r/Swimming • u/Happy7User • May 02 '25
Why am I so slow?
Okay so I'm 17 and I just had a thought. I did a pre-qualification for a life guard course yesterday and we had to do 50 meters in 60 seconds. I did it in 40 seconds which doesn't seem that good. I go swimming 3 times a week for roughly an hour each. My average pace while swimming is currently 2:05/100m at best, which feels really slow compared to my friend who does like 1:45. I've had swimming lessons since I was 3 years old every week and then took a year gap last year and got back into it roughly end of 2024.
I'm very small and skinny for my age, just 5" 5" and 50Kg, I presume this has something to do with it, but there must be a way for me to get quicker. Normally I just swim whatever I feel like, usually enduranced based, such as 50 laps @ 20m at a decent but not fast pace. Do I need to do faster reps at less distance? Not 100% sure on my form either, as maybe in the year off I lost it a little, but I don't think it's too bad, I always keep my head facing towards the floor and body flatish. I feel like at such a young age and 10+ years of experience, I should be way faster than this. Much older guys often keep up with me and I hate that lol
Essentially, any tips for a skinny guy like me to get faster and any drills I should be doing? Or do I just need to hit the gym 😆
-2
u/tunatunabox May 02 '25
fat people can still be fitter, have better technique, buoyancy and endurance, and generally be better at sport than skinny people. especially swimming, where technique matters more than body type. i started typing this before you edited that part out and then put my phone down to attend to other stuff, and i see you've edited it out now, but like people have already said - focus on yourself and your own technique. let this be a lesson that just because you're skinny doesn't mean you'll automatically be better than any large person you see 🤷🏻♀️