This chart got posted up over in the Knibb thread, and just thought it would be fun for some of us to see where we stack up against the youth swimmers of America. There are 3 charts here, starts with Long Course Meters, then SCM, then the last chart is in yards(SCY). I had a look and it looks I could be competitive with 11/12 year old boys in the AA/A, and some of my events BB. For me it is virtually every event on there except for backstroke, Monty dont go there except in IM’s…
So almost 68 here and down to tiny little kids. Can’t wait until it is B 10 year olds that are my peers, what are the rest of you??
And from that Knibb thread, she was nearly AAA in her 50 and nearly AAAA in all the rest of the freestyle events for 18 year old girls, so pretty dam fast I would say…
Dang.
I suck. I am coming off a broken collarbone and still trying to get back to my old form. But, my old form still sucks. I think I need to get lessons. I feel like my stroke is “ok”-at least with my right side. My left side is what is killing me. I feel like my arm drops in the water after entry even though I try to keep it up prior to starting my stroke. Partial blame on needing to push my rehab on strengthening that shoulder area due to the break.
Maybe some day. I would love to come out of the water in a sprint in under 13 minutes. Under 12 would likely never happen for me. My best in the past was 13.xx minutes but typically 14-15 minutes.
*Oh, and I would love to come out and not be breathing heavy as I hop on the bike.
I never was much of a swimmer. As a triathlete I would be around 30 to 40 th percentile at large races. But I could hang with the 12 year old boys in times. Now that I am older, it is mid pack with the 10 year old girls.
What do these categories work out to? What are all of the percentages? Where do college swimmers fall? Pros at different ends of the spectrum?
Not a Lionel thread (I know) but he isn’t the worst pro by a long shot & obviously has had a great career being no better than a B or BB 17-18 boy. Is it better to be a BB in 13-14 than a B 17-18? The 13-14 was the reference point given in that thread.
Seems to me that the times skew towards the shorter distances, taking into account people are still developing their endurance. I think a lot of triathletes might be able to get to the 1500 times but won’t always align under that.
not since this past bike crash but a couple weeks ago i was there.
ill spend more time looking at this. as an age group kid I spent years studying these as we had a bulletin board at the pool that if you got and A time you got one star under your polaroid picture. You get two stars for double a times etc etc. and you get rows for each event. The goal was always to have 4 rows of AAAA times under your name. not sure i ever got there.
At some point (past 13-14 years old usually) these times are no longer the day-to-day motivation they are for high performance age groupers. You instead become fixed on qualifying times for Sectionals/Jr Nationals/Nationals, etc. I was a D1 swimmer and guess I was AAAA but can’t find a set of the standards from 25 years ago…
I can just about keep up with BB level 10 year old boys apparently. Fortunately I am pretty sure I can pass them on the bike/run, so all is not lost. Is there a chart like this with cycling or running times? I’d be interested to know what age group I can compete with there.
Just shows that swimming fast is about technique not strength…
I can just about keep up with BB level 10 year old boys apparently. Fortunately I am pretty sure I can pass them on the bike/run, so all is not lost. Is there a chart like this with cycling or running times? I’d be interested to know what age group I can compete with there.
Just shows that swimming fast is about technique not strength…
Actually it’s about both. The reason you can keep up with a 10 year old, is because they have no strength, no height, and only basic technique. Your height and strength more than compensates for not having technique at this age comparison. The times jump massively from 10 to 11/12 and then 12 to 13/14, when boys finally get strength, get taller, and ultimately start going through puberty. The older age group times 15 to 18 increase more slowly, as everyone now has height, strength, and technique, and age is a little less of a factor.
Just shows that swimming fast is about technique not strength… //
Have to disagree there Sam, I think it shows that it is about technique, strength, and fitness. If you can excel in 2 out of the 3, you can become a pretty good swimmer, even AOS. If you have all 3, then you got the makings for a top swimmer. If you just have one, then you are most triathletes…(-;
I’m what most would consider a pretty good triathlon swimmer. I’m usually within the top 5 or so swim splits at Nationals in my age group.
In my high school days my times were AAA in my best events in the 17-18 standards. Now those same times would only be AA. My actual times from the last masters meet I did would be BB and almost A. I’d imagine I’d have A times if I swam a meet when I was peaking like I am for an “A” race triathlon.
Goes to show that we’re all bad compared to true swimmers. Fortunately there’s two more disciplines after that.
Just shows that swimming fast is about technique not strength… //
Have to disagree there Sam, I think it shows that it is about technique, strength, and fitness. If you can excel in 2 out of the 3, you can become a pretty good swimmer, even AOS. If you have all 3, then you got the makings for a top swimmer. If you just have one, then you are most triathletes…(-;
I’ll admit I was stirring the pot a little, but still… I teach 10-12 year olds and even the ones I teach who destroy me at swimming aren’t close to being able to do one proper set of eight pull-ups, let alone three or four sets. Maybe in the US you have a bunch of 10 year old beasts who are actually strong, but I imagine the reason the “A” standard kids are fast is mostly because they have outstanding technique, rather than strength. The key is really that they have nailed the technique to apply their strength to the water far more efficiently than me, and they also glide through the water (and float) way better than I do.
I take the previous point about how the times evolve through puberty, but that’s really only comparing the top swimmers with each other. So that yes, amongst top swimmers the stronger ones will probably be faster. When you are on the outside looking in (i.e. from the perspective of a not very fast swimmer) it certainly looks as though technique is the deciding factor since I know I am far stronger than a ten year old kid, even when talking strength : weight ratio. So the truer statement is : “just goes to show that for me, it’s all about technique since that’s my limiter, not strength.”
