Weight lifting and Swimming

Like you, I swim and lift. 58 years old. Major caveat; just because the following works for me, doesn't mean it will work for anyone else. Couple of things struck me immediately. First, the long stretch between lifting on Monday and not again until Saturday. Second, only working each muscle group once per week. I'm not sure you're ever going to get much benefit with that kind of frequency. I would never feel like I'm "in shape" with that kind of schedule and suspect it would just make me sore. It would also always feel like a struggle to get through a weight workout - feeling tired and beat up rather than "good tired". You might consider at least 3 weight workouts a week and not breaking up the muscle groups, Swimming is all about the core to maintain stability, proper position in the water and a stable platform for your kick and stroke. Can't tell what exercises you're actually doing, but make sure you are working your core. Strength training that engages the entire body has been very helpful to me. For example, instead of just doing a seated military press; stand on an upside down Bosu ball with weights in each hand, start with a squat to standing, curl the weights to shoulder height, then press above your head. This engages almost your entire body and is also aerobic. Look for other opportunities to add additional movements to your "main" lift. Avoid machines. Kettlebell exercises are also excellent. Finally, higher reps/lower weights seem to work well. I usually alternate two swim days with one weight day. Again, all of that is for what it's worth which may not be much. Best of luck to you!!!

I've never heard the "once a week" rule either. I'm 60 and swam in college, but now mostly for fitness. I usually swim two to three times a week, and lift on the days between, mixing all the muscle groups each time I lift. Like Mullenski, I tend to do more reps at less than maximum weight, but like you, I will lift until near fail.

There was just an article I read yesterday posted by swimmingscience.net... its their dryland guide. I found it very interesting because it spoke about what’s most important for different strokes and sprinters vs distance swimmers. It’s kind of technical but the takeaways are clear. Btw, I too swim free and fly ( sprints). 😀

Interesting, great thread! I've been reading and hearing lately that older women (I am one) should lift heavier, in general. For me that seems to mean FEWER reps, but, I know everyone is different. I need to amp up my weight training frequency! I think that some strength training is important for just about everyone, athlete or not, but am eager to see the swimmingscience.net guide! Thanks to everyone posting on this thread!

Thank you. My past weight workout regime was to work out all muscles three days a week similar to what you do, but it seemed like I was always sore during my swim workouts, so thought I'd give this a shot. Appreciate your reminding me to not neglect my core.

Thanks... I'll check that article out.

I swim three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. I lift on Mondays and Wednesdays. The weekend just depends on how I’m feeling. Maybe a light swim and then a few reps of weights or cardio. I always use either a Saturday or Sunday as a rest day though.

Hello! I am a strength coach and swim coach who also lifts and swims. I noticed your training program looks very "body - builder" like, and that is great if you are going for hypertrophy (bigger muscles). If your goals are to swim faster, however, you might want to hire a strength and conditioning coach to teach you some ways to program functionality into your dry land program -if possible, find a strength coach (like NSCA-CSCS) with a swimming background. Also, excessive shoulder movements, especially overhead shoulder movements can be problematic especially in masters swimming athletes due to simply overuse, and possible training imbalances. Good luck!

With my experience, for weight lifting and swimming, there's a very fine line between preventing and causing injury. Personally, the most forgiving of all the dryland based activities in support of swimming is yoga

I believe, and that has been backed up by personal discussions with various coaches, that the older you get, the more important strength-training becomes. Furthermore I also believe that the "functional approach" is a trap the older you become -- more and more muscles becoming weaker and weaker, and you need to apply more and more a shot-gun approach. I was for too long under the influence of voices avoiding this, avoiding that, it's harmful etc etc., which created real holes in my stroke, and more importantly, prevented me from getting back to health. One year ago I decided to discard all that too common fear, and to go actively into the pain -- SEARCHING FOR PAIN! Then going softly into it, but with determination. And finally I am regaining strength, and I feel like a whole again. I am 52, and it seems to me that for most people in that age group, especially the non-professional athletes (and who is such?), the idea of training only stuff which is "helpful for the race" is rather harmful. Concerning the muscle soreness: From a very good coach, himself performing at world-class in his forties, I have been told: just live with it -- you are getting used to it. And that's what I am doing: I swim 6-7 times a week, and do 3-5 times strength training, without any coordination. One indeed gets used to it. I am swimming on my own (concentrating on sprinting), and so I can accommodate how it feels on the day. Sure, for a race you can't afford being sore. And I assume there should be days without much soreness.