the promise of leaner, healthier bodies and stronger joints. Unlike with other sports, it is never too late to start swimming, and it’s never too late to improve. Swimming brings fi tness, a feeling of wellbeing, fl exibility, endurance, plus the chance to socialise, travel and race. There’s also every chance that you will be a bet er swimmer in your 40s and even 50s than in your 20s, as gradual improvements to technique can make a big diff erence to your race timings over distance, and older people can be more patient and conscientious with making these changes. In a New York Times' article about Diana Nyad, Dr Michael Joyner,
professor of anesthesiology and exercise research at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, agreed that older athletes do well in endurance sports, because, “experience and training can off set the need for speed. There are a ton of examples of people in their late 50s and early 60s doing all sorts of wild things.” And you don’t have to swim 100-miles, or even ten, to reap the benefi ts of open water swimming. You can be as involved as you want to be. Some train for long-distance, some want to race and others simply swim for fun or health, concentrating on building up strength and stamina. Many will be returning to competitive swimming aſt er
years away from the sport, and others will be entering mass participation events for the fi rst time. Whatever your level, and whatever your age, there will be a suitable event to race if you so desire.
BACK IN THE WATER Older swimmers need to train in a diff erent way than their younger counterparts. As a low-impact form of exercise, swimming is a great alternative to running, and it is a cheaper and less dangerous option than cycling. However, for those taking up competitive swimming, tuition is oſt en a good idea. Aſt er all, it’s been a long time since you learned to swim as a child. Poor form can cause repetitive strain injuries so it’s worth get ing a check-up from a doctor, and asking a swim coach to look at your stroke mechanics. Even if you once swam at a high level, if you haven’t trained for a few years you might be surprised at how much swim technique has evolved. When I am told by returning swimmers, “I learned it diff erently as a kid,” I respond, “When was the last time you saw a wooden tennis racquet?” What can you expect if and when you do return to training later in
life? The ASA Masters Commit ee guidelines, which I am guilty of fl outing at most practices, suggest you should: “Know your limits. Have regard for your age and state of health. Do not try to emulate younger swimmers to the detriment of your own well being.” It is not easy accepting that you are get ing older, and inevitably, at some point, you will slow down, but there are ways of making life easier for yourself. Before starting training, the older swimmer should have any physical complaints investigated by a doctor or a sports therapist. Use common sense. If you have had a ten-to-20-year absence from training, or never trained before at all, and allowed a few kilos of weight to pile on – be cautious! It’s especially important that you talk to your doctor before
you start an exercise programme if you have heart or lung, liver or kidney disease, asthma, diabetes or arthritis. You should also check with your doctor if you have pain or discomfort in your chest, neck, jaw or arms during physical activity. Dizziness or loss of consciousness should always be investigated at once.
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