I have realised, in order to get quicker, I have to do some weight training. I have been putting it off for long enough.
The reason I haven't is quite simple: I hate going to the gym, particularly by myself. I remember back in High School I had a friend who was into weight training and we trained together for a while. That was fun and we used to spur one another on. I just haven't been able to work up the enthusiasm for weght training despite the fact that I bought myself a pair of dumbells and despite the fact that the pool I go to has a gym attached to it. (I have only poked my head in once - the day that I signed up for the gym)! However, enthusiam issues aside, I have now realised, I have to do it; like it or not.
My question is: When is the best time to do weight training?
I am rather fortunate in that I have about 1 and a half to 2 hours of training time each day. (Usually mid afternoon except on Sat and Sun when I train in the morning). I usually spend an hour and a half in the pool each day.
If I were to apportion some of that time to weight training how much should I give over? Should it be at the beginning or the end of a practice? And how many times a week?
Sincerely
Syd
Parents
Former Member
For the past 6 months I have been doing a weight training session 1x/week. My coach says that I look a lot stronger in the water. I do a couple sets of 12 reps as heavy as I can manage. After I finish I find it very difficult to swim. I have no idea how others can. I will stretch but I am still too pumped up/stiff and cannot maintain a semblance of form even for freestyle. So that is part of why I lift only 1x/week as I don't swim that day; I do sit on a stationary bike first on those days, yawn. The weights are at a fitness club and there is too much transition time for swimming first. Protocol is to have presentable appearance w/ dry hair. My Masters group also does drylands 2 days (no weights but medicine balls, bodyweight exercises) and we do that before swimming. I still find myself needing extra stretching as part of the warmup to get my lats ready for pool use.
For the past 6 months I have been doing a weight training session 1x/week. My coach says that I look a lot stronger in the water. I do a couple sets of 12 reps as heavy as I can manage. After I finish I find it very difficult to swim. I have no idea how others can. I will stretch but I am still too pumped up/stiff and cannot maintain a semblance of form even for freestyle. So that is part of why I lift only 1x/week as I don't swim that day; I do sit on a stationary bike first on those days, yawn. The weights are at a fitness club and there is too much transition time for swimming first. Protocol is to have presentable appearance w/ dry hair. My Masters group also does drylands 2 days (no weights but medicine balls, bodyweight exercises) and we do that before swimming. I still find myself needing extra stretching as part of the warmup to get my lats ready for pool use.
