What distance is the minimum?

... My best masters experience were workouts that averaged 2500. I felt 40 min of hard swimming was manageable with my other daily duties and did not scare me away. ... Can this cut it 3-5 days a week to get in primo shape? I think the answer to your question is basically "yes". My experience is that the number of times I swim per week is more important than the distance per workout (within reason of course, it wouldn't do much good to swim 100 yds/day 7 days per week.) I find that 2500-3000 yds/workout 3x per week gives me ok overall fitness, but doesn't get me into competitive swimming shape. At 4x per week I make slow progress, but at 5x per week I feel like I can put out what are for me strong performances. Last year I averaged about 3100 yds/workout slightly more than 4x per week and my times steadily improved. For spring & summer this year I averaged close to 3500 yds/practice 5x per week. I got within a few tenths of my HS best 100 free time and within a second or two of my best 100 back time. I'm 46 yo and train mostly to race backstroke. I should point out that my focus events in HS were the 500 free and 200 IM. I don't do those now. I suspect that I would be 10 s off in the IM and 35+ s off in the 500. YMMV. I know one guy that is just a few years younger than me who claims to swim 1700 yds/workout 2x per week, yet he has a very fast 50 free and a respectable 100. I'm glad he isn't in my age group, yet.

Mr. Goose, Welcome back to the pool. I chuckled about your main set examples. I can't count the number of 10X200 or 500s I did in my youth. I still carry the revulsion. For me, a good coach stops the boredom and makes really hard sets that lull me into putting much more effort than I had counted on. Clock games always get me going. 3,000 to 4,500 focused yards, five days a week gets me in pretty good shape.

What you lack in yardage, you can make up in experience. I know my body better and better as I age, which helps in practice and race strategy. You can pull it off with 3,500 a day.

The majority seem to be saying 3500.I almost never swim more than 2500/dayX4-5 days/week and am pleased with my results.I also lift weights 2X/week(generally on swim days so that is still 4-5 workouts per week.)If I was doing your workout,for me the key would be the intensity of the core set.I am training for the 3 BRs mostly so my core 1000 would be as 25s,50s or 100s at race pace(25s as sprints,50s at 100 pace,100s at 200 pace.No I wouldn't do 20X25 sprints,but I might do 8X25 then a recovery swim then another 8X25.)To do race pace I am giving myself enough rest,like 50s on 2 min or sometimes even longer.If I can't make my goal time I give myself more rest or throw in a recovery swim.If I swim 5X/wk I have made one of the swims not race paced,but rather all recovery swim speed or drills to let my body recover.

100 x 100's builds alot of character when your young. Just ruined many a shoulder too. I think 3500, what used to be a solid morning practice is a good number.

You can totally get in primo shape. Unless your swimming 500's or longer in competition you dont need all those extra yards. I swim about 3-4k a day 3-4 days a week and I am posting better times than when I was in high school. Tighten up your intervals and get some sprints in. If you cant get to the weight room, do some pushups/pullups on the pool deck.

You guys are too much! I've been training an average of 3,000-4,000 yards PER WEEK for the 12 years I've been back in Masters and most would say I am an adequate swimmer (though my 59.18 100 IM this year was 1.5 seconds slower than my 3rd place nationals finish in the 25-29 age group 35 years ago...my shoulders aren't as good at age 60, I guess!). If you're talking minimum, I think 1000 yards 3x per week is closer to it, with fewer joint issues from overuse. Of course, 200's are my limit, distance-wise. Train smart, not long! That 59.18 at age 60 is not a typo.Whatever George is doing is working.He is one of the few people I know who is top 3 in the nation in the 50 of each stroke.

I swim one week 3 days and at least get in 2,200.. another week I swim 4 days. Two of the days each week I usually practice 3,000 or more. I practice ever stroke each time and swim a 200 fly 200 back 100 *** and a couple of 500 free and 2 sets of drills Can I add a question to this thread? Taper practice or no Taper Practice? I can not taper practice. When I don't swim for more than 3 days the first day back I am really tired and can't swim. I try so hard but just can't do it. So this last meet ( I have only been in two) I swam my regular and I think I did good. Also at my last swim meet I swam a 200 fly as warm up. When I get done swimming my 200 fly every day I am always faster and stronger in my other strokes. I truly think warming up with this at swim meets helps me:)

I average 2500 per workout and usually range from 2000 - 3500. Just do what time allows and try to pick up your swims/week when preparing for a focus meet. Glad you're back in the pool. P.S. I remember a day in my youth when we did 50 x 400. Never again!

You guys are too much! I've been training an average of 3,000-4,000 yards PER WEEK for the 12 years I've been back in Masters and most would say I am an adequate swimmer (though my 59.18 100 IM this year was about 2.7 seconds slower than my 3rd place nationals finish in the 25-29 age group 35 years ago...my shoulders aren't as good at age 60, I guess!). If you're talking minimum, I think 1000 yards 3x per week is closer to it, with fewer joint issues from overuse. Of course, 200's are usually my racing limit, distance-wise. Train smart, not long! My main set is 8x25's with about 10 seconds rest, descending times.