After a 24 year absence from competitive swimming I started back two weeks ago. My stroke (crawl) falls apart after about 200 yrds. I can keep going but with a terribly poor stroke. After a short rest my stroke comes back to normal.
I've been swimming a 400 yrd warm up (I'll mix about 50yrds of *** in to save my stroke) then 10 x 50s on the 1:15. After that my stroke is breaking so I swim 25s then my stroke breaks again and I'll swim every other 25 ***. I've been swimming 30 to 45 minutes a day and running the same.
Cardio wise I am in good shape (I've been running everyday for a long time). I can swim *** for long distances with no problem.
Should I keep resting to let my stroke recover or just pound it out? Will swimming *** ever help my free? I would be thankful for any advise. At one time I was "real" swimmer and now I am embarrassed trying to get back.
Parents
Former Member
Welcome back to the water, Snailfish! Don't worry, your strength and endurance will come back.
I recently returned after a 20-year layoff, so I am very familiar with what you are describing. When I first started my arms would get heavy and refuse to move correctly after about 75 yards or so.
I tried swimming longer distances slower, but it just didn't seem to work. I was so out of shape I couldn't really go slow enough for it to be easy, and I ended going so slow it didn't feel like swimming. It felt better to just stick with intervals that I could complete, but that were still challenging to me.
I started out with workouts on my own, something like:
200 free (I would mix in *** if my arms got too dead)
5 x 100 on 2:10, IM on the even ones
rest a few minutes
8 x 50 free on 1:00
After a few weeks of workouts like that I started mixing my individual workouts with masters team practice once or twice each week. I would struggle through as much as I could, and would swallow my pride and take extra rest when needed. I would end the workout when I couldn't recover enough in 3 or 4 minutes to continue swimming smoothly. At the beginning I could only get through 1,000 yards or so, then 1,500 yards, then 2000 yards, etc.
I started feeling much better at about the 6 week point, and after 4 months I really started to feel good from time to time.
I think you are doing the right thing by not forcing it too much. Swim as much as you can with good form, rest, and then do some more. Keep working at it and you will soon start to feel strong and smooth again.
Welcome back to the water, Snailfish! Don't worry, your strength and endurance will come back.
I recently returned after a 20-year layoff, so I am very familiar with what you are describing. When I first started my arms would get heavy and refuse to move correctly after about 75 yards or so.
I tried swimming longer distances slower, but it just didn't seem to work. I was so out of shape I couldn't really go slow enough for it to be easy, and I ended going so slow it didn't feel like swimming. It felt better to just stick with intervals that I could complete, but that were still challenging to me.
I started out with workouts on my own, something like:
200 free (I would mix in *** if my arms got too dead)
5 x 100 on 2:10, IM on the even ones
rest a few minutes
8 x 50 free on 1:00
After a few weeks of workouts like that I started mixing my individual workouts with masters team practice once or twice each week. I would struggle through as much as I could, and would swallow my pride and take extra rest when needed. I would end the workout when I couldn't recover enough in 3 or 4 minutes to continue swimming smoothly. At the beginning I could only get through 1,000 yards or so, then 1,500 yards, then 2000 yards, etc.
I started feeling much better at about the 6 week point, and after 4 months I really started to feel good from time to time.
I think you are doing the right thing by not forcing it too much. Swim as much as you can with good form, rest, and then do some more. Keep working at it and you will soon start to feel strong and smooth again.
