Hi all,
Between a lengthy bout of bronchitis, job changes and adjusting to new schedules, I haven't swam with any consistency in about a year. I'd like to get back into competition shape -- which entails losing about 15 pounds and gaining back the muscle I lost -- in time for a meet next March or April. Anyone else ever gone through this? How do you work back a schedule of swimming 1-1.5 hours a day and lifting three days a week without doing too much too quickly and burning out or injuring yourself (or giving up because you feel like you're so far away from "good shape"?) Any ideas of what sort of yardage/intervals to start with?
I appreciate the help -- I'm so ready to stop being a couch potato, but I'm not sure where to start.
I would work on ramping up the cardio vascular first, before doing sprint intervals. Work on drills for technique which will help. Try adding 100 yards a work-out a week. So this week if you are at 1500 each work-out, then do 1600 each work-out next week. For adding days, I would take that a bit slower and see how you feel.
I know a lot of people don't advocate stretching, but after a long lay off, you are bound to be stiff, so make sure you stretch afterwards.
About 4 years ago I got pneumonia in March, and it was May before I could get back into a regular routine. I started with a measley 1000 yards, but by the end of the summer I was back at it.
I would work on ramping up the cardio vascular first, before doing sprint intervals. Work on drills for technique which will help. Try adding 100 yards a work-out a week. So this week if you are at 1500 each work-out, then do 1600 each work-out next week. For adding days, I would take that a bit slower and see how you feel.
I know a lot of people don't advocate stretching, but after a long lay off, you are bound to be stiff, so make sure you stretch afterwards.
About 4 years ago I got pneumonia in March, and it was May before I could get back into a regular routine. I started with a measley 1000 yards, but by the end of the summer I was back at it.
