i have been a competitive swimmer for most of my life, untill i began college and other things took top priority. now i am returning to swimming for fitness and am finding myslef extremely frustrated at how out of shape i am. what is an effective workout method to get myself back to the 5000 yard workouts i used to breeze through. additionally what sort of goals are realistic for key landmarks such as 1 week, 1 month, 2 months? im sure many others have gone through this - perhaps some wouldnt mind sharing their experiences.
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Former Member
I had the same problem. I hadn't been swimming for more than 5 years. I'd been competitve all my life and after high school joined the military and hadnt' swam for nothing.
Well getting to my present duty station I found a group of people that I could probably keep up with. So we started swimming at lunch. Though it's only an hour to an hour and a half so we dont get near 5000 before we all have to go back to work. We get in 3000-3500 usually.
At first I about killed myself trying to finish and keep up with that workout. I thought it would be easy cause it came easier when I was younger. WRONG. So I took it easy and swam about 1500 the first week and went up by 500 a week until I was able to do the whole workout. There will be times now where I'll have to do a different interval, but at least I get it done. I just have to realize that when I start to slow way way way down that I need to just do a cool down and get out rather than make myself sore and hating to move. So I've been at it for a few months now and am not in the greatest shape I would like to be in, but it's coming, I notice it everyday.
Good Luck
Kel,
I had the same problem. I hadn't been swimming for more than 5 years. I'd been competitve all my life and after high school joined the military and hadnt' swam for nothing.
Well getting to my present duty station I found a group of people that I could probably keep up with. So we started swimming at lunch. Though it's only an hour to an hour and a half so we dont get near 5000 before we all have to go back to work. We get in 3000-3500 usually.
At first I about killed myself trying to finish and keep up with that workout. I thought it would be easy cause it came easier when I was younger. WRONG. So I took it easy and swam about 1500 the first week and went up by 500 a week until I was able to do the whole workout. There will be times now where I'll have to do a different interval, but at least I get it done. I just have to realize that when I start to slow way way way down that I need to just do a cool down and get out rather than make myself sore and hating to move. So I've been at it for a few months now and am not in the greatest shape I would like to be in, but it's coming, I notice it everyday.
Good Luck
Kel,
