I am fairly new to masters swimming and while I did swim in college, I never swam year round or for a club team. So when I swam in the past weights were only something that was used during waterpolo or during the early part of the swim season. And even then I rarely hit the weights.
Recently I found a work out written for sprinters that I have started to follow. It seems pretty well written and well thought out. The work out is broken down for a 5 month season like this.
month 1 - Endurance training (high reps)
Month 2 - Stength and power (heavier wieghts low reps)
Month 3 - Speed training (high reps at pace)
Month 4 - Stength and power
Month 5 - Taper
I've adjusted it to 3 week blocks so that the last month ends at an upcoming zone championship meet.
The plan is based on a full body work out 3 days per week. I've just started doing this and in addition I am swimming 4-5 days per week, about 3000 - 4000 yards per day.
So questions are as follows:
1. Is this too much? Will I not get enough rest? I'm 33 and so far, after two weeks I feel fine.
2. On weeks where I plan to swim in a meet do I lay off the weights or just stick to the plan and build for the zone championship meet? Right now I would be lifting on the day before the smaller meets.
3. And with swimming year round, do I follow a similar plan and only back off the weights for the big meets?
Any help is appreciated.
If you want to do fairly well at the small meets, I would back off one weight work-out before the meet, and then go right back at it the following week. Missing one weight work-out won't affect your strength that much, but you will feel a little rested and have more spring for the meet. As to whether it is too much....keep at it, your body will tell you if you need to adjust. If you start to feel too tired, re-evaluated and tweek it.
If you want to do fairly well at the small meets, I would back off one weight work-out before the meet, and then go right back at it the following week. Missing one weight work-out won't affect your strength that much, but you will feel a little rested and have more spring for the meet. As to whether it is too much....keep at it, your body will tell you if you need to adjust. If you start to feel too tired, re-evaluated and tweek it.
