Break after a big meet

I usually like to get back in pretty quickly. After Nationals I took a week off and felt terrible when I got back in (of course that was compounded by going from short course Nationals immediately to long course) and it felt like it took weeks to finally break my taper all the way. Obviously it's easier to get straight back into it for me now swimming 4000/day, 3 days/week into a 2000/day taper than 20 hours training a week into a full taper when I was in college. So your mileage may vary.

My time in the water follows very closely to what my kids' team does, as I swim when they are at practice. Well, I decided to take a 2 week break with them, and try to get caught up on a bunch of stuff. Back in yesterday. Ugh, I wish I wouldn't have taken that break. The biking and paddleboarding were wholly insufficient substitutes.

Do what your body and mind tell you. if you want the time off take it. if i have had a good meet i may take a couple of days off to unwind. If I had a bad meet I want to get started making changes immediately. i generally spend December (after the last SCM meet) doing cross training and long slow swimming to rest my knees and shoulders. I am on an extended break from real swimming after rotator cuff surgery now and I really miss it.

I take huge breaks. In my Masters' career, I typically can only muster the focus to try to train and peak for 1 or 2 of the 3 seasons out of the year. Almost always that means I train pretty consistently and hard from late August through Spring Nationals, then relax in the summer time. This allows me to taper in both SCM and SCY. The one year (when I turned 45) I trained hard and raced throughout the year, I ended up with a shoulder injury that then took almost 3 more years to build back from. Now, on my breaks, I'm still usually training, but more like a sporadic lap swimmer than a competitor. The downside of breaks is that it takes me MUCH longer to get back into shape. As an example, I am just starting to contemplate training like a competitor again (after being lazy since Indy Nationals). I do a 3 x 300 test set to set my 'base pace' freestyle interval. When I was in 'racing shape' about 4-5 months ago, I would've averaged high 3:20s to low 3:30s on these. This past Saturday, I was 4:03s. I'll see some pretty dramatic improvements on this test set over the next two months, but it'll be a slog to get back to where I was.

Hey, Mark R.! Nice job at Pan Ams, by the way. As much as I'd like to take a break after a big meet, I have found it better to get back at it right away. As a matter of fact, I have started a ritual of the same practice upon my return....and I try to make it the day after I get home: Warm-up 30 x 100s on 2:00-interval at my lowest possible average (which is usually about 1:06). Cool down This workout really challenges me, but it helps me stay in form. Personally, I don't believe in tapering, so it is not like I am recovering from a longer term reduction of effort. It's the same for me with open water events. After my BIG swims, I try to get right back at it. One size does not fit all, however. This is what I do. Good luck with the rest of your season! Mark J.

Take a break after a big meet is very important for me to get my body and my mind free. I usually take 2 weeks off, doing not much sport at all. Than for the next 3 to 4 weeks, I start training very sporadic and swim two to three times a week but not much and not a specific program. Than after this 6 week period, I start lifting and going to gym almost every day and start swimming a little more...

Hey, Mark R.! Nice job at Pan Ams, by the way. As much as I'd like to take a break after a big meet, I have found it better to get back at it right away. As a matter of fact, I have started a ritual of the same practice upon my return....and I try to make it the day after I get home: Warm-up 30 x 100s on 2:00-interval at my lowest possible average (which is usually about 1:06). Cool down This workout really challenges me, but it helps me stay in form. Personally, I don't believe in tapering, so it is not like I am recovering from a longer term reduction of effort. It's the same for me with open water events. After my BIG swims, I try to get right back at it. One size does not fit all, however. This is what I do. Good luck with the rest of your season! Mark J. Thanks Mark! I felt like I hit the taper the second weekend (200 IM, 200 Fly, 400 Free). I might try the test set.

Thanks everyone. Good to know that there is a wide range. Funny I've had three swims after posting this.

I only do open water swims. I never swim on the day after one, and I may take a second day off, but no more. When I was younger, I could take a couple of weeks, and be fine. At 48, even one week off feels like starting all over when I get back in the pool. My body won't do it.

I don't do as many meets as OW swims, but usually take at least a week off after a big race, depending on how I feel. Usually the second week, I come back not doing as much mileage, but just enough to get the body loose again while recovering. Like some of the others, listen to your body.