How fast should I build up yardage?

Ease your way in. Don't lose your focus on technique. You might find that your drive to increase training causes bad things to happen. You should also ask yourself another question - what is the correct amount of yardage? I think time in the pool might be more meaningful than yardage depending on what you are trying to do.

Shovel the driveway? Anyway, take your time. You have many years left to bump up the yardage.

I agree with all of the above. Ease into it. I started super slow (800-1000yd) and have worked up to 1300ish yds 2-3x week with one 2500-3000 yd workout a week. I tried to push it too soon and wound up injured and doing nothing but kicking for 6 weeks. I also love doing the workouts posted on the forum, but always adjust the sets/yardage. Like 4x200 descend would kill me, so I'll do 4x100 or if I'm too tired/sore 2x100 or something like that. I *heart* the "Master's Option"!!!! :applaud:

Don't lose your focus on technique. You might find that your drive to increase training causes bad things to happen. This is key. I would let the amount of yardage you can do, with good form, dictate how much you should be doing. I'm not suggesting you should stop at the first indication that your stroke is falling apart, but too much bad technique could put you on the benches due to injury. :2cents:

You standard rule of thumb is to think in terms frequency, intensity, and duration--and don't increase any one of these by more than 10 percent a week. Frequency: I would start off with three practices a week for now, and try to stick to this for a couple months before adding a fourth practice, if you ever do. Intensity: don't worry at all about swimming fast at this point--you should really concentrate on getting an aerobic base and getting your muscles and joints used to swimming again. Do this in a methodical way so you won't put too much strain on them till they've adapted to the new demands. Bottom line: no sprint training for a month or two. Duration: this is what you can gradually increase over time now, but again, stick to the 10 percent rule. Next week, see if you can do three practices of 1250 yards each. Break this down so that it includes a slow warm up and a slow cool down. Throw in a kick set, too. Something basic like: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 pull: easy warm up 5 x 100 swim, resting 15 seconds at the end of each one 6 x 50 kick, resting 20 seconds at the end of each one 150 easy cool down total: 1250 Don't exceed this amount each practice next week. You can change up the distances in the sets--i.e., do 10 x 50 swims instead or 5 x 100. But keep the total distance per practice at 1250. If you get tired, take extra rest. The goal is to ease your body back into the new demands that are being placed on it! The week after, do the same basic concept but add another 100-150 yards per practice, so that you will be swimming 1350-1400 yards 3 times a week. It will take a month or two to work your way up to 2600 yard practices. At some point, you will reach a comfortable plateau for how many yards total you want to do (or have time to do) per practice. For a lot of masters, the 2600-3000 yard range seems to be about right. Once you get used to doing this distance, the next step is to gradually increase intensity--not for the whole practice, but for part of it. For instance, maybe you are now up to 10 x 100. Instead of doing these moderately easy without too much rest in between, start swimming each 100 harder, and taking more rest. Only when you are doing 3 practices a week that feature some good intensity sets consider adding a 4th practice. For what it's worth, you can get in pretty decent condition with just 3. Good luck!

I just started in Nov. after a 20-year layoff. I averaged 10k/wk on 4-5 days of swimming that month and bumped it up to 15k/wk on 5 days in Dec. I am tired and sore but the rapid progress I've made is not only noticeable in my physique, but in ability to swim a hard practice and in my times. I am not adding any yardage this month, but am going to start strength training. I think the important thing is to alternate hard/easy workouts and strategically place those days off so that you do not overdo it and injure yourself. On days when I feel really good in the pool I swim longer and get in more yards and do more quality sets. Then there are the days when I feel not so great and I just cut back and do a lot of drills. Sleep, diet and stretching are important too, three factors I know I really need to work on. (How crazy is it that probably the best thing I could do for my training right now is to get more sleep?)

Thanks for the advice! I think I'll take it easy to start and just shave off some of the yardage in the workouts. After the last two days, I was so sore this am I didn't go to the pool. I think I'll take it easy till I feel stronger!

When I started back, I began w/ 2k workouts, felt good about that so after a few weeks bumped up to 3k. That was a mistake. I backed it down to about 2.5k (this is for 45 mins in-pool) and then added yardage as I got faster and had time left in my routine. I agree with hofffam, focus in doing the right kind of workout for your goals, and the yardage will take care of itself.

OMG Thank YOU! :applaud: I have def. been trying to push it too fast. Now I don't feel bad I took this morning off. I'll try this for a few months and go from there! You standard rule of thumb is to think in terms frequency, intensity, and duration--and don't increase any one of these by more than 10 percent a week. Frequency: I would start off with three practices a week for now, and try to stick to this for a couple months before adding a fourth practice, if you ever do. Intensity: don't worry at all about swimming fast at this point--you should really concentrate on getting an aerobic base and getting your muscles and joints used to swimming again. Do this in a methodical way so you won't put too much strain on them till they've adapted to the new demands. Bottom line: no sprint training for a month or two. Duration: this is what you can gradually increase over time now, but again, stick to the 10 percent rule. Next week, see if you can do three practices of 1250 yards each. Break this down so that it includes a slow warm up and a slow cool down. Throw in a kick set, too. Something basic like: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 pull: easy warm up 5 x 100 swim, resting 15 seconds at the end of each one 6 x 50 kick, resting 20 seconds at the end of each one 150 easy cool down total: 1250 Don't exceed this amount each practice next week. You can change up the distances in the sets--i.e., do 10 x 50 swims instead or 5 x 100. But keep the total distance per practice at 1250. If you get tired, take extra rest. The goal is to ease your body back into the new demands that are being placed on it! The week after, do the same basic concept but add another 100-150 yards per practice, so that you will be swimming 1350-1400 yards 3 times a week. It will take a month or two to work your way up to 2600 yard practices. At some point, you will reach a comfortable plateau for how many yards total you want to do (or have time to do) per practice. For a lot of masters, the 2600-3000 yard range seems to be about right. Once you get used to doing this distance, the next step is to gradually increase intensity--not for the whole practice, but for part of it. For instance, maybe you are now up to 10 x 100. Instead of doing these moderately easy without too much rest in between, start swimming each 100 harder, and taking more rest. Only when you are doing 3 practices a week that feature some good intensity sets consider adding a 4th practice. For what it's worth, you can get in pretty decent condition with just 3. Good luck!

I am tired and sore too. Now I don't feel like such a lump! Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. :) I just started in Nov. after a 20-year layoff. I averaged 10k/wk on 4-5 days of swimming that month and bumped it up to 15k/wk on 5 days in Dec. I am tired and sore but the rapid progress I've made is not only noticeable in my physique, but in ability to swim a hard practice and in my times. I am not adding any yardage this month, but am going to start strength training. I think the important thing is to alternate hard/easy workouts and strategically place those days off so that you do not overdo it and injure yourself. On days when I feel really good in the pool I swim longer and get in more yards and do more quality sets. Then there are the days when I feel not so great and I just cut back and do a lot of drills. Sleep, diet and stretching are important too, three factors I know I really need to work on. (How crazy is it that probably the best thing I could do for my training right now is to get more sleep?)