Hello,
My 16 year old has been swimming 3000-4000 yards 5x week on the local team for the past 5 months. (This is after a year out for shoulder surgery, and a year of swimming prior to that. His shoulder is doing fine.) He has 6 months until high school varsity swim team tryouts in August. High school workouts will be 6000 yards 5x week beginning in August.
I want to plan his training to both peak for his varsity tryout in August, and to be acclimated to the increased yardage.
I know nothing about swimming tapers so I'm strictly guessing. Roughly I thought he might begin now adding 1 - 6000 yard workout a week say for the first month, then 2 per week etc, until in June he can do 6000 - 5x a week. I would guess that July he would taper in some way....maybe:
First week 6000 yrd 1x, 3000 4x
Second week 3000 yrd 4x
Third week 3000 yrd 2x
Fourth week 3000 yrd 1x
Your advice is appreciated.
Thank you!
Former Member
Have you talked to the coaches to discuss your concern? Have you looked at switching to another club in the area?
Coach said, Yeah that sounds reasonable to me.
He doesn't want to change High Schools to swim.
This seems to be ALL your input into "making " him ready for varsity!
How does he feel about the added pressure of being required to make the varsity team for YOU???
And how about weight training? I'm not sure it's been covered yet, but if a swimmer is strength training with weights or stretch cords, at what point should they stop before a championship-caliber swim meet?
Hey Patrick, I didn't see you at the Marist meet today. You'll be at Auburn, right? :D
I have asked the same question on the Forums and have received different responses. If I remember correctly, Ande says not to stop, Allen Stark recommends stopping about 2 weeks out (and heavy weights about 3 weeks out, I think...), and The Fortress recommends stopping about 3 weeks out. (I hope I got this right...)
It's a personal thing; what works best for you. It seems like the older you are, the earlier you should back off or stop to allow for recovery. :cane: But, from what I can tell from the Forum posts, most of the best swimmers stop 2 or 3 weeks before the big meet.
Former Member
And how about weight training? I'm not sure it's been covered yet, but if a swimmer is strength training with weights or stretch cords, at what point should they stop before a championship-caliber swim meet?
Former Member
Elaine, yes I'll be at Auburn but only on Saturday. I'm hoping for a good time in the 100 back to use for SCY Nationals. And since I'm there I'll do the 50 Fly as well, and we'll see what we can come up with for a relay.
As for weight training I stopped a week out before the Ga Tech meet last year and felt great for a few days then terrible at the meet. I haven't done much weight or cord training since new years so not sure what to do. I'll probably start slow after Auburn.
Former Member
Since we're on the subject about tapering..
Just want to know everyone's opinions about carbs. This is a key element in tapering as most athletes consume carbs in forms such as pasta as their dinner the day before the big meet. Should swimmers who have a championship meet in say 4 months be eating a lot of carbs now, or maybe consume less now and more closer to the meet day to get more of an energy boast?
