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.
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.
As Nike says, Just do it.
Forget, for now, how fast you were before or what you used to do. At 33, you'll easily get back there; it may just take a bit of time.
I agree with Susan, I wouldn't start with sprints. No reason not to do some cardio and intervals, just make them reasonable and ramp it up slowly. Don't swim 5x the first week or start with 4000 yards. When I went back to swimming two years ago, it took a few months to get in decent swimming shape. But I didn't realize I should also have done rotator cuff exercises and immediately came down with a severe bout of tendonitis and ended up in PT. So start slow and build up gradually. Do your RC and scapular exercises. Get fit for swimming before you expect swimming to make you fit! Go to it. You'll be sprinting fast soon enough. :groovy:
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.
As Nike says, Just do it.
Forget, for now, how fast you were before or what you used to do. At 33, you'll easily get back there; it may just take a bit of time.
I agree with Susan, I wouldn't start with sprints. No reason not to do some cardio and intervals, just make them reasonable and ramp it up slowly. Don't swim 5x the first week or start with 4000 yards. When I went back to swimming two years ago, it took a few months to get in decent swimming shape. But I didn't realize I should also have done rotator cuff exercises and immediately came down with a severe bout of tendonitis and ended up in PT. So start slow and build up gradually. Do your RC and scapular exercises. Get fit for swimming before you expect swimming to make you fit! Go to it. You'll be sprinting fast soon enough. :groovy:
