I'm 4 weeks into my first consistent conditioning program. I have three total body routines a strength coach developed for me to work on my overall mobility and posture with a few swimming specific things thrown in the mix. I'm in the 35-40 Age group, so "mobility" doesn't seem like it would be a huge priority but having kids really messed with my hips and posture. I'm doing these three days a week on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
I did a 10K swim and 5K swim this summer and had several weeks where I was over 30,000 yards per week, so I've cut back my swimming to 4 days instead of 6. In addition, my average daily yardage is way down, partially by design, partially because I'm sore and tired. When I started the new routine, I started at 12,000y a week and I'm up to 14,000y a week, with plans to keep my average closer to 16,000 yards per week.
I've already noticed big improvements in my ability to get into and hold a streamline position. My breaststroke also feels like it's coming back together. I feel like I'm getting much better distance on my underwaters, not just because of the streamline but because the push-off is better, and my SDKs have improved, too. However, my times are sucking eggs, relatively speaking.
On sets that I would have been able to hold a solid 1:21-1:22 100 pace in the middle of a 30,000 yard week, I'm barely holding together 1:27-1:28 (for example, 20x100 on 1:35 has become 15x100 on 1:40). My 25 yard sprint times are about 2 seconds slow across all strokes. I understand that there's some adjustment that happens when starting anything new. I'm curious where the tipping point comes to decide if it's helping, hurting, or neutral with regards to my swimming.
Does this sound like a normal slow down from lifting that will lighten up as the season progresses and when I cut back the strength volume before my next big meet? Or more like the kind of slow down that screams too much too soon?
Do you have a swim coach? Or just a strength training coach? Ideally your two coaches should be talking to each other so that you can make adjustments to both programs in order to ensure that you are maintaining the proper balance between both and that you are incorporating new elements into your routine gradually, so that if you experience any negative effects/injuries, you can have a better idea of their source.
JPEnge's questions are on point- it's hard to make any judgments as to your programs because we need to know, generally speaking, what your strength training program looks like AND what your swimming program looks like.
Regardless, you should ensure that you are incorporating technique work into your workouts to make sure you avoid any injuries. Fatigued muscles from strength training may exacerbate problems inherent to your stroke, which could lead to injuries.
Do you have a swim coach? Or just a strength training coach? Ideally your two coaches should be talking to each other so that you can make adjustments to both programs in order to ensure that you are maintaining the proper balance between both and that you are incorporating new elements into your routine gradually, so that if you experience any negative effects/injuries, you can have a better idea of their source.
JPEnge's questions are on point- it's hard to make any judgments as to your programs because we need to know, generally speaking, what your strength training program looks like AND what your swimming program looks like.
Regardless, you should ensure that you are incorporating technique work into your workouts to make sure you avoid any injuries. Fatigued muscles from strength training may exacerbate problems inherent to your stroke, which could lead to injuries.
