Hi all!
In this thread: forums.usms.org/showthread.php
...there are a lot of different opinions on how to lift weights in combination with swimming. The opinions are all spread out in between other comments and quotes so I thought I would start a separate thread about this topic as I think it might be of value for everyone to get it sorted out how and why you should lift weights in combination with swimming. If you know of another thread with exactly this topic pls let me know and i will add this comment in that thread instead.
My strong belief so far is the following (not at all stating that this is the truth, but it is the best theory I have heard so far):
You lift weights to become stronger
If you are stronger you need less % of your total capability to travel at the same speed you did before you bacame stronger.
This will lead to that you can swim at the same speed for a longer period of time OR simply do the same distance as before, but faster
This means that both sprinters and distance swimmers benefit from becoming stronger.
You don't want to build muscle mass, since that creates drag. However, for most of us this is not a problem because if you train on a regular basis in the gym, 3-4 times a week in a very focused way you might add on 0,5-1,0 kg/year....if you are under the age of 30. Above this age you tend to add on much less if anything at all.:cane:
You become stronger by lifting heavy weights. High reps does not make you stronger, it increases your endurance capabilies. Endurance you typically practice in the pool. I therefore focus on sets of 3-6 reps with heavy weights. The next week I focus on fast movements (beacasue heavy lifting is often a rather slow movement), reducing the weights to 60-70% of max to practice fast movements under pressure (like swimming, but to the extreme). The week after that is for high reps letting the muscles rest a bit but dont let them rest completely....then I start all over again.
I typically focus on basic exercises like: squats, dead lifts, bench presses, chins and a variety of stomach and lower back exercisesVery interested to hear your opinions of the above and also your own experiences.
/Per
To be clear:
1) I agree that weight training is important and effective...to a point. As I said it is going to have more of an impact on someone in their teens/20's and on older adults in helping to prevent osteoporosis.
2) Where I disagree is in how important it is in your average masters swimmer who has limited time and who would benefit far more from more technique work, more focus on flexibility (and by the way the incredible amount of strength that yoga can develop) and kicking.
3) Kicking, shoulder surgery and swimming fast; there has actually been a few people who have written over the years about athletes making incredible comebacks after shoulder surgery and having to go to kick only training, Nick is one, Natalie another and there are quite a few masters swimmers as well (myself included...twice).
4) 21.5 vs 49.1: jazz you got it wrong...there is no insult intended or put down of your times. You have tossed out some things such as putting 30 lbs of muscle on and only training 200 yds a day as leading to your success. Sure you dropped your 50 time but as I guessed your 100 time shows that the added bulk and lack of more swimming yardage has your 100 time way off where it should/could be with more balanced training.
5) Endurance kills speed; sorry Fort but that is false. A base of endurance training is key in anything over the 50...even Gary hall Jr. put in massive amounts of base training as a teen (people forget he was 1:33+ in the 00 his freshman year a Texas). Nystrand does heavy early season training, most college teams put in heavy yardage and massive amounts of kicking early season than "shift" into more specific training modes defined by individual events. Now keep in mind that endurace training for a sprinter does not mean going into the disance lane...Phelps, The Race Club and many others obtain and keep this aerobic base through spinning (myself included) and focus pool time on quality.
Yes weight training is important, yes we should experiment and find what works for us and yes we should be open to experimenting. My problem with Jazz is he has found one way that has improved his 50 at age 22 by focusing his time in the weight room not the pool and is saying that same approach would benefit masters...I disagree.
To be clear:
1) I agree that weight training is important and effective...to a point. As I said it is going to have more of an impact on someone in their teens/20's and on older adults in helping to prevent osteoporosis.
2) Where I disagree is in how important it is in your average masters swimmer who has limited time and who would benefit far more from more technique work, more focus on flexibility (and by the way the incredible amount of strength that yoga can develop) and kicking.
3) Kicking, shoulder surgery and swimming fast; there has actually been a few people who have written over the years about athletes making incredible comebacks after shoulder surgery and having to go to kick only training, Nick is one, Natalie another and there are quite a few masters swimmers as well (myself included...twice).
4) 21.5 vs 49.1: jazz you got it wrong...there is no insult intended or put down of your times. You have tossed out some things such as putting 30 lbs of muscle on and only training 200 yds a day as leading to your success. Sure you dropped your 50 time but as I guessed your 100 time shows that the added bulk and lack of more swimming yardage has your 100 time way off where it should/could be with more balanced training.
5) Endurance kills speed; sorry Fort but that is false. A base of endurance training is key in anything over the 50...even Gary hall Jr. put in massive amounts of base training as a teen (people forget he was 1:33+ in the 00 his freshman year a Texas). Nystrand does heavy early season training, most college teams put in heavy yardage and massive amounts of kicking early season than "shift" into more specific training modes defined by individual events. Now keep in mind that endurace training for a sprinter does not mean going into the disance lane...Phelps, The Race Club and many others obtain and keep this aerobic base through spinning (myself included) and focus pool time on quality.
Yes weight training is important, yes we should experiment and find what works for us and yes we should be open to experimenting. My problem with Jazz is he has found one way that has improved his 50 at age 22 by focusing his time in the weight room not the pool and is saying that same approach would benefit masters...I disagree.
