I've been out of the water for a month, and out of the weight room for 3 months. This was a planned break after a long season. I just got back in the pool last week and things feel about how they should given the circumstances.
My question is; Would jumping back into weights at the same time I'm getting back in the pool be safe? By safe, I mean with respect to reducing the risk of tendonitis/shoulder/etc problems? Should I wait a few weeks to acclimate to the pool before starting a weight routine?
A little about the weights I intend to do. I'm happy with the Lezak weight program for sprinters and am going to do a second time. This program does do a month of endurance lifting prior to any strength or speedwork, so I'm not going to be lifting like gangbusters right off the bat.
I did have shoulder and elbow tendonitis problems before the planned break, but they were not serious and these injuries have not surfaced yet in the pool. I am currently pretty tight from this last week, but not uncomfortable.
I really don't know the accepted thinking on this except for my college experience (i.e everything at once, you sissy), so any thoughts/ opinions are appreciated now that I am older and more wary of injury :cane:.
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Former Member
Starting with the endurance phase, you should be fine. If you are going to get two full cycles in before you next target meet, maybe go lighter than you normally would with this phase. You are coming off a rather short break and you were in top shape before hand, so it won't take long to adjust, it will just feel like a long time.
You might want to look into form rollers, tennis balls, dynamic stretching or yoga to help you stay loose while you adjust to regular workouts again.
Starting with the endurance phase, you should be fine. If you are going to get two full cycles in before you next target meet, maybe go lighter than you normally would with this phase. You are coming off a rather short break and you were in top shape before hand, so it won't take long to adjust, it will just feel like a long time.
You might want to look into form rollers, tennis balls, dynamic stretching or yoga to help you stay loose while you adjust to regular workouts again.