First thread so go easy on me!
Forgive me if this has been asked before, but I was wondering if it is better to swim before you do weights or vice versa?
:dunno:
Except for a couple of weeks while at the University of Texas, I always lift weights before I swim, for the reasons listed above. It is easier to use the swim warmup to recover from weights than to use a weight workout to recover from a swim workout.
But, for a couple of weeks at Texas, we lifted afterward, just to see how it would work, as in making our muscles lift the usual weight with some fatigue already in them. It was very hard and we were all broken down for weeks afterward.
Lifting before is better.
On my lift days, I always try to swim afterwards. Even if it's not a hard workout, I've noticed since I started doing this that I'm not nearly as sore the next day or two from lifting. As ndswim91 mentioned, it is likely related to breaking up the lactic acid in your muscles. I usuallly reserve my harder swim workouts for days that I do not lift. ope that helps.
My :2cents: :
Swimming technique is numero uno. Do things right at a slow speed/intensity level.
I start most swims with Fistgloves to protect the rotator cuff and to enhance balance and coordination. The gloves are one of the most underestimated accessories. They just look ridiculous.
For the strength training i use rubber bands once in a while. I'm sure I will bulk up eventually just from swimming. And swimming is far more enjoyable than weight lifting.
The Hedonist
How about the stretching issue? Shouldn't that follow after weights?
I understood it would be okay to swim after weights as long as you do a stretch program at the end (correct :dunno: )
How about the stretching issue? Shouldn't that follow after weights?
I understood it would be okay to swim after weights as long as you do a stretch program at the end (correct :dunno: )
Useful :bow: stretching :banana: routine I found :hug: when googling :help: for "Swimmers Shoulder":
www.nismat.org/.../index.html
Just dug out the rusty dumbells from the garage :rolleyes: thinking they could be useful after all.
The problem with weight lifting is specificity. How should I work the core and shoulders, where you need basic stability and strength? Pushups and crunches seem to strengthen other muscles than the ones needed for long-axis swimming such as freestyle.
How about the stretching issue? Shouldn't that follow after weights?
Thanks Sven.This is very useful to me because I have just been told I have weak shoulders and need to work on them to correct my posture. So it looks like I will be spending a lot of time in the weight room :(
