Swim moms - when to up the meters?

[blondeviolin]

We're at the point where I'm thinking the 8&under 25s would no longer serve my swimmer well at most meets, even though he's just barely 7. He's swam 50s in other meets of all the strokes, only being nervous about the 50fly (though he did fine). The next meet is coming up and I have the choice of either placing him 200 free or a 25, no in between. He's successfully done 200s in practice, but he's only swam up to 100m at a meet. Back stroke options are 100 or 25. Again, he's done a 50m. The last event he asked to do is a 200IM, but I haven't asked his coaches about what they thought. I don't want to enter him in events too quickly too early, but he's telling me he wants to do the longer lengths and his head coach seems to think he's capable.

 

So... How do I know when it's appropriate to challenge him more? He is pretty confident. ("It's kindergarten stuff!" he says.). BUT, I don't want to put undue stress on his developing body. I'm assuming the shoulder concerns for a swimmer this age would largely be to butterfly, yes?

[bettyandbob]

I would talk to the coaches first.

 

You also need to consider you ds's technique. Upping distances in meets and practices without good technique will become a serious problem. It might not be an issue at first, but fixing bad technique later can be very difficult.

[plansrme]

I can't imagine an extra 200 of anything causing an injury. Swimming injuries are typically overuse injuries from practice yardage or poor form, not sudden injuries from meets (I tell my swimmer that it is a good thing you can't fall off of a pool.). That said, I have never picked my kid's events; the coach did that until she was old enough to do it herself. If the coach says he won't drown, I would let him do the longer events. Take my advice with a grain of salt, however: proud mom of a distance swimmer here.

[blondeviolin]

I would talk to the coaches first.

 

You also need to consider you ds's technique. Upping distances in meets and practices without good technique will become a serious problem. It might not be an issue at first, but fixing bad technique later can be very difficult.

I've been told his strokes are good/legal. In order to move up to the level of practice he does, a swimmer has to display consistent and proper strokes.

[bettyandbob]

I've been told his strokes are good/legal. In order to move up to the level of practice he does, a swimmer has to display consistent and proper strokes.

Legal is one thing. Technique is beyond "legal" stroke. I would assume a coach would step in and not permit you to enter events if strokes weren't consistently legal. However that does not mean the technique used is something you want practiced over and over for greater and greater distances. Some of your ds's practice time should be focused on technique.

 

Maintaining/improving technique while increasing distance is something that should be considered when you and your ds make these choices. That is what I'd be thinking about. Obviously, you and the coach are there and can see the progress.

[blondeviolin]

Legal is one thing. Technique is beyond "legal" stroke. I would assume a coach would step in and not permit you to enter events if strokes weren't consistently legal. However that does not mean the technique used is something you want practiced over and over for greater and greater distances. Some of your ds's practice time should be focused on technique.

 

Maintaining/improving technique while increasing distance is something that should be considered when you and your ds make these choices. That is what I'd be thinking about. Obviously, you and the coach are there and can see the progress.

This is good to chew on. Most of his practice time is spent swimming, but his coach does focus on proper technique. Often you will see her by the side of the pool discussing form with a swimmer. His events do have to be coach-approved. I'd rather he do 25 with beautiful strokes over a 200 that's just a mess.

 

It's just so hard to know with such a young and confident swimmer, you know? Just because a child CAN do doesn't mean that they SHOULD...

[bettyandbob]

 

It's just so hard to know with such a young and confident swimmer, you know? Just because a child CAN do doesn't mean that they SHOULD...

Exactly!

 

And it is so hard to know when to hold back and when to let out the reigns. A typical 7 year old is going to want to go go go.

 

Good luck.

We're at the point where I'm thinking the 8&under 25s would no longer serve my swimmer well at most meets, even though he's just barely 7. He's swam 50s in other meets of all the strokes, only being nervous about the 50fly (though he did fine). The next meet is coming up and I have the choice of either placing him 200 free or a 25, no in between. He's successfully done 200s in practice, but he's only swam up to 100m at a meet. Back stroke options are 100 or 25. Again, he's done a 50m. The last event he asked to do is a 200IM, but I haven't asked his coaches about what they thought. I don't want to enter him in events too quickly too early, but he's telling me he wants to do the longer lengths and his head coach seems to think he's capable.

 

So... How do I know when it's appropriate to challenge him more? He is pretty confident. ("It's kindergarten stuff!" he says.). BUT, I don't want to put undue stress on his developing body. I'm assuming the shoulder concerns for a swimmer this age would largely be to butterfly, yes?

 

First, I'd ask the coaches.

 

Second, I would not worry at all about additional stress on his body at swimming longer races.  He is surely swimming many  times that distance at each practice.

 

Third, I'm curious about the lack of challenge in his 25s.  Is he dropping time?  Does he have a friend about his same speed he can race?  What's his breath control for his 25 free?  How's his starting technique?  There's all kinds of ways to be challenged (many of which involve math (!)) even when swimming sprints.

 

Finally, putting in the practice time is hard work.  If he feels that swimming a 200IM is a reward for that work, by all means, I'd let him swim it.  It won't hurt him, and it is good to get that first official time from which you can mark how much time he's going to drop over the next few years.  And if he swims the 200 free, lots of kids lose count of the laps their first time, so that's something he may want to think about.