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.
Parents
Former Member
I think the most important thing is to adapt to the time you've got. If you can get in the pool for 30 minutes, you can choose to do a couple of thousand at a low level, maybe some drills/technique (maybe as part of the low level work), or warm up and do some real sprints, but you can't really do much in between... But it's not terribly effective for, say, higher intensity work (say tolerance) that requires a good warmup and swim down.
I tend to find that an hour works well - that allows a good warm up, a solid main set, and a swim down. If I have longer I can do some skills work, some kicking, etc.. If I have less, there's usually some compromise but that doesn't mean it isn't worth doing...
I think the most important thing is to adapt to the time you've got. If you can get in the pool for 30 minutes, you can choose to do a couple of thousand at a low level, maybe some drills/technique (maybe as part of the low level work), or warm up and do some real sprints, but you can't really do much in between... But it's not terribly effective for, say, higher intensity work (say tolerance) that requires a good warmup and swim down.
I tend to find that an hour works well - that allows a good warm up, a solid main set, and a swim down. If I have longer I can do some skills work, some kicking, etc.. If I have less, there's usually some compromise but that doesn't mean it isn't worth doing...
