Does anyone know of a blog link to a successful Masters swimmer's personal training progression?
What I am looking for is a swimmer who, like many Masters swimmers, was out of the sport for a while, then came back to it having to start over.
My curiosities are:
- How long from getting started did it take to become competitive again. Competitive meaning you aren't necessarily breaking records, but are winning your age group a reasonable amount of time and when not winning, still finishing with the pack.
- During the progression, what was the workout schedule? Was it every day evenings + morning workouts? Only evenings? Saturday practices?
- Did your diet change, are you now eating more or less, different composition?
- Were you slim already or did you have to lose weight as part of your training?
I am trying to figure out how hard to train. I have been back in the water off and on for about 9 months, mostly casually 1-3 coached evening workouts a week (about 3500m each workout). I know I need to ramp it up if I want to compete. I am less concerned about winning, more concerned about just making swim meets worth the time to register and drive, etc. If this means morning and evenings and diet changes, I will do them, but dont want to burn out either, so would be nice to see what successful Masters swimmers have done.
If you are such a swimmer, and want to either share here or have a email conversation, just send me a message.
Me:
- Swam school and club teams from age 6 through a year in college. (Best time was something like 20.63 in 50 free yards in high school.)
- After college, didnt really do any kind of workout program until now.
- Age 32 (33 in a few months)
- My focus is on sprint events 50's and 100's.
- Height: 6'1", Weight: 218 (have lost about 20 lbs since I have started swimming again, hoping to lose another 20, but not shedding them as quickly with the same workout/diet as the first 20)
I appreciate the perspective. I guess my point is I don't want to pay for meet registration and take up a weekend to finish dead last every time. I want to train to the point where at least I am keeping up with the pack and placing in the top half. I think I would be de-motivated if every meet I was last by a huge margin, so I am hoping to motivate myself in training first and go into the first meet with a reasonable feeling of accomplishment.
The bizarre thing is that I really dont care about "winning". The medals at this age really are not what motivates me, it's more about me feeling like I have paid my dues during training. I don't want to swim for a few years only to get the sense that I was wasting time "slacking off" or "doing just enough". Going to meets and placing is just confirmation and motivation that I am putting in a good effort.
Masters coaches dont yell and scream when you aren't going as fast as you should. Ahh the good old days. :P
Also, I did do a 50 meters free in a meet about 9 months ago (after training for 1 month), my time was 25:42. I don't know if I have really improved much because up till now I have been off and on and my effort level has been more maintenance mode.
Only you can tell if you think you've been slacking off too much in practice, but a 25:42 (SCM), as I'm sure you know, is already more than competitive. If you're finishing "dead last" dropping that kind of time, then there are a number of extremely talented swimmers in your aread.
I'm no longer really sure I understand your question... If you're asking "how long will it take for me to feel, in my own mind, that I'm well-trained for a meet" then I don't think anybody (but you) can answer that question. Just bear in mind that most people don't train more than a few days a week, and I'm sure most slack off to some extent.
I appreciate the perspective. I guess my point is I don't want to pay for meet registration and take up a weekend to finish dead last every time. I want to train to the point where at least I am keeping up with the pack and placing in the top half. I think I would be de-motivated if every meet I was last by a huge margin, so I am hoping to motivate myself in training first and go into the first meet with a reasonable feeling of accomplishment.
The bizarre thing is that I really dont care about "winning". The medals at this age really are not what motivates me, it's more about me feeling like I have paid my dues during training. I don't want to swim for a few years only to get the sense that I was wasting time "slacking off" or "doing just enough". Going to meets and placing is just confirmation and motivation that I am putting in a good effort.
Masters coaches dont yell and scream when you aren't going as fast as you should. Ahh the good old days. :P
Also, I did do a 50 meters free in a meet about 9 months ago (after training for 1 month), my time was 25:42. I don't know if I have really improved much because up till now I have been off and on and my effort level has been more maintenance mode.
Only you can tell if you think you've been slacking off too much in practice, but a 25:42 (SCM), as I'm sure you know, is already more than competitive. If you're finishing "dead last" dropping that kind of time, then there are a number of extremely talented swimmers in your aread.
I'm no longer really sure I understand your question... If you're asking "how long will it take for me to feel, in my own mind, that I'm well-trained for a meet" then I don't think anybody (but you) can answer that question. Just bear in mind that most people don't train more than a few days a week, and I'm sure most slack off to some extent.