Sometimes after our workouts I feel completely wiped. (I refer to this as "blowing a gasket"). It's all I can do to drag myself to the car and drive home, which is luckily not very far. Usually it's a sprint workout that will do it. Let's just say that it makes it hard to get work done the rest of the day... Does this happen to anyone else? Any suggestions, other than "don't swim as hard," which seems to be defeat the reason why I am there in the first place? (It doesn't seem to me that I am swimming harder than anyone else).
I'll second this. Chocolate milk seems to work well for me.
Sometimes I'm so spent after a hard workout, I'll shut the door to my office at work and take a nap for a while. I sure hope my boss doesn't read this board, btw. lol
I also hope he doesn't read your contribution to my thread, "You know you're hooked on swimming when..." !!! :afraid: :D
I wos wondering today if fins could help me get through the shower today. I thought if I have to lift my arms up one more time, I'm going to pass out. Had to take a nap when I got home. ...but I'm an extreme case of out-of-shapeness.
But even when in shapem, it can wipe you out. In my case, tight intervals will definately do it.
If I'm any indication, nope, fins won't help. At least not zoomers, which is what we were using. If anything, they seem to fatigue me even more, probably because I really focus on my kicking and use those large quad muscles.
Tight intervals will especially do it, but today we had a lot of rest and I still blew a gasket. Alas.
And yeah, there was a nap. Glad to hear I'm not the only post-workout napper out there.
Former Member
I wos wondering today if fins could help me get through the shower today. I thought if I have to lift my arms up one more time, I'm going to pass out. Had to take a nap when I got home. ...but I'm an extreme case of out-of-shapeness.
But even when in shapem, it can wipe you out. In my case, tight intervals will definately do it.
Sometimes after our workouts I feel completely wiped. (I refer to this as "blowing a gasket"). It's all I can do to drag myself to the car and drive home, which is luckily not very far. Usually it's a sprint workout that will do it. Let's just say that it makes it hard to get work done the rest of the day... Does this happen to anyone else? Any suggestions, other than "don't swim as hard," which seems to be defeat the reason why I am there in the first place? (It doesn't seem to me that I am swimming harder than anyone else).
I agree to check out both your hydration level and your nutrition - I find I swim much better when I've had something in my stomach. I eat a banana and drink some tea prior to practice and then do best if I eat quickly after practice.
I also have noticed that over time, it's gotten easier as I have gotten into better shape. Keep at it - it does get easier.
No, no, I mean, I was trying to figure out if I can somehow rinse my hair with my feet, my arms were too tired to lift them up any more. LOL Not that it would be any easier that way....
Oh, I see! I know what you mean! Just standing in the shower is hard enough, much less raising my arms!
I agree to check out both your hydration level and your nutrition - I find I swim much better when I've had something in my stomach. I eat a banana and drink some tea prior to practice and then do best if I eat quickly after practice.
I also have noticed that over time, it's gotten easier as I have gotten into better shape. Keep at it - it does get easier.
Hmm, this isn't a "just got back in the pool" issue, or yes, that would of course be the obvious answer. :P
Nor is it hydration -- I drink a ton of water during my workout.
But yes, I will try to figure out how to get some pre-workout nutrition in there.
Philo, I can sympathize with you, believe me. Our indoor pool has reached 88 degrees, even with the water heater shut off. The humidity level is at 74% and the air temp. is around 84 degrees. I can't even think about swimming in the afternoon, because the air temp rises above 90 degrees! Hopefully, the HVAC people will get their system working properly, so we can at least get the hot humid air pumped out of there...
Heat is definitely a factor. Although I have had this problem in the winter, when swimming outdoors in 40s-50s weather, heat makes it worse. So, I can really sympathize with your situation. It's hard not to blow a gasket when the pool is hot to begin with.
Former Member
If I'm any indication, nope, fins won't help. At least not zoomers, which is what we were using. If anything, they seem to fatigue me even more, probably because I really focus on my kicking and use those large quad muscles.
No, no, I mean, I was trying to figure out if I can somehow rinse my hair with my feet, my arms were too tired to lift them up any more. LOL Not that it would be any easier that way....
Oh, I see! I know what you mean! Just standing in the shower is hard enough, much less raising my arms!
I've had those days. My team is tapering right now since some are going to sectionals and some to Nationals in Irvine, CA. It has been nice..... although I find myself starving half way through the practice now. I had to get out yesterday and eat a Barker's Brownie. Naturally I shared one with the coach :)
That reminds me, my blood pressure tends to be on the low side. I know that swimming sometimes temporarily affects the blood pressure, but I never took a closer look to see in which way. I wonder if there's a connection.
Improper nutrition, in my case can sometimes contribute to a bit of fatigue, but that fatigue tends to go away as soon as I eat a few carbs. I can really feel it during the meets, when I don't eat much... but can definately feel a surge of energy after some gatorate, or one of the goo packets.
The low sugar tiredness (to me) feels a bit different then the overall fatigue, that can last for the rest of the day... and makes you need a nap, even just an hour long workout.
I tried hyperventilating a bit in the past, thinking maybe I'm not breathing quite right, and getting a bit oxygen deprived, but that didn't seem to make much differece.
Philoswimmer, how yould you describe your overall cardiovascular conditioning and health?
I suspect that fatigue has something to do with cardio, but I'm not sure what.... Over the years I did a lot of cardio conditioning in water and dryland, and I only feel that fatigue when swimming.
Maybe cardio combined with the body temperature changing a bit from being in the water?
I'm not really sure how to judge my overall cardiovascular conditioning and health -- good, I guess? But my blood pressure also tends to be on the low side. I don't know what it is after one of my "blown a gasket" episodes. But often my face is pretty red. Did I mention that I have mild asthma -- not a factor when I'm at rest, but perhaps exercise-induced.
You make an interesting point. I am eating right after I swim, but still feel exhausted.
Darn, I like the nutrition answer better. It's easier to fix.
