Right now I have an incredibly busy schedule as I have a full time job as a teacher, and I am doing a ton of tutoring as state exams are coming up soon. I also have had some social events that were not really optional.
Finding time to swim has been difficult. Last summer, when I first got back into swimming after a 20 year layoff, I was doing 1/2 mile 4-5 days a week, plus some dry land training. Usually I would do a mile once per week.
I have completely stopped the dry land. I would say I swim three times some weeks and twice other weeks, but now I usually do 2200 yards in one workout. For example, I swam 2200 on Saturday, and haven't gone since, but I am heading to the Y in a short while.
Is a longer workout, but less frequent, better than more frequent shorter workouts? To be honest, what I was doing last summer in terms of distance seems like a joke now...I now do almost 1/2 mile for my warmup. I need to do at least a mile to feel like I have really worked out, but I can't go as often.
If one better than the other, or is it a wash?
PS...my pool stamina is much better since I cut out the heavy weights.
Mix it up, if you can, do a couple of longer workouts and a couple of shorter workouts. As your fitness improves you'll be able to cover more yardage in less time anyway, as you've probably already noticed... but I don't like to be out of the water too many days in a row; it's probably just psychological, but I feel like my "feel" for the water suffers.
Instead of doing 3 x 2200/Week, you might try 2 x 2000 and 2 x 1300... same amount of yardage, but less time per day. Splitting the yardage up over 4 days instead of 3 might make each individual workout seem less daunting and might help you get in more "quality" yardage.
Mix it up, if you can, do a couple of longer workouts and a couple of shorter workouts. As your fitness improves you'll be able to cover more yardage in less time anyway, as you've probably already noticed... but I don't like to be out of the water too many days in a row; it's probably just psychological, but I feel like my "feel" for the water suffers.
Instead of doing 3 x 2200/Week, you might try 2 x 2000 and 2 x 1300... same amount of yardage, but less time per day. Splitting the yardage up over 4 days instead of 3 might make each individual workout seem less daunting and might help you get in more "quality" yardage.
