I'm new to swimming, not new to running. When you start out running you have to be careful about not increasing the workload too quickly because of impact/connective tissue/etc, because you may get injured. I'm wondering if this is the case with swimming?
Last night I did a workout of a 50yd free warmup, 4 sets of , a 50, 6x75, 5x100. That was only the second workout I've ever done (the first was a week ago, basically half the total distance.) I was practicing keeping high elbows, a motion I'm not used to.
Disregarding whether I'm actually capable of swimming 10,000 yards aerobically and "muscularly" at the moment, is there any reason why I should force myself to build up in bits and pieces at a time, rather than do as much as I can?
You are correct in drawing a parallel between running and swimming. In fact, you should ease into any sport when you are first starting out. Swimming-wise, there are a few specific reasons you should start slowly. First, although swimming is a low-impact sport, it is not an injury-free sport. The most common injuries occur to the shoulders, and the vast majority of these injuries are caused by improper stroke technique. Swimming is a highly technical sport, and developing the proper technique - especially when you are first starting out - is an absolute priority to avoid potential injuries. Doing too much too soon can also lead to injuries, which is another reason you want to take things step-by-step.
Even if you do "listen to your body", you should still not be swimming for as long as you can non-stop. This is because another key to successful swimming is developing your efficiency in the water. In order to build up efficiency, you can't practice mindless swimming. The workout needs to be divided into drills, kicking sets and swim (interval) sets to maximize your full potential and develop symmetry and an equal amount of strength throughout your entire body.
How the workout will be devised is best left to a coach who has seen you swimming and who is a specialist in technique - not simply someone writing up standardized workouts that are not geared towards your individual needs. Your comment about focusing on high elbows and feeling shoulder pain illustrates this point perfectly. We can't see ourselves in the water - we need a coach (with specific expertise) to be on deck watching us swim and knowing exactly what we need to do to improve efficiency and avoid injuries. When my swimmers see their video analysis for the first time, they are often surprised to see that their perception of how they swim differs from how they *actually* swim. My suggestion to you is to get a coach who will be able to analyze your technique and work with you on developing it. Good luck!
You are correct in drawing a parallel between running and swimming. In fact, you should ease into any sport when you are first starting out. Swimming-wise, there are a few specific reasons you should start slowly. First, although swimming is a low-impact sport, it is not an injury-free sport. The most common injuries occur to the shoulders, and the vast majority of these injuries are caused by improper stroke technique. Swimming is a highly technical sport, and developing the proper technique - especially when you are first starting out - is an absolute priority to avoid potential injuries. Doing too much too soon can also lead to injuries, which is another reason you want to take things step-by-step.
Even if you do "listen to your body", you should still not be swimming for as long as you can non-stop. This is because another key to successful swimming is developing your efficiency in the water. In order to build up efficiency, you can't practice mindless swimming. The workout needs to be divided into drills, kicking sets and swim (interval) sets to maximize your full potential and develop symmetry and an equal amount of strength throughout your entire body.
How the workout will be devised is best left to a coach who has seen you swimming and who is a specialist in technique - not simply someone writing up standardized workouts that are not geared towards your individual needs. Your comment about focusing on high elbows and feeling shoulder pain illustrates this point perfectly. We can't see ourselves in the water - we need a coach (with specific expertise) to be on deck watching us swim and knowing exactly what we need to do to improve efficiency and avoid injuries. When my swimmers see their video analysis for the first time, they are often surprised to see that their perception of how they swim differs from how they *actually* swim. My suggestion to you is to get a coach who will be able to analyze your technique and work with you on developing it. Good luck!
