I've just returned to swimming, and wondered what a "Typical" Masters Swimmer averages per week. How many swims each week, and how many yards/meters are covered in those swims?
My routine is just three mornings a week, between 3500 to 5000 meters, taking 60 to 80 minutes. I can't imagine swimming more with a family and job, but remember swimming so much more as a child.
Is this a common realization for those returning to swimming (with both a family and job)?
Hi, Perkunas. I started the poll regarding weekly yardage, and it seemed to me most masters swimmers fell into the 9-15k range, with a small number doing 30k+.
A friend of mine who is an excellent swimmer told me that he believes performance parallels practice yardage. He also believes that it doesn't matter terribly much if this is "quality" yards or just grind it out "quantity" yards.
I have been keeping track of my own swimming for the past few years, and it's ranged from a low of 7200 per week (when I was on the road a lot) to this past year's high of about 14,000. I should note that this is an average for the whole year, and that if I am sick or out of range of a pool, it doesn't matter--whatever I swim (or don't swim) gets put into the spread sheet at the end of that week.
I've found that doubling the yardage has had a beneficial effect on almost all my races with the exception of the shorter distance events--50s and to some extent 100s. My 200s and up are much better.
I am going to try to see if I can pump things up this year to 20k per week, and see if this makes any further difference. I'll keep you posted.
Note: a couple people in the poll indicated they swim 40k a week. I find this kind of dedication amazing--and wonder, perhaps unfairly, if Prozac might make a difference...
Hi, Perkunas. I started the poll regarding weekly yardage, and it seemed to me most masters swimmers fell into the 9-15k range, with a small number doing 30k+.
A friend of mine who is an excellent swimmer told me that he believes performance parallels practice yardage. He also believes that it doesn't matter terribly much if this is "quality" yards or just grind it out "quantity" yards.
I have been keeping track of my own swimming for the past few years, and it's ranged from a low of 7200 per week (when I was on the road a lot) to this past year's high of about 14,000. I should note that this is an average for the whole year, and that if I am sick or out of range of a pool, it doesn't matter--whatever I swim (or don't swim) gets put into the spread sheet at the end of that week.
I've found that doubling the yardage has had a beneficial effect on almost all my races with the exception of the shorter distance events--50s and to some extent 100s. My 200s and up are much better.
I am going to try to see if I can pump things up this year to 20k per week, and see if this makes any further difference. I'll keep you posted.
Note: a couple people in the poll indicated they swim 40k a week. I find this kind of dedication amazing--and wonder, perhaps unfairly, if Prozac might make a difference...
