Not 100% sure this is the best place for advice. However, I’ve yet to find another forum.
I am 45/F, used to swim competitively from Jr High - early college. The work and life got in the way. Five years ago I injured my back and now have disc degeneration in my lower back. Two years ago I got back in the pool and eventually went from 2 laps to 50 (25 yard pool). Then really got to feeling better about my swim and back after a year of sticking to it. Then work got in the way again and I didn’t put in the time like I did for a year and had another disc blow out. So on 11/20/18 I had a back surgery and 12/19 made it back in the pool. I’ve been swimming every day since aside from one day off each week.
I am starting over again, can only get to about 850 yards and (3) sets of 15 ladder pools before I run Out of gas. Today, after my swim, my whole body is aching. I swim at my gym pool, which is indoors and at about 77*.
This brings me to these boards looking for advice.
Am I doing too much at once?
And any other suggestions you have are appreciated!
...
My routine is about:
- (8) half lengths of jogging to 4’ (I can’t reach any further) and then I jog backwards to the beginning of the pool for warm up and (8) again for cool down.
- then laps of ***, free, backstroke.
- and i squeeze in (3) sets of 15 ladder pulls in the begging, middle, and end
To add, there are several 1-2 minute breaks in this routine too. Sometimes it’s to just breathe, or make a goggle or earplugs adjustment.
...
Hey Prodgirl!
As Orca said, rather than just try to swim straight thru your 850, you can break up the swims into meaningful units of work called "sets" with rest periods in and between the sets.
As an example, using our 850 yards of laps as a starter... you could "build a pyramid"
- Swim 6 25's (one length) with a rest interval in between each 25 of 10 or 20 seconds (150 yards)
- Swim 4 50's (two lengths) with a slightly longer rest interval between each swim (200 yards)
- Swim 1 100 (four lengths) take a break after the 100 of a couple minutes. (100 yards)
- Swim 4 50's using same or slightly less rest period as on the first set of 50's (200 yards)
- Swim 6 25's using same or slightly less rest period as on the first set of 25's (150 yards)
- Swim an easy 50 yards to "warm down"
Total 850 yards
You can add kicking sets (or insert some kicking in each set) to build your kick and core.
You can mix your strokes in a set, or pick a stroke at the start of each set to use throughout.
You can mix up the order of the distances, and add more repeated swims in each set, or add a longer distance.
Many people suggest you only increase yardage about 10% every few practices. So week one you are at 850, but in week two or three you increase to 900-925 yards, and so on.
Hopefully, some structure, with variety will make your swimming more interesting as well!
Let us know what you think!
...
My routine is about:
- (8) half lengths of jogging to 4’ (I can’t reach any further) and then I jog backwards to the beginning of the pool for warm up and (8) again for cool down.
- then laps of ***, free, backstroke.
- and i squeeze in (3) sets of 15 ladder pulls in the begging, middle, and end
To add, there are several 1-2 minute breaks in this routine too. Sometimes it’s to just breathe, or make a goggle or earplugs adjustment.
...
Hey Prodgirl!
As Orca said, rather than just try to swim straight thru your 850, you can break up the swims into meaningful units of work called "sets" with rest periods in and between the sets.
As an example, using our 850 yards of laps as a starter... you could "build a pyramid"
- Swim 6 25's (one length) with a rest interval in between each 25 of 10 or 20 seconds (150 yards)
- Swim 4 50's (two lengths) with a slightly longer rest interval between each swim (200 yards)
- Swim 1 100 (four lengths) take a break after the 100 of a couple minutes. (100 yards)
- Swim 4 50's using same or slightly less rest period as on the first set of 50's (200 yards)
- Swim 6 25's using same or slightly less rest period as on the first set of 25's (150 yards)
- Swim an easy 50 yards to "warm down"
Total 850 yards
You can add kicking sets (or insert some kicking in each set) to build your kick and core.
You can mix your strokes in a set, or pick a stroke at the start of each set to use throughout.
You can mix up the order of the distances, and add more repeated swims in each set, or add a longer distance.
Many people suggest you only increase yardage about 10% every few practices. So week one you are at 850, but in week two or three you increase to 900-925 yards, and so on.
Hopefully, some structure, with variety will make your swimming more interesting as well!
Let us know what you think!
