Types of Swimming

There are many reasons why people swim.  Most people swim to stay fit but if you want to be challenged you join a USMS (masters) swim group.  Even within this group people have different goals when swimming.  Some just want a good workout (me), while some are training for a triathlon and still others swim competitively in Master meets.  I am there primarily for a great workout and I just go all out until I drop.  I am more of a sprinter than a distance swimmer and I like changing strokes.  As a sprinter, anything over 200 yards is distance for me.  When you swim for distance as the triathletes do, you swim in a completely different way.  Distance swimmers do not kick for example, saving their legs for the bike and run portion of a triathlon.  They have long graceful strokes, generally breathing bilaterally (on both sides, every third or fifth stroke) at a steady, strong pace.  As I am a sprinter, I kick my heart out, breathe to one side for short fast distances and make a lot of "white water" while careening down the lane.  Sharing a lane with other swimmers with distance goals can be challenging.  The leader of the "set" is generally agreed upon according to the distance to be swum.  It is very interesting watching the different types of swimming styles.