I started with the local masters about a month ago. We swim 3 mornings a week, generally doing around 3,000 meters. I was previously swimming on my own 4-5 days per week, doing more mileage but with less intensity. Swimming with the group has shown me that my conditioning, kick, and backstroke are weak.
Since starting with the group, I've been swimming on one or both of the off weekdays. I generally go pretty easy (usually no intervals) on the off days and do drills, work on kick, learning fly, etc. I swim for around an hour and probably go 2,500 or so, although I don't really keep track.
I'm 44, 190 pounds, in decent, but apparently not very well-conditioned swimming shape.
Any thoughts on off day workouts? Good idea? Bad idea? Injury waiting to happen? Garbage yardage? Do less mileage, more intervals? Shut up and swim?:)
Thanks for any and all thoughts.
Since getting a program put together for me by Barb Harris last year, I have been doing periodic LT (lactose threshold/tolerance) sets: 1/2 hour of 100's, with an interval that gives you 10-15 second rest, do as many 100's as you can in the 1/2 hour. I know these have made a huge difference in my overall fitness, however, it HURTS! You will have to work up to it then find a send off you can tolerate and go from there. Now I do a set of 100 free, a set of 100 IM (did that today) and a set of 200 free every month. I can really see my progress in that I have been able to bring down the send off times (a hidden bummer factor, the faster you can swim, the more 100's you will have to do!) and its great for building coping skills for the painful middle parts of races.
Since getting a program put together for me by Barb Harris last year, I have been doing periodic LT (lactose threshold/tolerance) sets: 1/2 hour of 100's, with an interval that gives you 10-15 second rest, do as many 100's as you can in the 1/2 hour. I know these have made a huge difference in my overall fitness, however, it HURTS! You will have to work up to it then find a send off you can tolerate and go from there. Now I do a set of 100 free, a set of 100 IM (did that today) and a set of 200 free every month. I can really see my progress in that I have been able to bring down the send off times (a hidden bummer factor, the faster you can swim, the more 100's you will have to do!) and its great for building coping skills for the painful middle parts of races.
