I am a masters track sprinter who has been having lower back troubles for the last year. I am 41 year old male.
I have been swimming to give my back time to heal. I have been swimming for about a month.
This week I swam 800 yards in a pool (100ft long) in 16 minutes. Is this any good? Never swam competatively in my life.
I have some real disc problems and I was hoping I could someday be competative in the water if I can't run anymore. I have to be honest, I love running way more than swimming, but I really miss the competition part.
What should I be doing as a rookie if I want to swim the 50 and the 100? What kind of interval training? or should I just be doing conditioning and technique?
Parents
Former Member
rtodd,
Be sure you understand John's comments. A swimming block start (you will need to do one if you want to be competitive) is perhaps more stressful on the back than a track block start (you need to straighten the body out faster) and almost certainly requires more flexibility (both at the beginning and entering the water.) And do you do a flip turn? Most non-swimmers do not, and a flip turn will be essential to get in the top tier of USMS sprinters. They are far more stressful on the back than an open turn.
Of course non of these things are essential to compete, but I think a competitive person with a bad back will find the back the limiting factor (but maybe less than it is on the track, despite the start and turn aspects.)
Perhaps interestingly, I am an adequate sprinter in the water but a woefully poor one on land. Despite the generalization of fast/slow twitch muscles, it is not obvious that a sprinter on land will be a sprinter in the water.
rtodd,
Be sure you understand John's comments. A swimming block start (you will need to do one if you want to be competitive) is perhaps more stressful on the back than a track block start (you need to straighten the body out faster) and almost certainly requires more flexibility (both at the beginning and entering the water.) And do you do a flip turn? Most non-swimmers do not, and a flip turn will be essential to get in the top tier of USMS sprinters. They are far more stressful on the back than an open turn.
Of course non of these things are essential to compete, but I think a competitive person with a bad back will find the back the limiting factor (but maybe less than it is on the track, despite the start and turn aspects.)
Perhaps interestingly, I am an adequate sprinter in the water but a woefully poor one on land. Despite the generalization of fast/slow twitch muscles, it is not obvious that a sprinter on land will be a sprinter in the water.
