ExtraStep: Watching Masters swim at Lake Lytal Family Aquatic Center

Sarah Andrews, relatively new coach of the Lake Lytal Masters, wore this
T-shirt to swim practice last week.

The Masters swimmers come to the Lake Lytal Family Aquatic Center for a variety of reasons. Some simply want to swim laps, others train for competitions such as an Ironman triathlon.

One swimmer is a world record holder in the 200 free short course meters, in the 65-69 year-old category, which he won in 2009, brags his coach, Sarah Andrews. Dave Quiggun, 68, also holds several world records in relays. In addition, he was the first 60-year-old male to break 1 minute in the 100-yard freestyle, she says.

Andrews creates a different workout for each practice to keep the swimmers interested.

"I think it's so good when adults take charge of their fitness and make time to workout," she says. "They are doing it because they want to and not because someone is making them go to practice."

150 laps per practice

Masters team members swim 150 laps per practice. Many adults prefer to just do the freestyle stroke when swimming, Andrews says. But she makes them practice all four strokes, including the butterfly. "You can look at their backs and see if they are red, that tells you whether their heart rate is up," she says.

Last Thursday evening, when the sky looked as if it would storm, Andrews pulled out her iPhone and checked the MyRadar app. She saw that the rain was headed to Lake Lytal, but she started practice anyway. Team members, regardless of age, swim during the rain but not when there is lightning.

Raindrops fall on the Lake Lytal pool as Masters practice starts.

Megaphone not needed

She acts as a guide, often yelling pointers to her swimmers. She does not use a megaphone. The swimmers can hear her booming voice, even when they are on the other side of the pool. Her tips include:

Stay strong, make your lungs burn (at the start of the practice).
Keep your chest down, butt up (when swimming the butterfly stroke).
Stay long (when swimming the breast stroke).
Stay uncomfortable, don't get lazy (when swimming the back stroke).
Stay speedy, get up on top of the water (when swimming freestyle).

These three swimmers -- (left to right) Quiggun, Chip Green and Terry
Tague -- have the best technique of the Masters swimmers, Andrews says.

Andrews, who swam in college for the University of Louisville team, says her favorite stroke is the butterfly, but that she likes to swim all four strokes. These days, she says, swim coaches want younger team members to specialize in one stroke.

To join the Masters swim team, the conditions are few:

Be able to swim one lap unassisted, over 18 years old, and willing to work hard. It costs $45 per month for
up to 28 practices, four evenings and three mornings practices a week. To keep in shape, Andrews recommends three practices a week. Plus, pay a $42 annual liability fee to the U.S. Masters Swimming organization.

The Masters swim team has about 25 members, broken down evenly between men and women, Andrews says. The age range is 20 to 68.

Swimming is an idea workout for older adults, she says, because the water holds up your body. There's no pounding on your knees and hips, as you have when running.