No one cares about your excuses.
I’ve made my fair share of excuses, don’t get me wrong. But here’s the thing: absolutely no one cares about your excuses. You can make excuses all you want—go right ahead—but those will be what prevents you from reaching your goals. As one of my 13-year-old swimmers once told me, excuses are the nails that build the house of failure. Wow.
8. The suit doesn’t make you go fast.
It’s the mindset you have while you’re in the suit that makes you go fast. Did the fancy new tech suit put in hours of training each day? No. Did the suit that takes 20 minutes to put on wake up at the crack of dawn to head to the gym? Not a chance. Was it the $300 piece of fabric that survived winter training? Nope. No one can swim your race except you. Put that suit on and feel—be—unstoppable.
Photo Courtesy: Speedo USA
9. Mental health matters.
If we’re sore, we ice. If something’s hurting, we see our athletic trainers. If we’re tight, we stretch and roll out. Mental health should not be any different. If something is bothering you, talk about it. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; your coaches, teammates, athletic support staff, family and friends all want to see you succeed. Swimming (and diving) are both extremely mental sports, and to perform your best in the pool, you must be in the best mindset possible.
10. Warmup also matters.
I once raced a 200 breast final at my championship meet without any warmup; I hadn’t touched a pool since my prelim swim that morning. Somehow, unbeknownst to me, I managed to go a best time, but let me tell you, I couldn’t walk the next day. Never underestimate the power of a good warmup. If you don’t have a pool available, do some dryland exercises to get your heart rate up. Get both your body and mind ready to race.
11. It’s impossible not to compare yourself to others.
Don’t pretend that you have never compared yourself to anyone. It’s inevitable in sport and swimming is no exception. Wow, that guy is so much stronger than me. That girl’s seed time is five seconds faster than mine. Although it’s impossible not to compare yourself to others, learn how to manage it. Stay in your zone, race your own race. If you start to hear that little voice in your head get to a negative place, reroute it to focus on you and no one but yourself.
Photo Courtesy: Carl Labonge III
12. It’s okay to not always love the sport.
Swimming is not always rainbows and butterflies—it rarely is. It’s hard. It takes an emotional, physical and mental toll on you. Sometimes you feel stuck, simply just going through the motions, even questioning what you truly want from the sport. That’s fine. It’s normal. You’re not the only one who feels that way, and you definitely won’t be the last. Even on the hard days, remember why you started. Somewhere, no matter how deep down it may be, that love for swimming is still there.
13. You are never alone.
It’s okay to admit when you need help and to seek out resources. Communicate with your coaches about how you’re feeling and let your teammates know what’s going on. Chances are, some of them are probably feeling the same way. Through the good times and the bad, you have an amazing support system. Even when the going gets tough, your swimming family is in your corner. It’s not easy and you never have to go through it by yourself.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
14. You are a person outside of the pool.
Swimming is what you do, not who you are. Swimming is a huge part of your life, but it does not define you as a human being. It’s so easy to get caught up obsessing over trivial things within the sport, but that does not matter. In five, 10, 20 years from now, you will not remember the time you swam in your 100 back at a dual meet or the pace you held for 10×100 in practice. Your times and accomplishments within the pool will never tell the whole story; your character says a lot more about you as both a person and an athlete.
15. It doesn’t give up on you.
Swimming is like that pesky little mosquito on a hot summer night: it never goes away, no matter how many times you swat at it. There may come a time when you give up on swimming, but it will never give up on you. It will be there for you, days, months, or even years after you hang up your goggles for good. The pool will be waiting for you with open arms, calling you home. After all, you can never really leave a thing you love.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Very true, definitely worth a read swimmers & swimming parents!
Very true. Realy helps. Parent of 16 & 11 year old swimmers
Which one is better?
Karrie Smith Johannsen good article to share with T.
Jean Davies brings back memories. So true, never lose that love of the pool ?
What an inspiring article! No.11 is my favorite?
Tom Harforth
Read it, loved it. Although pictures show younger swimmers I’m a Masters swimmer and I feel it applies to us all. I especially like #15. The pool will be waiting for you with open arms, calling you home. After all, you can never really leave a thing you love.
I agree with #15. I was an avid swimmer in my childhood and early teens and then gave it up for 20 years. Everytime I saw a pool or it was summer, I just wanted to get in, swim and have fun. Somehow, I couldn’t. I was scared to death of the water. I didn’t remember techniques anymore.
Now, 20 years later, I gave myself the chance and enrolled in swimming lessons. From ground zero. My instructor thinks I am a quick learner when the actual credit goes to the mind-muscle memory. I am still struggling with certain techniques and I am still scared of depths when diving to grab something but I am getting there. There is a certain freedom in getting back in the pool.
Been swimming with a masters club for 30 years. Love it! It takes you back years, back to competing in galas and training for National and World events. Making new friends. The best about Masters, there is no pressure and a lot of fun!
One of the best part of my life was being on a swim team and later coaching – loved it
William Brewer
Kelly Lennon nice cover photo! Miss you!
Fantastic article ❣️
Allison Norman
So true…but understandable to older swimmers?
Wish I could get back to the pool,been away far too long.
Are the state parks open yet for swimming?
Yes.. very true!
Yes very true !
Stella #15
Milena Babic how true are these!
Ryley Eckert #6 ??
Julie yes it does
Excellent article!
Swimming IS like every other sport- requires personal sacrifice, dedication and commitment in order to achieve toon level….my daughters are competitive swimmers, I was not, but a competitive athlete . Don’t understand why parents of swimmers always think that swimmers work so much harder than everybody else, that swimming is so much more demanding ….. same story…..boring!
IN FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, GOLF, BASKETBALL, TRACK YOU HAVE OFF SEASONS WERE YOU DO NOT TRAIN AS HARD AS YOU DO IN SEASON. SWIMMING HAS TWO SEASONS, SHORT COURSE AND LONG COURSE THE ONLY BREAK A IS USUALLY THE WEEK BETWEEN.
Thank you for getting your daughters to practice! It will be worth it for many reasons.
I agree. I am a competitive swimmer of about 8 years. Although I may be young, I work as hard if not harder as most adults in this world. My team trains steadily through each season, with only a ONE WEEK break after state meet. I am from South Carolina so this may be a bit different from some other states. Also, the fact that you felt the need to write this negative comment on this post is just hilarious to me.
Let’s hope it stays that way. DO THE METERS DO THE TIME.
Wishing all of our swimmers across the country a wonderful college season no matter when it happens!
Eliza Grace the last one
David Holland the last two especially!!
I spy Kelly Lennon
This was so inspirational.
I was taught to swim by a team of Policemen and Dockers in the East End of London just after the War as there were many accidents with children in the River Thames. I played water polo for Plaistow who were the UK Senior champions. I continued to swim all my life and now at 84yrs still swim regularly.
Swimming is for life.
#9 – as parents of D1 swimmer with mental health issues, it took taking a semester off and getting away from the cancerous team/coaching environment she was in to help her to breathe again. She will be swimming again, but in a different conference so she can enjoy it again!
Cal?
It’s like any sport , if you don’t enjoy it. You will never maximise your potential. Best wishes to all participants. Enjoy the journey. and hope you reach your destination. ?♀️?☘️
Nice article. I appreciate the insight. Competitive swimming starts as competitive swimming. Unlike baseball, football, basketball, etc that starts as a recreational game. If a swimmer puts in the work, the stopwatch shows it.
I COACHED SWIMMING FOR TWENTY YEARS AND AM IN THE TEXAS SWIMMING AND DIVING HALL OF FAME AT U OF TEX IN AUSTIN. ALL 15 POINTS I HAVE STRESSED TO MY SWIMMERS AND SINCE THE MID 1960S ALL HAVE PROVED TRUE. I AM STILL IN CONTACT WITH MANY OF MY SWIMMERS, SOME MORE THAN 55 YEARS AND MANY OF THESE POINTS STILL DOMINATE OUR CONVERSATIONS. THE 16 TH POINT I USE TO MAKE WAS, “ONLY TWO PEOPLE KNOW IF YOU REALLY DID YOUR BEST. NOT YOUR MOM, DAD OR EVEN YOUR COACH BUT IT IS YOU AND YOUR GOD. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF AND YOUR GOD”.
I RECENTLY MOVED TO MONTROSE, CO. THE REC CENTER HAS A BEAUTIFUL 25 YDX25 MT INDOOR POOL WITH WARM UP POOL AND WATER PARK SEPARATE. ALTITUDE 5750 FT ASL. PROBABLY ONE THE FINEST POOL FOR TRAINING SWIMMERS IN WESTERN COLORADO. THEY HAVE ONLY ABOUT 30 SWIMMERS ON A SWIM TEAM IN A CITY OF 19,000. I ASKED IF I COULD HELP COACH. I WAS TOLD THEY WANTED TO BUILD A TEAM WHERE EVERYONE WAS HAPPY AND COULD WIN RIBBONS. I BELIEVE THIS IS NOT COMPETITIVE SWIMMING BUT A WASTE OF TIME. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Good stuff.
I would add: the Good Stuff resides, not always on the podium, but in the climb up the mountain to try to get there. The hundreds of thousands of yards, the sacrifices, the silent pain, the will to continue when it feels like the tank is empty…those things earn you the best that this great sport has to offer…the good stuff that will be with you for the rest of your life.
What a great read for a lesson for someone who is a swimmer in 6th grade Thank you
#16. If something isn’t working, try something different. There are a lot of different ways to develop as a swimmer, and not all of them work for everyone.
No one ever fails. Either you win or you learn. It’s all good.
The pool doesn’t care how much money I make, what type of suit or goggles I wear,the pool just wants me there.
#15. You never leave something you love.
Why do people continue to lie and say suits don’t matter?
#15 is my favorite at 42 years old it is the truest statement. The pool will be waiting with open arms.
Very very true.
Am an 81 masters Egyptian swimming champion.,who started swimming back in 1952 ,till present. I frequently ask myself what is the hell what you’re doing to yourself “Bassit “?
But am still practicing,Thanks God.
Ahmad Bassit ,Ph.D.
Ranked top 10 FINA 100 Backstroke 2021, 2022
ab@scu.eg
Ahmed abdel basset (FB)
Nailed it! Nicely done!
Right on. And it is the sport that gives back to you for life. I would not have the success in my career without swimming. Fact.
Do the best you can and never give up
After the race is over you can climb out of the pool and say I have given it my all.❤️❤️❤️
#15 is so true
Interesting article, thanks for sharing. The article is less than a week old, but some of the comments are three years old! There’s a lot of correlation to Track & Field as well, but my 13yo and getting her back and forth to the morning swim and evening swim during the summers… whew! A lot of dedication and love for the sport that’s for sure.
love this
This article was beautifully written and perfectly captures the highs and lows of the sport of swimming. Your last three paragraphs truly brought home your message, particularly the ending line. Beautiful writing! Well done!
Great stuff