After reading alot of threads, it seems my volume and frequency is way lower than everyone elses. My freestyle workouts are typically no more than 1500 to 1700 yards. If it is a repeat workout, then it is less (i.e. 10x100, 5x200, 2x500....etc) I swim three times a week.
My fly, *** and back workouts are no more than 1000 yds (still learning those strokes).
I am biased towards the sprints like 100 free and maybe someday if I'm lucky the 200 IM. Is this volume OK for a 42 year old, or should I be trying to build in more yardage?
I started swimming a little over a year ago due to lower back problems when I could no longer run.
My progression has been coming along OK, but I thought I would be putting in more volume by now.
Swimming is a completely new set of muscles and movements. Perhaps my inefficiency is an issue since I am learning new strokes. I think I am an efficient freestyler, but I become very tired after about 30 minutes.
3000-4000 yds of volume is just way too much for me at this point. What are the volume totals for master sprinters who only compete in 200m or less?
Depends on your goals. 3 miles a week for a 40-something sounds like a good workout for basic wellness. Is 1000-1500 your total workout yardage 3 times a week, or just your freestyle set in a longer workout ?
When you are learning strokes and doing a large amount of drills / instruction, don't worry so much about the yardage. Learning the basic skills would take precedence over meet performance initially.
The "serious" Masters I've know will train 3000-4500 a day, 4-6 times a week with great variety in the sets they do. That's 90 minutes or so a pop, which is a reasonable upper bound for amateur adults with other responsibilities.
Don't increase either intensity or duration/distance more than 10% a week. It can overstress and injure you.
I agree with that reply 100%. 2,000 yards at a clip is good for a fitness swimmer.
The dose should be higher (around 3,000 yds)...and maybe a bit more intense in preparation for some racing. Lap swimming is much different than interval training.
It sound like you are considering entering a meet. Just do it. Your swim sessions will take on a whole new meaning if there is a motivating force behind them.
I'm 57 and swim 4 days a week 2000-2400 per session. I am a National and World champion in breaststroke (I don't say that to brag but to show what can be done with limited yardage.). If I swim more than that my shoulders or knees or both start hurting so I do other things. I lift weights twice a week,stationary bike 3 times a week etc. Also everything I swim is warm-up, warm-down or race pace. If you want to swim fast it doesn't make sense to me to practice swimming slow. I also never take time off from exercising. It's much easier to stay in shape than get in shape.
What are the volume totals for master sprinters who only compete in 200m or less?
I'm 47, swim 50s and 100s. Good enough to qualify for nationals, but I'm no record setter. I usually swim five days a week, M, T, Th, F, and Sa. My weekly yardage is around 16,000 yds. Weekday workouts are typically 3000 yds and about 4000 on weekends. I travel a bit so my training is interrupted partially about one week a month.
I started swimming a little over a year ago due to lower back problems when I could no longer run.
My progression has been coming along OK, but I thought I would be putting in more volume by now.
Swimming is a completely new set of muscles and movements. Perhaps my inefficiency is an issue since I am learning new strokes. I think I am an efficient freestyler, but I become very tired after about 30 minutes.
3000-4000 yds of volume is just way too much for me at this point. What are the volume totals for master sprinters who only compete in 200m or less?
Others who have answered are quite good. I am more around your level. I started swimming 6 years ago at age 39. I try to get in the water 4 days a week, and am satisfied if I get in 2500 yards in a work-out. There are some weeks that all I have time for is a 40 minute session and then it is down to 2000 yards. 2 years ago I consistently did 45 minutes work-outs 3 times a week and was able to do some competitions(even swam a 1000 yard race). I am not fast, but it is the consistency week in and week out that will help you improve. A year may SEEM like a long time, but swimming takes time, and you are doing fine.
I also never take time off from exercising. It's much easier to stay in shape than get in shape.
Excellent point. I was out for two weeks recently because of surgery on my neck (a benign cyst--if you pm me I'll tell you where to send get well cards and gifts). It has taken me three weeks to get back to roughly where I was before. I've read that the physiological adaptations to training begin to diminish at two weeks (by at least 50% for many parameters).
Great job at Worlds, Allen.
couple quick questions: how did your running volume progress over the years leading to your injury? had you been steadily increasing your running volume when you became injured?
Interesting article in this month's Splash (the USA swimming magazine).
Kate Ziegler, the 17 yr. old distance swimming phenom, swims 17,000-18,000 yds per day in peak training periods. Unbelievable yardage!
Another article also says Bob Bowman's top workout group (includes Phelps, Vendt, etc.) swims twice a day about 8,000 meters per workout.
