How can you tell if you're overtraining? I'd like some "expert" advice from some 50 somethings (or a coach of 50 somethings!) about how to know when what I'm doing is too much. I've added weights to my swimming - I go three times a week for weights - which I follow by a fairly easy swim to loosen up my muscles. I'm still frequently sore the next day (and the next, and the next) however - but I know this is to be expected - if I didn't feel sore, I wouldn't feel like I was actually even pushing myself. the other three days of the week, I generally put in a good 90-120 minutes workout, getting in from 4500-6000m. Sometimes, like today, I get to the point where I just can NOT muster up the energy to put any real effort into the swimming - today, for instance, I did fairly well for the first 3000m, but then once we started the "real" workout, the first main set, I was just pooped. I could swim, but at only a slow pace. (By this I mean that an interval I usually can keep on a 200 by about 10 seconds, I missed by 1 second - and I was wearing zoomers. And the thought of doing like a 50 sprint, was out of the question.) This was NOT a day that I swam following weights, BTW.
Do you think this is a nutrition problem, and that I'm just not getting enough protein in my diet? I have to say categorically, that eating BEFORE practice is out of the question - I swim at 5:30 in the morning, and would probably barf if I ate before practice, although I do sometimes eat some Shot Blox. Am I overtraining & need to cut back somewhere? Or is this a short term transition (it's been going on & off for weeks now) & I need to just hang in there?
Thanks in advance!
Wow, you are a hard worker Celestial!!!! If I remember correctly you also work full time; I think you're a NP. I'd have to say that since I've reached my mid-fifties my profession makes me lots more tired than it used to. I have a very physical job and work 8-10 hours per day, 5 days per week. I usually try to sit down and do paper work a couple hours before working out to let my body re-coup a bit. I've also noticed whenever I add something new to my workout routine I usually end up with a run-down sinus condition.
I have given up on weight workouts but try to do strength exercises with my own body weight.
I think the advice to rest if you just aren't feeling it is great advice.
I was talking to a very successful usms female swimmer who just turned 70. She told me she swims 4X per week about 2,500 yds per swim. She said she hits each workout very hard and does high quality stuff, but if she does any more she's just too tired for the rest of her day. She also said she looks forward and savors each workout totally. I hope I'm still swimming with that type of an attitude when I'm that age.
Wow, you are a hard worker Celestial!!!! If I remember correctly you also work full time; I think you're a NP. I'd have to say that since I've reached my mid-fifties my profession makes me lots more tired than it used to. I have a very physical job and work 8-10 hours per day, 5 days per week. I usually try to sit down and do paper work a couple hours before working out to let my body re-coup a bit. I've also noticed whenever I add something new to my workout routine I usually end up with a run-down sinus condition.
I have given up on weight workouts but try to do strength exercises with my own body weight.
I think the advice to rest if you just aren't feeling it is great advice.
I was talking to a very successful usms female swimmer who just turned 70. She told me she swims 4X per week about 2,500 yds per swim. She said she hits each workout very hard and does high quality stuff, but if she does any more she's just too tired for the rest of her day. She also said she looks forward and savors each workout totally. I hope I'm still swimming with that type of an attitude when I'm that age.
