swimming/lifting

Yea. I don’t know how many of you can relate to this but I am going thru ex-athlete syndrome withdrawal or something. I competitively swam for 16 some odd years and didn’t realize the full potential of benefits it gave me physically(not to mention mentally/emotionally). I started lifting too my freshman year of college about 4 years ago inspired by my guy best friend. I was starting to get pretty well built, and I feel guilty that I let all of it go to shit. Most of all I loved to race, but I had to give it all up when I graduated. I miss the smell of chlorine even. I work full time now and it’s difficult to find the time or the resources to work out in the gym or the pool. Anyone else find that they have a similar defect where they used to be a semi-decent athlete and now they just are a jelly donut?

Whatever sport you’re into, there are always forums in which you can compete if you’re really driven to do so. I personally know a couple of ex-collegiate swimmers who still compete in adult leagues; some have gone on to triathlon-type stuff as well. Heck, if you enjoyed lifting before, maybe getting serious about powerlifting or olympic lifting could fix your competition jones. As an ex-athlete, I have experienced what you describe; however, I now find that just getting into the gym 3 or 4 days a week and pushing for personal bests satisfies all my (self-)competitive desires. Try to find something, anything, you’re into, and kick ass at it.