Athletic conditioning in 2021

[Smurof]

I for the first time ever attempted lap swimming. I was grateful that the attendant told me I'd only have about 15 minutes, as that's about the longest I think I would make it. I was told that the youth swim team needed the area I would be swimming in, since I arrived last. I barely made it halfway across 1 lap when I was exhausted. I toughed out two laps in all totaling about eight minutes when I felt like a large boulder with exhaustion pulling myself out of the pool.

 

The youngsters showed up as I was drying off. There were about a dozen of them, around 11 years old. I could not believe what most of them looked like. Essentially, the high schoolers of my day (the 80s) had the same physiques of these pre-teen kids, with sizable arms, rippled stomachs, and muscular chests. They were from a private sporting academy school, and the area I was swimming in was a wealthy part of town. Basically, these young men are being groomed since birth to be aquatic champions.

 

I only know of one family that are proud of their teenage ice skating phenom, a passion he developed entirely on his own. Neither of his parents are athletically inclined. I look forward to seeing him in the Olympics representing the USA in the near future. I just hope for the sake of the kids I saw today that it is something they really want to do, and not something they'll get a severe beating at home for coming in second place at a meet.

[HotWhiteThirties]

Children are under a tremendous amount of pressure these days. Some of it is their own desire to be a part of something, some passionately love what they pursue, some are pleasing their parents and their parents are using their children to fulfill their own dreams and mask their own insecurities...and in many cases it's a combination of all of it. Hard to write it off as entirely one thing or the other...which came first, you know? The desire in the child, or the desire of the parents?

 

I do know this, being a child is hard and so is being a parent. No one is doing it perfectly.

[kingsley88]

I for the first time ever attempted lap swimming. I was grateful that the attendant told me I'd only have about 15 minutes, as that's about the longest I think I would make it. I was told that the youth swim team needed the area I would be swimming in, since I arrived last. I barely made it halfway across 1 lap when I was exhausted. I toughed out two laps in all totaling about eight minutes when I felt like a large boulder with exhaustion pulling myself out of the pool.

 

First of congrats on your first ever lap swim! Were you kicking hard? Normally I get tired or out of breath as well after 1-2 laps if I kick hard while swimming/sprinting.

As I've gotten older, I prefer to do a 2-beat or 4-beat kick when swimming as I last longer and feel like I get a really good cardio workout.

[BtmBearDad]

Congratulations to you, @Smurof on embarking on this new fitness program!! ?? Covid has not been kind to either my waistline or my motivation to do something about it, so I applaud you ??

 

As far as kid athletics today - it is an entirely different concept from what I experienced in my teens (the 80’s). I’ve played rugby since I was 12, and of course there was training, conditioning, etc., but it was nothing like what kids are doing now. I can look back on my memories, and at pictures from then thru college, and yes we were big, muscley, beefy ruggers - but we weren’t cut, ripped, 6-pack guys at all.

 

When I was playing in a recreational league after college, you would notice the new, younger guys joining were 9 times out of 10 cut, jacked, guys. One of the older ruggers, tho he was probably younger than I am now, would joke it was because of all the hormones in milk, chicken, beef. ?

 

I agree with everything @HotWhiteThirties said, too. I know from my nieces, nephews, godchildren in addition to what HWT said, athletic prowess means scholarship money. Much more, and much more diverse, than what I remember. None have gotten full rides, but given tuition costs, every bit helps.

 

I am a firm believer, and supporter, of youth sports. I’ve volunteered, and coached, and supported teams with the old checkbook too. They teach discipline, responsibility, sportsmanship, and it’s FUN!!

 

I suppose part of me just worries all this takes away the fun, because that’s what it should be about.