I'm in my third week back after taking a few years "off" (and gaining about 20 lbs), and don't want to burn out, but I want to keep adding yards!
My first week back, I swam 4 times, and did 1000 yds, 1200, 1500, and 1250. I was exhausted by Friday!
My second week I only got in the water twice :P but felt much stronger. I did 2000, and 1500 yds.
This week yesterday, I only eeked out 1300 yrds b/c it snowed and I had to shovel the driveway before heading to the pool, so my time was cut short.
It's only taking me about 35 to 40 min's to do these workouts, but I just joined USMS and want to start using the awesome workouts on the forums (usually under 4000yds). Should I just dive right into the full yardage, or what? :confused:
(if it matters, I also lift full-body ciruit M,W,F at lunch, and do SS cardio T,Th also at lunch.)
Thanks!!
Former Member
I live very, very far north, on the border of WI and the UP. I like to think of it as the north pole. We get snow and I have to shovel it before I can drive on it. :p
Good point. I guess there's no rush.
Shovel the driveway?
Anyway, take your time. You have many years left to bump up the yardage.
Yardage is another interesting topic. The increase in yardage is usually used by coaches when swimmers adapt to stress (aren't getting faster). If you were a distance swimmer / triathlete you'd want to increase yardage in conjunction with increasing EVF strength and pace (repeats that duplicate your goal time at decreasing intervals). For instance, if your 500 time is 6 minutes and your goal is a 5:30you'd want to start repeating 100's at 1:06, 50's at 33 and 25's at about 16. Your rest interval would start at a point where you could hold those intervals (let's say a minute rest). When you can comfortably hold the goal time at that rest interval you would decrease the rest interval by 10 seconds and continue until you can repeat the swim's with 5 seconds rest (you get the point). If you're a sprinter, I'd have you repeat the above process and add more EVF strength gaining exercises.
If you're satisfied with you stoke but your reaching consistent plateau's then add yardage appropriately but if you're dropping time, don't change anything ~ keep on doing what you're doing.
As a coach, I’m reluctant to increase yardage for a swimmer who has a significant stroke flaw because it only reinforces that flaw. So, I have to correct the flaw (6 to 8 weeks of habit forming drills / work) before I increase yardage.
I've always thought that cookie cutter yardage can be a killer for swimmers who have significant stroke flaws. As a swimmer, to be asked to swim a lot of yardage when your stroke it terrible could be very frustrating. As a coach I get almost nauseated watching a swimmer swim more than 50 yards with a stroke flaw that is killing their potential. I can run a practice and feel great when I tell a swimmer they can rejoin their teammates when they can show me the correction to their significant stroke flaw because I know it's going to help them much more than the yardage they're missing.
If you're a sprinter, add 100 to 200 race pace yards to your workout and proportional amount of techincal yards. If you're a distance swimmer add 200 to 500 race pace yards and a proportional amount of technical yards. When you reach a plateau it may be time to increase your yardage again.
Rest and recovery must be considered as yardage increases. Not giving yourself enough rest to recover can induce plateaus and your coach will be watching that for you and advising you.
Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope it helps and good luck, Coach T.
What if you're training for long distance swimming? I want to be able to swim really long distances; I'd love to swim a 10 miler this summer. I just got back into it about 2 months ago, but I'm up to regularly swimming 3 miles.
Should I cut back and worry more about technique? Should I take a lesson, to get someone else to check my form? Or, if I can swim 3 miles already, am I probably good to go?
