My name is Carl and I just wanted to stop in and say hi as someone who is getting ready to return to the water after 16 years (and looking for a good starting point)
I swam varsity all through HS as a multi-purpose member of the team. Back, ***, Free and by default IM or Relay (pick any 3) depending on the lineup. Also played water polo for the short time our school had it available. Well, since leaving HS I have been out of the water except for play time.
Now here I am at 33 and I have given myself 2 years to get back into competitive shape. I don't expect the shape I was in 16 years ago, but even half that would be worth it at this point in my life. I'd also love to be able to do some light competition again. I consider myself slightly overweight at (6'1" 200lbs) and out of shape after getting married and having 2 boys of my own now. We just joined up at the YMCA which also has a cross membership with a local recreation complex both with indoor pool facilities. I'm planning to shop in the next day or two to get a gear bag back together (although the goggles I will have to order since nobody local sells swedish goggles which I prefer) and head on down to start towards my goal.
I can still Fly, but probably no more than 25Y at a time and that would be pushing it. I can still do back and free comfortable and relaxed but my kick is quite lacking from what I remember and awkard feeling and my *** feels slow and out of synch. I'm assuming that will all come back with time in the water.
Sorry for rambling, but the end result is that I'm in need of a good workout program to be in the water at least 3 days a week and on my bowflex and bike at least 2 additional days. I'm starting to comb through these forums for help in this, but if anyone can offer any direct assistance, I would be greatly appreciative.
Thanks!!
I took 24 years off and am back now. My best advice is to make sure your shoulders are ready for the pounding. Might want to do some rotator cuff exercises. Work on correcting stroke defects right away. It takes awhile to get your feel for the water back. But you will! Good luck getting back in shape.
Oh, don't be a butterfly basher!
Welcome back to swimming!
I basically did the same thing over this summer, having been out for 13 years or so (I swam for 2 years in college--am now 34). I was so burned out back then but I'm loving it again. I swim for about an hour a day 3-5 times a week using the workouts on this message board (forums.usms.org/forumdisplay.php mostly the Stronger, Faster, Longer workouts). I've also got my diet in control and I've gone from 195lbs to about 172lbs. I feel great and am definitely glad to be back in the pool.
I'm going to my first swim meet in two weeks. I'm DEFINITELY not as fast as I was back in high school, but I'm excited to see how I do.
For what it's worth, the first workouts I did upon coming back were these: ruthkazez.com/.../ZeroTo1mile.html which got my lungs back into shape. I did the full regimen in about 3.5 weeks, though since I was going more than 3 times a week (I did each week's workout 3 times and moved up).
Good luck!
We used to do 4k in the morning and 8-10k in the afternoon back when full time training. I'll be happy to just hit the 2k mark in a relatively short time.
It's those kinds of workouts that burned me out of swimming back in college (Though I think we used to go 7k-8k both morning and afternoon). I'm happy to go 2500-3500 yards a day now. Even if it means I never beat my personal best times from my youth...
It's those kinds of workouts that burned me out of swimming back in college (Though I think we used to go 7k-8k both morning and afternoon). I'm happy to go 2500-3500 yards a day now. Even if it means I never beat my personal best times from my youth...
Ditto.
Just focus on getting a new set of masters times! :drink:
Great links, thank you Midas. Looks like as good a place as any to start over again.
We used to do 4k in the morning and 8-10k in the afternoon back when full time training. I'll be happy to just hit the 2k mark in a relatively short time.
Regarding bashing butterfly...never. I just don't prefer it as I always had a hard time with getting the timing perfect. If I didn't have to breathe, it wouldn't be so bad :D I forced my way through for IM's because I could usually make up lost time in back and ***.
I sent you a PM about swimming in the greater Charlotte area, not knowing if you knew all the features of this forum yet.
Since you are new, the only advice I can give it to ignore everything Stud says. You might want to enable that feature of your profile.
Welcome Carl, You are on the right track. The first month is the hardest, it took me atleast that to get my water lungs back, and even then it takes time to get back in shape so be patient with yourself.
I would recommend that if you can find a team to swim with it does help motivate you more.
Hope to meet you at one of the South Carolina meets there are usually 3 a year in SC. The next one is in Columbia Nov.3-4, you can get any meet information for the Dixie Zone at www.dixiezone.org.
wait until you get back into shape before attempting butterfly.
haha, no worries on that one...trust me.
Fly was my least favorite stroke, although I could do it for IM when needed.
Right now I feel like this > :cane:
