Personally I love weight training, more than swimming(I know blasphemy!), but I have been weight training 25 years, swimming only 6. I find they compliment each other quite well.
No weights during race season, strength training consists of fins and paddles. Off-season, I lift maybe 2-3 times per week.
Usually when I lift weights I do 2 sets of 4-7 reps at the maximum weight I can lift (for each muscle group).. going for explosive power, until muscle failure. Otherwise it feels like I'm just re-training the same muscle fibers swimming already exercises. The exception is rotator cuff exercises, which I do at low weight/high reps.
You can probably tell I'm no fan of strength training either. I usually spend more time stretching.
I guess I was thinking along the lines of dryland resistance training of any kind, weights, push ups etc. Personally I hate strength training and would love to do all my training in the pool. Since I train alone I was just wondering what other swimmers were doing. Thanks, Paul
My reply would be completely different if the question was "how much *should* you do". Swimming helps my endurance, but for some reason doesn't help out much with the muscle strength.
I train both weights and swimming when I have time, so I cannot necessary try for the optimum time. I know that if I get up and train weights at 5 am, and then swim at noon, my swim suffers from the weight training. But the same does not hold true for swimming prior to weights. If I swim at 5 am or noon, and lift after work, I don't seem to have ill affects. Also, if I really work the weights hard, the next day, I really feel it in the pool, kind of a dead feeling in the muscles.
I rarely do meets, but when I do, I stop doing any lifting a couple weeks before so my muscles are more fresh. I find it is good to take a break like that anyway about every 6 weeks of a week off. But I consistently work hard with weights so need the break.
I Like varity in my work outs. Like free hand excerise. Such as chins , push ups, dips , sit ups,etc. I also like weights , used in various excerises. As for swimming I am a lap swimmer , but ca n swim long distances free non stop. But my aim or goal is to keep three things in mind. Carido , Restesince, and common sense eating. Dom. ;) :cool: ;)
Since we're on the subject:
In relation to swimming, when do you do strength training? 12 hours from swimming? 6? 3? Also (if less) lifting before or after a swim workout?
I've been doing a 1/2 an hour a day of strength training. But it's mostly been lighter weights with more repetition to build more lean muscle.
Any opinions welcomed and appreciated!
JIM
