So all during the summer when I was swimming in preparation for my University's team I had a steady lifting schedule as well.
Unfortunately with the start of the season this year I'm a bit confused as to wether lifting is a good idea, and when if it is. My swim schedule looks something like this:
M-F 6:20am-8:20am
M-W-F 3:30pm-5:30pm
S: 8am-10/11am
Now that's a lot of swimming. Over the summer I was swimming about four days a week and lifting twice, but with this increased schedule I'm not sure at all what to do. Should I lift at all? If I do, when should I do it? On my single practice days? On my day off?
And should I take a while to get used to the increased cardio before starting to lift again?
I think you should ask your swim coach. I would think he/she would have some definate opinions on when and what type of lifting you should be doing. Don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to include what you have done in the past.
Unless your lifting exactly duplicates the swim strokes, you're wasting your time. Better to use something like a VASA Swim Trainer where your body moves pass your hands. Be careful because most injuries are the result of fooling around with weights. There is no substitute for water time. clyde
Your college program should have some form of dry land weight program. Ask your Coach if they intend to add weights later- the Coach may have a plan to ease the team into weights. If they don't, inquire about doing them on your own.
While I partially agree with Clyde about how there's no substitute for time in the water....
I have to say, according to my personal experience, lifting has helped me tremendously for two main reasons:
1) prevents my left shoulder from becoming reinjured and
2) overall increased strength has helped my in the water....
(example - squats have helped my push off the walls)
Good advice to ask your coach though. I'm a masters swimmer and I don't train nearly as long as you will.
Also - I've heard that lots of core strengthening exercises will really help! I'm convinced that my fly has gotten better since I've been doing core work on a regular basis...
Good luck and keep us earthlings posted!! :)
What ever you do don't lift on your day off!!! Your body needs time to recover and working out 7 days a week is so bad for you in the long run. If you are trying to get back in shape for swimming focus mainly on that for now. Lifting wont hurt you, its just that it might not be necessary at this point. Focus on the swimming for now, then in a month or so, instead of swimming in the afternoons MWF you could do some lifting.
I agree with Dorothy. My daughter swims for her college team and they integrate swimming and lifting. They have a rotation of exercises they do. They have a weight coach and one of the assistent swim coaches oversee the sessions. They also vary what they do individually and seasonally (most of them stop lifting 3 weeks before the focus meet). Ask the coach, I am sure he or she has some ideas.
As dorothyrde said ask your coach!
Most current University swim programs will have a fairly extensive dry land* program. It will probably be incorporated within your programs existing training schedule, although some coaches may want you to do some weight training on your own time. Current programs will do lot of core type exercises, core ball, medicine ball etc. You may be surprised that you do not do that much stroke specific dry land training.
*You know you’re a swimmer when you refer to the lifting heavy objects as dry land
"What ever you do don't lift on your day off!!! Your body needs time to recover and working out 7 days a week is so bad for you in the long run."
"As dorothyrde said ask your coach!"
I think you've gotten some really good advice here from Matt, Ken, Dorothy, and Kari - and Glenn and A.K. I would just add that an option is to do "maintenance" weight training one day a week.
