Between a torn rotator cuff and subsequent surgery I have swum in no meets in 2018. I have been OK'd to swim at the SPMS meet Nov 30-Dec 2 (my last chance for times this year). I was only OK'd to swim full stroke 2 wk ago. It was very hard to be motivated to workout hard doing only kicks and one armed swimming. My repaired shoulder has pretty good ROM(the Dr says great ROM, but it is not as good as my "good" shoulder and my L arm is still smaller than my right.) I have been doing modified USRPT as it is self limiting and touted as not needing to taper with. I am not in the shape I want to be in, but I am finally motivated. Since i am nearly 70, I am not sure that I wouldn't benefit from a taper, but with limited time i doubt a full 3 wk taper is the best idea.Thoughts and recommendations?
Allen, so sorry to hear you've been dealing with so many swim-related challenges - but how great that you have been able to push yourself through those obstacles and have maintained (and re-gained) motivation!
My advice would be to not put too much pressure on yourself for this competition as it is just your first meet back. As you have said, you haven't had much time to get back into swimming, and further, you have been out of the water for awhile with injuries. Since this isn't a "make it or break it" competition, I wouldn't be too concerned about tapering - just make sure you are protecting your shoulder and taking this slowly. Again, it's just your first meet back. There will be many more! You'll need to build up gradually and adapt to all of the inevitable changes since your injury.
By the way, you mentioned you have been doing modified USRPT - what did that consist of?
Good luck at the meet and let us know how it goes!
Thank you. Knowing I was a Masters Swimmer and would be inclined to over do things, my Orthopedist said i could do full stroke at race pace only 100 yd the first week and then increase by 50 every 3 days as long as I don't have pain. I don't swim more than 225 yd full stroke BR at race pace anyway due to my knees. So I'll do like 25s at 2 sec over old 100 pace goal time with 15 sec rest, as many as allowed full BR up to 9, then continue BR pull dolphin kick since I now am up to 4 of those and complete the set dolphin kick with snorkel, altering my 25 goal times as I change between full stroke, pull with dolphin kick and just dolphin kick. My goal is to get to 30X25s, but the best I can get to now is about 20. I am using the usual USRPT guidelines of skip one when I miss goal time and finish with 3 misses or 2 misses in a row.
Allen, so sorry to hear you've been dealing with so many swim-related challenges - but how great that you have been able to push yourself through those obstacles and have maintained (and re-gained) motivation!
My advice would be to not put too much pressure on yourself for this competition as it is just your first meet back. As you have said, you haven't had much time to get back into swimming, and further, you have been out of the water for awhile with injuries. Since this isn't a "make it or break it" competition, I wouldn't be too concerned about tapering - just make sure you are protecting your shoulder and taking this slowly. Again, it's just your first meet back. There will be many more! You'll need to build up gradually and adapt to all of the inevitable changes since your injury.
By the way, you mentioned you have been doing modified USRPT - what did that consist of?
Good luck at the meet and let us know how it goes!
Thank you. Knowing I was a Masters Swimmer and would be inclined to over do things, my Orthopedist said i could do full stroke at race pace only 100 yd the first week and then increase by 50 every 3 days as long as I don't have pain. I don't swim more than 225 yd full stroke BR at race pace anyway due to my knees. So I'll do like 25s at 2 sec over old 100 pace goal time with 15 sec rest, as many as allowed full BR up to 9, then continue BR pull dolphin kick since I now am up to 4 of those and complete the set dolphin kick with snorkel, altering my 25 goal times as I change between full stroke, pull with dolphin kick and just dolphin kick. My goal is to get to 30X25s, but the best I can get to now is about 20. I am using the usual USRPT guidelines of skip one when I miss goal time and finish with 3 misses or 2 misses in a row.
