How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 15:09:32 GMT

Miklcct, I am very much in favor of adding strength training to a fitness routine - just for general living purposes. So, adding strength training to your routine is a good thing. There is a caveat though - given your other posts. Swimming is a technique driven sport. A weak person with good technique will beat a strong person with poor technique every single time. If you are adding strength training because you think it will instantly overcome technical weaknesses, you are mistaken. I use this analogy with my swimmers. Swimmers are like dragsters on ice. It does not matter what our horsepower is (aka "strength") if our tires are bald (aka "technique"). If you add studs to the tires (aka "technique"), horsepower will matter. Speed and endurance will improve when technique improves. Paul I've tried reading a lot of articles, watching a lot of videos, and joined a squad training starting from last October, trying to improve my technique, but I felt that my rate of improvement was not up to my expectation (started at 35 minutes last May and ended up around 31 and a half minutes in November for 1500 m). I simply can't sustain any of my technique emulation over 100 m (no matter how good I was feeling at the start) always having the horrible feeling of stroke breaking down without short of breath. Even the simple act of making a high elbow catch tires my arm dramatically, and whenever I am tired I start feeling losing balance such that the coach always notices my legs doing wide "scissor kick", causing a vicious cycle.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 13:19:47 GMT

Since you'd be new to it, I'd probably start out with just 2 weight training sessions a week for 2-3 weeks. Then if you feel ok, add in 1 more, then maybe another after that. I have absolutely no idea how I did it, but several years ago I was swimming (with a team) 4-6 practices a week, lifting (solo) 3-4 times a week, and running 3+ times a week (total about 30 miles). I was constantly tired, but was swimming at decent speeds (for me), and was in fantastic shape. I sometimes did doubles of swimming, and occasionally of running (I did 2 miles before weights). Of course I was constantly tired and much more prone to injury and illness, which both hit me. Multiple people suggested I cut something, but it took some time for me to figure that out for myself. I tracked much of this in my USMS blog; feel free to take a look and see how crazy it all was (yes, it was crazy, and I'll be the first to admit that now). Right now I usually manage 2 gym sessions a week and 4-5 pool sessions a week. I'll also walk the dogs and do some hiking, but nothing too intense. Maybe I am really too ambitious and trying to do too much - I am feeling unwell in these days and already skipped my planned gym session on Wednesday evening, but still not getting good sleep and not doing well today (Thursday) morning. I am thinking skipping tomorrow (Friday) morning as well and wait until Saturday. I should be doing 12 - 13 km per week now as written in my year plan, but in 3 out of 4 weeks this year I am actually doing 14 - 15 km per week, and after hearing my coach and my friend's advice to have some gym training I put that in addition to my swim schedule. Next week will be my planned rest week though, but it seems I have pushed myself to limit too early before the planned rest week.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 12:32:18 GMT

How old are you? What is your athletic experience prior to start this? I would wager you do not need to be doing doubles given the stats you've mentioned before. I am 26 and have completely no athletic nor swimming background in my youth. However, I'm doing orienteering at local elite level because my map reading is good.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 10:41:45 GMT

OK, in my opinion you do not need to be doing doubles. Unless of course you are doing them because you really enjoy swimming - it doesn't seem like that's the case by the things you have posted in the past, but I may be completely wrong. If I were you, I would find a two-day upper/lower split lifting routine - relatively high reps/low weight based on something like this: exrx.net/.../Workout2UL Then, given that you do want to do long-distance stuff, I would swim 4 times a week with one full rest day. I would try to make them the coached workouts as much as possible - both for the coaching, and because being able to train with other people is generally more fun and more motivating. You (and really any adult in sports in a non-professional capacity) should be optimizing, not maximizing, workout load. You want to do the smallest amount the produces the adapatations you want - more is not always, and actually is very rarely, better. My n=1: I took 6 years off swimming after swimming at a relatively high level through college. A year after getting back in, I swim generally 3 times a week, about 12km a week. I do 2-3 CrossFit or lifting sessions a week, about an hour a pop. I try to take one day completely off (that is today for me due to the polar vortex closing schools/pools). I had a meet last weekend, and went two lifetime best times and two Masters best times. My point: Most people don't need as much work as they think they need in order to see improvement. Of course because I'm enjoying swimming in

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Jeff Enge — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 08:58:26 GMT

I am 26 and have completely no athletic nor swimming background in my youth. However, I'm doing orienteering at local elite level because my map reading is good. OK, in my opinion you do not need to be doing doubles. Unless of course you are doing them because you really enjoy swimming - it doesn't seem like that's the case by the things you have posted in the past, but I may be completely wrong. If I were you, I would find a two-day upper/lower split lifting routine - relatively high reps/low weight based on something like this: exrx.net/.../Workout2UL Then, given that you do want to do long-distance stuff, I would swim 4 times a week with one full rest day. I would try to make them the coached workouts as much as possible - both for the coaching, and because being able to train with other people is generally more fun and more motivating. You (and really any adult in sports in a non-professional capacity) should be optimizing, not maximizing, workout load. You want to do the smallest amount the produces the adapatations you want - more is not always, and actually is very rarely, better. My n=1: I took 6 years off swimming after swimming at a relatively high level through college. A year after getting back in, I swim generally 3 times a week, about 12km a week. I do 2-3 CrossFit or lifting sessions a week, about an hour a pop. I try to take one day completely off (that is today for me due to the polar vortex closing schools/pools). I had a meet last weekend, and went two lifetime best times and two Masters best times. My point: Most people don't need as much work as they think they need in order to see improvement.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Windrath — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 08:20:07 GMT

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Jeff Enge — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 07:20:55 GMT

How old are you? What is your athletic experience prior to start this? I would wager you do not need to be doing doubles given the stats you've mentioned before.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

aztimm — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 06:01:06 GMT

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 17:22:45 GMT

Lifting weights will make you swim slower in practice. However when you taper and stop lifting weights you should swim faster than ever. When you start lifting you will be a lot more sore but it will decrease as you adapt to the program. Eating a lot of protein will help reduce soreness.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 16:07:49 GMT

If you have not weight trained before, you're going to be sore no matter what. However, depending on how old you are and the level of exercise volume you're used to, you might be overdoing it. That's a pretty big workload. What is the sign of overdoing? I did 2 swimming sessions yesterday (1/29), morning on my own, and evening coached session - however the coach gave us extra high intensity program which I didn't expect - 4 x 50 m with 5" rest between @ race speed, 3 sets (and 1 more set before ending the session which made us all mad). Afterwards I got extremely bad sleep - multiple interruptions and nightmares even I was extremely tired, and I was feeling my lats today's morning. Was I doing too much? Here was the workout I did in the last few days: 1/26: low intensity swim session on my own in the morning, 1.5 km race in the afternoon 1/27: 1.5 hours gym session, no swimming 1/28: coached session in the morning (all technique work), 45 minutes gym session evening 1/29: swim session on my own in the morning (medium intensity), coached session in the evening (the coach made us mad doing extremely hard work!) 1/30: no swimming, but planning to put 45 minutes gym session today's evening. Given my above symptom, should I ditch my planned gym session today? Is it appropriate to put gym sessions on the "rest day" inside the swimming routine?

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Former Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 13:22:07 GMT

If you have not weight trained before, you're going to be sore no matter what. However, depending on how old you are and the level of exercise volume you're used to, you might be overdoing it. That's a pretty big workload. I've never weight trained before. Will it actually help my swimming if it is affecting my normal swimming routine like I'm describing above? And I'm swimming 7 - 11 km each week by the end of last year, and 12 - 15 km each week now.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Calvin S — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 12:33:50 GMT

My college coach always preached: "What you do in the weight room should compliment what you do in the pool." Like above posters have said, adding weights can help you a lot, but it can make your practices rough coming off a lift. Personally, I now lift two times a week. One day legs, another day arms. I try to go Tuesday/Thursday, and I pair my water workouts with those lifts: Tuesday I come off leg/lower body weights and do a lot of power work w/resistance. The yardage is light but intensity is high. Then on Thursdays, coming off an arm/upper body lift, I do a recovery day because upper body lifts just drain me. Sometimes it isn't perfect (see my blog and how I did an upper body lift and then a quality set on Saturday), but I always have at least one day in between lifts. You will definitely want to start small, in weight and reps, and get a feel for what certain lifts do for you in the water.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Redbird Alum — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 09:16:17 GMT

Another thing to consider is moving your weights earlier in the day/evening. That gives our body time to recover as you move throughout the rest of your day, and may help reduce the stiffness the next day. Working out right before you drop into bed may not be allowing our muscles time to clear out any acid build up.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Jeff Enge — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 08:45:35 GMT

I've never weight trained before. Will it actually help my swimming if it is affecting my normal swimming routine like I'm describing above? And I'm swimming 7 - 11 km each week by the end of last year, and 12 - 15 km each week now. Well, it depends what you're doing for weight training. Being stronger is usually a good thing in general. But you really have to give it a few weeks to acclimate your body before you declare that it's "affecting your normal swimming routine."

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

airborne18th — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 08:33:37 GMT

I currently swim 6 sessions per week (Mon Tue Thu Fri morning, Tue evening, Sat afternoon, with 2 rest days (Wednesday and Sunday). Recently I have added weight training into my routine, and I would like to do it for 4 weeks. I have currently put them on evenings Monday, Wednesday and Sunday last week (45 minutes each season), but after my weight training, I feel my muscle stiffness and tightness (especially my pecs) sustained overnight, sometimes affecting my swim training as well. Am I putting my weight training to inappropriate times, or should I sacrifice some of the swim sessions for that? (I am using a progressive overload schedule for my swim training, gradually increasing my training mileage, but that does not include any weight training which I never had before) Every swimmer should be in the weight room. The primary goal for swimmers with weight training is injury prevention. You are not going for building bulk. Range of motion, and focusing on the synergists. Look at it this way.. you are already getting a workout on the muscles you use in swimming.. by swimming.. so you want to balance out things.. Also weight training should be done after swimming. Think of it like running on the treadmill as a warmup before you hit the gym.. Keep in mind that training and nutrition go together.. so make sure you are fueling for both the workouts and the recovery.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

orca1946 — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 05:40:44 GMT

I might suggest more reps in the wts. for now. Most lifters I know go for the heaviest lifts and short reps. Yes , if you have not done so before you will be sore starting out.

RE: How should I time my weight training in my swim schedule?

Jeff Enge — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 05:31:06 GMT