I am new to this forum and looking for some advice/help.
I have been away from competitive swimming for almost 10 years now. I haven't even been in a pool for lap swim due to the fact that I was in a very rural area of VT with no pool access. Now that I am back home in Buffalo with a LMSC, I would like to return back to competition. I recently discovered USMS after some Internet browsing and was immediately intrigued. I never knew this organization existed. After scanning through the website and forum, it got my competitive juices flowing again. I was a competitive swimmer from a little tyke to college and am very excited and motivated to get back in the pool.
I am looking for some tips and ideas for returning to competitive form. I was a butterflyer and have some shoulder issues. I want to ease back into it without getting hurt. I am looking for some exercises to help strengthen my shoulders before pushing myself too much.
I would appreciate any diet/nutrition advice. I kind of let myself go the last couple of years.
Also, I will be in a location with no LMSC but access to a pool for about 5 months and am looking for workouts that I can do.
Any help you could give me would be outstanding. Thanks!!!!
JB-
Back in '99 I returned to competitive swimming via USMS. I, too, had taken a 10 year hiatus. My first year back I concentrated on getting in shape and building my workouts to what I could handle. I only swam in one meet that year and it was the state meet. My times were respectible enough to light the competitive fire for the following year. That year I worked out with my old high school team and pretty much pushed myself to my limits. I remember not being able to lift my arms to put them under the pillow at night. I swam in a few local meets, state meet and Nationals. I was able to get within a second of my lifetime best in the 100 free. What I have learned since then is that I can be competitive without punishing yardage. This was important because it helped me to balance my life and incorporate swimming into my lifestyle. In the past, I'd swim the season (3-4 months), have the big meet and then quit until the following year. Now I swim year-round with a couple of week breaks where needed. Good luck and welcome back.
P.S. - I'd suggest getting with a team or atleast a workout buddie. That way when you don't want to go you'll think... but I can't let my team/buddie down. You'll end up making it to lots more practices.
JB-
Back in '99 I returned to competitive swimming via USMS. I, too, had taken a 10 year hiatus. My first year back I concentrated on getting in shape and building my workouts to what I could handle. I only swam in one meet that year and it was the state meet. My times were respectible enough to light the competitive fire for the following year. That year I worked out with my old high school team and pretty much pushed myself to my limits. I remember not being able to lift my arms to put them under the pillow at night. I swam in a few local meets, state meet and Nationals. I was able to get within a second of my lifetime best in the 100 free. What I have learned since then is that I can be competitive without punishing yardage. This was important because it helped me to balance my life and incorporate swimming into my lifestyle. In the past, I'd swim the season (3-4 months), have the big meet and then quit until the following year. Now I swim year-round with a couple of week breaks where needed. Good luck and welcome back.
P.S. - I'd suggest getting with a team or atleast a workout buddie. That way when you don't want to go you'll think... but I can't let my team/buddie down. You'll end up making it to lots more practices.
