Any advice for a backslider?

And promise you will come back and tell us you did swim tomorrow. That way you have to do it because we expect it! :wiggle:

From Michigan Husker: My guess is that if you really ask yourself why you are procrastinating, it is because: 1. You are afraid of failure 2. If you can't swim in top form, you'd rather not swim at all. ------------------- Honestly, I'm not really sure what it is. At first, it was the schedule changes/adjustments, then being sick, then more schedule change/work adjustments, then the past month, it's just been lack of motivation. I think I am afraid not so much of failure, but of being really discouraged that once I get back, I'll realize how much I've lost in the year away from consistent training for competition and feel like it'll take so long to get back. If that makes any sense. Everyone's responses have been very helpful. I'm at work now Sunday afternoon, but am off Monday and am planning to hit the pool for 1500 (slow) yards and see how it goes. Thanks!

Hey, you've been getting some great advice! I hope it's working. You mentioned weights so I have to put in my 2 cents. Hit the gym! I do weights 3 times a week and the weight came off w/out even trying. Of course, you have to watch what you eat as well. Your first 2 weeks in the gym, just do one set of everthing you used to do, at a low weight, 16 repetitions. ONE set only. That way you won't be too sore to swim and you won't have any excuse! Plus, it'll be a really fast visit to the gym and it won't seem as painful. After two weeks, you can increase to 2 sets and maybe increase the weight by 5 pounds. And trust me, no one notices the light weight you're using. Everyone is too busy staring at their own muscles in the mirror. You have to get over how you look becasue you're not going to look like that forever. And do core work as well. I swear by my gym workouts. So, add that to your days and keep going. You're too young to be worried about this and like someone else said, you'll snap back fast if you can stick w/it. And ask yourself this: Have you ever regretted going to a practice???

Hey, you've been getting some great advice! I hope it's working. You mentioned weights so I have to put in my 2 cents. Hit the gym! I do weights 3 times a week and the weight came off w/out even trying. Of course, you have to watch what you eat as well. Your first 2 weeks in the gym, just do one set of everthing you used to do, at a low weight, 16 repetitions. ONE set only. That way you won't be too sore to swim and you won't have any excuse! Plus, it'll be a really fast visit to the gym and it won't seem as painful. After two weeks, you can increase to 2 sets and maybe increase the weight by 5 pounds. And trust me, no one notices the light weight you're using. Everyone is too busy staring at their own muscles in the mirror. You have to get over how you look becasue you're not going to look like that forever. And do core work as well. I swear by my gym workouts. So, add that to your days and keep going. You're too young to be worried about this and like someone else said, you'll snap back fast if you can stick w/it. And ask yourself this: Have you ever regretted going to a practice??? No kidding! Hit the gym too! Nothing like weights to help the shoulders and sprinting. As for the one year layoff, no worries, really. There are people here, including me, who took 20+ years off, and were back in reasonable shape in months. I train alone a lot too. You'll get there. Better to start now than later. Just don't get all pissed off if you're not doing PBs right away. I know people who do that, and it's just counter-productive. If you were competing a lot before, it may take a bit to get back in form. But it will happen. No worries. You just gotta dive in and get started with a reasonable start up strategy. No sense waiting around. Besides, sprinting is all strength and technique, and doesn't require that much yardage. So you'll be good soon. Just ease in, and it will come back!

Finding my inner fish-- Thanks for the help! I was used to swimming 3000-4000 yards 4-5 times a week, so when I get back in, I'll try 1500 a few times a week. Having a hard time with motivation; that might come from training on my own, but at the same time, I don't want to have team members see how fat/slow I've become! Thanks again for the advice. I'm still just unsure what sort of a workout to start with -- long slow swims to improve my cardio or interval training. Any thoughts anyone? My guess is that if you really ask yourself why you are procrastinating, it is because: 1. You are afraid of failure 2. If you can't swim in top form, you'd rather not swim at all. Well, at least these are my two biggest road blocks when I've had to take an involuntary sabbatical. When that happens, I play ACDC's song "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" - that is the song used for the Nike "Just Do It" commercial where there was alot of swimming shown. It really motivates me. If that is not your style, another "mind" trick I play (and you'll see it in other posts) - tell yourself you are going to go swim and if you feel absolutely, positively horrible, you will cut the workout short. My guess is you'll feel a bit weak, but you will LOVE being back in the water. Don't worry about yardage at first - if you need to take longer intervals, that is fine. Swim for at least 45 mins, put aim for 1 hour. Your yardage will increase naturally. Remember, you can't overdo it if you are not doing anything! Go get 'em! :cheerleader:

Wow! Thanks so much, everyone! I haven't felt this excited to going to a workout in months, and it's all thanks to you. I like the part about you expecting to hear back from me about how it goes, almost like going to practice with teammates. I am interested in getting back in the gym, too, and was wondering whether I should trying swimming and lifting all at once, or swim for a couple of weeks, then begin lifting, or try the one-set weight workouts mentioned as well as swimming. I don't expect to be doing PBs anytime soon, I'm more worried about getting discouraged because all of my strength and endurance are gone and feeling like it's all hopeless and giving up. But you all have given me a lot of motivation. Thanks again. Oh, should I start with 3 days a week with the shorter swims (1500-2000) or five? And, start with swimming AND weights, or just one or the other before adding the other? Thanks again!!!

Your workout schedule will depend on your availability. Just get into a routine - whether it be going to the gym every day, but alternating lifting/swimming or whatever. You can always make your workouts longer or change depending on how you feel. I think it is great to swim at least 4-5 days per week and lift 2-3 days per week. From what I've read, lifting 2x per week is good for maintaining your strength, but to build strength and endurance, you need to go with 3x per week. The key here is to make an attainable goal that you can reach and feel good about your return to the gym/pool. Then make another goal, and so on until you are right where you left off. I really think you are going to surprise yourself. As I mentioned before, just go in determined to try your best, but knowing that you are just starting out again so don't overdo it. Slow and steady progress! You can do it!

If I were you, I would make my goal to swim 3 times per week in July and lift twice a week. That is your goal, but in the back of your mind, it is your minimum. So if you get there 4 times a week, and lift 3, give yourself an extra pat because you surpassed your goal. After July is over, reassess, tweak your routine, keep what you liked, change what you did not and improve on it. Never stay stagnate, keep reassessing what you are doing. Also, don't be afraid to try new things, a running group, spinning class, yoga, maybe a swimming group that you discover when you become a regular, cross training can really make you fit.

Hi there, Didn't make it to the pool Monday, but not for a lack of wanting to. Went into work for an important meeting -- during which they told us they're doing buyouts and then layoffs (if not enough people take buyouts). After that, I really needed a swim or something to clear my head, but it stormed (I live in Florida, where it seems to do that every day, but usually about the same time). So, that was that. I settled in for a quiet night after a long week of worrying about this meeting. But, today's a new day and I'm planning on hitting the pool and the gym. Or just the gym if it starts storming again. Thank you all for the support! I'll let you know how it goes.

I DID IT!!!! Day 1 of the comeback, haha, began Tuesday. I got in the pool and did a broken 1650 -- 11 laps, rest 15 seconds, 10 laps, rest 15 seconds, 9 laps, etc. It took me about 30 minutes. Then I got out and lifted upper body, and that took about 30 minutes also. I did three sets of a handful of upper body exercises (less weight than I was used to) and then tried that assisted dip/chin-up machine. I could only do 5 each (with a lot of assistance!). Now I'm sore and tired. I'm happy I went, but already feeling discouraged about how exhausted and sore I am, which is what I was afraid of, that I had lost so much in a year. Will it take me a year to get back to what I was, weight-wise and strength-wise and speed-wise? Or less? I'm hoping to hit the pool again tomorrow to do about the same distance and hopefully get in lower-body lifting. Thursday's bad because I have to go in early for a 10-11 hour day, but hopefully my body recovers and I can get back in Friday. Thank you all, again, for all the support and advice! It's really been helpful!