I have a new ( young ) coach. He includes breath control sets. Does any one else think this could be dangerous for older (56 years old) swimmers? My MD thought it was crazy. I have noticed quite a few Masters swimmers dying from strokes. An old coach of mine said USA Swimming had banned hypoxic training for kids for a while.
First of all, I am not a coach, just a swimmer. But, I have never seen a coach prescribe an hypoxic set that would endager any swimmer, 56 years old or not. The typical hypoxic set seldom requires one to see how far he or she can go without breathing. More typical is a set where you vary the number of breaths you take per lap. For example, if you normally breathe every 2 strokes, alternate swimming 50s breathing everry 2 strokes with those breathing every 4 strokes. It is a valuable exercise in that it not only expands your lung capacity, but it causes you to notice that you must relax you stroke in order to take less breaths comfortably.
Of course, if it makes you light-headed, or if your doctor forbids it for health reasons, you should refrain from swimming the hypoxic set.
(P.S.---I'm 56 and have exercise-induced asthma, and I do hypoxic sets with no trouble. However, each swimmer has to know his or her own limits.)
First of all, I am not a coach, just a swimmer. But, I have never seen a coach prescribe an hypoxic set that would endager any swimmer, 56 years old or not. The typical hypoxic set seldom requires one to see how far he or she can go without breathing. More typical is a set where you vary the number of breaths you take per lap. For example, if you normally breathe every 2 strokes, alternate swimming 50s breathing everry 2 strokes with those breathing every 4 strokes. It is a valuable exercise in that it not only expands your lung capacity, but it causes you to notice that you must relax you stroke in order to take less breaths comfortably.
Of course, if it makes you light-headed, or if your doctor forbids it for health reasons, you should refrain from swimming the hypoxic set.
(P.S.---I'm 56 and have exercise-induced asthma, and I do hypoxic sets with no trouble. However, each swimmer has to know his or her own limits.)
