Comments on: Is synchronized swimming a sport?

By: a synchro swimmer

a synchro swimmer — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:32:21 +0000

@masha uhhh quit YOUR bitching. synchronized swimming is not any easier than swimming. if anything, it’s harder. synch swimmers have to be good swimmers, gymnasts, dancers, and have the strength of a water polo player, and the breath control of a marathon runner. so quit yapping about things you clearly know nothing of.

By: masha

masha — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:19:14 +0000

oh quit your bitchin. swimming is way harder.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:05:47 +0000

Helloo, I’d just like to say that I am a synchronized swimmer.
I am 15 and have been swimmnig for 4 years.
My team trains about 30 hours a week, and I DEFINITELY think that synchro qualifies as a sport.

Let me give you a basic daily workout:

LAND WORKOUT:
-run (about 7 miles)
-cardio is usually… pushups, situps, suitcases, squat jumps, jumping jacks, wall-sits, climbers, planks (usually 100 of each, hold planks for 1 minute each)
- about 10 short sprints, each one different (high knees, backwards, holding breath, etc.)
-strength training with medicine ball (about 1/2 hour)
-gymnastics training (arches, handstands, cartwheels, walkovers, etc.)
-flexibility training (usually holding each split for 5 minutes)

IN-WATER WORKOUT
-200 free
-400 IM (every 4th lap underwater)
-24 100′s (6 of each stroke) kick, drill, swim sprint
-various IM drills
-400 hypoxic free (breathing every 5 strokes, every 7 strokes, every 9, every 11, then back down)
-various free sprints
-25 no breath free, 50 slow free, 75 concentrating on technique, 100 sprint, 200 all-out (x4) (nonstop)
-6x 50 underwater, sprint free

This usually adds up to about 3 or 4 hours, then we get started on actual synchro stuff.

Thanks for taking the time to read!

By: Wayne

Wayne — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:05:36 +0000

There are many sports where judges decide on a winner so that is not a valid discriminator of whether a sport is a sport. If athletic perfection cannot be judged just using a clock or measuring tape, it just means it is more complex. I like complexity. In events such as diving, gymnastics, synchro and figure skating each element has degrees of perfection and precision which can be judged more or less objectively. The other issue is aesthetics. I don’t think athleticism and aesthetics need to be separated. What would be wrong if Ballet was a competitive event? It is every bit as demanding in strength and skill as any other sport. If sports must not have any aesthetic element, it would be pretty boring in my opinion.

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:23:44 +0000

Todd: One word for you. Boxing.

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:47:44 +0000

Synchronized swimming is not a sport, sure it takes a great deal of physical ability, but so does ballet. I agree with the other posters, if it takes a panel of judges to decide the winner, it is probably not a sport.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:01:07 +0000

Competitive eaters call what they do a “sport” and they call themselves “athletes.”
http://www.ifoce.com/about.php

By: badlydrawnbear

badlydrawnbear — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:55:46 +0000

@D … LOL, I stand corrected.

to discussion at large, this thread reminds me of the discussions we used to have around the theatre department in college ‘what is art?’ ‘should it be the writer’s vision or the director’s?’ ‘can you actually teach acting or is it just a skill that you can refine?’

obviously many of the sports mentioned require incredible amounts of athleticism, skill, precision, timing, etc. But is it synchronized swimming a sport or just people dancing in the water instead of on a stage? Is ice dancing a sport or is it art or is it both?

Putting on a Broadway musical 6 days a week 8 times a week requires a team of people to perform with tremendous skill, precision, timing, stamina and often a large degree of athleticism (you try singing at the top of your lungs and dancing your heart out at the same time) and they are judged by critics and audience alike. But is a musical a sport or is it art? Does performing in Cirque Du Soleil make you an athlete or an artist? If two glass blowers try and create the exact same vase at the exact same time as quickly as possible and the resulting vase judged by a panel a sport?

Basically it comes down to the old saying about pornography, you can’t define what pornography is but you know it when you see it.

By: D

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:47:54 +0000

To badlydrawnbear:

Your statement about gymnastics is no longer correct. Most female gymnasts peak around age 16-18 now, well into puberty.

Just saying.

By: Charlie Carson

Charlie Carson — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:18:33 +0000

My favorite qualifier is something I heard years ago: If you can smoke and drink while doing it, it’s not a sport.

And the darts, bridge and bowling people HATE that line!!