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)
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Former Member
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.
This woman I swim with, she's in her mid 50s, she doesn't come in first her swimming events, but she keeps on swimming. She's done the 1 hour postal, 5K, and 10K this year. She's put in her time, but she's found a different reward from it all, and I think that's cool.
I am more like you. I want to win. I ask myself, what difference does it make? I can't be 15 years old again, and winning now won't change the fact that I traded in my goggles for football cleats many years ago.
If I want to have a long, happy, swimming career, then I think I need to find similar rewards in swimming that my 50 year old friend has found. I need to keep reminding myself of this. I might never break a 23.00 in the 50 free, but if by training for it, it helps keep cholesterol and blood pressure down, and inspires my children to want to swim, then maybe that's a good deal.
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.
This woman I swim with, she's in her mid 50s, she doesn't come in first her swimming events, but she keeps on swimming. She's done the 1 hour postal, 5K, and 10K this year. She's put in her time, but she's found a different reward from it all, and I think that's cool.
I am more like you. I want to win. I ask myself, what difference does it make? I can't be 15 years old again, and winning now won't change the fact that I traded in my goggles for football cleats many years ago.
If I want to have a long, happy, swimming career, then I think I need to find similar rewards in swimming that my 50 year old friend has found. I need to keep reminding myself of this. I might never break a 23.00 in the 50 free, but if by training for it, it helps keep cholesterol and blood pressure down, and inspires my children to want to swim, then maybe that's a good deal.
