It's been about 20 years since swimming competitive and I am getting back into it. I've been in water aerobics for a month for 1 hr 5 days a week and I do extra laps to get myself acclamated to the water and building up endurance. For those of you who have been in this same boat how one did it take you to get in shape to swim competitively?
Elissa, how long it will take you to get back into competitive swimming shape depends upon a variety of factors, including your current level of fitness, your level of swimming before you left the sport, and more. But the real question you should be asking is HOW to get back into competitive swimming shape after so many years. The approach to this is absolutely essential to ensure that you ease into it smoothly, consistently, without injuries and with minimal frustration. You should definitely look into finding a coach who can both analyze your technique and provide you with workouts that gradually build up your strength and endurance. It sounds like you are already taking it slowly, which is a smart thing to do. Many former swimmers try to pick up where they left off, and quickly meet with roadblocks - their mind thinks that they can do what their body no longer can do. Approaching the comeback journey without the proper mindset can lead to frustration and injuries. You should also set some short-term and long-term goals for yourself to keep on track.
This is a great article on goal-setting that might help: www.swimspire.com/smarter-goal-setter/
And for finding the motivation to train (this is based partly on my own experience returning to competitive swimming!): www.swimspire.com/the-motivation-to-train/
Hope this helps and good luck!
