Good Morning
I have posted before and as some may know I am the parent of a 13 year old age grouper. I have a question for all of you coaches and former swimmers as his mom and I have never swam competitively? How much volume should he be swimming at his age? I limit him to three hard workouts per week at this point and one dive practice. He also takes a lesson from a great private coach once a week that is just technique oriented and is just thirty minutes long. His total yardage is probably around 15K per week. Some of the other kids his age are doing twice the volume and the subtle pressure is there.
What do you suggest?
Thanks
Spudfin
PS I would rather he study more than swim more........
When I was an age grouper I had practice Mon-Thursday in the evenings after school and some Saturdays when we didn't have meets. In the summer we had an AM practice and and afternoon practice. Lots of pool time and hard work but I LOVED it.
My work never suffered in school. I was an honors student and I firmly believe that swimming helped me focus in school.
If he wants to swim more, I'd let him and just set conditions that if his grades/work starts slipping with the increased pool time, he'll have to cut back.
I'll just state this. After just being back in the pool 20 years after I stopped swimming, I can't tell you how outrageously thankful I am my parents allowed me to swim and gave me the opportunites to do it as I wished. As a result, I can hit the pool today and still love it and enjoy it. It's reaping enormous benefits all these decades later.
When I was an age grouper I had practice Mon-Thursday in the evenings after school and some Saturdays when we didn't have meets. In the summer we had an AM practice and and afternoon practice. Lots of pool time and hard work but I LOVED it.
My work never suffered in school. I was an honors student and I firmly believe that swimming helped me focus in school.
If he wants to swim more, I'd let him and just set conditions that if his grades/work starts slipping with the increased pool time, he'll have to cut back.
I'll just state this. After just being back in the pool 20 years after I stopped swimming, I can't tell you how outrageously thankful I am my parents allowed me to swim and gave me the opportunites to do it as I wished. As a result, I can hit the pool today and still love it and enjoy it. It's reaping enormous benefits all these decades later.
