Ok, quick question across the group. Say you are having a bad practice. Can't get any speed, feeling slow in the water, do you gut it out or do you quit and rest up for another day? I've had a couple in the past week and one I quit on (although I was swimming on my own) and another I fought through it (team practice). Thoughts?
You have to go with your gut. I'm ok with loosing a bit of speed if I've been working really hard for days or weeks. I have to judge more on how I feel out of the water.
If I was really tired the afternoon or evening before a morning workout and I can't seem to get moving in the water, I might back down the intensity a bit or get out. Especially if people in my house have been sick. If I've been feeling ok out of the pool, I'll stick it out.
I've only coached for one winter but I can already tell with near 100% certainty when one of my swimmers is going to be sick the next practice vs training too hard. Too bad that voodoo skill doesn't work as well on myself. Your coach might have some insight.
A swimmer that's training too hard looks a bit rough in the water and can't seem to make their pace or intervals. It can creep up slowly after a bought of hard training or come on suddenly after they decided to say, do an 8 hour hike over the weekend (when that's not their norm). They've lost their finesse because the muscles are overworked.
A swimmer that's coming down with something looks sluggish/tired in the water (and can't make their pace or intervals). It's different from looking rough. Rough seems to be trying but can't get anywhere. About to be sick seems to have get up and go that's got up and went. It looks tired and overly smooth like none of the muscles want to fire.
Either can have a tired or cranky looking disposition.
Either way, a bit of a break is usually better.
You have to go with your gut. I'm ok with loosing a bit of speed if I've been working really hard for days or weeks. I have to judge more on how I feel out of the water.
If I was really tired the afternoon or evening before a morning workout and I can't seem to get moving in the water, I might back down the intensity a bit or get out. Especially if people in my house have been sick. If I've been feeling ok out of the pool, I'll stick it out.
I've only coached for one winter but I can already tell with near 100% certainty when one of my swimmers is going to be sick the next practice vs training too hard. Too bad that voodoo skill doesn't work as well on myself. Your coach might have some insight.
A swimmer that's training too hard looks a bit rough in the water and can't seem to make their pace or intervals. It can creep up slowly after a bought of hard training or come on suddenly after they decided to say, do an 8 hour hike over the weekend (when that's not their norm). They've lost their finesse because the muscles are overworked.
A swimmer that's coming down with something looks sluggish/tired in the water (and can't make their pace or intervals). It's different from looking rough. Rough seems to be trying but can't get anywhere. About to be sick seems to have get up and go that's got up and went. It looks tired and overly smooth like none of the muscles want to fire.
Either can have a tired or cranky looking disposition.
Either way, a bit of a break is usually better.
