Strength Training and Fitness Swimming

I increase weight each workout and when I fail, I reset to 80%. Probably a common method(?), but since I don't know a whole lot about weights, I'm going to glean this nugget- thanks Q!

I swim at least MWF in the morning and lift MWF at night. I do 5 sets of 5 reps of squat, a back (pull) and a chest/shoulders (push), plus warm up sets. I increase weight each workout and when I fail, I reset to 80%. Unless my swim workout is very kick intensive, I will have recovered enough to do the weight workout. Recently I have found it difficult to get up for Tues,Thurs or weekend swim workouts, but I don't know if that is weights, time (I swim from 4:45-6am typically), or laziness. I am leaning toward laziness. Like you, I had joint pain from lifting, so I made sure my technique was correct. This resulted in changes to my squat, bench and should press technique and my joints have been much better.

I'll swim roughly 4-6 times a week, averaging between 18k-22k weekly. I lift two times a week, and break the bodyparts as follows: back, shoulders, chest, legs, arms. This has me hitting each bodypart about once every 20 days or so. I've been fortunate to have avoided too many joint problems, but I need to be careful about my lower back. For me, lifting only twice a week allows me to lift and swim with good effort. I also feel that having a good amount of time to recover between weight sessions lets me stay strong. I'll be 41 this Fall. :banana:

Well, right now, I lift once a week but since I am at the beginning stages of a steady lifting regiment, I am only doing 1 set of maybe about 18 reps. But, I am not doing heavily weights because I still have lots of fat to burn off. I will say that I did at least once a week from feb to my taper in april and I have notice about a 10 lb drop in my weight. When I was more sporadic with my lifting, the weight wasn't coming off as fast.

I do 5 sets of 5 reps of squat, a back (pull) and a chest/shoulders (push), plus warm up sets. I increase weight each workout and when I fail, I reset to 80%. Like you, I had joint pain from lifting, so I made sure my technique was correct. This resulted in changes to my squat, bench and should press technique and my joints have been much better. The 5x5 system is my preferred system as well. I do two lighter (warm up) sets then three working sets. How do you employ the 5x5? During the last 8 months I have concentrated mostly on weight training but now I want to shift my emphasis a bit. I trained three times a week but now I will go back to an abbreviated program twice a week. This is my template: Day 1: Sumo DL Weighted Dip BB Shrug Day 2: Squat Weighted Pushup db Row I usually employ single progression. If I don't make the target weight I simply try again next week. This rarely happens due to the fact that I microload i.e. add a very small amount of weight each week (1/2kg.-1kg. depending on the exercise). I find that over time this is an extremely effective system. Sorry, I cannot bare the thought of dropping weight (except on a planned back off week). I know my technique is good because it has been critiqued by experts. Also, I have been lifting for many years.

The 5x5 system is my preferred system as well. I do two lighter (warm up) sets then three working sets. How do you employ the 5x5? 5x5 are my working sets, and any warm up sets are additional for me. So for squats, I do some body weight squats to loosen up, 5x45, 3x135, 2x225 and then start my working weight. I used to do 5x45, 3x60%, 2x80%, but tried this new way when I was being too lazy to do the math, and liked it better. During the last 8 months I have concentrated mostly on weight training but now I want to shift my emphasis a bit. I trained three times a week but now I will go back to an abbreviated program twice a week. I have not been able to consistently swim more than 3x/week, while lifting 3x/week. I think my problem is that there are only 3 team practices/week, and I am having trouble motivating myself to get up (4:30am ish) to go swim on my own, rather than it being an energy level problem. Of course, the more weight you are lifting, the more likely that there would be a energy level issue, so cutting back on weights sounds reasonable. This is my template: Day 1: Sumo DL Weighted Dip BB Shrug Day 2: Squat Weighted Pushup db Row I alternate bench/shoulder press and pull up/cords. I am not happy with the back part of my program at all, and am looking for something new. Maybe weighted pull ups and seated row would be better. My dumb bells only go up with 50lbs (hex), do DB rows are not a good option. I usually employ single progression. If I don't make the target weight I simply try again next week. This rarely happens due to the fact that I microload i.e. add a very small amount of weight each week (1/2kg.-1kg. depending on the exercise). I find that over time this is an extremely effective system. Sorry, I cannot bare the thought of dropping weight (except on a planned back off week). Just bought the microload weights last month, so now I can increase my weight by .5 lbs. I don't know how long I can maintain a progression with the microloading, but it should make a huge difference in my shoulder press over time. Resetting has worked really well for me over time, since the resets do not coincide. My squat will reset, and squatting will be easy for a couple weeks, which helps the back half of my workout considerably. It sucks to fail, but it is very nice psychologically to lift right after the 80% reset, and know things are going to be easy for a couple weeks.

This thread appears to be the closest match to my query, which is: How does one "warm down" (or is that "cool down") from a weight training session? A little more context: I typically lift 1 or 2x per week, light weights, lots of reps. I do a circuit of 3 or 4 different exercises. As a "warm up" I typically do my first set of each exercise with about 75% of the weight that I use on subsequent sets, and drop to about 75% for the last set as a "warm down". The warm up part seems ok, but the warm down isn't very satisfactory. Yesterday I lifted in the am, then in the afternoon did an ez 1400 yards in the pool with my family. Maybe it is just a coincidence, but I am much less stiff today than I usually am the day after lifting. Given that getting to the pool is not something I can do after every weight training session, what else can I do for a good warm down?

This thread appears to be the closest match to my query, which is: How does one "warm down" (or is that "cool down") from a weight training session? Given that getting to the pool is not something I can do after every weight training session, what else can I do for a good warm down? Stretch! Be careful not to bounce when you stretch, because it can cause injury. Stretch to the point before pain and hold it. The experts differ as to how long, but I usually hold a stretch for 30 seconds.

Swimming Anatomy and Conditioning for Swimming - do either or both offer strength training beyond weightlifting? I do not have access to a gym and am looking for exercises to do at home. "Swimming Anatomy" has many exercises that do not require any eqt., as well as several more that only require hand weights, an exercise ball, or medicine ball.

Hey Alison, do you mean, "Swimming Anatomy"? I have recommended that book on a couple of other threads. It was EXACTLY what I needed for my dryland workouts! :D Yes. Called lack of sleep. hee-hee. Swimming Anatomy is good to do with hand weights, exercise ball, medicine ball and stretch bands at home. I do it all at home with just what I've had at home for years.