In astrology, there are twelve different signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.

Some people believe these signs provide information about the personality of individuals born in each of the 12 periods of the year. Based on our observations of swimmers around the world, we had some fun with a little thought experiment. What are the different personality traits of swimmers, each related to a particular swimming stroke or niche area of open water swimming?

This is our imaginative view of what the personalities might be like for the following 12 types of aquatic athletes:

1. Ice swimmers
2. Extreme swimmers
3. Adventure swimmers
4. Channel swimmers
5. Marathon swimmers
6. Triathletes
7. Individual Medley specialists
8. Butterflyers
9. Backstrokers
10. Breaststrokers
11. Freestylers
12. Water Polo Players

Ice swimmers enjoy the extremes of life and push themselve in a sport filled with personalities that are unforgettable. They possess an internal level of confidence that is largely unparalleled and are motivated by those who do not share their same goals or belief in the possible. They are extraordinarily friendly and positively outgoing. They encourage all to take their life’s goals to the next level. With their overwhelming level of positivity, they brighten the day – and open the eyes – of nearly everyone they meet. They are kind and big-hearted with energy levels that are impossibly high to maintain for others. They remain optimistic even under the dreariest of circumstances as they learn to rise to the occasion when least expected by those non-ice swimmers around them. They do not rush into anything and can acclimate well to myriad conditions as they take their time to weigh the pros and cons of a decision before committing one way or the other.

Extreme swimmers are adventurous and courageous, but occasionally a bit of positive impulsiveness that can rear its head. They always stand up for what they believe in and want to do. They always root for the underdog. They are inwardly intense, but outwardly cool, calm and collected to those who witness their swims – that are not always successful or conducted to plan. Their aspirations are unique and challenging. Few distractions or obstacles tend to sideline them. But they constantly face new struggles as they strive to achieve increasingly more difficult goals. With their independent streak aimed at their own goals, either unattainable or unimagined by others, they tend to be more dominating than other more even-keeled people in their orbits. Their egos are large, but fundamentally they hold themselves with a respectful, charismatic sheen and friendly demeanor. Once they get something in their heads, they cannot rest until they finish the task and strive to create an ambiance of positive self-belief.

Adventure swimmers are nature-loving, risk-taking individuals who are sensitive and protective of Mother Nature. They are extroverts and experimenters who are motivated to break barriers – for themselves or for others to follow. Concurrently, they also understand that they often must stand alone with a mindset and a lifestyle that borders between highly unusual and definitely non-traditional. Their life is an ever-changing experience of different scenarios where the unexpected is expected and the predictable is unpredictable. Time management is less of a priority than accomplishment of their goals, however long it takes to achieve them. They love being social and around others, especially those of the same mindset where similarly minded individuals can feed off the energy and dreams of their peers.

Channel swimmers tend to be reserved, intelligent introverts who understand and accept fate, but who are always hopeful for the best. They are deep thinkers who demonstrate patience in all aspects of their lives. They are relentless in their ambitions with the anticipation that minute changes in their life lead to major improvements over the long run. They are fiercely protective of their own kind with a naturalistic perspective of the world. They keep tight timelines and everything from how to clean their goggles to how long to warm-up is planned well in advance and executed to precision. When they judge issues to be minor, they can be adamant and slightly obstinate in order to resolve the situation they face. But when the inevitable intervenes, they can quickly shift gears to determine a new course of action. They also can accept the fate of weather, tides, currents, and water, but are occasionally lost after achieving a particular goal that they have been striving for over a long period of time.

Marathon swimmers are patient and confident in their abilities, and succeed in life due to a unique blend of self-orientation and teamwork, intense dedication and raw grit. They are more gentle-spirited than gregarious. They are more respectful than rambunctious. They are more intellectual than impulsive. They decide upon a goal and go after it full-bore with a depth of stubbornness, intensity, and commitment that can shock or inspire those around them. They like order; they appreciate regularity; their demeanor is largely even-keeled and steady no matter what is going around them. They are more likely introverts with a deep-seated courage, known as strong and silent types who establish intense relationships and tight networks of friends over time. They are very in tune with their abilities and emotions, but rarely display them. They see the world as cut-and-dry, black-and-white, and will stand beside a friend until they reach the other shore…and beyond.

Triathletes are restless, relentless individuals who possess more self-confidence than self-doubt. They are decisive and ambitious go-getters with little time or patience for those who are neither. They appreciate hard work and diligence that is augmented by superior intellect and outsized ambition that combines to help them achieve their goals. Their love of gadgetry is matched with their appreciation of data. The age-old challenge of physical endurance is their driving passion. They can deal well with discomfort and pain, but injuries are depressing because time is so valued. Their sense of time management is vitally important to them as is adaptability and flexibility to situations and conditions that they may encounter at home, at school, and on the road. They prefer to be on the go – or, at the very least, planning events, training, or meet-ups with fellow multi-sport athletes. They seek new knowledge whether it is for their profession or, most excitedly, for new training methods that will improve their swimming, biking, or running. Efficiency of action and self-motivation are two overriding guiding principles for these athletes who groom themselves for success in every aspect of their lives.

Individual medley swimmers (see here) are well-rounded jack-of-all-trades who is always working on their weakness in a pursuit of higher goals. They are flexible and always end up doing well when the unexpected hits. They can change their minds, opinions, and directions as often they train. Boredom is not their friend and sameness and uniformity often makes them turn and look for other avenues of excitement and entertainment. They can be spontaneous in every aspect of their lives and especially enjoy new adventures and challenges to keep their intensity levels up. They are doers, not dreamers who push themselves to achieve a variety of goals. For all the little things that they can do and the balls that they juggle concurrently, they are widely respected by others.

Butterflyers are fiercely passionate, emotion-filled, iron-willed individuals who love winning, but do not mind minor setbacks. They seek and respect strength with a significantly less appre Pciation for grace and serenity. They enjoy the grind of training, but start bouncing off the walls with too much free time or during taper periods. They do not mind chaos and confusion, especially when they can discern order out of the uncertainty of their surroundings. They cannot hide their emotions, but they also possess the soft-spoken ability to communicate either through their innate verbal or written talents. They are far from perfectionists, but they are demanding of themselves and know what must be done to achieve their goals. They strive to be realistic and practical and take life for what it is, although they are often workaholics who push themselves too much too far too often.

Backstrokers are trustworthy and trusting individuals. Their sport is to be perform swimming on their backs. As such, they look at things from a completely different perspective than others. They possess impeccable reliability and are of steady, solid nature under nearly all situations. Once they head off in a direction, their commitment is unquestionable. But they can be vulnerable and unsuspecting as they believe in and trust others so readily. They are also forgiving and understanding of other’s faults anTd weaknesses, but their self-deprecating humor can mask their internal frustration, disappointment, and fear. They are even-keeled, and rarely let their emotions surface. They are not shy or bashful, but they are also not the loudest or most extroverted among their crowd. They are great followers, but only when it aligns with their mindset and immediate goals. Their honesty and loyalty are very well-respected among family, friends, and teammates.

Breaststrokers are patient old-school traditionalists with healthy doses of strength and grace. They are grounded with balance and an intellectual matched with a strong physicality. They are technically-oriented individuals who enjoy engineering solutions to the uncertainty of the workplace or the unexpected changes of life. They are usually calm, cool, and collected as they always are looking forward with an eye towards the future. They are balanced, both psychologically and physically with strength in both their flexible upper and limber lower bodies. Characterized by long-term vision as they are always looking forward, they are dependable, trustworthy, and sincere goal-setters. They enjoy being tidy, neat, and orderly with the understanding that everything has its proper place, but they are also fun-loving with a solid humorous side. They laugh easily and are rarely critical of others. They possess the uncanny ability to efficiently process reams of information and emotions in order to arrive at a prudent decision one.

Freestylers are dependable individuals who show a deep loyalty to those who demonstrate reliability. They are emotionally-balanced people who are founded in strength both physically and emotionally. Their lightheartedness is enhanced by their intellectualism; their love of human interaction in enhanced by superior communication skills. They love speed as well as appreciate endurance in equal parts. They are naturally inquisitive, but can also be restless and impatient to get to where they are going. Their popularity and high emotional intelligence enables them to mix in well with any crowd of any age and position in life. They occasionally take in stray pets and love cheering up a friend or family member.

Water polo players are friendly, jovial, and fun-loving with an unparalleled sense of teamwork and camaraderie. They smile quickly and laugh easily and heartily with old classmates and new teammates. They appreciate objectivity and dislike any degree of subjectivity or unfairness. They are more competitive than compassionate, but within their family, school, neighborhood and community, they are fiercely loyal and completely dependable. They dislike being alone and prefer group dynamics. They listen to people in authority and will go the extra mile to follow through on the orders they receive. Due to their outgoing social outlook that is based on communal action, their highs tend to be higher and their lows tend to be lower than most. They have the ability to fit in and quickly adjust to their surroundings.

© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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