Double Days

This works for a couple of my masters swimmers; they swim with the masters team in the morning and have opted to come in that same night and swim with the age-groupers. They get a significantly increased workout and absolutely love it! I have seen a dramatic increase in their practice times as well as their technique, and the age-groupers love seeing them in the pool. So, in my experience, yes, it does work as long as you stay healthy.

I quit swimming in college in large part because I couldn't stand doubles and particularly couldn't stand early morning practice. Is it ironic that I now regularly enjoy 6:30am practice and have actually done a few doubles since getting back into swimming? It's much more enjoyable when it's entirely on your terms...

I quit swimming in college in large part because I couldn't stand doubles and particularly couldn't stand early morning practice. Is it ironic that I now regularly enjoy 6:30am practice and have actually done a few doubles since getting back into swimming? It's much more enjoyable when it's entirely on your terms... I have found that I love morning workouts as a Master's swimmer. I think the main reason is that I now get to swim outside the entire year and there is something pretty cool about swimming both in the dark and when the sun is coming up. I haven't, though, brought myself yet to do doubles swimming. I do like working in a second session on some days (twice a week) of a cross-training activity like weights, running, core, yoga. As much as I want to swim faster these days, I'm just not sure I can bring myself to do doubles swimming. I think part of the joy of Masters swimming is that -- given that work and family commitments often preclude me from swimming as much as I want to -- I really enjoy each workout (except when Tall Paul or Laura Winslow are beating me up too much).

I swim 5 days per week close to about 2 hous but i am thinking about swimming in the mornings - but only concentrating on improving technique/stroke. should i do + 2 mornings and 1 day on Sunday? Iam sure that's won't be a problem since i would not be exausted from moring workout anyway. But here is the problem-i would only sleep 6 hours and next day i would not be fully ready for my 6-8pm workout? jjpj

I do the exact same thing... it's worked out well for me. It's kinda nice to have a day off to recover, and then the next day you double up again. I tend to look at the AM practice as a warmup and in the evening, you know what to expect and work a bit harder.

I would be much more open to two pactices per day if I didn't have to be in at work by 8 am. For me that means starting the swim at 6 am or before to get in decent yardage and get dressed/breakfast/+ commute time. The nice thing about being a master's swimmer is having the choice to come to however many (or few) practices you want to. I did the age group two-a-days, and I did plenty in high school swimming - plus plenty of push-ups and extra sets because I was late or missed a practice. It's ok when you are 16 - not so much ten years later.

Wow! I didn't really know how hard this would be, I enjoy it because after morning practice I look forward to swimming again in the afternoon, yesterday morning 830pm-930pm we did 2200yds race pace. We are training for a meet coming up Nov. 8th. I have to say my body is hurting I haven't pushed mself that hard in a while and then I had practice at school at 2pm just tried to loosen up during warm up and stretch out m muscles, but I am tired today kinda feel like I am hungover. Just knowing that I swam hard twice in one day makes it all ok though and I just started swimming doubles so it will take some time to get my body adjusted to it. I'm liking it so far.

Wow! I didn't really know how hard this would be, I enjoy it because after morning practice I look forward to swimming again in the afternoon, yesterday morning 830pm-930pm we did 2200yds race pace. We are training for a meet coming up Nov. 8th. I have to say my body is hurting I haven't pushed mself that hard in a while and then I had practice at school at 2pm just tried to loosen up during warm up and stretch out m muscles, but I am tired today kinda feel like I am hungover. Just knowing that I swam hard twice in one day makes it all ok though and I just started swimming doubles so it will take some time to get my body adjusted to it. I'm liking it so far. Yes, it's hard but you will begin to get used to it. The hungover feeling is about right. Right now, I'm addicted to practice - so I don't mind feeling a bit tired at the PM session... I even sometimes I feel better at the evenings practice... keep up the good work and good luck at your meet in early November.