When I used to run, some days were awesome, some were tough. Sometimes when I swim 4 days straight, I get better. Today I felt sloppy, no rhythm on freestyle, hips were tired. Ugghh. Does anyone else experience that? Do you plug on through or cut it short? I'm betting most get through the workout.
There are no bad workouts. It's just that some are better than others.
Dan
This is a great way to look at it! :angel:
I've been swimming on my own for the past 3 years or so. It is quite easy for me to modify my sets if I'm not feeling it...almost too easy. But some days I just need to give myself a break. There are days when I'll show up at the pool with what I think is a perfect set--only to feel not so good during my warm-up. I'll usually start on the set. If it is say 200s, I'll do at least 2-3. If I'm not making my interval after that many, then it is time to modify (either the distance or the interval). Again, this is solo swimming, so I have wide latitude to change anything.
When I swam with teams it wasn't so easy. I'd normally swim in the same lane, with many of the same people. Some days there were distance or sprint options. Occasionally I'd move to a different lane if I wasn't feeling it, but that would usually raise questions/concerns from the other lane ('you're too fast for us') and defeat the point of changing lanes.
I had the opposite happen to me this past Monday. I woke up feeling a bit run-down and had low expectations for my swim (Sunday was a busy day with a lake swim, a hike, then a long time on the USMS convention Zoom meeting). I got to the pool, did a long warm-up and suddenly felt better than I expected. So I revised my set--I did 600/500/400/300/200, with the 5/3 as pull, and that last 200 somewhat fast.
While I enjoyed swimming with teams while I did, I'm finding solo swimming to have its benefits too. Occasionally I'll still swim with a team (or I did before Coronavirus), and find that really provides benefits for fast swimming. My goals are more on long swims now (like miles, not yards or meters).
There are no bad workouts. It's just that some are better than others.
Dan
This is a great way to look at it! :angel:
I've been swimming on my own for the past 3 years or so. It is quite easy for me to modify my sets if I'm not feeling it...almost too easy. But some days I just need to give myself a break. There are days when I'll show up at the pool with what I think is a perfect set--only to feel not so good during my warm-up. I'll usually start on the set. If it is say 200s, I'll do at least 2-3. If I'm not making my interval after that many, then it is time to modify (either the distance or the interval). Again, this is solo swimming, so I have wide latitude to change anything.
When I swam with teams it wasn't so easy. I'd normally swim in the same lane, with many of the same people. Some days there were distance or sprint options. Occasionally I'd move to a different lane if I wasn't feeling it, but that would usually raise questions/concerns from the other lane ('you're too fast for us') and defeat the point of changing lanes.
I had the opposite happen to me this past Monday. I woke up feeling a bit run-down and had low expectations for my swim (Sunday was a busy day with a lake swim, a hike, then a long time on the USMS convention Zoom meeting). I got to the pool, did a long warm-up and suddenly felt better than I expected. So I revised my set--I did 600/500/400/300/200, with the 5/3 as pull, and that last 200 somewhat fast.
While I enjoyed swimming with teams while I did, I'm finding solo swimming to have its benefits too. Occasionally I'll still swim with a team (or I did before Coronavirus), and find that really provides benefits for fast swimming. My goals are more on long swims now (like miles, not yards or meters).
